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  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Laughing Gravy

    ★★★★ | The Laughing Gravy

    A restaurant with a funny name sits between Southwark tube stop and Elephant & Castle – it’s The Laughing Gravy.

    Blackfriars Road is a bit of a restaurant no man’s land. Right near Southwark Tube station is the excellent upscale Polish restaurant Baltic, and then a few blocks south is The Laughing Gravy, nestled into it’s spot amidst the new expensive apartment blocks and conversions that have made this neighbourhood upscale.

    And upscale you will need to be as The Laughing Gravy is not cheap. Most of the hearty mains are priced between £22 and £24 each (though there are few lesser-priced options as well), while the starters are all above £8 each and the puddings no less than £7.50. The Laughing Gravy has been operating as a restaurant for around 6 years, and they are definitely doing something right. Head chef Michael Facey, along with a very friendly staff, deliver a varied modern British Menu, and it has just been named best restaurant in the Southwark and Waterloo area by Time Out.

    There is truly something for everyone at The Laughing Gravy. The starters range from Pigeon and Oxtail Sausage Roll to the Roasted and Pickled Heritage Beetroot and the Wild Garlic Infused Roasted Artichoke. The Beetroot (at £8.50) was an absolute explosion of colours and flavours. Served on a black plate, it was a rainbow of beetroot with goat’s cheese and apple puree, candied cashews and kale. Served as a cold dish, it was sexy and perfect. The Artichoke starter was quite the opposite, a bit bland, though the artichoke puree and potatoes saved it from being a total waste – though at £8.50 there wasn’t a whole lot on the plate.

    For the main course, my dining companion and I decided to have meat and fish. I ordered the Lincolnshire rib eye steak (225 grams), and I am glad I did. With onions, plum tomatoes and mushrooms, it was perfectly cooked (I asked for M to MW), and that’s exactly what I got. Both sides were cooked dark brown, and it was tender and scrumptious. It was served, under the meat, with delicious Madeira (wine) sauce. At £23, it was worth every penny. My companion had the Roast Lemon Sole (£22.50), and it was a panoply of seafood. Not just sole, the dish also included Devonshire crab and sweetcorn dumplings, kale, braised celery and sweetcorn curd and crab bisque. She was very happy with her portion, which I thought was a good value considering how much seafood was on the plate. Other menu choices in the lower-priced range include the Aberdeen Angus burger (£13.50), Superfood Salad (£11.50), and the Roast Heritage Vegetables (£14.00). Other higher-priced recommended items include the Roast guinea fowl (£22), Pan-fried seabass (£22.50), and the Lamb Rump (£22.00). Sides are a must and include Hand cut or Truffle chips, or the excellent Salt baked champs (mash potato) (£4-5 each).

    I recommend having a dessert as there was quite a selection. My companion had the Plum, quince, Madeira and honey crumble, and it was just as we expected, crumbly delicious. I had the Champagne, mango and lime cheesecake, and it was small yet heavy and came with a tiny doughnut. Next time I will order the Treacle and apple tart or the Salted caramel mousse (£7.50 to £8.50).

    The restaurant’s wine, beer and cocktail list goes on for days. There are about 24 cocktails to choose from, my companion was happy with her margarita, while I was happy with my Lemon Drop (Ketel One vodka, fresh lemon juice and Cointreau) – though it was very sweet. Other options include the LG Bloody Mary to the Hazelnut Martini and the divinely sounding Waterloo Sunset (elderflower liqueur and gin topped with champagne and Chambord – and the most expensive drink on the menu at £13.50). With my steak, I had the full-bodied and delicious French 2014 Cotés du Rhone – highly recommended. The Laughing Gravy’s wine list includes wine from other countries including Italy and Spain – it’s one of the most exhaustive wine lists I’ve ever seen.

    The Laughing Gravy sits about 50 people, it’s got a small welcoming bar past the entrance, and a room that’s big with high-pitched ceilings. Beautiful wood floors and a smart decor makes The Laughing Gravy cosy and comfortable. Noise levels get a bit high when they are busy (we were there on a Saturday night), but it’s bearable. The staff are very welcoming and our waiter Oliver and hostess Freddi made us very welcome from beginning to end, including when I accidentally put the menu on top of the candle and it caught on fire. Luckily the restaurant survived the fire though your wallet might not be so lucky.

    Reviewed by Tim Baros

    Telephone: 020 7998 1707

    thelaughinggravy.co.uk

    RESTAURANT HOURS:
    Monday to Thursday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2200
    Friday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2230
    Saturday: 1200 – 1600 & 1700 – 2230
    Sunday: 1200 – 1630

    Address: 154 BLACKFRIARS ROAD, LONDON SE1 8EN

  • Four gay plays to look out for this spring 2017

    Four gay plays to look out for this spring 2017

    As the spring theatre season starts to gather momentum, there are some great gay-themed plays in and around the UK. Here are four plays to keep an eye out for.

    Everyone’s Talking About Jamie – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

    Jamie New is sixteen. He’s from Sheffield. And he has a secret. He doesn’t quite fit in at school. His Dad’s left home. He’s about to sit his GCSEs. The future is terrifying. With his brilliant mum behind him, will Jamie be brave enough to stand up for who he really wants to be? A coming-of-age story with a twist, with catchy new songs by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling Dan Gillespie Sells and writer Tom MacRae (Doctor Who), this brand new musical will have everybody talking about Jamie for years to come. Based on the BBC3 documentary, Jamie – Drag Queen at Sixteen, the world premiere of this new musical runs at Sheffield Theatres from the 9th – 25th February 2017. Visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for details and listen to the first song from the show below.

    https://soundcloud.com/user-872483887/dont-even-know-it-featuring-betty-boo

     

    Gypsy Queen – Doncaster CAST and National Tour

    Photo Credit: PR Supplied

    Written, in part, as a response to Tyson Fury’s comments that “there are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home and one of them is homosexuality being legal.”; this play tells the tale of The Gypsy King, a boxer who leaves his travelling community roots behind him to pursue his career. “Gorgeous” George O’Connell is taken on by a professional boxing coach, whose own son Dane ‘The Pain’ Samson is openly gay, and as they train together, George learn much more about himself that he ever thought he would. But Dane is fighting his own battles that lead to a tragedy that neither could predict. Set in the testosterone-fuelled world of boxing, this play looks at what happens in the traditionally masculine world of the sport when everything about someone’s culture and identity are confronted by their greatest fear. This play contains strong language, full frontal nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. Gypsy Queen plays at Doncaster CAST Theatre on the 12th April 2017 (www.castindoncaster.com ) and national tour.

    La Cage Aux Folles – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour.

    Photo Credit: PR Supplied by Leeds Grand Theatre

    Georges is the manager of a Saint Tropez nightclub, his partner Albin is a drag artiste and the club’s star attraction. They live an idyllic existence in the south of France until Georges’ son Jean-Michel announces his engagement to the daughter of a notorious right-wing politician; a politician who is determined to close down the local colourful night-life. This lavishly funny tale follows the gay couple desperately trying to “play it straight” as the families meet; and celebrates unconditional love, family values  and that life’s not worth a damn ‘till you can say I am what I am.’ Better known to many as “The Birdcage”, this 1983 classic musical is embarking on its first ever national tour, and stars John Partridge (Eastenders), and West End leading lady Marti Webb. La Cage Aux Folles is at Leeds Grand from the 20th to the 25th March 2017 (www.leedsgrandtheatre.com), as part of its current national tour (http://www.kenwright.com/microsite/la-cage-aux-folles/ )

    Miss Meena and the Masala Queens – West Yorkshire Playhouse and National Tour.

    Credit – PR Supplied

    Dazzling saris, grand Bollywood lip-sync dance numbers and queues of adoring fans – for Miss Meena this is all now a distant memory. The once famous and fabulous drag queen has lost his sparkle and like his nightclub is washed up and out of date. The punters have gone and whilst the other drag queens are strutting their high-heels elsewhere, property developers are circling like vultures waiting for Miss Meena to give up the lease to the club. With the club on its knees, a new arrival brings a glittery rainbow of hope. But just as things are starting to look up for Miss Meena, a visitor from the past makes him question everything he ever stood for. This new production promised to be fun, vivacious and heart-warming. Ms Meena and the Masala Queens is at West Yorkshire Playhouse from the 13th to the 17th June 2017 (www.wyp.org.uk ) as part of its national tour. Visit http://rifcoarts.com/shows/miss-meena-the-masala-queens for details.

     

     

  • CAR REVIEW | Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Plus 1.4 MultiAir Turbo

    CAR REVIEW | Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Plus 1.4 MultiAir Turbo

    ★★★★ | Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Plus 1.4 MultiAir Turbo

    On Days like these…

    Have you ever bought an album because of a car before? While I understand that he isn’t Italian, he is synonymous with an Anglo-Italian classic movie so having been given the new Fiat 124 Spider I had to get myself a Matt Monro album to go with it.

    Fiat 124 Spider Lusso review

    In a month that saw the shed leak, the garage leak, a roof tile fall off the house narrowly missing my Fiat Tempra and the trusty hatchback take in water quicker than the Titanic, I decided that testing the open-top Spider would be quite fitting. When faced with so much water and chaos what can possibly go wrong with a car that has a fabric roof? I’ll tell you, it snowed!

    Fiat were once makers of great small sports cars. The range was made up of humdrum saloons, estates and coupes topped off with a little something cheeky for the weekend. The last time Fiat tried this was with the Barchetta. It was cheeky alright, just let down by the use of the last generation of Punto chassis.

    Not so anymore with the new Spider. Underneath it is a Mazda MX-5. Now take that with a pinch of salt because the chassis was a joint development between Mazda and Fiat. While that doesn’t sound very exotic I can tell you that it translates into a beautiful chassis that never fails to satisfy.

    What Fiat have given you over the MX-5 is their own 1368cc multiair engine. It’s not as rapid as the MX-5 or as lustful in its revs. The MX-5 we tested last year would scream to 7000rpm, the Fiat is all done by 6000. Once wound up above 2700rpm, it will trounce the MX-5.

    In performance terms that translates into 140bhp at 5000rpm with 240Nm of grunt being delivered at 2250rpm. All this power and fun for over 40 miles to the gallon if you’re good. A little less if you are not. The paper spec to the actual driving feel doesn’t quite come out like that and this is probably not helped by the high gearing in all but first gear. The dashboard gauge will tell you to change up keeping it below 2000rpm. Totally pointless in almost every situation. Even crawling in traffic requires first because second is too high.

    The multiair has 2 modes. Gutless city poser below 2500rpm or manic mayhem over 3000rpm. You can drive it 2 ways, cruise and enjoy the views or allow it full range and have it try and kill you on wet roundabouts. I’ll accept that is a little bit of an exaggeration. It needs to be respected in some situations though you can have some naughty fun with it. The traction control kicking in more readily than in the MX-5. The level of adhesion even in the wet was good. The chassis allows for this however if you are too lead-footed, when the engine comes on tap at 3000rpm it will give you a wake-up call. Thankfully it doesn’t make you too nervous all of the time. A little release of adrenalin over a journey is quite rewarding.

    Get over this little annoyance and the Spider behaves in a civilised way. It’s not your all-out road rocket. The original never was and it’s nice to see this one isn’t either. It’ll take you places with wind-in-the-hair excitement and comfort. It’s a sports car at the end of the day, and not a lazy man car. The joy of a proper sports car is twirling the short throw gearstick back and forth. What it lacks in this department is a little rorty exhaust note.

    As with any car with a removable top, it is easy to fold down manually in seconds and there is almost no buffeting at any speed. I was still able to keep dry in what felt like a monsoon above 45mph. I looked a prat but what the hell. The heating and heated seats doing a fine job on a winter’s weekend in keeping me warm.

    It’s a win lose win situation with the Fiat 124 Spyder. Finally, it is a Fiat product that doesn’t look like a 500. It looks bloody lovely. Sadly the inside is Mazda. Thankfully it has that joint venture chassis so it handles like a dream.


    So only thing that lets the Spider down really is in how Mazda it is inside. The original had a dashboard screwed to the dashboard made of wood with some dials. You wouldn’t want to recreate that however making it look different would have been a bonus. Like the 3 facia dials. The digital one for temperature and fuel look out of place. It needs dials with needles. What it needs are more dials. Changing the dashboard really would make it feel such a different car. Again on the model I had, the tobacco leather strip runs short across the dashboard. For visual pleasure, it needs to run across the entire length.

    The other thing the Spider really needs is Fiat’s own infotainment system. Most certainly on the DAB radio. The one fitted is from Mazda and it is far too fussy and clumsy to select stations. The one I tried in the new Tipo was joyous because it simply worked so well.

    Style wise it is beautiful. Some have bemoaned the size of the overhangs. I like them. It is in keeping with the original lines. What Fiat have managed to do is finally tidy up the rear. Whatever they did to it back in the 60s and 70s always looked like a job your dad did in the shed. If anything they could have exaggerated the upper flicks of the rear wings a bit more. The front is a pleasure to look at. Somehow it also manages to look wider than the MX-5.

    To sum up the Spider over the MX-5 is easy. The Spider isn’t your all out sports car. It’s a touring car with the ability to go very quickly. What it needs is the option of the limited slip rear diff as fitted to the MX-5. If that was fitted it would sharpen an otherwise Bellissimo dressed package.

    If I had the money right now I’d be putting down a deposit for a Lusso Plus in magnetic bronze metallic with tobacco leather and adding historical alloy wheels. In the meantime, I’ll just play with the model I bought in my bed instead.

    Like
    Looks
    Comfort
    Performance

    Dislike
    Infotainment system
    Lack of an exhaust note
    Mazda interior

    The Lowdown
    Car – Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Plus 1.4 MultiAir Turbo
    Price – £23,295 (as tested)
    MPG – 44.6 (combined)
    Power – 140 bhp
    0-62mph – 7.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 134 mph

  • OPINION | 7 celebrities who think they might be gay icons, but aren’t, and 10 celebrities who actually are gay icons

    OPINION | 7 celebrities who think they might be gay icons, but aren’t, and 10 celebrities who actually are gay icons

    What makes a gay icon I hear you ask? Well, there’s not actually a specific set of rules, if someone is an icon, it rarely needs to be said, it’s just known. But there are some celebrities who try desperately hard to obtain the status, and they are laughed at for the most part. I’ll start with these cases first. The ones who so desperately crave a “YAAAASSSS QUEEN” off the gay community, but mostly fall short. A gay icon is created without the need for effort. For the list, I’ll be concentrating on the icons who are currently alive, with an honour roll of icons past at the end.

    1. Any member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan.

    There I said it, I can hear the wails of anger already. To some, they are the epitome of an icon, but to most, they are shallow, money-hungry, low rent TV reality stars who only got famous after one of them slept with Brandy’s brother and had the tape “leaked”. No one can actually point out specifically what they do. They are famous, merely for being famous. The only good thing they have going for them is they know exactly how to exploit that. Not even Caitlyn Jenner can rescue them. Her “struggles” with coming out as transgender are so far removed from the actual hell that transgender people go through that she is almost universally hated by the LGBT community. These are not people to look up to.

    2. Tori Spelling

    When someone feels the need to boast about their gay icon status, they are not a gay icon. While a vocal supporter of the gay community, she is far removed from icon status. Having her friends tell her she’s a gay icon doesn’t count. She’s not exactly well known, and it’s unlikely she could command much of a crowd at any event. Yeah, she used to be in Beverly Hills 90210, but who really gives a shit?

    3. Katie Hopkins

    Oh, Ms Hopkins, you may want to be a gay icon, but this you never shall be. While some gays may like your no nonsense mouth, to most you’re just a loud mouthed harridan who revels in spewing vitriol and trying to be as controversial as possible. It takes class to be an icon, and Katie Hopkins is severely lacking in that. You need a certain gravitas to be able to pull off being a bitch and still be beloved.

    4. Perez Hilton

    His disgraceful Celebrity Big Brother stint pretty much destroyed any small hope he had of achieving icon status. Gossip monger by trade, he has always tried much too hard to be a gay icon, and it comes across as crass and disingenuous. He has a knack for really pissing people off, and like Ms Hopkins, he doesn’t have the proper qualifications for being bitchy and getting away with it

    5. Milo Yiannopoulos

    An avid Trump supporter and self-proclaimed “dangerous faggot” Yiannopoulos tries to shock and offend as much as possible and has said incredibly offensive things about transgender people. He is the ultimate in petulant, self-obsessed, narcissistic, nasty, vindictive and hateful gays. And while some people may agree with some of the things he says, he comes across as smarmy and greasy.

    6. Nick Jonas

    Yes, he’s got a hot body, and a bulge for days, but being a gay tease does not an icon make. People are starting to see through the blatant attempt to appeal to the gay community by posing in very little clothing and playing TV roles that involve man on man action, I’m half expecting his nudes to “leak” at some point when he needs a boost of gay male interest in an upcoming project.

    7. Miley Cyrus

    Her post-Hannah Montana days shenanigans were mildly entertaining at first, but then it all became rather desperate looking and uncomfortable. She fell out of favour fairly quickly with gay fans, and she never really achieved the status of icon in the first place, despite being an advocate for LGBT rights. She seemed to be desperate for the gays to love her and it riled a lot of people.

     

    And now for some of the true gay icons. In no particular order. This is a difficult list to narrow down because many people are considered gay icons. But there are some who stand out above the rest as the ultimate in enduring gay icons. You can’t hear their name without thinking “gay icon”

    Dolly Parton
    CREDIT: kathclick /BigStock

    1. Dolly Parton

    The queen of cheap and tacky, but amazing with it. Her look, her quirky southern charm, her infamous ahem assets and her attitude are forever endearing to the community. There will always be a Dolly tune you can rock out to, or find solace in. She is a true icon without having to be boastful. She is grateful and loving and supportive. That makes us love Ms Parton.

    2. Sir Ian McKellan

    Come on people, he’s Gandalf and Magneto, and a massive advocate for the gay community. He’s the true stately homo, with dignity and class, and his bromance with Captain Picard makes the nerd in us scream with excitement. He also loves attending Pride events, and has been known to be found at 3am outside a club, smoking and hobnobbing with fans. A proper British institution.

    3. Cher

    The big kahuna herself, and when the apocalypse happens, there will be only three things left, Cockroaches, Twinkies and Cher. Not much needs to be said as to why she is a gay icon. She’s bitchy, fabulous and a drag queen’s dream. Her costumes, stage performances and films and TV appearances bring out the queen in all of us. Plus she’s so famous she doesn’t need to know how to order pizza (according to Kathy Griffin) and no one cares. She is one of the ultimate gay icons. She’s Cher bitch!!

    4. Betty White

    If there’s anything better than sliced bread (she was born before it was even invented) it’s the only remaining Golden Girl herself, Betty White. She’s the matriarch of gay icons, and at 95, she is still rocking and beloved by all. There really isn’t anything bad you can say about this woman, and long may she continue to entertain us. And as the younger generation find out about The Golden Girls, they too will fall in love with Rose Nylund.

    5. RuPaul

    The drag mother himself, RuPaul has entertained fans for many years. Never one to mince words, RuPaul found fame in 1993 after the song “Supermodel” came out, but it was 2009 that saw his star truly rise when a little show called RuPaul’s Drag Race came thundering onto our screens, and nearly 9 seasons later the show goes from strength to strength, and also reintroduced us to RuPaul’s cohort, Michelle Visage, who is somewhat of a gay icon herself, due to her unwavering vocal support of a community who took her to their hearts.

    6. Ellen DeGeneres

    Her reminder of “be kind to one another” strikes a chord in the community and her warmth and generosity towards others can only make people smile. She rose from a little-known stand-up comedian to one of the most watched women on TV. People love Ellen, and her gay icon status is very much deserved. She doesn’t take herself seriously and proves that it’s OK to be gay and live a normal life without shame or guilt. A truly inspirational woman.

    © Jean_Nelson Depositphotos

    7. Stephen Fry

    I would be hard pushed not to put bitingly witty, intelligent, charming and all round fabulous person Stephen Fry on this list. From the days of Blackadder to the presenter of QI, Fry has been an icon for a long time. He has been voted numerous times as an ultimate gay icon and it’s not hard to see why. His eloquent way of speaking and conducting himself appeals to many fans alike.

    8. Madonna

    Anyone who can bring voguing into the mainstream deserves a place among the icons. The Queen of Pop and reinvention herself has been popular for 30 years, and to this day still commands massive crowds. Gay fans flocked to Madonna and her ridiculously catchy dance tunes will still get many a gay on the dance floor, and while she may not be as popular as she once, there’s still only one Madonna.

    9. Diana Ross

    With a gay anthem like “I’m coming out” Diana Ross with all her glittery outfits, and diva-like behaviour screams gay icon. Having a career that’s lasted since God’s dog was a puppy also helps. She’s also probably the only woman to shut down West Hollywood so she could film a music video with RuPaul and 200 drag queens. Gay Icon certified.

    10. Bette Midler

    Miss Midler was performing in gay venues in the 70s after seeing the positive reaction from the LGBT crowd, and then in 1993, she achieved gay cult status as Winifred Sanderson in Hocus Pocus. Her glittery stage presence and music is always a hit amongst the gay crowd, and while occasionally she has put foot in mouth, her iconic status cannot be refuted.

    Some of you may ask why I haven’t included people like Britney, Beyonce or Lady Gaga, Well I’ll explain. The icons I chose have been talking points for a very long time, and I can see them still being talked about long after they are no longer with us. Gaga et al, still have a way to go before true icon status is achieved, and while they have an icon-like following, in my eyes they aren’t legendary…yet!

    Honour roll of past gay icons

    Carrie Fisher
    Joan Rivers
    Bette Davies
    Joan Crawford
    David Bowie
    Bea Arthur
    Quentin Crisp
    Divine
    Judy Garland
    Donna Summer
    Harvey Milk
    Marsha P Johnson
    James Dean
    Marlon Brando
    Marlene Dietrich
    Lucille Ball
    Freddie Mercury
    George Michael
    Whitney Houston
    Alan Turing
    Marilyn Monroe
    Mae West
    Jackie Onassis

     

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • COLUMN | It’s been 3 years since my last date… but I’ve found love

    A lot of my friends wonder why I don’t really date.

    I recently wrote about how I feel I’ve met my soulmate but it just wasn’t and still isn’t the right time for us. Is my hesitation to date some pathetic attempt to stop time, in hope that he changes into the man I need him to be in order for us to have a successful relationship? Or is there something deeper?

    Since he and I broke up, I have dated. My first date was with a French guy I had met on POF. He seemed nice enough when we chatted. When we met in person he asked if I minded running a few errands with him. It was entirely unromantic but I agreed. I instantly regretted this when we made awkward chat in a line at a Post Office. It was the depths of summer so I was sweating, my feet hurt and I felt instantly unsexy. We went for a coffee where he told me about how he hated most ethnic minorities and felt that most gays were a disgrace. Now, I hadn’t dated in a while so instead of listening to the voice in my head that was screaming “run”, I went back to his apartment.

    Now, I hadn’t dated in a while so instead of listening to the voice in my head that was screaming “run”, I went back to his apartment.

    His apartment was gorgeous with stunning views. We drank champagne and ate strawberries as the sun set. It was romantic and I melted as he told me how he missed home and missed his mother. It deleted all memory of that fact he was a racist, self-loathing homosexual. What can I say? I was fickle and horny.

    What can I say? I was fickle and horny.

    We eventually went to his bedroom where he suggested we shower. I found this sexy until he suggested we shower separately because it was a hot day and we’d been out all afternoon. Despite alarm bells now ringing loudly in my head, I waited my turn (that’s right, he went FIRST) and then came out in a towel only to discover he was fully dressed. I awkwardly went back into the bathroom and dressed also. We sat and watched a film for a while and then he started kissing me. I reached down to unbutton my shirt and he SLAPPED (PHYSICALLY. SLAPPED.) my hand away. “NO NO NO” he growled, “I DO THIS”. Every single time I tried to undress myself, he’d slap my hand away.

    After some very mediocre sex-adjacent acts, I excused myself to the bathroom. In there I noticed, sat on his bathroom shelf, was a tube of cold sore cream. I took a look at myself in the mirror and laughed. I darted out of there without so much as a goodbye. How did I let myself get into that situation?!

    Despite this, a few months later, I allowed my friend to set me up on a blind date. “You’ll love him, you have a lot in common” he smiled. I turned up to the date 15 minutes late due to traffic. I

    “You’ll love him, you have a lot in common” he smiled. I turned up to the date 15 minutes late due to traffic. I apologised a few times to which he yelled, “STOP F*CKING APOLOGISING”. Startled, I simply replied “sorry” which, admittedly, seemed a little sarcastic. Throughout the date, which was in the romantic Manchester hotspot Wetherspoons, he would avert his eyes to other men. A group of lads walked by our table and he checked them out.

    “I would, wouldn’t you?” he smiled.
    “You’re supposed to only be looking at me” I laughed, embarrassed that I had to remind him of that.

    The date continued in that vein. He told me he loved One Direction which wouldn’t have been a problem until he decided to start dancing to “Best Song Ever” which wasn’t even on the radio. “I know all the moves” he grinned.

    Eventually, we got into more serious chat. He told me he had been engaged 3 times (he was 24) and that the longest relationship was 2 years. I told him that I’d been in a serious relationship and was getting ready to date again.

    “HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FER YER TO CALL SOMEWUN YER BOYFRIEND?” he bellowed, in his loud Yorkshire accent.

    “Um, probably 4 to 6 months” I replied, confused as to why he’d even ask.

    “TWO WEEK FER ME”, he grinned.

    Two weeks. I sighed, this clearly wasn’t going to be the love connection my friend had envisioned and I wondered how he’d got it so wrong. After he told me how he loves to watch his partners sleep, I made an excuse to leave.

    I called my friend in the taxi. “Honestly, I only spoke to him for 30 seconds but he said he likes wrestling and One Direction so…”. I made my unhappiness extremely clear.

    This was three years ago. I haven’t been on a date since. Am I traumatised by my experiences? A little. But the real reason is because, on each of these dates, I allowed it to go a little long. The French guy was an awful human being and the Yorkshireman was way too intense. Yet I stayed with them for hours. Why? I was weirdly grateful they’d even go on a date with me.

    I realised that I felt so bad about myself, about how I look and who I am, I was willing to put up with almost anything. My previous boyfriend always told me I was attractive and smart, beautiful and capable. He made me believe in myself. So without him, I crumbled. I needed to learn to believe in myself what he had believed in me. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I keep working on myself and sometimes it works and other times I have set backs. But until I can truly learn to love myself, I cannot date honestly. I am willing to wait to find somebody who gives me what I deserve and who lifts me up. Because, as the great philosopher RuPaul Charles once said, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?”

    Now, can I get an Amen?

    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.

  • Campaigners plan protest outside Joiners Arms two years after it closed

    A protest will take place outside the Joiners Arms on Saturday afternoon over owners’ and developers “greed”, two years after the legendary gay venue closed.

    CREDIT: Friends of Joiners Arms / Facebook

    The Joiners Arms was shuttered two years ago and now campaigners are planning to hold a demonstration outside the Joiners Arms, Hackney Road, on Saturday 21st January.

    The demo is organised by the Friends of the Joiners Arms, a community group founded in 2014 to save and evolve the Joiners Arms pub. The group hopes to bring the pub into community ownership, so it becomes London’s first cooperatively owned, LGBT+ community centre, with the pub a central part of its operation.

    In 2015 the pub was closed after owners working with property developers – planned to bulldoze the venue to make way for new homes. The pub has remained empty since its closure. One of the Friends of the Joiners Arms co-chairs called the motive to close the iconic venue as “greed and nothing else”.

    Jon Ward, co-chair of the Friends of the Joiners Arms, said,

    “The Joiners was one the few late night LGBTQIA venues in the east end, and its closure has left a massive hole in queer night scene and in our hearts. The venue closed because of greed and nothing else – why should such an important queer space be left to rot when it could be such an asset to the community?”

    Amy Roberts, co-chair of Friends of the Arms, says:

    “We invite everyone to join us at 1.30pm on Saturday to show the strength of feeling that remains – the Joiners Arms is our space, and the community wants it back!”

  • Michelle Visage points out the HUGE difference between Obama’s Big day and Trumps

    As inaugurations go, President Trump’s wasn’t the smallest in history, but as Michelle Visage has pointed out it certainly was no match for President Obama’s in 2009.

    CREDIT: Whitehouse Photographer

    Hundreds of millions tuned in to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump, however, the turn out to watch the event live in Washington DC was well below that of Obama’s 2009 swearing in.  Michelle Visage was quick to share a shocking image showing the poor turn out, where huge areas of land outside the Capitol Building in Washington DC stand empty.

    In 2009 Obama’s inauguration set a new record for attendees, although there is no official count. It was considered that over 1.8 million people turned up to watch the event. Donald Trump was unable to match the 44th President’s numbers or approval rating at the time of their respective inaugurations. Obama’s was 68 per cent. Trump’s is 37 per cent.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BPgZuFfgtf2/?taken-by=michellevisage&hl=en

    According to Washington DC’s own transport system passenger numbers were well down.

    They tweeted that as of 11 AM on Trump’s inauguration 193,000 trips had been made compared with 513,000 on Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Even Obama’s second term swearing in had over 317,000 trips made.

    Within hours of Trump becoming the 45th President, there was panic amongst some in the American LGBT community as the Whitehouse’s official website scrubbed it’s LGBT page, leaving users with just an empty white screen.

     

  • White House website removes LGBT page

    White House website removes LGBT page

    Concerns have been raised after the White House’s official website removed the LGBT page after President Trump’s inauguration.

    Donald Trump
    CREDIT: By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America (Donald Trump) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
    As the world was watching Donald Trump becoming president, tech teams at the Whitehouse.gov were removing some key pages on the website including the LGBT page that President Obama’s adminstation posted to assure the community on their committment to LGBT rights and equality.

    Vistors to www.whitehouse.gov/lgbt are now greated with a clear white page with no writing.

    Former Star Trek actor George Takei was one of the first stars to draw attention to the deletion.

    https://twitter.com/GTremblayVoice/status/822533037271511041

    One commentor on Twitter pointed out that the site’s adminstrators hadn’t removed the meta tags from the bio.

    The site is just in transition as Trump’s own team looks to update information and bring forth their own policies. As with each new adminstration the official White House website, Twitter and other social media accounts are all archived for history.

    So far the current adminstration have uploaded policies on energy, jobs and growth, making the military strong, standing up for law enforcement and trade deals.

     

  • 11 songs every gay guy was dancing his tits off to in 2001

    Ah, now we’re going back… Do you remember dancing your little crazed head off in Heaven/ Dot Cotton / Revenge / Mission / AXM in 2001?

    2001 was a classic year for pop. These were the songs if you were a disco bunny, that probably had you throwing your Smirnoff Ice all over the dance floor. Wanna listen to the mix – go to the bottom of the page for the Spotify playlist.

     

    It was a DIVA Year

     

    Snakes suddenly became sexy.

     

    If you were a real teenie bopper then Atomic Kitten was your groove.

     

    Janet Jackson had this little (monster) hit.

     

    Were you a survivor? We loved Beyoncé and her backing singers.

     

    Before she was Jenny from the Block then JLO and back again…  She was just plain old Jennifer Lopez. No Lo or Block to be seen.

     

    Although it wasn’t as good as the original… It is Geri…

     

    Then there were DIVAs multiple – in one freaking song.

     

    Then there was the British invasion from Ms Ellis-Bextor.

     

    Did you have one? Obviously, we’re as pure as the driven snow.

     

    And then no 2001 list would be complete without a Steps’ song

     

     

  • Gay and Lesbian Critics announce their film award nominations

    Gay and Lesbian Critics announce their film award nominations

    Moonlight leads the list of nominations for the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA) Dorian Awards.

    Director Barry Jenkins story of growing up gay in Miami was nominated in both Film and LGBTQ Film of the year categories. It was also nominated for its screenplay and directing for Jenkins, as well as Mahershala Ali and Trevante Rhodes as Film Performance of the Year – Male, and it was also nominated for Visually Striking Film of the Year.

    Moonlight will compete in the best film category along with Jackie, La La Land, Manchester by the Sea, and 20th Century Women. Jackie also received nominations for Film Performance of the Year – Female for Natalie Portman, Director of the Year (Pablo Larrain) and Visually Striking Film of the Year. La La Land, which recently won 7 Golden Globe Awards, besides Film of the Year is also nominated for Director and Screenplay of the Year (for Damien Chazelle), Film Performance of the Year – Male – Ryan Gosling and Female – Emma Stone, as well as Visually Striking Film of the Year. Gay film director and fashion designer Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals was all but ignored by the Gay and Lesbian critics, yet they found a spot for it in the Campy Film of the Year category.

    In addition to film and television awards, the group also nominates individuals for their overall achievements. The Timeless Star Award will be automatically presented to John Waters. The Wilde Wit of the Year, honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse, includes the late Carrie Fisher amongst its nominees.

    The Dorian winners will be announced Jan. 26. The group’s annual Winners Toast, honouring a select group of the 2016-17 winners, will be held Feb. 18, 2017 in Los Angeles.

    Here is a complete list of the nominees:

    Film of the Year
    Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Moonlight (A24)
    20th Century Women (A24)

    Director of the Year
    (Film or Television)
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)
    Pablo Larraín, Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Park Chan-wook, The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)
    Damien Chazelle, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)

    Film Performance of the Year — Actress
    Annette Bening, 20th Century Women (A24)
    Viola Davis, Fences (Paramount)
    Isabelle Huppert, Elle (Sony Classics)
    Emma Stone, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Natalie Portman, Jackie (Fox Searchlight)

    Film Performance of the Year — Actor
    Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (A24)
    Ryan Gosling, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight (A24)
    Denzel Washington, Fences (Paramount)

    LGBTQ Film of the Year
    Being 17 (Strand)
    Closet Monster (Strand)
    Moonlight (A24)
    Other People (Vertical)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)

    Foreign Language Film of the Year
    Elle (Sony Classics)
    Neruda (The Orchard)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)
    Things to Come (Sundance Selects)
    Toni Erdmann (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Screenplay of the Year
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)
    Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster (A24)
    Damien Chazelle, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Mike Mills, 20th Century Women (A24)

    Documentary of the Year
    (theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
    I Am Not Your Negro (Magnolia)
    O.J. Made in America (ESPN Films)
    13th (Netflix)
    Tickled (Magnolia)
    Weiner (Netflix)

    Visually Striking Film of the Year
    Arrival (Paramount)
    Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    La La Land (Lionsgate)
    Moonlight (A24)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)

    Unsung Film of the Year
    American Honey (A24)
    Captain Fantastic (Bleecker Street)
    Christine (The Orchard)
    Other People (Vertical)
    Sing Street (The Weinstein Company)

    Campy Film of the Year
    Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (Fox Searchlight)
    King Cobra (IFC Midnight)
    Nocturnal Animals (Focus Features)
    The Dressmaker (Broadgreen/Amazon Studios)
    The Neon Demon (Broadgreen/Amazon Studios)

    TV Drama of the Year
    Black Mirror (Netflix)
    Game of Thrones (HBO)
    Stranger Things (Netflix)
    The Crown (Netflix)
    The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)
    Westworld (HBO)

    TV Comedy of the Year
    Atlanta (FX)
    Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW)
    Insecure (HBO)
    Transparent (Amazon)
    Veep (FX)

    TV Performance of the Year — Actor
    Riz Ahmed, The Night Of (HBO)
    Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)
    Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)
    Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)
    Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)

    TV Performance of the Year — Actress
    Claire Foy, The Crown (Netflix)
    Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
    Thandie Newton, Westworld (HBO)
    Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson (FX)
    Winona Ryder, Stranger Things (Netflix)

    TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
    Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)
    Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
    Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
    The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)
    Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

    TV Musical Performance of the Year
    Beyonce, “Lemonade,” MTV Video Music Awards (MTV)
    Kelly Clarkson, “Piece by Piece,” American Idol (Fox)
    Lady Gaga – “Til It Happens to You,” The 88th Academy Awards (ABC)
    Jennifer Hudson, “I Know Where I’ve Been,” Hairspray Live! (NBC)
    Kate McKinnon “Hallelujah,” Saturday Night Live (NBC)

    LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
    Looking: The Movie (HBO)
    Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Logo)
    The Real O’Neals (ABC)
    Transparent (Amazon)

    Unsung TV Show of the Year
    Fleabag (Amazon)
    Lady Dynamite (Netflix)
    London Spy (BBC America)
    Please Like Me (Pivot)
    The Real O’Neals (ABC)

    Campy TV Show of the Year
    Finding Prince Charming (Logo)
    Fuller House (Netflix)
    Hairspray Live! (NBC)
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Logo)
    Scream Queens (Fox)
    The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Fox)

    We’re Wilde About You! Rising Star of the Year
    Millie Bobby Brown
    Lucas Hedges
    Connor Jessup
    Ruth Negga
    Trevante Rhodes

    Wilde Wit of the Year
    (honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
    Samantha Bee
    Carrie Fisher
    Bill Maher
    Kate McKinnon
    John Oliver

    Wilde Artist of the Year
    (honouring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theatre and/or television)
    Beyonce
    Viola Davis
    Barry Jenkins
    Kate McKinnon
    Lin-Manuel Miranda

    Timeless Star
    (to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
    John Waters

  • 60 Second Film Review | Assassin’s Creed

    ASSASSIN’S CREED – No computer game has ever been made into a successful movie even with 25 years of trying and numerous attempts but at last we have a great…

    Oh no, it’s another turkey.


    Nutshell – Modern day Michael Fassbender is connected to the memories of his rooftop jumping assassin back in the ancient Spain of the Spanish inquisition. Plenty of action both in the past and the present day as the chase is on against the Knights Templar to gain possession of a powerful apple – yep, really a fruit with armageddon possibilities .

    Running Time – 115 minutes; Certificate – 12A

    Tagline – ‘Enter The Animus’ – yes you are reading this review correctly and it will get worse.

    THEGAYUK Factor – Fassbender has his shirt off for virtually the entire second half and boy is he cut or photoshopped to death – maybe for the sequel the pants will go too in a couple of fight scenes. Loads of other fit guys too throughout so forget the silly plot and knock one out of the wrist.

    Cast – Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Charlotte Rampling and Brendan Gleeson that’s five serial Oscar botherers so what are they doing in a computer game movie? – Oh yes, the money of course.

    Key Player – The Parkour free runners who are central to all the action here do a stunning job and the foot chase scenes are simply incredible.

    Budget – $125 Million but it opened in the States with just $10 mil, no chance it will make its money back and start the much-anticipated franchise.

    Best Bit – 0.58 mins; The all important rooftop chase that this computer game made its name on; and this is an extended very impressive if largely unrealistic huge set-piece action beat.

    Worst Bit – 1.35 mins; With all the best bits early on, boy does this film run out of steam towards the end.  The last couple of fights are nothing like what has gone before and would have been left on the cutting room floor if this was mid-season Game Of Thrones.

    Little Secret – The film features the highest free fall performed by a stuntman in history. The stuntman performed a drop from the height of 125 feet (38 meters), which lasted almost 3 seconds with a 61 mph impact speed. Michael Fassbender did 95% of the fight scenes himself rather than use his stand-in .

    Further Viewing – Computer games made into movies are ten a penny but often are pretty lacking in quality – try Mortal Kombat, Warcraft, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, Doom, Super Mario Brothers and the best Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider.

    Any Good – It’s nice to look at and the acting and action early on is great but you just don’t care about anyone and anything going on really. This could have been so much better but having no definitive sides for good and evil, confusing time jumping sequences and the worst ever Macguffin makes this the first disappointment of 2017.

    Rating – 32% out of 100.

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