esrosedotblog

Today's movie is about a unique personality. A biopic with many a difference.

Early in my second gay career, after I moved to Boston, I realized I had a lot of catchin' up to do. There was a culture, a history, a zeitgeist.

And part of that was the world of drag. At first, I gingerly tipped my toes in the salty water of drag shows. It was kinda' fun but, for the most part, not my cup of tea. It still is not.

The exception was a personality known as Divine. Certainly a performer who crossed dressed but, as I found out from friends eager to recruit me, anything but the usual drag show queen. Today's film goes quite a ways to show why and how a Baltimore boy named Glenn Milstead was able to be transformed, with the help of his boyhood friend John Waters, into a stage and film phenomenon.

I am Divine (2013)

I approached this film with caution because I was afraid I wouldn't like it. First because I might actually not like Divine behind the scenes and second because it had gotten panned by a lot of the press, straight and gay.

Gladly, I found it to be an original as Divine is an original and done with awe and respect for someone who was a real trouper. In every way.

I will be giving this a 4 out of Netflix5. It is riveting and s/he is a lot of fun to watch. There is no real sad side to this story. The main problem with this kind of film is they find a flaw and pick at it. Not here. It is, simply, Divine.

Labels: drag, films, gay culture

I am so tired of these belligerent motherfuckers. Times headline: Senate Republicans Block 2 Obama Nominees.

Keerist. When will it end? 2014, that's when. And if we elect these tiresome bastards to any further control we deserve what we will get. Signed: Fed Up.

It is nice to see some intelligent movie fun. I have waited for what seems like a long time to see Kings of Summer (2013). It delivers the goods. Funny and wise and very nice. No one gets mutilated or hurt. Everyone is a winner. Wit wins. The reviews are picky about its credibility to the viewer. One word, "relax". Another one or two "Have fun". The acting is great with some very smart kids and a few entertaining parents. Tired of the parents, two guys and a guy who nominates himself as their sidekick, build the ultimate "shack". We were always doing this when I was a kid. You need woods that are big enough for the project to remain unnoticed but small and near enough to get home before dark. We had lots of places to do this. The area must still be littered with the attempts to build a get away. We had the advantage of Harold Bixler who was a master of improvised construction. When he aged out, the process wound down as none of the two or three of us left) his brother David and I and sometimes Kenny Krummel had the goods to build sustainable housing.

Happy Halloween! It is not the holiday here that it is back east where it was the highest holy day of "the gays". I opted out a long time ago. Costumes elude me. I think that it is a good idea but I have never executed well. For some it is an opportunity to dress drag. Not appealing and I don't much like to see it. I have never gone to a drag show I liked. When friends and acquaintances do it I have a lot of internal grimace. I know that some people equate drag with being gay as the used to equate fem behavior with being gay. I can't handle it at all. I have gone home with some real sissies but when it comes down to relating, it is men and male men all the way for me. And I don't mean macho stuff either. Fem is a turnoff for me in general. Sorry. Some of the gayest of men are determinedly phobic in this area. Me too. No. I am not sorry. Just don't do it around me and talk drag either. "She did his" or "that" and "Mary". I can take it for awhile if I have to but then bail out. And I never, ever want to have drag names for male friends. Every. None. Absolute. Zero.

No "images" for the last two days. What is up? No time to go dig around for pictures I guess. Certainly not any of drag queens. Oh well. Here is an "image".

I like the one with the bare chest. Facing his titlessness like a man. And doing very well at it too. No wig either. See? I am attracted. I would gladly take him home with me.

The thing about these guys as they see the humor in it and they are not subtle. At all. This would actually be the halloween type of drag which, I guess, forced to admit it, I think is kinda funny and quite harmless. Especially if you leave your shirt off and your pecs are sensational.

Labels: drag, films, gay identity, republican whack jobs