GAYLETTER

More often than not you will you see us promoting an opening up at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. Charles Leslie and Fritz Lohman who founded the museum have spent more than 50 years accumulating artworks and showcasing artists that speak directly to the LGBTQ experience. Over the weekend, the New York Times ran a piece about the current archiving taking place at Prince’s Paisley Park. It sounded crazy, with warehouses full of clothes, candles cataloged mid-melt, and discovered napkins with original lyrics, but to read about it was totally exhilarating and made me think that we aren’t often honoring custodians of what you could call niche art. The work these archivists and teams like Leslie and Lohman do for community building and for future historians is as relevant as it is overlooked. To celebrate the museum’s golden anniversary, curator Branden Wallace will talk you through “the process of curating this historic retrospective of the museum’s vast collection. The exhibition honors the foundational start of the collection, reveals how it has grown and gives clues to where the collection will go in the future. The mission was to build an exhibition that is welcoming to the entire queer community.” Luckily for New York queens like us, we’re only a few blocks away from this legendary collection. Hats off to the museum and its founders for keeping hope alive in the queer art circuit, and we’ll see you at the 75th!  —Chris Stewart

I know what you’re thinking, another podcast? Yes another! If you haven’t figured this out yet I love podcasts. So get with the program. If you’re into the paranormal, cults and serial killers then this podcast is for you. And when I say ‘into’ I just mean you have fascination with those topics, not like you’re looking for inspiration to go on a killing spree or shave your head and join an end of days commune in the desert. Last Podcast On The Left has been around for a couple of years which means they have a massive library of podcasts you can go back and listen to. It’s hosted by “Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks and “Unpredictable” Henry Zebrowski.” It deals with some pretty dark shit, but it’s actually a comedy podcast. They are really good at offering up very detailed accounts of true crime events but keep it light by making plenty of jokes along the way. For those who a little squirmism hearing about these dark topics their humor is a great way to balance it out. I’ve listened to their series’ on the Children Of God cult (fuck that was intense) serial killer Aileen Wuornos, Scientology founder Ron L. Hubbard and the Menendez Brothers. I would avoid listening to The Last Podcast On the Left right before bed, unless you want to have a haunted night’s sleep, but for all other times of the day this is a great podcast to wander the city listening to. Man, people can be crazy!  —tom

This event is the kind of thing that is only possible in a population dense city like New York. I mean, could you imagine trying to throw a successful corgi meet up in a place like Scranton, PA? Ludicrous! In NYC you could throw an ‘eldery corgies with diabetes’ meet up and still pack the dog run. “Spring is here! Join us Sunday April 23rd starting at 2pm for our April corgi meet up at Washington Square Park. Rules: Must be a corgi owner or have a corgi, or a dog to enter the dog run. Try not to bring more than 2 guests because we don’t want the dog run to get crowded with humans looking to pet corgi’s. Non-Corgi owners / non-dog owners please observe from the outside. We are sure you will get to pet a corgi as they enter and exit the dog run.” As stated in the “rules” having a corgi is not mandatory, but like a VIP wristband at a club, it’ll certainly help you get closer to the doggies. Judging by the number of people already going on their Facebook page I have a feeling this will overflow into the park, so stress not if you are sans corgie — you’ll have plenty of chances to be around the Queen’s favorite breed of dog, I am very sure of that.  —Thomas

Until you’ve been to the /r/rupaulsdragrace subreddit, you may not know how far a carry can go. These internet children go in really deep to get a gag. As I’m writing this, an image from our Katya story, in the latest issue of GAYLETTER, is trending in the “hot” section. The magazine isn’t even in stores yet and we’re pretty sure we never posted this spread online. Yet, there she is. Every member of the subreddit chooses a queen from the current season to appear next to their username. Before Season 9 began airing, the community was feeling Nina Bonina Brown (duh), Shea Couleé (sure), Sasha Velour (I see it), and, Charlie Hides. These kids clearly know everything, so I’ve been leaning on trust for that last one. However, I’m not confident the show has done her justice. Luckily, this Saturday, Charlie Hides is performing for the second installment of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 Brooklyn Rusidency at Metropolitan Bar. Can’t stand to watch another queen lip sync? That’s fine, gal! Charlie Hides decidedly, defiantly, and demonstrably does not lip sync. She sings live. And she’s funny. And she’s very sweet. I’m excited to shed her edit and meet the Charlie that built up her decades-long reputation. Drag shows at Metro are about as intimate as it gets — you see it all. It’s the perfect chance to begin a reddit career with some exclusive footage of the Dame herself. Then for the rest of the night, Frankie Sharp and La’Fem Ladosha will be DJ’ing. Hopefully the back patio will be open and bumping too. So stay all night, they’ve got what you need.  —Bill Ivy

Shannon Michael Cane from Printed Matter is always looking for ways to shine a spotlight on queer artists that never got the acclaim they so rightly deserve. And bless him for that. We do the same in our magazine. It’s amazing how many brilliant queer artists have been overlooked by the mainstream art community because it’s clearly filled with a bunch of homophobes. This week Shannon is bringing to Printed Matter “an exhibition of self-published serial publications and ephemera by late New Yorker John Dowd, a key if often overlooked figure in the correspondence art movement of the early 1970s.” John Dowd is an artist made for GAYLETTER. Like us, John was fascinated with printed materials, popular culture and queer politics. His work was often described as having a “xerox aesthetic” (I love that term), he also had a “perverse sense of humor” which is evident in much of his work, like his pieces featuring Disney cartoon characters. “The John Dowd Fan Club traces Dowd’s collaborative output through a near-complete overview of editioned publications and folded broadsheets, accompanied by extensive archival material including unique zines, xerox ephemera, promotional inserts, collages, mail art, correspondence, and original stencils.” The opening reception is on Friday, April 21, 6:00-8:00PM. There’s always a cute crowd at Printed Matter’s openings, and free beer! It’s time to join the John Dowd fan club.  —tom

It’s 4/20 so you know what I’ll be doing today. The past few years we have done some fun celebrations on 4/20 from baking a variety of THC infused gourmet sweets to frying tempura with a group of friends, we even had the food magazine Put an Egg On It come to my small apartment to photograph the whole thing. Fun right? I am a bit annoyed that 4/20 falls on a Thursday this year, but whatever, anytime you can take a puff on that day, please do it, your mind and body needs it. I spoke with JT Almon about this party (he’s DJing), here’s what he had to say: “it’s one of those — if you happen to peel yourself off the couch and have a cup of coffee come out to dance — parties...we are just starting it on 4/20. I wanted to start a less gendered party than Bromo to have women and femmes feel more welcomed, but mostly my goal is to provide a free party in Brooklyn with great music where they gays can hang and feel comfortable — accessibility is a really important thing to me.” The party is at Bossa Nova in Brooklyn which JT describes as a cute and intimate space. Other DJs joining him are Bearcat and Physical Therapy. Plus hosts for the night are Patti Spliff (she’s lovely), Jason Scott Rosen (lovely name) and Gio Rgi Mjavanadze (also lovely). For god sakes, please, please, please don’t forget to get high.  —Abi

I am obsessed with the 1978 film ‘Eyes of Laura Mars,’ set in NYC, and directed by Irvin Kershner. It stars Tommy Lee Jones and Faye Dunaway (Laura) as a fierce fashion photographer that somehow has the ability to see visions from a serial killer’s perspective. The music and the fashion in this film are fantastic, not to mention the carry is strong in those photoshoots. I strongly recommend you to go watch this film if you haven’t. It makes sense that they are throwing a queer disco party inspired by this film. It’s the third party that Alÿ Sálem is hosting at the Hotel Americano, he did two other themed parties there before: an “Egyptian” and a “Weimar Berlin” one. For this one he’s encouraging you to wear “seventies chic… Wide lapels, bell-bottoms, platform shoes, Laura Mars style fur coats over lingerie, Jerry Hall side-swept Hair, Farah Fawcett hair, sequins, Gold Lamé Turbans, Patti Hearst Symbionese Liberation Army gear, Rollerina Chic, Platinum Records as Head Gear, Grace Jones Butch Realness, Bianca Jagger riding in on a white horse and sky-high stilettos.” Music will be provided by Carlos Jadraque. I’d say watch the film then go out, you deserve it homo.  —Abi

Much to my discontent, I still haven’t gone to this party! GAYLETTER has hosted before, and Abi is always raving (no pun intended) about Analog’s light fixtures. It’s a grid that hangs above the dance floor that will either keep your pussy in check or push your senses over the edge. I guess it depends on how lit you’re feeling. Hopefully it’s the latter! Abi is always telling me the sound system can carry, and because of the music, the boys, the lights and the drinks, you get an atmospheric boner. Actually, my sister, Christy Burlington Coat Factory, was so “overwhelmed” last time she was at Powerhouse she stepped outside with a friend for some “fresh air.” One only wonders what they did, but she felt relieved soon after. Last time we hosted I had to miss it on account of my mom’s birthday, but had major fomo for obvious reasons. I am always loving the stories the boys give me after a night out with Sean B. & Tad Haes. Expect the music to keep your heart pumping and your skin wet. Spring has motherfucking sprung so leave your windbreakers and jeans at home. Trust, you’re going to want to dress light. The space is intimate and the bass is deep. If I haven’t sold you yet, there is an open vodka bar from 11pm-12am. What more do you really need?  —Chris Stewart