GAYLETTER

We are so excited to host the viewing of the premiere of Rupaul’s Drag Race at the Liberty Hall at ACE Hotel New York. During past seasons of Drag Race we gathered at Tom’s house to watch the show almost every week. It always felt like a big family gathering; drinks, laughs, snacks, gags, yasss, carrys, intis… It’s always a blast. So, we thought why don’t we share some of that fun with our readers by gathering at a venue with plenty of space so everyone can attend. This Friday, March 24th, we will be at The Liberty Hall, which is in the basement of Ace Hotel NY. It’s a cosy but spacious room with a projector, seats and a bar. It fits about 100 people, perfect right? We’ll have a drink special — which we’re calling The NamaSlay. To help us host the night we invited drag queen Candy Sterling. We recommend you arrive early unless you want to watch the show standing (which might not be so bad as long as you are drinking a NamaSlay.) I am so excited to see some of those new queens in action, I am really into Valentina, Peppermint, Nina Bo’nina Brown, Farrah Moan, Shea Coulee, Alexis Michelle and I am sure lots of you are excited to see Gaga. Who’s ready to gag?  —Abi

This is probably the most Vice show a Vice show could ever be. Each week they cook a weed infused meal for a different group of guests. We see the crew as they plan the menu, then head to the weed cupboard (yes, that is exactly what it sounds like) to pick from the hundreds of different jars of bud, infused oils, even weed crystals. This weed cupboard was intentionally stocked to look like a pot head’s wet dream, and it doesn’t disappoint. It is truly a sight to behold. Wednesday’s episode of Bong Appétit features RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Jay Jackson (Laganja Estranja). The show describes him first as a “cannabis activist” and second as a drag queen. I’m not sure what Laganja is doing to advocate for weed besides smoking a shit ton of it, but hey, more power to you girl. The dinner party is also a murder mystery game. This is probably the least interesting part of the show. I loved watching the talented chefs cook their hearts out. It was fascinating to see all the ways marijuana can be mixed into food. It’s apparently limitless the ways you can incorporate it. Ummmmmmmmm-K! *tongue pop.  —tom

I started watching Search Party at midnight on one of my first nights back home for the holidays. As the first episode ended I totally had that fuck, I need to binge the whole thing right now feeling, but I have a large degree of self-governing, so I went to bed, woke up the following day and continued about my viewing. Search Party follows Dory (Alia Shawkat) as she tries to find the missing Chantal Witherbottom who lived in the same college dormitory as her. They were never friends, which makes Dory’s intent fuzzy, but Dory is persistent enough to involve her boyfriend and two pseudo-bffs Elliot (whoever casted John Early for this role, thank you) and Portia in the search. Whether they’re gabbing at Greenpoint’s trendy cocktail bar, Ramona, or trying to successfully host a dinner party with malicious intent, Search Party’s cast stays true to some sort of millennial form. Tweets and texts pop up on screen to provide the character’s own interiority; everyone is lying or fumbling their way through jobs. I basically told you nothing about the plot because I can’t. I don’t want to say too much, but I rewatched the finale just so I could laugh, ponder and dissect everything this show does right one more time.  —Chris Stewart

In case you are not caught up with 2017 — we now live in a wonderfully scary world where there’s more than one drag competition! For those of you that are slow, let me give you a new tip, you gotta watch this drag show by The Boulet Brothers where they are searching for the “World’s First Drag Supermonster.” The Boulet Brothers (Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet) are well known in the drag scene in Los Angeles and I am sure many of you around the world might know these scary cunts. They always look frightening and amazing at the same time — good wigs, good makeup, their looks are on point, trust. They describe themselves on their Instagram as “Drag Terrorists, Queer Provocateurs, Nightlife hosts & performers...” I am not gonna give anything away about the show, because I don’t want to ruin it for you — I feel like anything I tell you will ruin the surprise — it’s one of those shows that you gotta see for yourself. All episodes are on Youtube (via the Hey Qween channel). It’s nothing like Rupaul’s Drag Race, Dragula is budget, but it works, the only thing they need to improve is the sound. There’s some interesting talent in the cast, their challenges are absolutely nuts... I can’t tell you anymore about the challenges because I don’t want to ruin your experience. And I definitely can’t say anything about the exterminations (that’s what they called their eliminations). You are gonna gag and probably scream a few times when you see the first one...  —Abi

I watched this Christmas special from 1988 last weekend, and I thought ‘what in the world? Pee Wee is nuts!’ My friend Tyler was like “you need to watch this,” I was thinking, “mmm not sure I am a Pee Wee fan — I always thought he’s too white.” I was wrong, it was so entertaining and beyond any expectations I had. What a Christmas acid trip! Our friend William was also watching with us, and he confirmed, because he’s enjoyed acid before, that it certainly was a close approximation to the experience of dropping a tab. Before watching this special which originally came out on VHS and Laserdisc, I had never seen any of the 45 episodes of Pee-wee’s Playhouse. If you feel the same way, then the holidays are a perfect time to catch up. Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special is fascinating; the set is wonderful and colorful, it’s an insane experience, your head might explode if you really get into it. It features some very special guest stars including: Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Cher, Grace Jones (her appearance will gag you), K.D. Lang, Dinah Shore, Little Richard, Magic Johnson, Zsa Zsa Gabor (who looked gorgeous in the show and passed away this week, R.I.P.), The Del Rubio Triplets (who I am absolutely obsessed with), Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon and Charo! There’s a Youtube version, but if you have Netflix, there’s a remastered version on the platform! It’s the biggest Christmas carry I’ve ever seen. Play it on repeat this weekend!  —Abi

Fleabag is a new Amazon show by British comedian Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She is a young woman in London with an acerbic wit and a broken heart. Dealing with the death of her best friend, and business partner, she expresses her grief by sleeping with as many men as she possibly can. She isn’t looking for love, she is looking for someone to fuck the pain away. While that may sound like a tantalizing, yet depressing set-up for a show, Fleabag is actually one of the funniest series I have seen in a long time. Phoebe Waller-Bridge based the series on her popular one woman play and I’m assuming she’s based much of the character on herself. What’s been noted most about the show are the private asides she does to camera in pretty much every scene. Some people have said these are distracting, but I think the use of them is clever, and in the context of this show, quite original. I know there’s about a billion new TV shows that you’ve been meaning to watch, but Fleabag only goes for 6 episodes, and I suggest you add it to the top of your ‘must-see’ list right away, it’s that good.  —tom

This recommendation certainly falls into the category of “preaching to the choir,” however we think it’s important to shout out the wonderful drag show in honor of RuPaul’s recent Emmy win for ‘Best Reality Host.’ Congrats Mama Ru! We are so happy for you, this win is looooong overdue. RuPaul's Drag Race is not just the best reality show on TV, it is also one of the best shows on TV, period. It is subversive, smart, thought-provoking, emotional, exciting and so enjoyable to watch. This season, the ninth for the show, and the second iteration of its all-stars spin-off, is shaping up to be one for the ages. As far as I am concerned the top 2 of this season are Alaska and Katya, but the thing with the all-star seasons is that they’re ALL STARS. The talent this season is lit. It’s hard to find issues with the girls, well at least the ones that are left. Roxy is back and this time she’s not a bitch. She’s clearly grown as a drag performer, and as a person. We’re very excited to see where the show goes. Oh that that ‘revenge’ twist, we can’t wait to see how that plays out. Sounds like some seriously shady shit. We love it!  —tom

Eurovision is FINALLY airing in the U.S. (on LogoTV of course). I’ve been in NYC for 9 years, and have waited every year for a network to screen it (it’s a big hit on Australian TV). The Eurovision Song Contest, in case you’re new to it, is this totally bonkers live event (it began in 1956) where each country in Europe, (and Israel for some reason) sends a singer to perform a song (some songs are gloriously bad, while others are legit good tunes, France always brings it). Residents of Europe (and Israel) all vote for their favorite song, but you can’t vote for your own country, which results in some fascinating insights into inter-European politics. Neighboring countries generally vote for each other, but not always (who knew Finland and Sweden we’re such frenemies?). Eurovision has a long history of performers using the platform to advocate for the LGBTQ community, like when the amazing Conchita Wurst, a drag queen with a beard, who Russia tried to ban from the contest, said in her victory speech “We are unstoppable.” Competing for Austria in 2014, Conchita’s win, and winning speech, was just one of many moments in the history of the competition where artists used the platform to send political messages to other less-open and less-tolerant European countries. Eurovision is more than just a song contest, it’s a glimpse into the soul of Europe. The contest’s semi-finals air this Tuesday, Thursday, and the Grand Prix airs on Saturday. Marci Park in Brooklyn will be screening all three. Power to pop!  —tom

The new Ryan Murphy directed series about the murder, trial of O.J. Simpson that premiered Tuesday night on FX, plays right into a certain demographic’s 90’s nostalgia perfectly. That demographic (I was 14 when his trial took place) will find great pleasure in reliving one of the strangest celebrity trials of the last 30 years. OJ Simpson’s trial for the murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown and her lover Ron Goldman was BIG news. I grew up in Australia (all the way down there) and still we were bombarded through TV and Radio with every twist and turn in the case. The series features Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J., John Travolta (hi queen) as O.J.’s lawyer Robert Shapiro, David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian, Sarah Paulson as prosecutor Marcia Clark and Selma Blair as Kris Kardashian and from the first episode it is full of drama and plenty of 90’s fashion (hello big cellphones and big suits!) This series manages to be both suspenseful and completely camp. If we weren’t in the midst of a never-ending Kardashian koma, I doubt the family would be featured so heavily in the storyline, but whatever, of course they were a part of the largest tabloid story of the 90s. After watching the first intense episode I have to admit, I’m thirsty for more. Remember the 90s, I sure do!  —tom