flame magazine oct 2012
DESCRIPTION
Michigan's Premier LGBT Lifestyle & Entertainment MagazineTRANSCRIPT
DOROTHY CHECKS OUT:piTCH pERfECT
THE WORLD ACCORDiNG TO JOANfACEbOOK vS. TUmbLR
NICKKI STEVENS
the voice of detroit
PUBLISHER Peter Rayes
ART DIRECTOR Kyle Johnson
GRAPHIC DESIGN Jesse Ball
KRESJ Graphics Jeremy McElroy
COPY EDITOR Dana Haddrill
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Peter Rayes
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ryan Boudreau
Michael Champagne Murray!
Klider HakimEmil Harpe Tony Lowe
Darren Nemens Al Shimmary
CONTRIBUTORS Robert Bruno
Alysha Calamia Dana Haddrill
Peter Hendrickson John LoPortoSteven Palmer
Victor PerfiliEd SikovJai Sky
Dorothy “Joan” Stevenson
WEB DEVELOPMENT PR Solutions, LLC
facebook.com/prsolutions
P.O. Box 869 Royal Oak, MI 48068 [email protected]
Copyright © 2012. Flame, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. No part of Flame Magazine, including stories, artwork, advertising, or photos may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from Flame, LLC. Flame Magazine is published monthly by Flame, LLC. Flame Magazine willl not accept advertising which is found to violate local, state or
federal law. The presence of the name, likeness, photograph, or other representation of an organization, business, or person(s) in Flame Magazine is not an indication of sexual orientation.
08PITCH PERFECTAt The Movies With Dororthy
Glee goes to college in this hilarious comedy about the competitive world of a capella singing groups. …
11NICKKI STEVENSThe Voice of Detroit
Some individuals have a natural talent for creating order out of chaos; some people call this having vision. From an early age, performer Nickki Stevens found that she was gifted with this kind of “vision.” With a stage career that spans 25 years …
15DILL-INFUSED VODKACocktail Chatter
It began innocently enough. But like so many of life’s little catastrophes, my attempt to serve something a bit unusual took a sudden and unexpected dive, and the whole evening went down in flames …
17FACEBOOK VS TUMBLRThe World According to Joan
I got a bone to pick. There’s been something bothering me for a while now. My Facebook home page has been overrun with postings of memes, sayings, clever cat pictures, e cards. There was a time when …
19I AM FRUSTRATED HEAR ME ROARJohn LoPorto
I love political theory, especially liberal democratic theory. It has been evolving for over two and half millennia and it still faces the challenges of nihilism and extremism. It’s pretty incredible. But I don’t really like …
CONTENTS October 2012
Nickki Stevens | Photo by: Tony Lowe
october 20124 october 2012 5
PUBLISHER Peter Rayes
ART DIRECTOR Kyle Johnson
GRAPHIC DESIGN Jesse Ball
KRESJ Graphics Jeremy McElroy
COPY EDITOR Dana Haddrill
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Peter Rayes
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ryan Boudreau
Michael Champagne Murray!
Klider HakimEmil Harpe Tony Lowe
Darren Nemens Al Shimmary
CONTRIBUTORS Robert Bruno
Alysha Calamia Dana Haddrill
Peter Hendrickson John LoPortoSteven Palmer
Victor PerfiliEd SikovJai Sky
Dorothy “Joan” Stevenson
WEB DEVELOPMENT PR Solutions, LLC
facebook.com/prsolutions
P.O. Box 869 Royal Oak, MI 48068 [email protected]
Copyright © 2012. Flame, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. No part of Flame Magazine, including stories, artwork, advertising, or photos may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from Flame, LLC. Flame Magazine is published monthly by Flame, LLC. Flame Magazine willl not accept advertising which is found to violate local, state or
federal law. The presence of the name, likeness, photograph, or other representation of an organization, business, or person(s) in Flame Magazine is not an indication of sexual orientation.
08PITCH PERFECTAt The Movies With Dororthy
Glee goes to college in this hilarious comedy about the competitive world of a capella singing groups. …
11NICKKI STEVENSThe Voice of Detroit
Some individuals have a natural talent for creating order out of chaos; some people call this having vision. From an early age, performer Nickki Stevens found that she was gifted with this kind of “vision.” With a stage career that spans 25 years …
15DILL-INFUSED VODKACocktail Chatter
It began innocently enough. But like so many of life’s little catastrophes, my attempt to serve something a bit unusual took a sudden and unexpected dive, and the whole evening went down in flames …
17FACEBOOK VS TUMBLRThe World According to Joan
I got a bone to pick. There’s been something bothering me for a while now. My Facebook home page has been overrun with postings of memes, sayings, clever cat pictures, e cards. There was a time when …
19I AM FRUSTRATED HEAR ME ROARJohn LoPorto
I love political theory, especially liberal democratic theory. It has been evolving for over two and half millennia and it still faces the challenges of nihilism and extremism. It’s pretty incredible. But I don’t really like …
CONTENTS October 2012
Nickki Stevens | Photo by: Tony Lowe
october 20124 october 2012 5
FLAME/ At The Movies With DorothyWritten by Joan Dorothy Stevenson
Glee goes to college in this hilarious comedy about the competitive
world of a capella singing groups.“The Bellas” is an all-girl a capella
singing group at Barden University. It is a finely honed group that competes fiercely with other collegiate a capella groups, and against its all-male rival from Barden, “The Treble Makers,” headed by Bumper (DeVine). At the Nationals competition, pressure gets to the Bellas’ leader Aubrey (Camp), who
has an unfortunate on stage incident which destroys the Bellas’ chances of winning that year.
At the beginning of the new school year, Aubrey is determined to get past her embarrassment and rebuild a new team, since most of the previous Bellas have graduated. Her eyes are firmly on the prize to make it back to Nationals and to win. Enter freshman Becca (Kendrick).
A capella is the furthest thing from
Becca’s mind. Becca has her heart set on being a DJ. The only music she is interested in is the mixes and mash-ups that she creates. Encouraged by her father to participate in at least one club on campus, she contemplates her choices. After a “Mean Girl” confrontation with Aubrey, Becca writes off auditioning for the Bellas. It’s not until Aubrey’s co-captain, Chloe (Snow), overhears Becca singing in the shower and pleads with her to audition, that she reconsiders.
Traditionally, the Bellas had a standard look: pert and polished, all the same height, all hot, all thin and all White. Much to Aubrey’s chagrin, the girls who made the cut are anything but! Fat Amy (Wilson) is overweight, Cynthia Rose (Dean) is a large Black lesbian, Stacie (Knapp) is tall skinny and large breasted, and Lilly (Lee) is a soft spoken yet creepy Asian, for example.
Aubrey is determined to whip these girls into shape and make them the best a capella team in competition, but Aubrey lacks vision. The Bellas have a tired repertoire of out dated, yawn inducing songs that everyone, including the judges, is fed up with hearing. Still, Aubrey is adamant that the Bellas stay the course of tradition. Becca and Chloe try to get Aubrey to loosen up and try something new, but Aubrey won’t budge. For the Bellas to have any chance of
getting to nationals and defeating their competition, they are going to have to come up with a killer set and learn to work together like a well-oiled musical machine.
“Pitch Perfect” is like “Glee” grows up and goes to college, and it’s much, much more funny! If you’re not a choir geek or a “Gleek,” or you just don’t like music, this movie might be torture for you. If you live for Glee, this is your movie!
Anna Camp’s Aubrey is such an uptight control freak, watching her almost gave me a nosebleed. Hanna Mae Lee is a stitch as the soft spoken, but oh so creepy Lily. Lily barely speaks above a whisper, but when she does, she drops gems like, “I like to burn things” or “I ate my twin in the womb.” The biggest personality (pun intended) out of the entire group is Rebel Wilson’s Fat Amy. She is lovely, large and in charge of her own world; everyone else just lives in it. As she introduced herself to Aubrey as Fat Amy, Aubrey countered, “You call yourself Fat Amy?” Rebel replied, “Yeah, so twig bitches like you don’t do it behind my back.” Rebel totally walks off with the film in almost every scene she’s in – she is priceless!
The tunes fly fast and furious here from old jams like “Turn the Beat Around” to new jams like “Price Tag” to 80s favorites like “Don’t You Forget About Me.” At
one point, all of the a capella groups on campus have a “riff off,” not unlike the “Zoolander” walk off, where they all get together and have a singing battle. It’s here that Becca starts to let her musical diversity shine by kicking out a rendition of “No Diggity” by Blackstreet.
Everyone does their own singing. That’s no surprise to me coming from Anna Kendrick, whom I first saw in the film “Camp,” but everyone else I know from other things. Adam DeVine from “Workaholics,” makes his film debut as the cocky leader of the rival Barden College male group, “The Treble Makers.” I scarcely recognized Anna Camp from her role as Sarah Newlin in “True Blood,” or as Bethany from season 4 of “Mad Men,” but she has also done an episode of “Glee.”
For those of you still trying to wrap your minds around this, think of “Pitch Perfect” as the musical version of “Bring It On” or “Dodgeball.” This blend of musical misfits is not afraid to bring in the harmonious noise and back it up with a little funk, and I bet you’ll be singing along and rooting for them to make it to Nationals.
“Pitch Perfect” makes all the right moves and hits all the right notes; it’s loads of fun, and a great time. Don’t miss it. Can I get a “what, what” from all my choir people?
PITCH PERFECTAnna Kendrick as BeccaBrittany Snow as ChloeAnna Camp as AubreyRebel Wilson as Fat AmyAlexis Knapp as StacieEster Dean as Cynthia RoseHana Mae Lee as LillyAdam DeVine as Manny
5 / 5 STARS
OUT IN THEATERS OCTOBER 5, 2012
“...If you’re not a choir geek or a “Gleek,” or you just don’t like music, this movie might be torture for you. If you live for Glee, this is your movie! .. „
october 20128 october 2012 9
FLAME/ At The Movies With DorothyWritten by Joan Dorothy Stevenson
Glee goes to college in this hilarious comedy about the competitive
world of a capella singing groups.“The Bellas” is an all-girl a capella
singing group at Barden University. It is a finely honed group that competes fiercely with other collegiate a capella groups, and against its all-male rival from Barden, “The Treble Makers,” headed by Bumper (DeVine). At the Nationals competition, pressure gets to the Bellas’ leader Aubrey (Camp), who
has an unfortunate on stage incident which destroys the Bellas’ chances of winning that year.
At the beginning of the new school year, Aubrey is determined to get past her embarrassment and rebuild a new team, since most of the previous Bellas have graduated. Her eyes are firmly on the prize to make it back to Nationals and to win. Enter freshman Becca (Kendrick).
A capella is the furthest thing from
Becca’s mind. Becca has her heart set on being a DJ. The only music she is interested in is the mixes and mash-ups that she creates. Encouraged by her father to participate in at least one club on campus, she contemplates her choices. After a “Mean Girl” confrontation with Aubrey, Becca writes off auditioning for the Bellas. It’s not until Aubrey’s co-captain, Chloe (Snow), overhears Becca singing in the shower and pleads with her to audition, that she reconsiders.
Traditionally, the Bellas had a standard look: pert and polished, all the same height, all hot, all thin and all White. Much to Aubrey’s chagrin, the girls who made the cut are anything but! Fat Amy (Wilson) is overweight, Cynthia Rose (Dean) is a large Black lesbian, Stacie (Knapp) is tall skinny and large breasted, and Lilly (Lee) is a soft spoken yet creepy Asian, for example.
Aubrey is determined to whip these girls into shape and make them the best a capella team in competition, but Aubrey lacks vision. The Bellas have a tired repertoire of out dated, yawn inducing songs that everyone, including the judges, is fed up with hearing. Still, Aubrey is adamant that the Bellas stay the course of tradition. Becca and Chloe try to get Aubrey to loosen up and try something new, but Aubrey won’t budge. For the Bellas to have any chance of
getting to nationals and defeating their competition, they are going to have to come up with a killer set and learn to work together like a well-oiled musical machine.
“Pitch Perfect” is like “Glee” grows up and goes to college, and it’s much, much more funny! If you’re not a choir geek or a “Gleek,” or you just don’t like music, this movie might be torture for you. If you live for Glee, this is your movie!
Anna Camp’s Aubrey is such an uptight control freak, watching her almost gave me a nosebleed. Hanna Mae Lee is a stitch as the soft spoken, but oh so creepy Lily. Lily barely speaks above a whisper, but when she does, she drops gems like, “I like to burn things” or “I ate my twin in the womb.” The biggest personality (pun intended) out of the entire group is Rebel Wilson’s Fat Amy. She is lovely, large and in charge of her own world; everyone else just lives in it. As she introduced herself to Aubrey as Fat Amy, Aubrey countered, “You call yourself Fat Amy?” Rebel replied, “Yeah, so twig bitches like you don’t do it behind my back.” Rebel totally walks off with the film in almost every scene she’s in – she is priceless!
The tunes fly fast and furious here from old jams like “Turn the Beat Around” to new jams like “Price Tag” to 80s favorites like “Don’t You Forget About Me.” At
one point, all of the a capella groups on campus have a “riff off,” not unlike the “Zoolander” walk off, where they all get together and have a singing battle. It’s here that Becca starts to let her musical diversity shine by kicking out a rendition of “No Diggity” by Blackstreet.
Everyone does their own singing. That’s no surprise to me coming from Anna Kendrick, whom I first saw in the film “Camp,” but everyone else I know from other things. Adam DeVine from “Workaholics,” makes his film debut as the cocky leader of the rival Barden College male group, “The Treble Makers.” I scarcely recognized Anna Camp from her role as Sarah Newlin in “True Blood,” or as Bethany from season 4 of “Mad Men,” but she has also done an episode of “Glee.”
For those of you still trying to wrap your minds around this, think of “Pitch Perfect” as the musical version of “Bring It On” or “Dodgeball.” This blend of musical misfits is not afraid to bring in the harmonious noise and back it up with a little funk, and I bet you’ll be singing along and rooting for them to make it to Nationals.
“Pitch Perfect” makes all the right moves and hits all the right notes; it’s loads of fun, and a great time. Don’t miss it. Can I get a “what, what” from all my choir people?
PITCH PERFECTAnna Kendrick as BeccaBrittany Snow as ChloeAnna Camp as AubreyRebel Wilson as Fat AmyAlexis Knapp as StacieEster Dean as Cynthia RoseHana Mae Lee as LillyAdam DeVine as Manny
5 / 5 STARS
OUT IN THEATERS OCTOBER 5, 2012
“...If you’re not a choir geek or a “Gleek,” or you just don’t like music, this movie might be torture for you. If you live for Glee, this is your movie! .. „
october 20128 october 2012 9
Written by: Robert Bruno Photos by: Tony Lowe
NICKKISTEVENS:
Some individuals have a natural talent for creating order out of chaos; some people call
this having vision. From an early age, performer Nickki Stevens found that she was gifted with this kind of “vision.” With a stage career that spans 25 years, she continues to reinvent, utilize and execute that vision to provide a platform where art can flourish. As a youngster, she honed her chops, learning the ropes on the road with all-male dance troops, such as “Male Order” and “Barely Legal,” in the late 80’s and early 90’s, which lead to a position as the Show Director at Gigi’s Cabaret, the “Showplace of the North,” where, this month, Nickki celebrates twenty years at the helm. In a natural progression, she was then invited to be the hostess and emcee at the famed Baton Show Lounge in Chicago, Illinois. For two decades, not only as headliner of the longest running club title in the United States, at Gigi’s Gay Bar, but also as the diva of “Monday Nights with Chico and the Boys featuring Nickki Stevens,” she continues to perform and keep the “house” together. Here, she speaks of some of the milestones, victories and set-backs in the gay entertainment industry, as well as her projection for the future of female impersonation:
The Voice of Detroit
october 2012 6october 2012 11
Written by: Robert Bruno Photos by: Tony Lowe
NICKKISTEVENS:
Some individuals have a natural talent for creating order out of chaos; some people call
this having vision. From an early age, performer Nickki Stevens found that she was gifted with this kind of “vision.” With a stage career that spans 25 years, she continues to reinvent, utilize and execute that vision to provide a platform where art can flourish. As a youngster, she honed her chops, learning the ropes on the road with all-male dance troops, such as “Male Order” and “Barely Legal,” in the late 80’s and early 90’s, which lead to a position as the Show Director at Gigi’s Cabaret, the “Showplace of the North,” where, this month, Nickki celebrates twenty years at the helm. In a natural progression, she was then invited to be the hostess and emcee at the famed Baton Show Lounge in Chicago, Illinois. For two decades, not only as headliner of the longest running club title in the United States, at Gigi’s Gay Bar, but also as the diva of “Monday Nights with Chico and the Boys featuring Nickki Stevens,” she continues to perform and keep the “house” together. Here, she speaks of some of the milestones, victories and set-backs in the gay entertainment industry, as well as her projection for the future of female impersonation:
The Voice of Detroit
october 2012 6october 2012 11
You have enjoyed a long run in the art form of female impersonation. Is there a secret to maintaining a successful career in the entertainment industry for 25 years?
I believe that everyone excels, at a least, at one thing and the idea is to capitalize on those particular talents. Doing this begins to separate you “from the rest of the pack,” so to speak. At an early age I took inventory of what I had to work with and was realistic. Entertainers have different calling cards; some represent themselves as beauties, some as dancers, and others as creative in the costuming category. Although I can do a bit of all of this, I found I excelled at speaking to the public. Yes, I admit, I can talk a good game! I used that skill to get myself out of many sticky situations when I was a youngster, and with a touch of humor added, it seemed to be the perfect vehicle for me to utilize to further me in the business. Out of all the awards I have been fortunate to have acquired throughout the years my most prized are the Emcee of the Year accolades I have received annually for the last twenty years. I am very proud of this acknowledgement.
As a kid, what made you think you could be successful in this art form?
As a child, I was fortunate to see a special presentation of the late and great female impressionist, Charles Pierce. Though he portrayed an arsenal of characters, he was best known for his characterization of Miss Bette Davis. When I saw Mr. Pierce, something clicked. The combination of glamour and humor could make one the center of attention. Mind you, I have never seen myself as a woman and have never wanted to become a woman, but working in an art form that celebrates the image of womanhood at its most artistic, was very exciting to me. I knew then I wanted to be a part of this celebration.
In your early years, who influenced you most?
Well as a snotty-nosed kid, I always felt I was older than my birth certificate stated. I knew I talked a good game and began to get into the clubs here in Detroit when I was sixteen years old, and would frequent all the bars to see exactly what was out there and where I
might fit in. In presentation most all were the same. At the time, the likes of clubs like Menjo’s, Gigi’s, The Gas Station, The Aruba and the famed Pink Flamingo were similar. Men cruising, while women were fighting in corners, while the dance floor exploded in a whirl of sweat and poppers. But when the music would die down and the dance floor would clear and show time was announced, I began to clearly see my vision manifest. As time moved on, I began to form genuine friendships with these individuals that enacted this art form. I wanted to be involved on any level. Nothing was too trivial: Working behind the scenes. Putting on a shoe, zipping up a costume or hanging up garments all made me feel a part of this artistic machine.
In the early days I had many influences. Candy Sweet had a great stage presence which I adored. Jennifer Foxx exemplified a refined class, while Melba Moore captivated audiences every time she hit the stage. I admired the quick and sharp tongue of The Lady T Tempest, while my friend Vanessa LaSalle had a creative style few possessed. I began to see a family structure. At that time, the matriarch was the talented Elaine St. Jacques, a seasoned professional, while newcomers like the lovely Denise Eubanks worked together effortlessly. Fragments of all these fine entertainers were the recipe for creating the persona the public knows today as Nickki Stevens. With a large dose of my own persona thrown into the mix and POOOOOF! I had arrived!
On a national scale, who did you learn from?
I looked up to all entertainers that had the guts and talent to sacrifice for their entertainment dreams in efforts to attain the golden rings. All were as different from each other as our local talents were. The stunning Naomi Sims and the timeless Chile Pepper made their mark, as well as the zany Tasha Kohl, and the always show-stopping Miss Monica Munro. I have been very lucky to have known these fine ladies throughout my career and to have had the opportunity to let them each know how they profoundly affected who I am today as a performer.
Through the years, gay entertainment has lost a great many talented individuals. How did this affect you?
Losing friends and other talented souls never gets easier in our community. Unfortunately, it has become a cruel fact of life that many must leave us much too soon. Whether it is retirement, re-location or death, it is extremely difficult to comprehend that our industry will be void of their valuable contributions. One special relationship that I treasured was the aforementioned Miss Vanessa LaSalle. Our connection was an exceptional one that far transcended the footlights. She not only passed on her stage experience to me but in our free time we partied and even vacationed together. My fondest memories were of us getting together with anticipation as we planned how the weekends’ festivities would unfold. Unknowingly, she taught me – almost groomed me – not knowing then that I would be the one to take the reigns, in her absence at Gigi’s Gay Bar. I will always be indebted to her for her knowledge of the business and the love that she showered me with. Conversely, I will always curse her name when the going gets tough, all the while knowing she is laughing her ass off at insisting that everything be “perfect.”
For over 25 years, you have witnessed many high and low points. Reflect on some of them.\
Highs and lows… Yes, you are going to have them, but the important part is how you react to them. You surf the highs and try to keep your head up through the storm. Strikingly, of course, the 80’s were the lowest. The AIDS epidemic ravaged its way through our community and left much of it barren. We lived in a daily existence of uncertain life or death at its peak; a time when you didn’t know if the person you were talking to this week at the club would be alive the next. Before medical advancement, the disease took many quickly. It was a time when people never put away their Sunday best because they had to always be funeral-ready. It was a time when we performed 2 or 3 times a week, and the mission was to raise funds for someone’s treatment, someone’s food, someone’s housing, or ultimately, someone’s tombstone; it was horrible. The “kids” now do not understand how devastating it was,
and continues to be. Yet, so many of our youth seem so removed, as though it never happened. I feel it is my job, along with other performers of my generation, to educate those that are uninformed to our history – good and bad. As far as the highs, I have been blessed with many, but at the top of my list is the gift I have been given that allows me to make people laugh. There is never enough laughter. I am very grateful.
Since you are one of the “blueprints” for longevity in female impersonation, what information would you pass on to someone who aspires to have a long career on the drag stage?
The blueprint is simple. One must possess the drive and passion to create art from deep within his or her heart. A true entertainer has no recourse but to seek out a stage to live on. I believe what is on the outside is just the shell that holds all the creativity. To feed this creativity, you must try to be the best you can be every time you perform. Hope to have that fire burn inside of you to move you through the rough times in one’s career and pray that somewhere, somehow, you have affected another’s life in a positive way no matter how big or small this might be. This has always been, and will continue to be my dream; it is what inspires me to produce the best work I am capable of. I believe the public deserves your best – always. It is an honor to be allowed to entertain and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do this for my entire adult life, as a profession. I consider it a privilege, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that privilege. Okay, I think it’s time for a drink! Cheers bitches!
(Laughter). Nickki can be seen performing every Monday at Gigi’s Gay Bar, as she hosts and emcees “College Night,” along with DJ Chico and The Boys, as well as every Saturday night downstairs at Gigi’s Cabaret, where she still serves as Show Director. Congratulations on your twenty-year anniversary as Miss Gigi’s, and thank you for entertaining Detroit for twenty-five years!
october 2012712 october 2012 13october 2012
You have enjoyed a long run in the art form of female impersonation. Is there a secret to maintaining a successful career in the entertainment industry for 25 years?
I believe that everyone excels, at a least, at one thing and the idea is to capitalize on those particular talents. Doing this begins to separate you “from the rest of the pack,” so to speak. At an early age I took inventory of what I had to work with and was realistic. Entertainers have different calling cards; some represent themselves as beauties, some as dancers, and others as creative in the costuming category. Although I can do a bit of all of this, I found I excelled at speaking to the public. Yes, I admit, I can talk a good game! I used that skill to get myself out of many sticky situations when I was a youngster, and with a touch of humor added, it seemed to be the perfect vehicle for me to utilize to further me in the business. Out of all the awards I have been fortunate to have acquired throughout the years my most prized are the Emcee of the Year accolades I have received annually for the last twenty years. I am very proud of this acknowledgement.
As a kid, what made you think you could be successful in this art form?
As a child, I was fortunate to see a special presentation of the late and great female impressionist, Charles Pierce. Though he portrayed an arsenal of characters, he was best known for his characterization of Miss Bette Davis. When I saw Mr. Pierce, something clicked. The combination of glamour and humor could make one the center of attention. Mind you, I have never seen myself as a woman and have never wanted to become a woman, but working in an art form that celebrates the image of womanhood at its most artistic, was very exciting to me. I knew then I wanted to be a part of this celebration.
In your early years, who influenced you most?
Well as a snotty-nosed kid, I always felt I was older than my birth certificate stated. I knew I talked a good game and began to get into the clubs here in Detroit when I was sixteen years old, and would frequent all the bars to see exactly what was out there and where I
might fit in. In presentation most all were the same. At the time, the likes of clubs like Menjo’s, Gigi’s, The Gas Station, The Aruba and the famed Pink Flamingo were similar. Men cruising, while women were fighting in corners, while the dance floor exploded in a whirl of sweat and poppers. But when the music would die down and the dance floor would clear and show time was announced, I began to clearly see my vision manifest. As time moved on, I began to form genuine friendships with these individuals that enacted this art form. I wanted to be involved on any level. Nothing was too trivial: Working behind the scenes. Putting on a shoe, zipping up a costume or hanging up garments all made me feel a part of this artistic machine.
In the early days I had many influences. Candy Sweet had a great stage presence which I adored. Jennifer Foxx exemplified a refined class, while Melba Moore captivated audiences every time she hit the stage. I admired the quick and sharp tongue of The Lady T Tempest, while my friend Vanessa LaSalle had a creative style few possessed. I began to see a family structure. At that time, the matriarch was the talented Elaine St. Jacques, a seasoned professional, while newcomers like the lovely Denise Eubanks worked together effortlessly. Fragments of all these fine entertainers were the recipe for creating the persona the public knows today as Nickki Stevens. With a large dose of my own persona thrown into the mix and POOOOOF! I had arrived!
On a national scale, who did you learn from?
I looked up to all entertainers that had the guts and talent to sacrifice for their entertainment dreams in efforts to attain the golden rings. All were as different from each other as our local talents were. The stunning Naomi Sims and the timeless Chile Pepper made their mark, as well as the zany Tasha Kohl, and the always show-stopping Miss Monica Munro. I have been very lucky to have known these fine ladies throughout my career and to have had the opportunity to let them each know how they profoundly affected who I am today as a performer.
Through the years, gay entertainment has lost a great many talented individuals. How did this affect you?
Losing friends and other talented souls never gets easier in our community. Unfortunately, it has become a cruel fact of life that many must leave us much too soon. Whether it is retirement, re-location or death, it is extremely difficult to comprehend that our industry will be void of their valuable contributions. One special relationship that I treasured was the aforementioned Miss Vanessa LaSalle. Our connection was an exceptional one that far transcended the footlights. She not only passed on her stage experience to me but in our free time we partied and even vacationed together. My fondest memories were of us getting together with anticipation as we planned how the weekends’ festivities would unfold. Unknowingly, she taught me – almost groomed me – not knowing then that I would be the one to take the reigns, in her absence at Gigi’s Gay Bar. I will always be indebted to her for her knowledge of the business and the love that she showered me with. Conversely, I will always curse her name when the going gets tough, all the while knowing she is laughing her ass off at insisting that everything be “perfect.”
For over 25 years, you have witnessed many high and low points. Reflect on some of them.\
Highs and lows… Yes, you are going to have them, but the important part is how you react to them. You surf the highs and try to keep your head up through the storm. Strikingly, of course, the 80’s were the lowest. The AIDS epidemic ravaged its way through our community and left much of it barren. We lived in a daily existence of uncertain life or death at its peak; a time when you didn’t know if the person you were talking to this week at the club would be alive the next. Before medical advancement, the disease took many quickly. It was a time when people never put away their Sunday best because they had to always be funeral-ready. It was a time when we performed 2 or 3 times a week, and the mission was to raise funds for someone’s treatment, someone’s food, someone’s housing, or ultimately, someone’s tombstone; it was horrible. The “kids” now do not understand how devastating it was,
and continues to be. Yet, so many of our youth seem so removed, as though it never happened. I feel it is my job, along with other performers of my generation, to educate those that are uninformed to our history – good and bad. As far as the highs, I have been blessed with many, but at the top of my list is the gift I have been given that allows me to make people laugh. There is never enough laughter. I am very grateful.
Since you are one of the “blueprints” for longevity in female impersonation, what information would you pass on to someone who aspires to have a long career on the drag stage?
The blueprint is simple. One must possess the drive and passion to create art from deep within his or her heart. A true entertainer has no recourse but to seek out a stage to live on. I believe what is on the outside is just the shell that holds all the creativity. To feed this creativity, you must try to be the best you can be every time you perform. Hope to have that fire burn inside of you to move you through the rough times in one’s career and pray that somewhere, somehow, you have affected another’s life in a positive way no matter how big or small this might be. This has always been, and will continue to be my dream; it is what inspires me to produce the best work I am capable of. I believe the public deserves your best – always. It is an honor to be allowed to entertain and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do this for my entire adult life, as a profession. I consider it a privilege, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that privilege. Okay, I think it’s time for a drink! Cheers bitches!
(Laughter). Nickki can be seen performing every Monday at Gigi’s Gay Bar, as she hosts and emcees “College Night,” along with DJ Chico and The Boys, as well as every Saturday night downstairs at Gigi’s Cabaret, where she still serves as Show Director. Congratulations on your twenty-year anniversary as Miss Gigi’s, and thank you for entertaining Detroit for twenty-five years!
october 2012712 october 2012 13october 2012
dill-infused vodkaIt began innocently enough. But like so many of life’s little catastrophes, my attempt to serve something a bit unusual took a sudden and unexpected dive, and the whole evening went down in flames.
Dan and I had invited our friends Bill and Treighton out to the beach house late in the season, a beautiful time on Fire Island when the hoards of bubbleheaded bubblebutts had gone back to the city and the weather was still warm enough to sit on the deck in the still-warm late afternoon. Some leaves had turned, others hadn’t, and the dappled effect of reds and oranges against green was simply but extraordinarily lovely. None of the housemates were there; it was just the four of us. A nice hunk of pork was slow-cooking and smoking in the grill. Dan had brought an array of scrumptious cheeses from a cheese shop near his office, and I was just setting them out on a plate when Treighton appeared in the kitchen and asked if there was anything he could do to help.
As you may have guessed, Treighton is a Southern boy; he comes from a genteel Nashville family in which most people’s first names are actually the last names of generations long gone. Treighton was named after his great, great grandmother’s family. His sister, Mackenzie, carried on their mother’s maiden name.
In any case, I was happy to take Treighton up on his offer of assistance, so I asked him to pour four glasses of the dill-infused vodka I’d made earlier in the week.
“What did you say the f-flavor was?” he asked with a nervous stutter and a distinct edge of panic.
“Dill,” I said, at which point Treighton rushed out of the room in tears. I could
hear the hard sound of footsteps on the stairs and the surprisingly soft closing of his bedroom door.
Then it hit me. “Dill!” I muttered. “Ed, you foo-el, you imbecile!” (I tend to turn into Cruella de Vil when berating myself.) I had forgotten all about the “dill problem.”
Many years ago, Bill and I had had a discussion of Treighton’s inability to tolerate the words “scout,” “finch” and, worst of all, “dill.” Recognize ‘em?
The literate reader will recall that these are names drawn from Harper Lee’s marvelous novel To Kill a Mockingbirdand Robert Mulligan’s film adaptation of the same name. Amazingly (to me, anyway), Treighton had been a child actor and had auditioned for the role of Dill. Take one look at Treighton and you can still see exactly the type of boy Mulligan had in mind for Dill. The decision came down to Treighton and some other kid; the other kid got the role. Treighton has been bitterly mad about it ever since – mad in the sense of insane, loony, nuts.
After an hour of delicately tiptoeing around the first floor murmuring praise of Mulligan’s film – a monologue by me, of course – Bill coaxed him downstairs for dinner with a glowing paean to the smoked pork delivered from outside their bedroom door. But the evening was still essentially ruined. The shhhhh!-infused vodka, however, was delicious.
Here’s how to make it:
FLAME/ Cocktail ChatterWritten by Ed Sikov
Dill-infused vodka (makes one fifth)
1 fifth Absolut vodka1 handful of dill;
with or without seeds, washed and dried thoroughly
Open the Absolut, stuff in the dill, and close the bottle. After two or three days, you’ve got dill-infused vodka. Try to extract the dill from the bottle, or pour the infusion into a fresh, clean bottle; otherwise the dill flavor will become overpowering.
october 2012 15
dill-infused vodkadill-infused vodkaIt began innocently enough. But like so many of life’s little catastrophes, my attempt to serve something a bit unusual took a sudden and unexpected dive, and the whole evening went down in flames.
Dan and I had invited our friends Bill and Treighton out to the beach house late in the season, a beautiful time on Fire Island when the hoards of bubbleheaded bubblebutts had gone back to the city and the weather was still warm enough to sit on the deck in the still-warm late afternoon. Some leaves had turned, others hadn’t, and the dappled effect of reds and oranges against green was simply but extraordinarily lovely. None of the housemates were there; it was just the four of us. A nice hunk of pork was slow-cooking and smoking in the grill. Dan had brought an array of scrumptious cheeses from a cheese shop near his office, and I was just setting them out on a plate when Treighton appeared in the kitchen and asked if there was anything he could do to help.
As you may have guessed, Treighton is a Southern boy; he comes from a genteel Nashville family in which most people’s first names are actually the last names of generations long gone. Treighton was named after his great, great grandmother’s family. His sister, Mackenzie, carried on their mother’s maiden name.
In any case, I was happy to take Treighton up on his offer of assistance, so I asked him to pour four glasses of the dill-infused vodka I’d made earlier in the week.
“What did you say the f-flavor was?” he asked with a nervous stutter and a distinct edge of panic.
“Dill,” I said, at which point Treighton rushed out of the room in tears. I could
hear the hard sound of footsteps on the stairs and the surprisingly soft closing of his bedroom door.
Then it hit me. “Dill!” I muttered. “Ed, you foo-el, you imbecile!” (I tend to turn into Cruella de Vil when berating myself.) I had forgotten all about the “dill problem.”
Many years ago, Bill and I had had a discussion of Treighton’s inability to tolerate the words “scout,” “finch” and, worst of all, “dill.” Recognize ‘em?
The literate reader will recall that these are names drawn from Harper Lee’s marvelous novel To Kill a Mockingbirdand Robert Mulligan’s film adaptation of the same name. Amazingly (to me, anyway), Treighton had been a child actor and had auditioned for the role of Dill. Take one look at Treighton and you can still see exactly the type of boy Mulligan had in mind for Dill. The decision came down to Treighton and some other kid; the other kid got the role. Treighton has been bitterly mad about it ever since – mad in the sense of insane, loony, nuts.
After an hour of delicately tiptoeing around the first floor murmuring praise of Mulligan’s film – a monologue by me, of course – Bill coaxed him downstairs for dinner with a glowing paean to the smoked pork delivered from outside their bedroom door. But the evening was still essentially ruined. The shhhhh!-infused vodka, however, was delicious.
Here’s how to make it:
FLAME/ Cocktail ChatterWritten by Ed Sikov
are names drawn from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
of the same name. Amazingly (to me, anyway), Treighton had been a child
of Dill. Take one look at Treighton and you can still see exactly the
to Treighton and some other Dill-infused vodka (makes one fifth)
1 fifth Absolut vodka1 handful of dill;
with or without seeds, washed and dried thoroughly
Open the Absolut, stuff in the dill, and close the bottle. After two or three days, you’ve got dill-infused vodka. Try to extract the dill from the bottle, or pour the infusion into a fresh, clean bottle; otherwise the dill flavor will become overpowering.
october 2012 15
I’ve got a bone to pick; there’s been something bothering me for a while now.
My Facebook Newsfeed has been overrun with postings of memes, sayings, clever cat pictures, and e-cards. There was a time when at least 95% of my Facebook Newsfeed had nothing but friends’ status updates, their information, and pictures of them and their friends and families. Facebook is turning into a blogging site like Tumblr, and that’s what’s wrong! Let me explain, I think people need to know the difference between Facebook and Tumblr.
To understand this, one has to understand how both sites work. Facebook groups people by connections: friends, coworkers, school mates, and family. The basis for your connection and sharing is because you belong to one of these circles of people. Tumblr is a blogging website. Tumblr is strictly determined by what your interests are: music, art, literature, television, etc. If that’s all you want to share, then that’s it. You also have the option to share personal experience, as well as anything you want to write about.
Want to share that new fanfic you just wrote? Tumblr would be the place. There’s nothing to compare on Facebook, except the “Notes” feature. Tumblr is an electronic scrap book in which you can immerse the reader completely into your world with color, sound, and artistic expression. You’re able to chose the look of your page theme from the hundreds available, or create your own if you can write code. Facebook is generic- you can’t change your page’s look at all, except in your profile or cover photos.
People have stopped posting or sharing the more personal aspects of their lives, as they should be, on Facebook, in favor of posting more and more and more memes, an “i can haz cheezburger” image, or an eecard. If that
is all you’re going to post, please, please, please…for God’s sake, get off of Facebook so I can get back to the way it used to be, without having to wade through all the crap that I already saw three months prior on Tumblr! I shouldn’t be spending my Facebook time re-blogging! This is expected on Tumblr because that’s what it’s for- that is what the nature of blogging is there.
There are also Facebook Pages, with profile names like, “Sarcasm. Because beating the hell out of people is illegal,” “Buckle up, Bitches,” and “Mommy Needs a Beer.” These are blog titles. They shouldn’t be the names of Facebook Pages, unless those are the names of groups or organizations.
Facebook is active, social, and touchy-feely – everyone knows what you do, where you go, who was with you, what games you play, and what you like.
Tumblr is passive, or can be as active as you want it to be, depending on your topic. You don’t even have to be in touch with anyone if you don’t want to. Tumblr blogs are about whatever subject you are into: music, art, fandom, anything! If you are a fan of a certain TV show, actor, musician/band, person or movie, Tumblr is where you can express your devotion 24/7!
You know all that stuff you like that your friends, parents, or coworkers just don’t understand, making you feel bummed out that you can’t share your passion with them? Well there are hundreds, if not thousands on Tumblr that will understand and gladly share with you, wondering where you’ve been all their lives.
My primary blog (I have two) is devoted to a British actor/musician who’s absolutely brilliant, and whose work I’ve been trying to get more of my friends interested in, but none of my Facebook connections care. On
Tumblr, this blog has over 575 followers and is two years old, as of this Fall. There, I can freely exchange any and all media, news, and other information pertaining to this artist that I can post. It feels good to spread the joy. The difference is that on Tumblr, people are not tied to one another by any group connection; they are complete strangers who are connected by what interests they share.
There’s a guy I know on Facebook who posts posters of movies and musicals, and not much else. The content is fabulous and I love it, but he is someone who needs a Tumblr. If that is the extent of his sharing, then yes, he needs to be on Tumblr and not on Facebook. I am used to my Tumblr dashboard full of these kinds of postings, and I joyfully wade through them, liking and re-blogging what I want to pass along. I can even create my own fandom content: photos with humorous captions, videos I’ve made, and music that I have recorded. That’s what I enjoy about Tumblr. But when I log on to Facebook, I don’t want to spend an hour (and I actually have spent that long), wading through crap that I have already seen, before I get to a piece of genuine personal information. I thought that’s what Facebook was supposed to be about – that personal connection.
On Tumblr, you choose what and who you want to follow. On Facebook, when you “friend” someone, it’s automatically two-way; you’re connected. On Tumblr, when you “follow” someone, they don’t have to follow you back, similar to Twitter, which I have actually been using a great deal more of in the past few months.
Until people get the message and start thinking about the amount of fluff they post, I will be spending less time on Facebook, except to play games. Oh, and please don’t even get me started on Pinterest!
FLAME/ The World According to Joan
facebook vs tumblr
Written by Joan Stevenson
“...Facebook is active, social touchy-feely ... Tumblr is passive or can be as active as you want it to be..... „
Throwing shade, love and truth to your heart’s content at your favorite bars, clubs,
restaurants, clothing stores and everything that's gay in Detroit and the surrounding
areas.
Detroit Gay Scene's Most Hated Bloggaybarsindetroit
.tumblr.com
october 2012 17
I’ve got a bone to pick; there’s been something bothering me for a while now.
My Facebook Newsfeed has been overrun with postings of memes, sayings, clever cat pictures, and e-cards. There was a time when at least 95% of my Facebook Newsfeed had nothing but friends’ status updates, their information, and pictures of them and their friends and families. Facebook is turning into a blogging site like Tumblr, and that’s what’s wrong! Let me explain, I think people need to know the difference between Facebook and Tumblr.
To understand this, one has to understand how both sites work. Facebook groups people by connections: friends, coworkers, school mates, and family. The basis for your connection and sharing is because you belong to one of these circles of people. Tumblr is a blogging website. Tumblr is strictly determined by what your interests are: music, art, literature, television, etc. If that’s all you want to share, then that’s it. You also have the option to share personal experience, as well as anything you want to write about.
Want to share that new fanfic you just wrote? Tumblr would be the place. There’s nothing to compare on Facebook, except the “Notes” feature. Tumblr is an electronic scrap book in which you can immerse the reader completely into your world with color, sound, and artistic expression. You’re able to chose the look of your page theme from the hundreds available, or create your own if you can write code. Facebook is generic- you can’t change your page’s look at all, except in your profile or cover photos.
People have stopped posting or sharing the more personal aspects of their lives, as they should be, on Facebook, in favor of posting more and more and more memes, an “i can haz cheezburger” image, or an eecard. If that
is all you’re going to post, please, please, please…for God’s sake, get off of Facebook so I can get back to the way it used to be, without having to wade through all the crap that I already saw three months prior on Tumblr! I shouldn’t be spending my Facebook time re-blogging! This is expected on Tumblr because that’s what it’s for- that is what the nature of blogging is there.
There are also Facebook Pages, with profile names like, “Sarcasm. Because beating the hell out of people is illegal,” “Buckle up, Bitches,” and “Mommy Needs a Beer.” These are blog titles. They shouldn’t be the names of Facebook Pages, unless those are the names of groups or organizations.
Facebook is active, social, and touchy-feely – everyone knows what you do, where you go, who was with you, what games you play, and what you like.
Tumblr is passive, or can be as active as you want it to be, depending on your topic. You don’t even have to be in touch with anyone if you don’t want to. Tumblr blogs are about whatever subject you are into: music, art, fandom, anything! If you are a fan of a certain TV show, actor, musician/band, person or movie, Tumblr is where you can express your devotion 24/7!
You know all that stuff you like that your friends, parents, or coworkers just don’t understand, making you feel bummed out that you can’t share your passion with them? Well there are hundreds, if not thousands on Tumblr that will understand and gladly share with you, wondering where you’ve been all their lives.
My primary blog (I have two) is devoted to a British actor/musician who’s absolutely brilliant, and whose work I’ve been trying to get more of my friends interested in, but none of my Facebook connections care. On
Tumblr, this blog has over 575 followers and is two years old, as of this Fall. There, I can freely exchange any and all media, news, and other information pertaining to this artist that I can post. It feels good to spread the joy. The difference is that on Tumblr, people are not tied to one another by any group connection; they are complete strangers who are connected by what interests they share.
There’s a guy I know on Facebook who posts posters of movies and musicals, and not much else. The content is fabulous and I love it, but he is someone who needs a Tumblr. If that is the extent of his sharing, then yes, he needs to be on Tumblr and not on Facebook. I am used to my Tumblr dashboard full of these kinds of postings, and I joyfully wade through them, liking and re-blogging what I want to pass along. I can even create my own fandom content: photos with humorous captions, videos I’ve made, and music that I have recorded. That’s what I enjoy about Tumblr. But when I log on to Facebook, I don’t want to spend an hour (and I actually have spent that long), wading through crap that I have already seen, before I get to a piece of genuine personal information. I thought that’s what Facebook was supposed to be about – that personal connection.
On Tumblr, you choose what and who you want to follow. On Facebook, when you “friend” someone, it’s automatically two-way; you’re connected. On Tumblr, when you “follow” someone, they don’t have to follow you back, similar to Twitter, which I have actually been using a great deal more of in the past few months.
Until people get the message and start thinking about the amount of fluff they post, I will be spending less time on Facebook, except to play games. Oh, and please don’t even get me started on Pinterest!
FLAME/ The World According to Joan
facebook vs tumblr
Written by Joan Stevenson
“...Facebook is active, social touchy-feely ... Tumblr is passive or can be as active as you want it to be..... „
Throwing shade, love and truth to your heart’s content at your favorite bars, clubs,
restaurants, clothing stores and everything that's gay in Detroit and the surrounding
areas.
Detroit Gay Scene's Most Hated Bloggaybarsindetroit
.tumblr.com
october 2012 17
FLAME/ Become Who You AreWritten by John LoPorto
I love political theory, especially liberal democratic theory. It has been evolving for over two and a half
millennia and it still faces the challenges of nihilism and extremism; it’s pretty incredible.
But, I don’t really like politics too much. Intrinsically all men and woman are similar in that they will find the most efficient way to exert their will over another - you can thank human nature for that.
As I’ve attempted to explain before, the Founders created a system that attempts to temper humanity’s innate ambition and lead to the discovery, or formation, of the common good. But, what happens when this system fails? What happens when we, as a people, succumb to the apathy that such constant friction between numerous factions naturally creates?
What happens is exactly what we see in today’s socio-political environment.
Collectively, we just don’t care. Or rather, we do care for about two or three months, and then we stop and retreat back into our own lives until something, or someone, sparks our interest for bit.
Until November, and maybe until the inauguration in January, everyone is going to have some opinion on the presidential election, which is amazing! We should be like that every year, not only every four years. But, because we lose collective interest so swiftly, we will fall back into a state of apathy, and four years from now, begin blaming the “other side” for the nation’s woes.
Let me be clear, I don’t like either major-party candidate; each has his merits and his faults. For example, President Obama, although having bolstered certain types of equality, signed the National Defense Authorization Act
which, however you may view it, does greatly expand the powers of the Federal Government, particularly the powers of the Executive Branch. And, to be completely honest, Mitt Romney basically reminds me of a pre-Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge. And although his policies might bolster the national economy, they do not strengthen the case for human rights or justice.
Another option would be to vote for one of the minor parties. A third party vote might cost one of the major candidates the election, but there is no chance in hell that a third party candidate will become the new Commander in Chief. So either way you view it, you are voting for the lesser of two evils: Mitt Romney or President Obama.
And whose fault is this? It is ours. It is mine. It is yours. We have been allowing others to tell us how to think and behave instead of expressing our own values and thoughts. It is ours because we care more about the release of a new phone or an upcoming movie than we do about the future path of our nation and, quite frankly, our race.
There is no easy solution to this problem and it is something we will consistently confront. The first thing to do, however, is to become political- Vote! Too many people squander the right to express opinion through voting. Next, stay actively political; watch the news, but watch it with an air of pragmatism, realizing all news is biased. And finally, debate. Debate, debate, debate! The only way we will learn the opinions of others and strengthen our own is to debate issues. And who cares if you disagree? That’s the great thing about us – we are individuals, not clones.
So yes, I love political theory and yes, I am frustrated with the current political environment. But I am hopeful that maybe in 2016 things will be slightly better.
!I am frustrated, hear me ROAR
october 2012 19
FLAME/ Become Who You AreWritten by John LoPorto
I love political theory, especially liberal democratic theory. It has been evolving for over two and a half
millennia and it still faces the challenges of nihilism and extremism; it’s pretty incredible.
But, I don’t really like politics too much. Intrinsically all men and woman are similar in that they will find the most efficient way to exert their will over another - you can thank human nature for that.
As I’ve attempted to explain before, the Founders created a system that attempts to temper humanity’s innate ambition and lead to the discovery, or formation, of the common good. But, what happens when this system fails? What happens when we, as a people, succumb to the apathy that such constant friction between numerous factions naturally creates?
What happens is exactly what we see in today’s socio-political environment.
Collectively, we just don’t care. Or rather, we do care for about two or three months, and then we stop and retreat back into our own lives until something, or someone, sparks our interest for bit.
Until November, and maybe until the inauguration in January, everyone is going to have some opinion on the presidential election, which is amazing! We should be like that every year, not only every four years. But, because we lose collective interest so swiftly, we will fall back into a state of apathy, and four years from now, begin blaming the “other side” for the nation’s woes.
Let me be clear, I don’t like either major-party candidate; each has his merits and his faults. For example, President Obama, although having bolstered certain types of equality, signed the National Defense Authorization Act
which, however you may view it, does greatly expand the powers of the Federal Government, particularly the powers of the Executive Branch. And, to be completely honest, Mitt Romney basically reminds me of a pre-Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge. And although his policies might bolster the national economy, they do not strengthen the case for human rights or justice.
Another option would be to vote for one of the minor parties. A third party vote might cost one of the major candidates the election, but there is no chance in hell that a third party candidate will become the new Commander in Chief. So either way you view it, you are voting for the lesser of two evils: Mitt Romney or President Obama.
And whose fault is this? It is ours. It is mine. It is yours. We have been allowing others to tell us how to think and behave instead of expressing our own values and thoughts. It is ours because we care more about the release of a new phone or an upcoming movie than we do about the future path of our nation and, quite frankly, our race.
There is no easy solution to this problem and it is something we will consistently confront. The first thing to do, however, is to become political- Vote! Too many people squander the right to express opinion through voting. Next, stay actively political; watch the news, but watch it with an air of pragmatism, realizing all news is biased. And finally, debate. Debate, debate, debate! The only way we will learn the opinions of others and strengthen our own is to debate issues. And who cares if you disagree? That’s the great thing about us – we are individuals, not clones.
So yes, I love political theory and yes, I am frustrated with the current political environment. But I am hopeful that maybe in 2016 things will be slightly better.
!I am frustrated, hear me ROAR
october 2012 19
october 2012 21
october 2012 21
october 201222
october 201222
