Rise Like a Phoenix

I was absolutely thrilled last month when gorgeous and talented Conchita Wurst, a drag queen from Austria, won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with the spectacular song "Rise Like a Phoenix."



This song is worthy of a great diva like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion but there's no need for either -- Conchita delivers the goods! Love the lyrics, love her performance, what a voice!

Sometimes the media mistakenly characterize Conchita as transgendered. However, she simply calls herself a gay man who does drag. But what about that facial hair? Doesn't it "ruin" the drag illusion? Not at all. If she were just engaged in traditional "gender-bending," she would not be bearded, it is true. But her style is what's called "gender-fucking" so the beard stays! Her beard is a statement that all rigid gender-based appearance rules are irrelevant and oppressive.

And I've noticed from this summer's TV coverage of various Pride marches and events in Canada and around the world that her bearded-but-still-elegant drag look is being widely imitated!

Ride Him Cowboy!

Last night I went to our local art film theatre to see Brokeback Mountain again on the big screen. Oh, that gorgeous Alberta scenery masquerading as Wyoming! Oh, that heartbreaking, tragic story of love and oppression . . . .  It's one of my favourite movies, not least because of that explosively passionate kiss between Ennis and Jack. Yowza!

Alright, giddyup then, here's some queer cowboy LOLs!

Okay, that last one is probably photoshopped but it's still funny!

And if all this is just too, too much for anyone, here's an alternate Christian edition of the movie instead. Don't never say I ain't sensitive to opposing viewpoints.

Mini Translesbigayapalooza!

Alas, my recent blog hiatus put the kibosh on a full-scale celebration of Translesbigayapalooza this year but there's still time for three Pride posts before June ends. So here's the first one -- an eclectic selection of LGBTQ funnies! Happy Pride, everyone!

Hamlet's Soliloquy, Updated

Want a good laugh? Here's a hilarious version of Hamlet's famous speech "to be or not to be" as performed by the talented impressionist Jim Meskimen --



Watching this reminded me of a post I did a few years ago (back in the days before anyone actually read this blog, LOL) about a modern poem which paraphrases the same soliloquy. So what the hell, I'm into recycling -- here's that post again:

                               BBRNT2B? 2BORNOT 2BEE?
                               BBRNO2B? BBORNOT BEBE?
                               2BRNT2B? 2BRNTOB?
                               2BORWAT? CNTDCYD.
                               NDCISV. SLINGS. ARROWZ.
                               SEA OF TROUBLZ.
                               TODIE. PRCHNCE 2DREEEM.
                               YACKITY YACKYAK.
                               ITHINK 2MUCH. SHOULDI
                               MAYYBEE JSTDOIT?

                                                --Daniel Nussbaum,
                                                   from PL8SPK (HarperCollins, 1994)

Isn't this a great 20th century reinterpretation? Each of the poems in PL8SPK were written entirely from words and phrases contained on registered vanity plates in California. When I first read this poem 20 years ago, it seemed extraordinarily weird (if fascinating). It took me some major deciphering to be able to read it. But now in a culture of texting and even (dare I say it?) lolspeak, it looks pretty darn normal and hardly unusual. In fact, now it's easy to read! And it's still funny!

A Quick Update

Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for your kind words and good wishes that you left on my last post. Your comments mean a lot to me.

Here's a quick update. No, I am not living in this box in some back alley! I have found a great apartment in downtown Edmonton that I am about 75% moved into. The relocation should be complete by mid-June. I have always loved living centrally in urban hustle and bustle! Odd for an introvert perhaps, but so long as my apartment itself is quiet, that's all I need.

Speaking both for My Rare One and myself, our spirits are good, I think, all things considered. A bit of roller-coasteriness on occasion perhaps, largely due to me. Of course, we're both disappointed that the Montreal Canadiens have now been eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. What? HOCKEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING!