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My POV has changed since my last blog post.

This year, while taking part in the annual PRIDE festivities, I will be rejoicing in the longstanding strength and the determination of our LGBT community. I will take pride in the fact that I am one of its many members. Welcomed and embraced through the hard work of our heritage, this world isn't quite done with me yet. There is so much more to be had, so much more opportunity and experience to be explored, and I am proud at the prospect to one day share it with my people and my community.

What will you be proud of this June 29?

There was a time, not too long ago, when poo-poo-ing on the Pride Parade would instantly raise my defenses. Sure, Pride isn’t for everyone: Some don’t care for the crowds, the heat, or the seemingly too-long pageantry of gratuitous sexuality on plaster of Paris-formed floats in procession—and that’s understandable; I can respect that. However, it’s only for those few hours during the Pride Parade when every individual that falls under the LGBT umbrella, white, black or otherwise, no matter how big, small, tall, short, fat, or thin, and whether male, female or otherwise, is seen as the most beautiful person in the world—poo-poo or not, that’s something that everyone understands, and I respect that too.

Sure, Pride isn’t for everyone, but Pride still is a much needed outlet for many disenfranchised others. Poo-poo-ing the Pride Parade takes that away from those in need, so my thoughts have always been to keep your poo-poo to yourself. If Pride isn’t for you, that’s understandable and respectable; and I can’t fault anyone for that. If that’s the case than just don’t go to Pride, neither you nor your poo-poo-ing will be missed.

Yet finding myself unemployed, over-thirty and overweight, this year has me starting to wonder what’s to celebrate? Fearing my fiscal future and timely rent receipts, Pride may make me beautiful, but it doesn’t get me paid—floats in procession not withstanding.

Pride’s still great, and I’ll still be there to celebrate, but I shamefully may actually be doing some poo-poo myself.

DATE:
7/19/2008
TIME: 6:00 pm Reception 7:00 pm Dinner Program

LOCATION:
Hyatt RegencyHyatt Regency
151 East Wacker Drive

VIP Reception 5:00 pm
General Reception and Silent Auction: 6:00 pm
After Party with DJ Anthony & Fusion: 10:00 pm

Featured Speaker:
ChicagoPride.com interviewee Jane Lynch!!

Community Equality Award:
Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN)

Corporate Equality Award:
Jenner & Block

Entertainment:
Zumanity: the sensual side of Cirque Du Soleil

To purchase your tickets now visit BoxOfficeTickets.com/HRC or check out www.chicago-summerchic.com for updates on the dinner!

OUT Magazine columnist, underwear model, indie film star, memoirist, screenwriter and my close, personal pal and party boy Jesse Archer, was just in town this most recent Memorial Day. The NYC-based media maven was on a work-related jaunt to attend the gay pornographic film industry’s annual award ceremony, The Grabby’s, as well as enjoy the International Mr. Leather festivities taking place that weekend. His X-rated exploits are documented on his blog at jesseonthebrink.com. Yet oddly, in every one of Archer’s wild weekend-in-the-Windy-City recounts, he never mentioned the momentous time he also had visiting with his favorite Chicago comrade, ME—an innocent oversight on his part, I’m sure.

As intimately close as Archer and I actually are, it’s hard to believe there was ever a time when calling us “the best of buddies” wouldn’t entirely be accurate. When we first met last summer in NYC, on behalf of ChicagoPride.com, Archer was only an interviewee. Over lunch and a few cocktails, he and I discussed his then recently-released memoir, You Can Run and A Four Letter Word, a film he both stars in and co-wrote, which, at that time, was touring the LGBT film festival circuit. Though there was, of course, an instant connection between us, our unbreakable bond in fraternally gay brotherhood didn’t truly take place until a few months later, when ChicagoPride.com hosted Archer’s Chicago book signing in October of ’07.

From film festival commendation to national theater circulation, my fabulous friend will once again be back in Chicago tonight—this time appearing on the silver screen. The award-winning, gay romantic comedy, A Four Letter Word opens in Chicago with a midnight screening at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. Subsequent showtimes are accessible online or by calling 773.871.6604.

Republished in celebration of AFLW's Chicago '08 opening, my pre-BFF-written Jesse Archer profile, “Golden Archer,” is posted on ChicagoPride.com’s main page.

Turn Google's adult guard off, and a search engine inquiry on Jet Kanashi may result in a picture of the gay recording artist "at full attention," wearing nothing but a microphone cord. Provocative photos--Kanashi's model portfolio has plenty, but I purposely didn't post any of them when covering Kanashi in "Q Capriccio."

I didn't want the article to be all about Kanashi's published private parts. His naked body-showing magazine spreads were referenced simply as a matter of fact, because "Q Cap" doesn't signify its subjects by sensationalizing sex.--Doesn't the gay press do that with everything already?

"Q Cap" is about the artist and it's about the music. "Q Cap" dares to be different because it's a LGBT-oriented feature that actually credits talent over a topless, taut torso. This isn't intended to imply that "Q Cap's" aggressively opposed to taut torsos; being a tried and true entertainment writer doesn't make me a eunuch.

But this is my blog. It isn't subject to the rules of reporting, nor do I feel it should be. Here, I can sensationalize sex as much as I want, and, gosh darn, Jet Kanashi is one hot mother f-word-er!

In his debut CD, this sexy songbird sings about being sad, and it's so endearing. His songs make me as sympathetic to him as much as his chest makes me salivate over him. Kanashi can kanash me anytime.

And when he comes to Chicago this summer, I might even ask him to.

The lastest edition of "Q Capriccio," featuring Jet Kanashi, was posted earlier today. Read it right here.