Category: performances
Red Hots Burlesque tomorrow night
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 19, 2009
- Categories: performances
- No Comments
Red Hots Burlesque
Friday, Nov 20
7:30pm
El Rio (3158 Mission St.)
Performances by:
Bunny Pistol
Lil Miss Hot Mess
Roderick
Cherry Galette
sASSY Hotbuns
Uni & her Uke
hosted by the lovely Virginia Suicide
Rebel Revue photos
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 8, 2009
- Categories: performances
- 5 Comments
Wanted to publish photos from the event I emceed on Wednesday: Rebel Revue, a benefit for the amazing journalist Nora Barrows-Friedman. Seriously, this lady is on fire — she’s a badass mom, a great cello player, and an anti-zionist Jew who greatly contributes to the movement with her reporting on KPFA, Electronic Intifada, and elsewhere. It was a great evening filled with really talented people — Boots Riley of The Coup (!!!) who was embarrassed when I introduced him as “the hottest commie you’ll meet” (Nora’s words, but I concur), Excentrik and his brother Rhythmatic, Kamau Bell, Dina Omar, and a whole lot more. And we raised more money than usual in a single night – mazel tov to Nora and the other organizers!
Wow! Brick background. This is like my middle school fantasy of being a bohemian, a la Rent.
Adding humor to the movement, one jazz-square at a time.
With Nora (center) and Jennifer (left). Watch out, Wendi: Jennifer tried to tell me she was my #1 fan!
Thanks to Lisa for the photos!
Halloween: Drag, War, and Bee Arthur
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 2, 2009
- Categories: gay| performances| politics
- 5 Comments
First off, the Make Drag, Not War benefit for IVAW and DAM was great! Such good energy, good politics, and interesting people! Despite a couple of minor technical and choreographed mishaps, Sweetcheeks and I brought the house down. It’s really rewarding to perform political work and feel like people get it. (Though I also worry about preaching to the choir… but we’ll save that for later.)
And of course, the other performers! All the usuals were phenomenal: Raya, Suppositori, Rahni, Garza and Farrokh (whose number really was delightful, especially the twist at the end). And then there were the vets who really pulled it out. Oh, and Artist. Dear, Artist.
Here’s video of our number — I think someone else took video with a more profesh camera, so I’ll post that if/when I see it:
And some backstage photos (I insisted on some cheesy poses):
(the last one is with some CODEPINK friends I met a couple weeks ago. photo courtesy of Infinity.)
Oh, and I need to share a little Halloween miracle that also proves a point: The Israeli flag you see in the video I found at Thrift Town on Friday afternoon for $3.99. I was really trying to find a little black and white number to match the one I already had, but was having no luck. I wanted American and Israeli flags, but I was resigned to making them since I didn’t expect to find an Israeli flag in a day. Then, on a whim, I looked at the area where there are flags and fabrics. Lo and behold. The moral of the story? At Thrift Town, if you’re really desperate, it will deliver exactly what you need. I don’t normally endorse brands like this, but I’m serious. I one time needed a tambourine. I was in the shoe section and dropped something, and when I bent down to pick it up, there was a tambourine under the shoe rack. I kid you not. The other moral? If there is a God, she’s anti-zionist and wants me to have the props I need.
Anyway…
Later that night, I ditched my imperialist drag for my real costume: Bee Arthur! (Get it? Some people got it right away. Some people never got it. Two people thought I was Mrs. Doubtfire in a bee costume.) Ed and Ryan and Julie and Ellie and Jesse had a phenomenal party, though mama drank a little more of her $4 wine than she should’ve. Oops. I did, however, walk all the way from the Castro to 18th & Portrero in my new Zara heels (fine, a low heel).
And there are some pictures to prove it, after the jump:
Continue reading this post »
Make Drag, Not War! Halloween Party!
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on October 23, 2009
- Categories: events| performances
- 1 Comment
Mama’s doing this show, but there was a slight miscommunication so my name’s not on the flyer. I don’t have an ego about it, but trust me that I’ll be there and that I’m so excited to do a new number about US-Israel relations. More details forthcoming!
that’s (not my) shit
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on September 29, 2009
- Categories: performances
- 4 Comments
Some pictures from the APAture show this weekend!
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For those who weren’t there, it was a number about Asian-American women taking their “shit” back from culture vulture Gwen Stefani, notorious for her exploitation and appropriation of Japanese Harajuku culture. Here’s our definition of cultural appropriation:
Cultural appropriation: for pleasure or benefit, a dominant group mines a subordinated group’s culture for the jewels of its heritage.
I think this is a really good, succinct definition. I do sometimes go back-and-forth on the problematics of cultural appropriation — I’ve seen a lot of blatantly racist performance and other art in San Francisco (not to mention the fashion on some people just walking down the street), but I’ve also seen people be really quick to jump on someone for stepping outside of their lived experiences (or seeming to). It’s tricky. There are ways of respectfully sharing and crossing cultures, and there are ways of taking things out of context, or exploiting them, or benefiting from them that are demeaning and hurtful. It’s interesting to me that gender can feel really fluid, and crossing it can be subversive, but crossing lines of ethnicity, race, or other forms of culture can be really offensive and painful. It’s also just problematic in our post-modern world (oh dear!) to think about who really owns or has rights to certain cultural traditions — there are many aspects of “my cultures” that I don’t really own, or that weren’t my direct experience, yet that I’m interested in learning about or participating in. Like, baking challah for goodness sake! It’s not like I’m using my bubbe’s recipe (and it’s not like I even called my grandma Bubbe either). And, you know, there are aspects of most cultures that were shared, borrowed, or swapped at some point — how far back can we go, and how useful is that?
Whoa, I’ll stop there, but, you know, some thoughts to think about. Ultimately, though, I’d say that we live in a world in which certain people (straight, white, able-bodied, men, with money and access, etc.) have certain privileges and powers, which makes being respectful and sharing equitably an even more difficult conversation.
Special thanks to Charleston Chu, Chan Dynasty, Lazy Suzan, and Princess Pony Pants for letting me be in this number! OMG, and special special thanks to Thisway/Thatway for putting together our amazing outfits! (Again, how weird is it that we all look super cute, even though we’re supposed to be deconstructing this bullshit?) Anyway, look for us doing this number again in the Bay Area sometime! (And hopefully I’ll get to post video soon.)
Red Hots Burlesque tomorrow night
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 19, 2009
- Categories: performances
- No Comments
Red Hots Burlesque
Friday, Nov 20
7:30pm
El Rio (3158 Mission St.)
Performances by:
Bunny Pistol
Lil Miss Hot Mess
Roderick
Cherry Galette
sASSY Hotbuns
Uni & her Uke
hosted by the lovely Virginia Suicide
Rebel Revue photos
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 8, 2009
- Categories: performances
- 5 Comments
Wanted to publish photos from the event I emceed on Wednesday: Rebel Revue, a benefit for the amazing journalist Nora Barrows-Friedman. Seriously, this lady is on fire — she’s a badass mom, a great cello player, and an anti-zionist Jew who greatly contributes to the movement with her reporting on KPFA, Electronic Intifada, and elsewhere. It was a great evening filled with really talented people — Boots Riley of The Coup (!!!) who was embarrassed when I introduced him as “the hottest commie you’ll meet” (Nora’s words, but I concur), Excentrik and his brother Rhythmatic, Kamau Bell, Dina Omar, and a whole lot more. And we raised more money than usual in a single night – mazel tov to Nora and the other organizers!
Wow! Brick background. This is like my middle school fantasy of being a bohemian, a la Rent.
Adding humor to the movement, one jazz-square at a time.
With Nora (center) and Jennifer (left). Watch out, Wendi: Jennifer tried to tell me she was my #1 fan!
Thanks to Lisa for the photos!
Halloween: Drag, War, and Bee Arthur
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on November 2, 2009
- Categories: gay| performances| politics
- 5 Comments
First off, the Make Drag, Not War benefit for IVAW and DAM was great! Such good energy, good politics, and interesting people! Despite a couple of minor technical and choreographed mishaps, Sweetcheeks and I brought the house down. It’s really rewarding to perform political work and feel like people get it. (Though I also worry about preaching to the choir… but we’ll save that for later.)
And of course, the other performers! All the usuals were phenomenal: Raya, Suppositori, Rahni, Garza and Farrokh (whose number really was delightful, especially the twist at the end). And then there were the vets who really pulled it out. Oh, and Artist. Dear, Artist.
Here’s video of our number — I think someone else took video with a more profesh camera, so I’ll post that if/when I see it:
And some backstage photos (I insisted on some cheesy poses):
(the last one is with some CODEPINK friends I met a couple weeks ago. photo courtesy of Infinity.)
Oh, and I need to share a little Halloween miracle that also proves a point: The Israeli flag you see in the video I found at Thrift Town on Friday afternoon for $3.99. I was really trying to find a little black and white number to match the one I already had, but was having no luck. I wanted American and Israeli flags, but I was resigned to making them since I didn’t expect to find an Israeli flag in a day. Then, on a whim, I looked at the area where there are flags and fabrics. Lo and behold. The moral of the story? At Thrift Town, if you’re really desperate, it will deliver exactly what you need. I don’t normally endorse brands like this, but I’m serious. I one time needed a tambourine. I was in the shoe section and dropped something, and when I bent down to pick it up, there was a tambourine under the shoe rack. I kid you not. The other moral? If there is a God, she’s anti-zionist and wants me to have the props I need.
Anyway…
Later that night, I ditched my imperialist drag for my real costume: Bee Arthur! (Get it? Some people got it right away. Some people never got it. Two people thought I was Mrs. Doubtfire in a bee costume.) Ed and Ryan and Julie and Ellie and Jesse had a phenomenal party, though mama drank a little more of her $4 wine than she should’ve. Oops. I did, however, walk all the way from the Castro to 18th & Portrero in my new Zara heels (fine, a low heel).
And there are some pictures to prove it, after the jump:
Continue reading this post »
Make Drag, Not War! Halloween Party!
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on October 23, 2009
- Categories: events| performances
- 1 Comment
Mama’s doing this show, but there was a slight miscommunication so my name’s not on the flyer. I don’t have an ego about it, but trust me that I’ll be there and that I’m so excited to do a new number about US-Israel relations. More details forthcoming!
that’s (not my) shit
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on September 29, 2009
- Categories: performances
- 4 Comments
Some pictures from the APAture show this weekend!
For those who weren’t there, it was a number about Asian-American women taking their “shit” back from culture vulture Gwen Stefani, notorious for her exploitation and appropriation of Japanese Harajuku culture. Here’s our definition of cultural appropriation:
Cultural appropriation: for pleasure or benefit, a dominant group mines a subordinated group’s culture for the jewels of its heritage.
I think this is a really good, succinct definition. I do sometimes go back-and-forth on the problematics of cultural appropriation — I’ve seen a lot of blatantly racist performance and other art in San Francisco (not to mention the fashion on some people just walking down the street), but I’ve also seen people be really quick to jump on someone for stepping outside of their lived experiences (or seeming to). It’s tricky. There are ways of respectfully sharing and crossing cultures, and there are ways of taking things out of context, or exploiting them, or benefiting from them that are demeaning and hurtful. It’s interesting to me that gender can feel really fluid, and crossing it can be subversive, but crossing lines of ethnicity, race, or other forms of culture can be really offensive and painful. It’s also just problematic in our post-modern world (oh dear!) to think about who really owns or has rights to certain cultural traditions — there are many aspects of “my cultures” that I don’t really own, or that weren’t my direct experience, yet that I’m interested in learning about or participating in. Like, baking challah for goodness sake! It’s not like I’m using my bubbe’s recipe (and it’s not like I even called my grandma Bubbe either). And, you know, there are aspects of most cultures that were shared, borrowed, or swapped at some point — how far back can we go, and how useful is that?
Whoa, I’ll stop there, but, you know, some thoughts to think about. Ultimately, though, I’d say that we live in a world in which certain people (straight, white, able-bodied, men, with money and access, etc.) have certain privileges and powers, which makes being respectful and sharing equitably an even more difficult conversation.
Special thanks to Charleston Chu, Chan Dynasty, Lazy Suzan, and Princess Pony Pants for letting me be in this number! OMG, and special special thanks to Thisway/Thatway for putting together our amazing outfits! (Again, how weird is it that we all look super cute, even though we’re supposed to be deconstructing this bullshit?) Anyway, look for us doing this number again in the Bay Area sometime! (And hopefully I’ll get to post video soon.)
Honey, if you don't trust me,
then I don't trust your taste.
Be My Friend!
