December 23, 1929– Chet Baker was not a gay guy, but he is absolutely one of the most important musical figures in my considerable lifetime.

Chesney Henry Baker, Jr. was a trumpet player and singer with matinee idol good-looks, emotionally remote performances, and a well-publicized drug habit.

Baker was born in small town Oklahoma, but moved with his musical family to Los Angeles when he was 10-years-old. He dropped out of high school when he was 16-years-old to join the US Army where he played trumpet in the Army band in Europe. Back in the USA, Baker started sitting in at San Francisco Be-Bop jam sessions, while he was a member of the Presidio Army Band.

When he was 23-years-old, Baker joined the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, which was an instant phenomenon. The quartet’s version of Rodgers’ and Hart’s My Funny Valentine, featuring the now famous Baker solo, was a major hit, and it became the song with which Baker is still intimately associated. For me, it is the definitive version.

The quartet found quick success, but they lasted less than a year when Mulligan was arrested and sent to prison on drug charges. Baker went solo and in 1953, Pacific Jazz Records released his album Chet Baker Sings. In the year I was born, 1954, Baker was named the Downbeat Magazine Jazz Poll‘s favorite musician. He was just 25-years-old and on his way to the big time.

Because of his handsome, chiseled good-looks, the Hollywood studios showed interest and approached Baker with acting work. He made his film debut in a war flick Hell’s Horizon (1955) starring the equally handsome John Ireland. With no irony, Baker portrayed a trumpet player. But, he preferred the jazz musician’s life on the road and declined an offer of a studio contract.

Over the next few years, He became the icon of the West Coast Jazz sound, helped by his beautiful face and his stylish whisper of a singing voice. Baker:

“I don’t know whether I’m a trumpet player who sings or a singer who plays the trumpet.”

But, Baker was already a steady heroin user by this time and just as his star was rising, his musicianship began a decline as a result of the drugs. Sometimes, Baker would have to pawn his musical instruments to get the money to maintain his habit. In 1955, he made an eight month long European tour, at that point, the longest for an American Jazz artist ever.

But, Baker was arrested on drug charges repeatedly during those years, both in the USA and in Europe. In the early 1960s, he served more than a year in prison in Italy, and he was expelled from Germany and Britain. He settled in Northern California where he played music in small San Francisco clubs between his short jail terms served for prescription fraud.

In 1966, Baker was severely beaten after a gig in San Francisco. He sustained severe cuts on the lips and all his front teeth were broken and the attack left him nearly dead. He stopped performing for two years while he recovered and he turned to methadone to break his habit. From that time on, Baker had to learn to play trumpet with dentures.

In the 1970s, Baker returned to Europe and he began performing again. The critics praised his firmer tone and more aggressive solos. Starting in 1978, Baker resided in and played concerts almost exclusively in Europe, returning to the USA once a year for a few performance dates. 1978 to 1988 was Baker’s most prolific era as a recording artist, putting out at least an album a year.

In 1983, another of my favorite artists, Elvis Costello, a longtime fan of Baker, hired him to play a solo on his heartbreaking song Shipbuilding, from the album Punch The Clock. He was in my parental units record collection, but this was when I really discovered Baker and fell in love with his sound. The song was a top 40 hit. Later, Baker often featured Costello’s gorgeous ballad Almost Blue in his live sets, and he recorded the song for the soundtrack of Let’s Get Lost (1988), fashion photographer Bruce Weber’s great documentary film about Baker’s life.

In the early morning of May 13, 1988, Baker was found dead on the street below his second story room at Hotel Prins Hendrik in Amsterdam. Heroin and cocaine were found in his hotel room. His death was ruled an accident.

If you want to know this amazing musician, and you really should, watch Let’s Get Lost, which shows him as a cultural icon of the 1950s,  juxtaposed with his later image as a broken-down junkie. The film, shot in stark black and white, includes a series of interviews with friends, associates and lovers, along with footage from Baker’s earlier life, with interviews with Baker near the end of his life.

David Wilcox’s song, My Old Addiction, is inspired by Baker’s life and music. I especially love k.d. lang’s version on her album Drag (1997).

Baker was the inspiration for the character played by Robert Wagner in the film All The Fine Young Cannibals (1960). Cutie pie Ethan Hawke plays Baker in the film Born To Be Blue (2015).

You should download some Baker recordings. With his breathy walking-on-eggshells trumpet tone, similar in sound to his achy, whispered, weathered, weary vocals, Baker delivers mournful takes on standards like Just Friends, Someone To Watch Over Me, and But Not For Me. Costello duets with Baker on blue, smoky versions of The Very Thought of You and You Don’t Know What Love Is. Baker recorded over 50 albums. Everyone should have at least some of his stuff in their collection.

I recommend that on New Year’s Eve, snuggle up with your sweetie, or even some stranger, next to the fireplace, pour some brandy, and put on Chet Baker Sings (1953) or Chet Baker Sings & Plays (1963).

The post #BornThisDay: Musician, Chet Baker appeared first on The WOW Report.

RuPaul’s Drag Race and LOGO TV event producer Brandon Voss is gearing up for his glammest event of the year, New Year’s Eve Wings of Change Gala in NYC! This year’s theme is A Decedent Experience Celebrating The Evolution of Avian Flight-  a black tie affair at New York’s iconic Royalton Hotel. Guests will enjoy dinner in the penthouse, music by a live band and DJs Lady Bunny and W. Jeremy…and a midnight journey through the origin of avian flight, featuring live artists in multiple awe-inspiring tableaus. Leading into midnight, all of the artists will converge onto the main stage for an epic finale performance! “New Year’s Eve is always our flagship event,” says Voss. “Each year, we try to one-up ourselves.” For more info and tix, visit VossEvents.com. 

The post #NYE: Brandon Voss “Wings of Change” Event in NYC w/ DJs Lady Bunny & W Jeremy appeared first on The WOW Report.

From Hollywood Boulevard, it’s The WOW Report for Radio Andy on SiriusXM! That’s right WOWers, World of Wonder Co-Founder Fenton Bailey, Executive VP of Development Tom Campbell, and WOW Report Editor James St. James have collaborated with reality TV guru and friend of WOW, Andy Cohen, on a weekly Top Ten Countdown of the things from the past week that make us go…WOW!

It’s a pop-culture obsessed hour complete with colorful diatribes, opposing opinions, and a dissection-like discussion that will make your drive home from work more fabulous & filled with holiday joy!

We air TODAY at 4PM EST on SiriusXM, and it will play again at 4PM PST (7PM EST). You can also catch it on the SiriusXM app!

With no further adou, here’s our Top Ten of the HOLIDAY things that made us go WOW this week:

10) “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” – Band Aid 

“Do They Know It’s Christmas” by Band Aid is available for purchase on iTunes.

9) The Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog

You can subscribe to the Neiman Marcus catalog on their website.

8) A Very Star Wars Christmas

The Stars Wars Holiday Special premiered November 17, 1978 on CBS and has NEVER aired again!

7) An 8 is Enough Christmas

Eight Is Enough – S 2 E 13 – Yes Nicholas… by b-dil2017

You can download the episode “Yes Nicholas, There Is A Santa Claus” from the second season of 8 is Enough (part 1 and part 2) from Amazon.

6) Holiday in Handcuffs

You can Download Holiday in Handcuffs – starring Melissa Joan Hart & Mario Lopez – on iTunes.

5) Greenery – Pantone’s Color of the Year 2017

Pantone has been choosing a color of the year since 2000. See what past year’s colors have been at Pantone.com.

4) Kennedy Center Honors

The Kennedy Center Honors will air at 9PM Tuesday, December 27 on CBS.

3) RuPaul’s Ho Ho Ho Album

RuPaul’s HO HO HO holiday album, featuring “Hard Candy Christmas” with Michelle Visage and Barbara Mitchell is available on iTunes.

2) “The Little Drummer Boy (Peace on Earth)” by Bing Crosby & David Bowie

“Little Drummer Boy” by David Bowie and Bing Crosby is available on iTunes.

*BONUS* Patti Labelle Singing at the 1996 National Christmas Tree Lighting

1) The Christmas Special Christmas Special

Watch the first ten minute here!

Listen at 4:00PM EST and again at 4:00 PST (7 PM EST) on SiriusXM!

Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to give your ears the gift of THE WOW REPORT on Radio Andy SiriusXM EVERY Friday.

Happy Holidays, and remember, do something this weekend that makes YOU go WOW!!!

The post A Very Special Holiday Episode of The Top Ten Things That Make Us Go WOW! for Radio Andy on SiriusXM appeared first on The WOW Report.

All month long we’re gently directing your attention to organizations that could benefit from your donations. Up today, the Point Foundation.

The Point Foundation supplies financial support, professional guidance, and a network of contacts for LGBTQ students in need to attain their higher education degrees.

From their mission statement:

“Point Foundation empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.

“Point also attempts to identify students who have exceptional financial needs that would require personal assistance for personal success. Point believes that these individuals would benefit from a support system that facilitates their preparation for the future to help ensure a lifetime of effectual leadership and exceptional productivity.

“By identifying and supporting these scholars, Point hopes to provide a greater level of acceptance, respect and tolerance within future generations for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity.”

That sounds amazing. Find out the different ways you can help here.

“With your support, Point Foundation provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation’s foremost institutions of higher education. Recipients of Point Foundation Scholarships are committed to developing their leadership skills while helping the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. Help Point Scholars make a significant impact on society by making donation today.”

The post #12DaysOfGiving: The Point Foundation, a National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund appeared first on The WOW Report.

Carrie Fisher reportedly had a massive heart attack on an airplane this afternoon. Fisher went into cardiac arrest on a flight traveling from London to Los Angeles. She is reported to be in critical after being rushed to the hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics shortly after noon, after her 11-hour flight touched down at LAX. She was traveling to promote the release of her latest book, The Princess Diarist, a memoir of her time shooting the Star Wars films.

This is a developing story. Our thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery go out to the beloved Hollywood icon and friend of WOW.

UPDATE: This is encouraging…

(via LA Times)

The post #Update: Carrie Fisher Suffers Massive Heart Attack; Brother Says She’s Stable & “Out of Emergency” appeared first on The WOW Report.

Amaury Nolasco
Anil Kapoor
Kate Spade
Lee Daniels
Louis Tomlinson
Mark Valley
Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs
Michael Raymond-James
Ricky Martin
Robert Schwartzman
Ryan Seacrest
Stephenie Meyer

The post December 24th: It’s YOUR Birthday, Bitch! appeared first on The WOW Report.

December 24, 1971– I had no idea who he was when I caught Ricky Martin’s breakout performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards, but I was totally knocked-out. That moment is one of the very best in Grammy history. That single performance shot Martin to household-name status in the USA.

At the time, the Puerto Rican musician had yet to completly shake off his image as a former star of the boy-band Menudo and catch the attention of mainstream American audiences. But that now legendary Grammy performance changed everything.

Singing The Cup Of Life (the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup), backed by a brass band and featuring circus performers, Martin swayed his hips, flashed that irresistible grin, and brought so much charisma that his star-wattage was not to be denied.

Madonna rushed backstage to congratulate him on the performance. So did Luciano Pavarotti and Sting.

The timing was perfect. Soon after the Grammy Awards performance, Martin released an album featuring his breakout hit Livin’ La Vida Loca. It went on to become one of the best-selling albums in Pop Music history, with 22 million copies sold worldwide within the year.

This year, more than a decade and a half later, Martin introduced the world to his fiancée at an event in São Paulo, Brazil. He is 31-year-old London-based Syrian artist Jwan Yosef. The couple had been spotted in Japan, NYC, Malibu and, of course, Puerto Rico. Martin had called it quits with boyfriend Carlos Gonzalez Abella, an economist, in 2014.

Martin was one of the biggest teen idols in Latin America during the 1990s, and he a major star in American Pop by the end of the decade. As lead singer of Menudo, Martin was blessed with good-looks and a terrific voice, which helped him become a Latin Music star. He also became an actor, working steadily in Mexican film industry to good reviews and starring on the American soap opera General Hospital, where he played Miguel Morez, a bartender who sings on the weekends.

He was born Enrique Martín Morales in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a kid, he sang in the choir and performed in school plays. When he was six-years-old, he started to find work in television commercials. In 1984, at 12-years-old, he became a member of Menudo. For the next five years, he helped the group become an international sensation. Martin left Menudo in 1989, moved back to Puerto Rico, and finished high school.

He returned to Mexico, where he acted in stage productions for a year before returning to the music business. In 1991, he released his self-titled debut album. It was a big hit on the Latin charts. Two years later, he followed it with Me Amarás, which sold even better, making him superstar in Latin America. In 1994, played Marius in Les Miserables on Broadway, playing the role for the next year.

In early 1998, he released his fourth album, his first in English, Vuelve, and then the self-titled Ricky Martin right after the famed Grammy night. A year later, Martin sizzled again with Sound Loaded. His top Spanish-language hits were collected on La Historia (2001), while 2003’s Almas del Silencio was an album of all new Spanish material. He continued to alternate Spanish and English albums.

After the success of a 2007 MTV Unplugged concert, Martin went on a worldwide tour in 2007 and released a CD and DVD of the concert, titled Black And White. After the final show at Madison Square Garden, Martin took a break from music to focus on his private life, returning in 2010 with a tell-all memoir, Me, and released his ninth studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo. Martin also introduced his twin sons Matteo and Valentino who had been born using a surrogate in 2008.

He spent the next couple of years focusing his energy on his charitable Ricky Martin Foundation, which is dedicated to helping children around the world. He also released new albums in both Spanish and English. In January of 2015, an elaborate Internet hoax was perpetrated stating that Martin had died. He wittily responded with Instagram posts putting the rumor to rest and a month later Martin released his tenth studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, reaching number five on the American Pop charts and number one on the Latin Music charts at the start of this year.

Martin, surprised exactly no one when he formally came out of the closet in 2010, although he also stated that he is open to having sex with a woman in an effort to tackle labels. I know that I would do it with a female just to break stereotypes. Martin:

“I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”

“To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids were born with. These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.”

Martin has written that being father has changed his life for the better:

“I’m so happy! Everything they do, from smiling to crying, feels like a blessing. Being a father feels amazing. This has been the most spiritual moment in my life.”

The Gay, Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) issued this statement in support:

“When someone like Ricky Martin comes out, hundreds of millions of people now have a cultural connection with an artist, a celebrity and, perhaps most importantly, a father who happens to be gay. His decision to model this kind of openness and honesty can lead to greater acceptance for countless gay people in the USA., in Latin America and worldwide.”

Martin played Ché in a Broadway revival of Evita in 2012, receiving good reviews. The production ran for a year and received several Tony Award nominations.

Martin was a headliner at the inauguration of George W. Bush in 2001; he even invited W to join him on stage to dance. This image was captured by photographers who shared it with media around the globe. Martin referred to it in a later in his song, Asignatura Pendiente.

But soon after, Martin changed his tune. In a concert in Puerto Rico during the song, he thrust his middle finger disapprovingly in the air while singing the line “photo with Bush”. The gesture caused a controversy. Martin:

“My convictions of peace and life go beyond any government and political agenda and as long as I have a voice onstage and offstage, I will always condemn war and those who promulgate it”.

At the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2010, Martin expressed his disagreement with Arizona’s SB 1070, a law that requires police officers to request documents from individuals who they suspect to be illegal immigrants. He criticized the law for: “Discriminating against us for the simple fact of looking Latino” and to the Latino community he said:

“Long live love, long live peace…You are not alone. We are with you. Put a stop to discrimination. Put a stop to hate. Put a stop to racism.”

Martin openly supported Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. And this year, he was totally fed up with Rapey Von Tinyfinger’s xenophobic rhetoric against Latinos. After the giant orange thing removed handsome Hispanic journalist Jorge Ramos from a press conference, Martin felt compelled to write a scathing op-ed on Univision against you-know-who:

“The fact that a person like Donald J. Trump has the gall to continue to freely harass the Latino community day after day makes my blood boil. Why would he assume he has the right to make absurd, incoherent, and ignorant comments about us?”

“I am not surprised Trump would aim so low. I am surprised that we Hispanics continue to accept these aggressions and accusations by individuals like Trump who continue to attack our dignity.”

“Let’s not tolerate any politician using insults in the campaign. Let’s respect those first-generation Latinos that arrived in the U.S. and opened a path for all of us. Each right that we have today, we have fought for.

“The arrogance shown against Jorge Ramos speaks of a man who did not learn from the history that hurt the United States and made its people suffer deeply due to the inequality of races. Latinos are capable of doing the impossible! Together we are invincible!”

Martin has too many awards on his mantle for me to list here. He takes up residence at The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Las Vegas starting in April 2017.

The post #BornThisDay: Ricky Martin appeared first on The WOW Report.

Donald Trump is reportedly having a hard time finding any top-tier talent for his inauguration. So, like the boy who didn’t get any presents for Christmas, Emperor Cheeto tweeted defensively Thursday night,

“The so-called ‘A’ list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!“

This came at the same time the Radio City Rockettes were announced as performers but, not all of the Rockettes are excited to perform for the Orange Menace. Rockette Phoebe Pearl wrote on Instagram,

“Finding out that it has been decided for us that Rockettes will be performing at the Presidential inauguration makes me feel embarrassed and disappointed“

She said that Trump’s language about women and assault allegations is

“everything we’re against” and “appalling.“

The Rockettes’ owner said in a statement it was an honor to perform at the inauguration. The Rockettes were sent an email by their union that they were not allowed to boycott the event. According to Broadwayworld.com,

“Everyone is entitled to her own political beliefs, but there is no room for this in the workplace. If you are not full time, you do not have to sign up to do this work. If you are full time, you are obligated.“

“It was announced that at Trump’s inauguration, the National Anthem will be performed by Jackie Evancho, who finished in second place on ‘America’s Got Talent’… though she somehow won ‘America’s Got Talent’ electoral college.” –SNL, Weekend Update

The two acts confirmed at this point are 16-year-old America’s Got Talent 2010 runner-up Jackie Evancho (who has a trans sister, btw) and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. (What no Kid Rock or Kanye?) Garth Brooks, KISS and Andrea Bocelli all said no.

Gay superstar Elton John had a suggestion when it was rumored he might perform,

“Why not ask Ted fucking Nugent? Or one of those fucking country stars? They’ll do it for you.”

The Beach Boys Mike Love is a big supporter and they now say they might haul out their 50 year-old hits. Surfin’ U.S.A.!

Last night, I tweeted out humorist Andy Borowitz‘s perfect line…

“An undocumented foreign performer should sing Trump’s inauguration since it’s a job no American wants to do.“

But Trump nemesis, impersonator and A-list actor Alec Baldwin has volunteered to bring the (White) house down with Highway To Hell. Like it or not, we’re all on it.

I wanna perform at Trump's inauguration.
I wanna sing HIGHWAY TO HELLhttps://t.co/fCTArIajFb

— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) December 23, 2016

(via Fox News)

The post Trump Says NOW He Doesn’t Want Any Big Stars at His Inauguration –Guess Who Said No? (& One A-Lister Who Said YES!) appeared first on The WOW Report.

December 25, 1908– Quentin Crisp

Yesterday, while traveling on public transportation to visit The Husband at his shop, I was called “an old queen” when I accidentally jostled a whipper-snapper while taking my seat. At first, I was offended, and as I started to spit out a response, I thought of a certain Old Queen of England and instead my retort was:

“Oh, sweetie dear, you simply have no idea…”

When I arrived in NYC in late summer 1976, I didn’t even know how to get from the airport into Manhattan. I was 22 years old and one of another hundred people who just got off of the plane, ready to become a Broadway star and famous recording artist. I ended up taking a taxi to the Tudor City Hotel where I had chosen to make a reservation because it was across the street from Truman Capote’s apartment. My room at the hotel was the size of the bathroom at my Los Angeles apartment, and it had one tiny window that looked at an air shaft.

I checked-in and then headed down 42nd Street to Times Square just to picture my name in lights. This was the Times Square of the mid-1970s, so very different than the Disney-ized Manhattan today. I was so overwhelmed to find myself alone with two pieces of luggage and my dreams, yet no plan, that I called the only person I had any connection with in the city. I confessed to my friend that I was a bit freaked out at finding myself all alone in NYC, and he invited me to stay in his apartment’s maid’s quarters until I could find a place of my own.

I took him up on the offer, but I stayed at my already paid for room at the Tudor City Hotel for one night. Late that evening, I turned on the tiny black and white television in the room and just happened to catch a most unusual, moving, mesmerizing film, The Naked Civil Servant (1975), starring John Hurt, about the early life of Quentin Crisp, of whom I knew absolutely nothing. The film was unlike anything that I had experienced. Just like me, Crisp had arrived in NYC not knowing a soul, but, unlike me, he arrived with a plan. Crisp was ready to become famous.

Crisp was a flamboyant, fey man who wore make-up and painted nails, who worked as a rent-boy as a youth. He then spent three decades making money as a figure model for art classes. The interviews he gave about his unusual life attracted increasing public curiosity and he was soon in demand for interviews where he told tales of his highly individual views on social manners and the cultivation of style. He was also frequently harassed and beaten.

Crisp was born Denis Charles Pratt. He is the author of the classic and flamboyantly eccentric coming-of-age memoir, The Naked Civil Servant (1968), the basis for the film that I watched on my first night in NYC. The book had made him an international celebrity. He wrote several books and articles about his life and his opinions on style, fashion, and films. Crisp was famous for his concise, compact, and dare I say it, crisp witticisms.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he performed his one-man show An Evening With Quentin Crisp, to acclaim in theaters around the world, all the while spreading his unique philosophy:

“Never keep up with the Joneses; drag them down to your level. It’s cheaper.”

During the second part of his show, Crisp would answer questions from the audience and gave advice to the crowd about how to find their individual style and live a happy life. I saw him twice in this vehicle, in the early 1980s and again in the late 1990s. the experience was life-changing.

Crisp was Oscar Wilde‘s obvious perfect descendant, with his calculated caustic confabulations, open gayness and witty, winning obstinate opinions toward any kind of conventionality, Crisp caused a bit of a stir in the traditional Britain of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. In 1981, Crisp moved to NYC, and brought along his witty remarks and eccentricity. Crisp charmed the city and he became the essence of the modern bohemian.

During his two decades in Manhattan, Crisp wrote 11 books, plus reviews and magazine articles, appeared in several films, including playing a touching and dignified Elizabeth I in Sally Ann Potter‘s gender-bending Orlando (1992), opposite Tilda Swinton.

While filming The Bride (1985), he became friends with Sting who was playing Dr. Frankenstein. Crisp was the inspiration and subject matter of Sting’s brilliant song An Englishman In New York (1988). Crisp:

“I had looked forward to receiving my naturalization papers so that I could commit a crime and not be deported.”

In 1986, Sting visited Crisp in his Manhattan apartment and was told over dinner, and in the three days that followed, what life had been like for an out-of-the-closet gay man in the very homophobic Britain of the 1920s-1960s. Sting was both shocked and fascinated. His song includes the lyrics:

“It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile. Be yourself no matter what they say.”

Sting:

“It’s partly about me and partly about Quentin. Again, I was looking for a metaphor. Quentin was a hero of mine, someone I knew very well. He was gay, and he was gay at a time in history when it was dangerous to be so. He had people beating up on him on a daily basis, largely with the consent of the public.”

Noted for never turning down a party invitation or a free meal, the gregarious Crisp claimed that he had never fallen in love:

“You can fancy someone, wish them well or enjoy their company, that’s all I can do with anybody. But when Miss Streisand sings, ‘People who need people are the luckiest people in the world,’ she’s being funny. When you need people, you’re finished. I need people, but not any one person.”

Crisp always said that moving to the USA was his proudest achievement. He loved Americans.

“When I was coming to America, I went to the American Embassy in London, and the man asked me, ‘Are you a practicing homosexual?’ and I said I didn’t practice. I was already perfect.”

34 years after the first one, there was a second film about his life, this time the NYC years, An Englishman In New York (2009), with John Hurt playing him again, and featuring Denis O’Hare, Cynthia Nixon and Swoosie Kurtz.

Crisp resided in a single room in the East Village from 1977-1997. He remained fiercely independent and unpredictable to the end. He caused controversy and confusion in the LGBTQ community by jokingly calling AIDS “a fad”, and homosexuality “a terrible disease”. Always the contrarian, he famously commented after the death of Princess Diana:

“She could have been Queen of England and she was swanning about Paris with Arabs. What disgraceful behavior! Going about saying she wanted to be the queen of hearts. The vulgarity of it is so overpowering.”

He was always in demand from journalists needing a juicy sound-bite, and throughout the 1990s his commentary was often requested. You could count on Crisp to say something quotable.

He entertained publicly and privately with his inimitable decorum, dignity, dexterity, drollery and drive. Crisp spent his 90th birthday performing his show. He took his final curtain call while on tour with it, in Manchester, England, just a few weeks away from his 91st birthday in 1999. He didn’t quite make it, and maybe that was a good thing. This is what Crisp had to say about the 21st Century:

“I hope for nothing, nothing, in the new millennium except death. It will get noisier, it will get darker, it will get faster and the music will thump more. But I shall be dead.”

Not everyone’s cup of tea, I like to think that we would have been great friends if we had the chance to meet. I still like to consider Crisp’s life whenever I get called an old queen.

Essential Crisp: The Naked Civil Servant (1968), How To Have A Lifestyle (1975), How To Become A Virgin (1981), How to Go To The Movies (1988), Resident Alien: The New York Diaries (1996) and The Wit & Wisdom Of Quintin Crisp (1989).

The post #BornThisDay: Quentin Crisp appeared first on The WOW Report.

Harold Lloyd with granddaugther Suzanne underneath the Christmas tree

In the 60s, Lloyd discovered fireproofing perfectly preserved (including the pine scent!) his most recent, and last, tree-structure. From then on, the tree was left up year-round.

“It started sometime around Thanksgiving. My grandparents would take me downtown to the train yards where the annual shipment of trees would arrive for the holiday season. We would pick out three large Douglas firs and they would be wired together to make one enormous, fantastic Christmas tree. It sat at one end of the garden room rising 20 feet in the air. It was 9 feet wide and almost 30 feet around. Imagine the amount of presents that can fit under a tree that is 30 feet around!

It took from Thanksgiving until Christmas to decorate the tree. Over the years, my grandfather had collected thousands of ornaments from all over the world. The tree held one-of-a-kind rare ornaments valued in the hundreds of dollars when they were first purchased in the `30’s and `40’s. The tree also held homemade ones that Harold received from his charity work.

I remember a jeweled encrusted ostrich egg, and a sequined football, (a reference to the college football hero Harold Lloyd played in his most popular film, “The Freshman.” I particularly loved a Christmas ball given to him by his friend, make-up artist, Wally Westmore, that was a miniature diorama depicting a bespectacled Harold in a red bathrobe trimming the tree.

One Christmas, I was with Daddy shopping for more ornaments in Saks Fifth Avenue. He plucked more and more ornaments off the store’s white-flocked display tree unable to decide which ones to purchase. Finally, he realized that every ornament on the tree would look nice at Greenacres and quickly decided right then and there to buy them all. Since there was no room on the tree at home, his impulse purchase had to include Saks white-flocked display tree as well! So the 12 foot, completely decorated tree, was shipped off to Greenacres and found a home in our front entrance hall. I have no idea where Saks put their presents that year after Harold left a gapping hole in their Christmas display.

One year we counted over 5,000 ornaments hanging from the tree and we still had enough left over to decorate 3 more trees just as big! Every year the tree grew larger to hold more ornaments; then one year it became a permanent fixture in our home. It was simply too large, too decorated and too engineered to disassemble. So we had it fireproofed and celebrated Christmas every day of the year!“

(via Beverly Hills Resident)

The post #MerryXmas: The Story of the World’s Most Fabulous Christmas Tree appeared first on The WOW Report.

Your effort NEVER looks like the example, but you can usually get closer than some of these of holidays disaster/ messes. These are mostly sad and in some cases, if you didn’t have a “before” you’d have NO IDEA what you were looking at. Hope YOUR holiday treats at least TASTED good, anyway. OOY! Sometimes it’s tough to “BELIEV”.

Merry Christmas!

E!!

VERY happy to see you

OOY!

Nope.

Don’t ask…

(via Twenty Two Words)

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George Michael has died. His publicist broke the news in a statement,

“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.

The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”

Michael sold more than 80 million records worldwide in a career spanning four decades. In 1987, his debut solo album Faith sold more than 20 million copies alone. His music is featured heavily in the 2016 film, Keanu.

Michael was HIV+ and struggled with health problems and addiction over the years. No word on how or what he died of.

George Michael was 53.

Fuck you, 2016.

(T/Y Tad; via The Mirror)

The post #RIP: George Michael appeared first on The WOW Report.

Sad news to report, George Michael is dead. His publicist broke the news in a statement,

“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.“

This Wham song is now sadder than ever. Lay off, 2016, we can’t take much more…

The post #RIPGeorgeMichael: “Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart…” appeared first on The WOW Report.

Justin Hernandez
Beth Behrs
Candy Crowely
Caroll Spinney
Chris Daughtry
Donald Moffat
David Sedaris
Jane Lapotaire
Jared Leto
John Walsh
Kit Harington
Lars Ulrich
Phil Spector
Reichen Lehmkuhl
Temuera Morrison
Tiffany Brissette
Tina Wesson

The post December 26th: It’s YOUR Birthday, Bitch! appeared first on The WOW Report.

December 26, 1956: David Sedaris:

“On Undecided Voters: To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.”

I don’t recall what brought me to pick-up that hardback copy of Barrel Fever with its iconic Chip Kidd designed cover at my favorite bookstore, M Coy Books, in downtown Seattle in 1995. Remember bookstores? I am not an avid NPR listener (I like my radio to play Rock N’ Roll music, please), so Sedaris was unfamiliar to me at this point. I do remember that The Husband read it first. I heard him crying with laughter as he read straight through it from our loft bedroom. I was afraid he would fall down the ladder when he descended with the book in hand. The Husband: “Really, I believe this is the funniest thing I have ever read… it is called The Santaland Diaries. You have to read it right now, this very minute!”

And, we were off and away to Sedaris-land. I bought each of the next books, in hardcover, on the day they came out. I would dog-ear his pieces in The New Yorker. I would eventually extend my love for Sedaris to his boyfriend, Hugh Hamrick, and his insanely funny sister, Amy Sedaris.

“Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it’s funny how sleep comes all on its own.”

Recalling his high school days in Raleigh, North Carolina, telling tales of his zany family, or life at their house in Normandy or the place in England with Hamrick, Sedaris always writes in his unique voice about the absurdities of life. He has a remarkable ability to find the humor in situations that are melancholy, peculiar, or dire.

“Shit is the tofu of cursing.”

Sedaris possesses a wicked wit that speaks to me in ways I never thought possible. A perfect day for me is a summer afternoon on Sauvie Island outside of Portland, naked on a blanket, with a thermos of vodka lemonade and a brand new David Sedaris tome.

“My hands tend to be full enough dealing with people who hate me for who I am. Concentrate too hard on the millions of people who hate you for what you are and you’re likely to turn into one of those unkempt, sloppy dressers who sag beneath the weight of the 200 political buttons they wear pinned to their coats and knapsacks.”

In the terrific, must-watch documentary Do I Sound Gay? (2014), filmmaker David Thorpe deftly takes on the relationship gay men have with their own voices. The film includes interviews, professional vocal coaches, speech pathologists and gay celebrities, including an hysterical section featuring Sedaris and Hamrick. Even if Hamrick does not sound convincingly butch, Sedaris may have one of gayest sounding voices this side of Truman Capote.

Of his partner of 25+ years, Sedaris writes:

“Hugh and I have been together for so long that in order to arouse extraordinary passion, we need to engage in physical combat. Once, he hit me on the back of the head with a broken wineglass, and I fell to the floor pretending to be unconscious. That was romantic, or would have been had he rushed to my side rather than stepping over my body to fetch the dustpan.”

It is ironic that Sedaris has a birthday on the day after Christmas. The adaptation of his classic Santaland Diaries has become a Holiday staple for regional and community theatres, replacing seeing a production of A Christmas Carol as a family tradition. I was finally able to hear Sedaris’s own version on NPR when I was receiving chemotherapy on Christmas 2013. His voice is gay perfection.

In the September 28, 2015 issue of The New Yorker, Sedaris has an extremely original, hysterical essay about reluctantly asking Hamrick to marry him for strictly unromantic reasons, A Modest Proposal, a response to the SCOTUS ruling on Marriage Equality on June 26th of this year:

“It occurred to me while standing there, cars whizzing by, that the day I marry is the day I’ll get hit and killed, probably by some driver who’s texting, or, likelier still, sexting. ‘He is survived by his husband, Hugh Hamrick,’ the obituary will read, and before I’m even in my grave I’ll be rolling over in it.”

At my house, we always take his Christmas collection Holiday On Ice (1997) off the Sedaris section in the bookcase and casually toss it on the coffee table as part of our tradition. My favorite selection Dinah The Christmas Whore, still makes me laugh and cry. It is quintessential Sedaris.

Cool tid-bits about the eccentric Sedaris: He holds a keen interest in taxidermy; he does not drive or use the Internet or own a cell phone or an email account. Sedaris:

“I’ve always been convinced I would hit and kill a child, so I don’t drive because I’m afraid. Where I grew up, in Raleigh, you needed a car. I stayed at home a lot, and I had to entertain myself. Ultimately, I think not driving was good for me. And, I never learned to type; I type with one finger. So I’ve never worked in an office, which was also probably good for me. As for the Internet, everyone tells me it makes you lose a year. A bread truck will go by, and on the side it says: ‘If you want to learn more about our products, go to www.breadtruck.com.’ Then you’ll go to a computer and look that up. But who cares about bread? Then there’s something else, and something else. I don’t want to lose a year like that. The world is already full of books and magazines.”

I am a fan of the odd little indie film C.O.G. (2013) starring cutie pie Jonathan Groff, whose character is a stand-in for Sedaris. It also features two other actors I adore, Denis O’Hare and Corey Stoll. The film is based on a Sedaris piece about hitchhiking as a youth to Oregon where he takes a job picking apples.

In the October 28, 2013 issue of The New Yorker, Sedaris wrote with humor and sadness of the suicide of his sister Tiffany. He caught a lot of flack for that one:

“A woman came up to the front of the line, and she slapped a note on my table, and stormed off, and it said ‘For your information, joking about people dying is never funny.’ I have such a problem with that, when people say  ‘Blank’ is never funny’, I’m really amazed sometimes at the things I laugh at. I mean, there’s something to be said for giving something a little time, you know, if a tragedy happens, but I mean, Sarah Silverman has said some really funny things about rape, really funny things. Someone less skilled than she is might not be able to pull it off, but I’ve seen it done. I’ve seen people say things about 9/11—I mean I’ve heard them—so anything’s possible, I just don’t ever see the point in cutting yourself off for that. A couple of years ago on tour I collected jokes. I said when you come to get a book signed please tell me a joke. I’ve heard a lot of jokes over and over again, and I’ve heard jokes that were lame, you know, I don’t like to fake laugh, but you don’t want to embarrass anybody, you know, they’re putting themselves out by telling a joke. Jokes with three things, you know, there’s a priest, there’s a rabbi, a witchdoctor, those jokes take forever. I said to people, I want you to tell me gay jokes. Everyone’s afraid to do it. Gay jokes would be like, “what does a gay horse say: ‘Hayyy.’”

Essential Sedaris: Barrel Fever (1994), Naked (1997), Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000), Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim (2004), When You Are Engulfed In Flames (2008), Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary (2011), and Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls (2013).

I think he is the funniest writer alive. And, I find few subjects off limit for jokes.

“If you’re looking for sympathy you’ll find it between shit and syphilis in the dictionary.”

The post #BornThisDay: Writer, David Sedaris appeared first on The WOW Report.

Iconic singer George Michael died “peacefully” on Christmas Day. Police and ambulance were called to his home yesterday in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire just before 2pm.

The news was released in a short statement issued at 11pm by Michael Lippman, which said:

“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.

The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.“

Lippman revealed that George was found,

“in bed, lying peacefully“

He is understood to have died of heart failure. The exact time of death is not clear, but there was said to be,

“no foul play whatsoever.“

Police say they are treating the death as unexplained, but there were no suspicious circumstances. According to The Mirror, the statement released said:

“Thames Valley Police were called to a property in Goring-on-Thames shortly before 2pm Christmas Day.

Sadly, a 53-year-old man was confirmed deceased at the scene. At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A post mortem will be undertaken in due course.

There will be no further updates from Thames Valley Police until the post mortem has taken place.”

A date for the post mortem is yet to be scheduled.

Meanwhile, friends and fans are shocked at yet another death in 2016, a year that took David Bowie and Prince as well as many others. Duran Duran referenced the “curse of 2016” in their tweet of sympathy…

“2016 – loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to @GeorgeMichael’s family.”

British comic Matt Lucas, who worked with the singer during a sketch for BBC comedy Little Britain, said:

“Well 2016, you had to just take one more, didn’t you?”

And Nile Rogers, who had just seen the singer two days before, expressed his shock to fellow musician, Mark Ronson.

The Grammys are going to need another hour just for the tributes next year…

(via The Mirror)

The post #RIP: George Michael Died “Peacefully” at Home Under “Unexplained” Circumstances… appeared first on The WOW Report.

We all need a good laugh and out comic Joel Kim Booster on Late Night with Conan is funny AF. And really, all he wants is a straight answer, dammit. Is a horse hair stylist a real profession or not?

Watch.

The post #Conan: Gay Comic Joel Kim Booster Wants a Straight Answer –Is Horse Hair Stylist a Real Profession or Not? appeared first on The WOW Report.

On Christmas Day, Debbie Reynolds shared that her daughter, Carrie Fisher, who suffered a heart attack while in flight to L.A. Friday, is stable. Reynolds said via Twitter,

“Carrie is in stable condition. If there is a change, we will share it. For all her fans & friends. I thank you for your prayers & good wishes.“

Fisher was hospitalized Friday after she went into cardiac arrest as her flight from London landed in Los Angeles. An EMT on the plane administered CPR before landing, and Fisher was rushed by ambulance to the UCLA Medical Center.

Over the weekend she has remained in intensive care, according to her brother, Todd who said he could not classify her condition.

“We have to wait and be patient. We have so little information ourselves.“

Fisher was in many of Hollywood’s A-list stars mind on Christmas, including her Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill who Tweeted.

“Wishing each & every one of you a #HoneyOfAHoliday! (especially my #SuperCoolSpaceSis @carrieffisher) #XmasPrincessPleaseComeHome“

All at World of Wonder also wish her a full and speedy recovery.

(via U.S.A Today)

The post #Update: Debbie Reynolds on Daughter’s Prognosis –”Carrie is in Stable Condition…” appeared first on The WOW Report.

The Republican National Committee Christmas Sunday published a press release that many are pissed off about. They believe they are saying that POETUS Donald Trump is “king”, comparing him to Jesus Christ. The holiday message says,

“Merry Christmas to all! Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a Savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind. Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King.“

It does not mention Emperor Cheeto by name but coming from the GOP, you can connect the dots. Btw, others have also noted that the statement is incorrect according to the Bible, as the the three wise men, did not arrive the night Christ was born, but at some point after. Duh.

Meanwhile, Twitter continues to boil over with WTF!’s coming from all over. And Trump wished everyone a #MerryChristmas on Twitter with a raised fist. WTF!? Who does that?

(via NCRM)

The post #OMG!: RNC Releases a Statement That Compares Trump to Jesus Christ! Twitter Explodes! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Bill Goldberg
Chyna
Cokie Roberts
Emilie de Ravin
Eva LaRue
Gerard Depardieu
Hayley Williams
Javine
Joe Mantello
John Amos
Maryam d’Abo
Masi Oka
Mick Jones
Pleasure P
Salmon Khan
Terry Bozzio
Theresa Randle
Tovah Feldshuh
Wilson Cruz

The post December 27th: It’s YOUR Birthday, Bitch! appeared first on The WOW Report.