Life, Love and Lipstick
Matt Cassano is a 21 year old journalism student currently finishing his degree at Ryerson University. When he is not in a class room, you can find him performing on Church Street as his alter ego, Miss Heroine Marks.
Aug
27
“Hello, and welcome to my home.”
If this phrase rings a bell, then you’re one of the thousands of homos who has fallen in love with a campy 80′s film starring washed up soap star Brenda Dickson. A year ago, a friend of mine sent me clips of the film via youtube. I instantly fell in love. The pastel colours mixed with bad acting and, one can only assume, a few cases of vodka and Vicadin, made this trainwreck of a film an instant gay classic. Countless parodies began popping up on Facebook, making it an online hit!
One night, a few friends and I were hanging out and having a few drinks. My friend Big Red and I began receiting quotes from the film. Another friend had no idea what we were talking about. We grabbed the closest laptop and logged onto Youtube. However, to our amazement, the video and some of the parodies, had been removed. Brenda Dickson filed a complaint against the site claiming misuse. She had all videos related to Welcome to my Home removed from the site. “That clever bitch,” exclaimed Big Red. She was pissed. We checked her official website and found that she was no longer streaming the video for free. Instead, Dickson was now charing for it.
Did I really want to pay money just to laugh at some crazy person? I realized, Dickson was actually making a smart business move. She knew that people used this video to make fun of her. So, if people want to laugh at her expense, why not charge them a flat fee to do so? If only we could all record our most embarrassing moments and sell them. Maybe we could escape this recession. I guess it just goes to show, crazy people have their moments of brilliance too. 
PS. On a side note, Im looking for a videographer to shoot video blogs for my gay guide toronto blog. If anyone is interested, you can reach me by email at heroinemarks@hotmail.com
Jul
14
Happy Pride - You're Gonna Die!
Did everyone have a good Pride? I’m still recuperating. I think I’ll need another two weeks before I get my sleep schedule back on track.
Was it just me, or was this a “straight” Pride? There were so many straight girls wondering around Church Street with their boyfriends. A few wore signs that read “I’m not gay, but I’m proud.” I truly believe these girls just brought their boyfriends to the village so they could show them “If you don’t take the time to find my G spot, there are plenty of fish in the sea who will.”
Speaking about inappropriate things during Pride, did anyone else notice the funeral home booth set up near the corner of Church and Wellesley on Pride Sunday? What a buzz kill! “Happy Pride! You’re going to die.” I think Pride Toronto needs to make a lot of changes to their staff for next year. This year’s Pride had a low turnout of homos, and they’ll need a stronger leader to help bring back the homos who have strayed away due to the commercial aspects of what Pride has become.
Crews & Tango once again missed its ‘re-open’ date offered by many of the staff before Pride. The club’s doors have been closed for close to 10 weeks, leaving twinks and tranny-chasers to spend their pink dollars at George’s Play, Woody’s, and Buddies. It is a shame that the owners and management are being shady and leaving their employees in the dark. Many of these performers had given up Pride bookings under the impression that the club would be open in time for the big week long event. If it continues to stay closed for much longer, it will just add to the already growing condo debate.
Be sure to come check out Zelda’s Fierce Fridays with myself and the fabulous Miss Conception. We have $4 cocktails all night long and a Best Chest contest sponsored by 103 9 PROUD FM, St. Marc’s Spa, Miss C’s Closet, and Jockstrapcentral.com. Come celebrate the end of the week with us! Fun starts at 9pm at Zelda’s! No cover!
Until next time…
xo
Heroine Marks
Jun
16
Hey everyone!
As of yesterday, I officially graduated from Ryerson University’s Broadcast Journalism program. I can let out a sigh of relief before asking “Now what?”
Pride is in the air all across Church Street. I’m already over it. I plan on being in drag everyday. My face is going to hate me tremendously.
On June 23rd, I will be co-hosting the Pride launch party at Zelda’s from 8-11pm with Miss Conception, Georgie Girl, and Lena Over. I’m sure the audience will be thinking “One of these things is not like the other.” I hope I can keep up with these vets and legends.
Dressed as a Playboy bunny, I attended the fabulous Mansion party at the Courthouse on Friday night. Ben Gibson sure knows how to throw a party. Be on the look out for this up-and-coming promoter in the city. The venue was stunning. Lena Love was one of the go-go dancers, and I was in awe of her performance. Bitch knows how to dance! She put the male go-go dancer to shame. My right wing gal, Big Red, couldn’t help but point out “She looks like she knows what she’s doing. He just looks like an idiot.” If you don’t know who Big Red is, she is the newest drag queen bartender on the strip. Check her out at Zelda’s. She’s too funny for words.
I’m currently working on an Amy Winehouse wig. I know the character has been killed on Church Street among the queens, but I’m doing something different with Wino. I hope to unleash it soon at a Fierce Friday in the near future.
If you haven’t come to check out a Fierce Friday yet, don’t be afraid. Miss C and I don’t bite unless you’re a burger. Every Friday, from 9-11pm, my drag mommy and I take to the stage at Zelda’s. We do characters, parody songs, and just have a lot of fun. $4 cocktails all night long. We rotate audience contests every week. One week could be Mess in a Dress, where we transform audience members into drag queens, or we’ll do a best underwear contest for prizes donated by sponsors 103 9 PROUD FM, JockStrapCentral.com, Miss C’s Closet, and St. Marc’s Spa.
It seems a lot of people are breaking up with Pride approaching. A break up is never easy and it will always be an upsetting time in any person’s life. Recently, someone passed along to me some words of wisdom that seemed to stick. I’ll leave you with them.
“Think of each relationship as a gift. A cherished gift. You can take what you’ve learned from it and give that gift to someone new and special in your life.”
Xoxo
Heroine Marks
May
13
I don’t know what it is about spring, but the jack asses are blooming at full speed. Running into people on Church Street and reading letters in recent magazines and newspapers, I can’t believe how many bitter and angry queens there are in Toronto. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but when you go out of your way to bitch and moan over petty issues that’s where I become irritated. I try to be a positive person, but its hard when you get lost in all the negativity that surrounds us. Maybe its just an age thing, but do people really have THAT much time on their hands? My schedule is so hectic, I barely have time to stay in touch with family and friends let alone write a letter to publicly bash someone. Do we really need to diminish and tear fellow homos and their work to shreds? We should be encouraging one another to help blossom whether it is as writers, journalists, musicians, artists, or performers. The time spent bitching could be used for good. Stop the bitching! The amount of time you spend doing it could be used volunteering at Casey House, ACT Toronto, Pride, and various other gay establishments and organizations within our community. Give back to the community rather than put it down. If the village is dying, it is because we’re slowly killing it with words for daggers.
With love,
Heroine Marks
xoxo
At my young age of 21, I’ve learned very quickly that life is full of surprises and can take you on journeys you never thought you’d one day be embarking on.
In January 2008, I was a 3rd year broadcast journalism student at Ryerson with an eagerness to learn about radio and television. I had a loving and supportive boyfriend who I thought was my ideal partner and someone I had a future with. My thick, Italian eyebrows looked like two caterpillars chasing after one another, and my arm and chest hair would have made any cub or bear squeal with glee. I was content and felt as though I had finally found that balance in life we all seek to achieve. That soon changed with a tube of lipstick and an application for Drag Idol 2008.
Since a very young age, I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh. Whether it is through written word, performance, or even telling a joke in passing, I get a weird high from laughter. It excites me, and still does to this day. I had often contemplated dropping out of journalism school to attend acting and improv classes, but I could never force myself to go through with it. Why? Well, my Italian mother would have never let me hear the end of it! Longing to perform, I soon found an outlet for my creativity in the art form of drag.
This blog will be a collection of stories about my journey as a 21 year old guy living in Toronto who just happens to throw on a dress for money. I will chronicle my experiences that many gay youth face in today’s world, but with a bit of a twist. I will introduce you to Church Street characters you may already know, and some who you’ve yet to meet. We all have stories and it is time we share them. So come along with me as I embrace life, love, and lipstick.
