TAGG, You're It!...

If you're a gay man who enjoys $120 tank tops, then TAGG is awesome. For everyone else, not so much. But they did throw a fun party with free booze, and tunes spun by a talented up and comer, someone I may have mentioned once or twice before- one DJ BennyK... aka Punky... aka Ben... aka the baddest bitch in NYC. I know the boys hate fruitflies being in the bars and clubs, and I don't necessarily blame then. Believe me, being the only girl in a room full of horny queens it's not my scene. My scene generally involves vagabonding , and really nerdy activities like playing Scrabble or watching a documentary.  I'm simply amidst the hedonistic debauchery to support my boy. And if DJ BennyK can make this girl dance her nerdy ass off,  then the asses belonging to all you cool NYC club kids will be blown to high heaven. Pun intended. So for all the gay boys in NYC, if you see us amongst you, don't be bitchy queens to your devoted fruitflies. Be nice. Say hi. Blow fog in my mouth. I'm dorky, but I've never met a gay boy who didn't love me. And to the old drunk dude who is from Utah, but who is not Mormon, who was once married with kids, but who now dreams of owning a gay oriented retail store with naked boys dancing in the window, and who inexplicably tried to make out with me- get yourself together, man! Then, once you do, come on over and say hi. I won't hold your indiscretions against you because I have a soft spot for train wrecks. We've all been there. I always say, if you haven't had a nervous breakdown, you haven't lived.

DJ BennyK continues to make a name for himself in NYC, spinning at so many hotspots that my blog posts can't keep up. Here he is bringing down the house at Bar 13, a multi-tiered club that draws an eclectic crowd of friendly and open-minded characters. Go and visit Paul, the precious bartender, who will carry you merrily into the wee hours. Be sure to compliment him for being so majestic, and thank him by throwing your almighty dollars his way. He deserves it. Congrats to Nathan Kelly and Chris Ryan for hiring a badass DJ, for throwing a badass party, and for generously treating me to free drinks all night. A special thanks to Paola, Ann, and Chris for a hilariously dramatic experience in the loo straight out of a Lynch film, to sweet Jason who knew in his heart that I was neither a lesbian nor white and who came to chat with me to apparently prove it to the rest of the bar, to Karma LiLoLa for being bold, beautiful, and the spiciest girl of them all, to Jon for sporting the coolest t-shirt of the night, to Roland for simply being his amazing self, to DJ Robertox for his mouth to mouth fog antics, and of course to the incomparable DJ BennyK for making me forget all about the rooftop smores and for keeping me on the dance floor. When a girl looks up and realizes she is dancing aside a zombie and a drag queen, gratitude for this beloved city is further instilled into her heart. Enjoy my little vid:

Check out DJ BennyK's latest podcast:

DJ BennyK PodOmatic

"Thru the rhythm of darkened times/ Painted black by knowledge crimes/ And repetitions pointless mime/ Instilling values the sick define/ That keeps the fabric that keeps you blind/ And ties your hands and cloaks your mind/ But on my stilts, I'm above the slime/ Come on up if you can make the climb, but who am I?/ Who am I? Who am I?" --13th Floor Elevators, Thru the Rhythm

 

Merry Ferry To Throwback Isle...

The inscribed tree stump above was the coolest thing I stumbled upon while traversing Governors Island, which is a hop, skip, jump, and a free ferry ride away from Manhattan. On the Lt. Samuel S. Coursen we saluted Lady Liberty as we merrily merrily merrily merrily glided across the bay. And five minutes later, we landed in 1965. As idyllic as the island appears, and it is indeed a peaceful throwback to a supposedly simpler time, I also found it a rather eerie place. Its rows of big uninhabited houses, its 18th century monuments reeking of secrets and depravity, and its expansive, isolating grounds would be a superlative setting for a horror film. It's also strangely remote considering that it's only half a mile across the harbor from one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Governors Island has a fascinating military history, having been used as an Army post from 1783-1966, and as a Coast Guard installation from 1966-1996. Prior to that, and prior to being stolen by the Dutch and the British, the land of course belonged to the Native Americans and was known as Pagganck (aka Nut Island). The northern end opened to the public in 2003 after being redeveloped as parkland and a historical/cultural/educational/ destination. Many New Yorkers looking to escape the city for a day, as well as lots of tourists, can be found picnicking, cycling the perimeter, taking in the public art, exploring Castle Williams and Fort Jay, wandering around the sculpture garden, poking their noses in abandoned homes, and simply basking in the glow of the land that time forgot.

Here's a video I made of my trip. A warning to those who are prone to motion sickness- it's a bumpy ride!

I definitely missed the 'bring your bicycle' memo.

I remember very clearly watching and loving old Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour reruns on Nick at Nite as a young girl, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn that the dynamic duo was actually born on Governors Island, where their father, an army officer, was stationed. Who knows if I actually grasped the satirical humor of the show as a kid, but watching clips of the show today,  I can easily understand why it was considered so groundbreaking. Its influence on the political comics of today is palpable.  The show was comprised of incredible musical guests (The Beatles, Tina Turner, The Who, The Doors, Ray Charles etc...), great writing (Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Don Novello), biting political commentary (Pat Paulsen), and the hilarious blend of folk singing and standup comedy by the stars of the show. The brilliant documentary, Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (2002), depicts the ongoing conflicts with and subsequent cancellation by CBS (with heavy pressure from Nixon's administration) in 1969 for satirizing America's involvement in the Vietnam War amongst other controversial topics. In a strange rehashing of events, the Bush administration gets Bill Maher kicked off of ABC 40+ years later for also pointing out the obvious.  A piece of pop culture history at its finest:

"Little bird up in a tree/ Looked down and sang a song to me/ Of how it began" --The Beach Boys, Little Bird