MileHighGayGuy

Celebrate with CAVP

2009-11-25T09:08:00.000-08:00

Everybody's invited to celebrate with the Colorado Anti-Violence Program as 2009 comes to a close. Join CAVP on December 11 from 6-9 p.m. at the CAVP office, 304 Elati Street in Denver for a silent auction, short films and live music. And of course, amazing community members, delicious hors d'œuvres and lots of laughter.

Click the pic to embiggen and read.

GALLA pageant to benefit White Rose Scholarship Fund

2009-11-25T09:06:00.001-08:00

Gay and Lesbian Latin Alliance (GALLA) will have their pageant on Saturday, December 12, 6:00 to 10:30 p.m., at Hamburger Mary’s Club located at 700 East 17th Avenue in Denver. Open to the public, admission is $5.00 per person and $8.00 per couple. The event is a benefit for the Colorado Victims Fund and the White Rose Scholarship Foundation, which is a program of the nonprofit Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire. The pageant will feature the presentation of the Angie Zapata Scholarship, which was recently initiated by GALLA title holder Marlena di Marco. Named in memory of the transgendered Angie Zapata who was brutally murdered in Colorado last year, the scholarship will be presented to a student in the GLBT community. GALLA is a new group formed in 2008 and is not affiliated with the other longtime nonprofit organization, which had a similar name and which dissolved last year. - via La Gente Unida

Or, for more traditional fare ...

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Nutcracker comes to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House this season from November 28 - December 27.

Get your tickets here.

The Buttcracker is back!

2009-11-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

'The Buttcracker' is back at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret as the Demented Divas take on the holidays. You can see Portia Potty as the Virgin Mary singing how chic it is to be pregnant at Christmas, Iona Trailer explaining why blowjobs make the perfect holiday gift, Gabriella Butz'In whining about how hard is it to be a Jew at Christmas, and Nuclia Waste enjoying the fun of a lovely holiday swine flu ride.

Voted "The Best Place To Toss Your Fruitcake", the show only happens 8 nights in November and December. Last year's holiday shows completely sold out so buy tickets early or end up with coal in your fishnet stocking.

Bebe Zahara Benet: I'm the Shit

2009-11-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

Check out Bebe's new video and be sure to catch her on November 27 at Tracks for Drama Drag with Nina Flowers.

Is it just me or is Miss Bebe looking like New York's identical twin sister these days?

It's a Riverdance kind of night

2009-11-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

Returning tonight for a five-day run at the Buell Theatre, 'Riverdance' had its world premiere at the Point Theatre, Dublin, in February, 1995, where it opened to unanimous critical acclaim. The show has taken the world by storm and to date, over 20 million people worldwide have seen Riverdance live.

Well, 20 million people can't be wrong so click here for your tickets to see the show.

Fortune Valley Casino and Out Front Colorado present Out in Central City

2009-11-24T11:30:00.000-08:00

Fortune Valley Casino and Out Front Colorado present Out in Central City, a $25 party package that includes free transportation to Central City, free buffet, entry in a poker tournament, live music, and much more.

Sounds pretty badass to me and proceeds benefit the HRC.

Get your tickets here and then meet in Denver at Hamburger Mary's at 4 p.m. on December 12.

In memory of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado and Jason Mattison Jr.

2009-11-24T11:21:00.000-08:00

Vigils were held over the weekend in New York, Chicago, Boston, Dallas and other cities to honor the memories of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado of Puerto Rico and Jason Mattison Jr. of Baltimore -- two gay teens who were the recent victims of alleged bias killings.

New Jersey: Gay marriage in 2010?

2009-11-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

The pressure is on New Jersey lawmakers to enact marriage-equality legislation before Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie takes office on Jan. 19.

"If the Democrats don't enact marriage equality now, after years of telling us to wait, wait, wait, it will cause a huge schism between the state Democratic Party and not just the gay community, but the entire progressive base," said Steven Goldstein, who heads Garden State Equality.

Nuclia Waste's Island of Misfit Toys

2009-11-24T10:58:00.001-08:00

The Island of Misfit Toys is Nuclia Waste's annual fundraiser for the Colorado AIDS Project Toy Drive. This year the event will take place Saturday, December 19 at Club M at Hamburger Mary's. There is no cover for the show but everybody is asked to bring a department store gift card or new, unwrapped toy to donate to families and children living with HIV/AIDS. Every item you donate earns you a chance to win some fabulous door prizes.

Click the pic to embiggen and read.

Instinct's 2009 Year in Review

2009-11-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Instinct magazine's Year in Review issue is on stands now with coverboy Scott Evans.

Readers may likely recognize actor Scott Evans from his role on ABC’s 'One Life To Live', where his character Oliver Fish has risen from an occasional supporting role to a full-time leading man this year. That, of course, is in no small part to his highly talked about coming out and budding romance with the character Kyle, played by Brett Claywell.

“My life has changed drastically in 2009,” Scott says in the December/January issue of Instinct. “It was supposed to be a small five-episode part, and then the beginning of this year it became a regular job. all of a sudden my character’s coming out of the closet. One of the hardest things about playing a character on a soap opera is not knowing where it’s going to go. It’s something I never expected to get to do.”

Scott is also the brother of hottest-man-in-the-world Chris Evans, pictured below.

Sexy.

Also in the issue Instinct picks their favorites for the best and worst of 2009, great gay gift ideas, and, in honor of World AIDS Day, personal looks at what it means to be living with HIV and AIDS.

Riverdance returns to Denver

2009-11-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

A celebration of Irish music, song and dance, 'Riverdance' focuses on the evolution of Irish dance and its similarities with, and influences on, other cultures. The show returns to Denver's Buell Theatre November 24-27 in what is being billed as a "farewell performance" and I'll be there opening night. Should be pretty sweet.

Outing Age 2010 presents issues facing gay elders

2009-11-23T19:14:00.000-08:00

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) today jointly released Outing Age 2010: Public Policy Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Elders, an update to the groundbreaking Outing Age report issued in 2000.

Like its predecessor, Outing Age 2010 presents an in-depth look at public policy issues and challenges facing millions of aging LGBT people in the United States. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado runs the SAGE affiliate in Denver and will be using this report in its work with older LGBT adults in Colorado.

Starz Denver Film Festival wrap up

2009-11-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF) concluded Sunday, Nov. 22 and the votes are in for this year's Starz People's Choice Awards and the jury awards.

The 11 days of SDFF 32 yielded 77 sell-outs out of the featured 210 films from 37 countries: 56 documentaries, 124 features and 86 shorts. Attendance exceeded the previous record of 45,000 and ticket revenues were up 24% from last year.

"With record-breaking Opening Night and overall ticket sales in Festival history, our 32nd year of the Starz Denver Film Festival has been the most talked about yet," said Britta Erickson, SDFF director. "Demonstrated in both numbers and response, the Denver community and the inspiring filmmakers and industry professionals who shared their work with our enthusiastic audience were paramount to this being such a successful year."

Check out the winners of the Starz People's Choice Awards after the jump.
 
Starz People's Choice Awards:
Feature - Harmony and Me
Directed by Bob Byington
Rough-hewn and heartfelt, this 75-minute slice-of-strife centers on 30-year old mope (Justin Rice of indie rock band Bishop Allen) whose girlfriend dumped him. Looking to his slacker friends for solace, he ultimately finds redemption - Austin-style.

Documentary Feature - Still Bill
Directed by Damani Baker and Alex Vlack
It's remarkable that the singer/songwriter behind such timeless hits as "Lean on Me" and "Just the Two of Us" isn't a household name. Equally remarkable is the unique path he took to fame and the shining wisdom of fiercely independent Bill Withers still shows during this documentary.

Short - Likhaya
Directed by Aaron Knopp
An amazing group of people live on a small sustainable farm in Swaziland in southern Africa, the country with the world's worst HIV/AIDS rate. This documentary paints a serene portrait of the women and children who are, in their own small way, turning the epidemiological tide.

Jury Awards
The jurors for the Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film this year were Mike Goodridge, U.S. editor for Screen International; Basil Tsiokos, programming associate of documentary features for the Sundance Film Festival since 2005 ; and Howard Feinstein, writer for Filmmaker Magazine. The winner is Protektor, directed by Marek Najbrt, selected for its stylish and original use of film noir to tackle an important historical subject.

The Festival's documentary award, the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film, named after the great filmmaker brothers, Albert and David Maysles is presented each year to an outstanding documentary. The jury this year was comprised of Daniel Junge, an award-winning documentary filmmaker; James Faust, senior programmer of the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival; and Laura Thielen, program director for the San Francisco Film Society and San Francisco International Film Festival.

The recipient of the 2009 Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film is The Good Soldier, directed by Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys. The film, which is remarkable not only for its incredibly poignant relevance, puts a compassionate perspective on a subject too often not discussed. The film October Country received a Special Jury Prize for Filmmaking for the beautifully realized and incredibly intimate family portrait.

The Fox 31 Emerging Filmmaker Award was awarded to Lee Toland Kreiger from The Vicious Kind, a wry, witty and compelling family portrait that fires on all cylinders. This film deftly explores the complex boundaries of relationships as it deals with love, loyalty and the trappings of machismo. The Fox 31 Emerging Filmmaker is given to a first or second-time director without U.S. distribution who best displays originality, artistic excellence and visual awareness, while maintaining a consistent directorial vision and technical proficiency. An honorable mention was awarded to Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, a poetic musical journey that explores the traditional love story with a fresh voice, taking chances to form a strong, hybrid-genre style.

The award was juried by filmmaker Mike Plante, programmer for CineVegas and Sundance; Stephanie Reuler, independent producer, writer and producer; and Senior Vice President of Film for Gen Art,Jeffrey Abramson.

Spike Lee Student Filmmaker Award includes jury members James M. Phelan, director and cinematographer; Annie Eastman, a producer, director and editor; and Craig Volk, associate professor of theatre and film. Taking home this award is Land Gwennin (Gaining Ground) directed by Marc Brummund for its compelling narrative of an illegal Ukrainian family attempting to hide in Germany. Forced to deny their young son an education, the father and mother ultimately come to risk exposure to allow their son to begin school. With skillful storytelling, engaging cinematography and strong performances, this sympathetic portrayal of a family struggle is heartfelt and universal.

The first annual ASIFA-Colorado Prize for the Best Animated Short Award went to The Necktie by Jean-François Lévesque. It's a simple yet powerful story with visually-enticing characters combined with extremely well-timed and smooth 2D and 3D animations. Jury members for this award include Evert Brown, freelance director and instructor at Art Institute of Colorado; Ed Desroches, an animator, Web designer and instructor; Judy Gardner, professor at Art Institute of Colorado and Metropolitan State College of Denver; Julie Goldstein, chair of Media Arts and Animation at Art Institute of Colorado; and Wes Price, illustrator and animator.
 

Hate crimes up 11 percent in 2008

2009-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, responded today to the Federal Bureau of Investigation report which showed the number of victims of bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation increased by 11 percent in 2008. The statistics show that reported hate crimes against the LGBT community have increased for the third year in a row. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation remain the third most common type of hate crimes, behind race and religion.

“These numbers are unacceptable. While it is so important that we have the new federal hate crimes law, it is critical to ensure that we continue working with the Department of Justice to ensure the safety of LGBT citizens,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We have to prosecute each hate crime to the fullest extent of the law, but we also need to get at the roots. When we don't know each other as human beings, ignorance breeds misunderstanding, which breeds hate, which too often this year led to violence. We have to keep fighting the prejudices and stereotypes that underlie these acts.”

More after the jump.
 
On October 28, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The new law gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the Justice Department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where a perpetrator has selected a victim because of the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. In addition, it provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions with investigations and prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes of violence.

The new law also authorizes the Justice Department to provide grants to state and local communities to cover the extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Moreover, it authorizes the provision of grants for local programs to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles, including programs that train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting and preventing hate crimes.

The data comes just days after the LGBT community mourned on Transgender Day of Remembrance – honoring the memories of those lost in hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias. While current data does not track crimes on based on gender or gender identity, the new hate crimes law requires the FBI to track statistics on these incidents.

 

A Single Man: Gay movie or not gay movie?

2009-11-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

'A Single Movie' sounds like a gay movie to me but I guess Tom Ford sees it differently.

According to the PR 'A Single Man' is the story of George Falconer, a 52-year-old British college professor [Colin Firth] who is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner, Jim [Matthew Goode]. George dwells on the past and cannot see his future as we follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters, ultimately leads him to decide if there is a meaning to life after Jim. George is consoled by his closest friend Charley [Julianne Moore], a 48-year-old beauty who is wrestling with her own questions about the future. A young student of George’s, Kenny [Nicholas Hoult], who is coming to terms with his true nature, stalks George as he feels in him a kindred spirit.

Sounds like a gay movie to me but I guess debut director Tom Ford sees it a bit differently. I've been looking forward to the movie right up until I stumbled upon a quote from a new article at the Wall Street Journal where Ford denies that it's a gay movie after all.

Above synopsis to the contrary, of course.

“I wasn’t trying to make Terminator 12," Ford tells the WSJ. "But this is not a gay film. I don’t even think about that. There are so many gay characters on TV that it’s almost become a cliché.”

I don't even know what that's supposed to mean but it's still a pretty lame thing to say.

Drama Drag with Nina Flowers and Bebe Zahara Benet

2009-11-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

Nina Flowers and Bebe Zahara Benet, the two queen's left standing at the end of the first season of 'RuPaul’s Drag Race', reunite at Tracks for the November 27 edition of Drama Drag. The ladies promise a night unlike any you have ever seen.

Nab your tickets for Drama Drag here and remember that season two of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' debuts on Logo in February 2010.

Until then, all the season one episodes are online at LogoOnline.com.

World AIDS Day 2009: Help end mother-to-child transmission

2009-11-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

World AIDS Day 2009 takes place on December 1, 2009.

White Party 2010: ABCs of DJs

2009-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

The official DJ lineup for White Party 2010 has been released and it is the biggest and best lineup of international DJs in White Party history including:

Abel
Brett Henrichsen
Chi Chi LaRue
Chus & Ceballos
Freemasons
Joe Gauthreaux
Luke Johnstone
Manny Lehman
Moto Blanco
Scotty Thomson
Tony Moran
Wayne G

Get your tickets now and click here to enter to win a White Party Weekend for Two.

Denver Art Museum fetes Lewis Sharp

2009-11-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Denver Art Museum is hosting a slew of events in December to celebrate Lewis Sharp's (pictured) 20 years of accomplishments as the museum's director.

The first of the events, the Love Lewis Extravaganza, takes place on Thursday, December 3 at 8:30 p.m. and will feature the vibrant sounds of Conjunto Colores and Starke, savory treats and yummy desserts, and a special after-hours viewing of DAM's new exhibition 'Embrace!'.

This holiday season support businesses that support the gay community

2009-11-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

In time to kick-off of the holiday shopping season, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today released a guide to hundreds of popular American brands rated on businesses’ treatment of LGBT employees. “Buying for Equality 2010” divides businesses and their consumer products into red, yellow and green categories based on their score on the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, a nationally recognized benchmark of LGBT inclusion. The guide is available for download and viewing online at www.hrc.org/BuyersGuide.

“Congress is currently considering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a critical piece of workplace legislation that will include our community. Until all LGBT Americans get fair treatment in the workplace, we must support businesses that support us,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “By purchasing products from businesses that support LGBT equality, shoppers send a clear message to businesses that their support, or lack thereof, will directly impact their bottom line.”

The LGBT community is estimated to have $712 billion in buying power this year, according to research by Witeck-Combs Communications and Marketresearch.com. A recent study by Witeck-Combs/Harris Interactive also found that 78 percent of LGBT people are extremely or very likely to consider brands that are known to provide equal workplace benefits for their employees, including LGBT workers.

More after the jump.
 
“From determining which car to purchase, to the right holiday gift for the kids, to everyday grocery shopping, this guide harnesses the power of equality-minded shoppers. At this moment it’s critically important that businesses hear that their customers support businesses that support us,” said Solmonese.

Fair-minded consumers are encouraged to write to businesses to either thank them for their support, ask them revise their policies, or encourage them to participate in the Corporate Equality Index. More information can be found at www.hrc.org/ConsumerAdvocacy.

 

Things to do in Denver when you're gay: Cinema Q - Word is Out

2009-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

In 1978, 'Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives' startled audiences across the country when it appeared in movie theaters and on television. The first feature-length documentary about lesbian and gay identity made by gay filmmakers, the film had a huge impact when it was released and became an icon of the emerging gay rights movement of the 1970s. It has since become a landmark in the history of documentaries. In honor of its place in our collective history, 'Word is Out' was selected for restoration for the Legacy Project for GLBT Film Preservation by Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. 'Word is Out' comes to Denver as part of the Starz Filmcenter's ongoing gay film series Cinema Q December 18-24.

Pet of the Week: Dante

2009-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Dante, the cutest four-year-old Rottie mix you've ever seen! I came to MaxFund from another shelter, so not much is known about me. However, the nice people here report that I am a happy boy who adores people. I hope you like kisses, because I'm a big kisser!

Find out more about Dante or the other wonderful pets available for adoption at MaxFund No-Kill Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.

Aspen Gay Ski Week 2010: Into the Woods

2009-11-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

Presented by AGSW and Bud Light, Aspen Gay Ski Week 2010: Into the Woods will take place Sunday, January 17, 2010 through Sunday, January 24, 2010 in Aspen, Colorado.

Established in 1976 by a small group of Aspen residents to host social events and organize educational forums, AGSW was the first event of its kind and has served as both an inspiration and model for other gay ski weeks in ski towns across the nation. The event has morphed into a week-long celebration packed with events that include skiing, snowboarding, après ski parties, dining, shopping, comedy, a down-hill costume competition and more.

“What started as a forum for the gay community has expanded to a week of premier skiing and outstanding entertainment for all. This year we are working with a new Board of Directors who have brought new ideas and innovative approaches to this historic event,“ said Peter Helburn, acting Executive Director for AGSW.

2010 XBIZ Awards open to fan voting

2009-11-20T19:14:00.000-08:00

Fans of adult entertainment - I know you're out there - will be able, for the first time ever, to vote in some of the categories in the upcoming 2010 XBIZ Awards (link NSFW). Voting begins in December and runs through January 2010.