In one of m past blogs I questioned whether I should work at Pride of just go for personal enjoyment. I was siding with personal enjoyment when I got the call asking me to once again host Central Stage. I had to say yes. I love doing it, I love Pride and believe in what it truly stands for no matter how commercial it has gotten. It still has its purpose; freedom to be who you are!

I have this motto “Go big or go home!” so for me this meant a Pride photo shoot, outfits courtesy of my Official sponsor Stag Shop, a flyer shot by Andre M, promoting the event, and ensuring I had bpm:tv and Scenester swag to toss out to the crowd.

Last year I hosted Central Stage on a Saturday night, this year was during the day on the Sunday. I much prefer the night as I’m sure you can guess. The day was hard to warm up the crowd, but I can’t blame them the music was good, but defiantly could’ve been better in my opinion.

One thing I do have to say is it’s a prevlidge to play Pride Toronto. And those booked to perform need to deliver the Pride vibe not their selfish vibe. Given the opportunity to play at one of the worlds most attended, well received events is an honour, and with this comes a musical strategy of playing for the crowd not yourself. I found the DJs last year honoured this gift, while this year I felt some didn’t.

This upsets me because this is a festival of unity, depth, inspiration, happiness and freedom. And I felt the some of the DJs didn’t express what they could have. Let me make it clear some did deliver, yet the majority didn’t. At one point the crowd literally stood still noticeably not impressed while some yelled boldly “Give us dirty beats”. Believe me its not a good thing when the crowed yells at the DJ.

While in the holding area I turned to the DJ who was to go on next after a not so good act, and told him “they’re depending on you to deliver. This is your time to make your mark, and to do it right!” He just looked at me dumbfounded. While he tossed my bpm:tv lanyard I gave him to the side. Maybe he was nervous, maybe he didn’t care. No matter what him and the other DJs got hired to deliver on the basis of their Pride touch and involvement within the LGBT community.

Whether you agree with me or not I do know what I’m talking about or I wouldn’t be doing what do. My opinion is just that an opinion, but honestly these DJs now-a-days need to wake up and realize sending out links on Facebook, Sound Cloud or whatever click and listen site their using does not make them a DJ!

It’s an honour that I’ve been asked twice to host Central Stage. I take it seriously, and I’m blessed to have been given this opportunity which I take seriously. I grew up with my mother volunteering for seven years at Casey House and ACT. I grew up within the gay culture, seeing and knowing what AIDS can put upon oneself, and those who love them. I take this very seriously. Pride is very near and dear to me.

To play Pride is a gift therefore honour it!

What the fuck was that? Riot gear. Tear gas. Rubber bullets (shut your face). Cop cars on fire. This is not my city anymore and it’s down to a small handful of people who don’t even live here that are stirring the global pot and making everyone crazy. And yes I’m talking about the world leaders. I get it. The G 20 is like some governmental pot luck dinner and this time it was Toronto’s turn to host. But seriously, why do it at all? Is it some global smoke screen to distract us from other issues? Canadians are till dying in Afghanistan, 2 in fact, over the weekend. No one cared. Hunger and child mortality are still crippling countries. Inequality and military strong arming is keeping others on the verge of become Nazi regimes. These leaders know what’s wrong with their countries and therefore the world so why get together and state the obvious? Couldn’t they all just Skype it? They could create a virtual conference and then people could voice their dissatisfaction by burning virtual police cars and kicking in virtual windows of businesses owned by people who are just trying to keep their heads afloat in this horrible economy. Now Toronto’s unlucky will spend the weekend cleaning up and assessing damages that they will have to pay out of pocket. Shame on you world leaders for knowingly instigating such a senseless riot. That said, Happy Pride Everyone!
Kisses!

The Beginning of Enza Campaign

Today marks a unique day in Toronto. Enza Anderson (http://www.enzaanderson.ca) is running for political office. However, this time she means serious business. If you are like me you have followed Anderson’s political career with a “one-eye” open interest. Back in the early stages of her political life, Enza “Supermodel” Anderson was about headlines. The most shocking which sent soundbite heaven around the world was Anderson running for the head of the Alliance Party. As they say in the media business, “one minute you’re the EXTRA! EXTRA! The next minute a 90 year old woman rescues a cat out of a tree.” That’s exactly what happened to Anderson and her political asperations.

Now after a few years in the quasi-spotlight through her red hot column in Metro News, dropping the “Supermodel” middle name, and being Canada’s first openly transsexual front-line, Customer Service Rep. at the Bank of Montreal (http://www.bmo.com) she is now ready to step out again. Having knowing Anderson personally I asked her once, “what the hardest obstacle you will face in your campaign?” With a straight face Anderson looked at me and replied, “getting people to take me seriously. Since I ran for the Alliance Party no one will take me seriously. I have a new outlook on issues which affect the riding I am running in. I want a chance to show I am not only a transsexual, I am a woman who means business.”

Anderson’s campaign kicked off today at Just Desserts on Yonge Street where many people attended to lend there support, myself included. It is important to listen to Anderson’s view of how she would run Toronto Centre – Rosedale – Ward 27 which is one of the most important council ridings in Toronto. You will notice I did not report on what Anderson wore as she would not want the focus to be on her outfit but the issues she stands for. I found it amazing during Hilary Clinton’s campaign journalists cared more about what she wore than what she stood for. Go Enza and kick ass in high heels!!!!

Every year in the city of Toronto there is an event called ‘Idea City’.  The best of the best, the cream of the crop, the who’s who, the leaders and all the people of interest gather to discuss.

How the hell did I end up attending?  Hey!  I have connections o.k.!

Plus, this year my good friend Buck Angel was one of the speakers!  Maybe one year I’ll be a speaker.

Today I walked my wonderful and talented fiance Shaun Proulx (someone’s getting lucky tonight!), over to the Pride Toronto press conference held in front of their offices on Dundonald.  In my mind I have pictured a press conference something like out of The Young & The Restless where there is 1 camera, 1 person with a microphone and maybe 1 extra to try to fill out the scene.

No so.

OMG.  As we approached the Pride headquarters we saw police vehicules parked, police men and women patrolling the streets, news vans, cameras and a throng of protesters across the street from the Pride offices.

And to think, I was just going to drop Shaun off and go to the gym… haha, no way Jose!  I was stickin’ around to watch the inevitable fireworks.

I’m not in the thick of the drama, and I am not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I CAN report on what I saw with my own two eyes.

The ‘protesters’ that showed up were there with the single intention of heckling the press conference.  Chanting things like “We won’t run, we won’t hide.  Politics is what makes Pride!” and “Resign!” to Pride Toronto’s executive director, Tracey Sandilands and “Shame, shame!!”  I guess they knew the news was not what they wanted to hear because they had the chants ready! (why Pride Toronto decided to hold a press conference outside in heckling distance of crowds of displeased people, I might never understand)

Here is my beef with the entire situation.  How can anything be heard, discussed, understood and agreed upon if one side DOES NOT LISTEN TO THE OTHER SIDE.  I felt like I was watching the government.  Where people yell over each other, cut each other off and NO ONE is listening to ANYONE ELSE!

What’s the point?

I’m sure there was a lot of back and forth between the groups in the preceding weeks, but I have too much CLASS, yeah I said it, CLASS, to yell and heckle something I oppose.  Let’s talk about this like adults and come to a conclusion, but that’s me.

All that being said, Shaun stayed composed among the yelling and hate spewing and I was very proud of him.

And I am proud that we are nit picking and perfecting our state of evolvement.  Think for a second the difference of debating over extremely heated topics like the one mentioned above and it’s inclusion in Pride and the fact that many countries DO NOT EVEN CELEBRATE PRIDE, because they do not have the chance to.

We are lucky.

This is the time of year that our Pride Office begins to get a certain buzz about it.

Our community has begun its 60 Day Countdown …

Which means that we are less than 2 months away from our 30^th Anniversary celebrations.

Our Pride Guide elves are hard at work.

Our first Entertainment Line-up has just been launched out to the media world.

And our phone has begun to ring off the hook as volunteers, businesses, and Toronto-at-large begin to prepare.

60….59….58.…57….

After the rumours, whispering and gossips had their way LG Fashion Week (http://www.lgfashionweek.ca) finally illuminated the runway in their new home the Allstream Centre on the CNE Grounds. Wearing John Galliano (after a muchly debated post of what I should wear on Facebook) I clicked into the Allstream Centre ready synical as all hell. Like many of the fashion press, my patience with the FDCC  was wearing thin overthe constantly changing locations. If you haven’t heard here is the list, yes you read that right list, of attempted locations: the Travelodge demolition site at King/Bathurst, Liberty Village, the former location of the Chrysler dealership on King West and now the Allstream Centre.  Robin Kay, President of the FDCC, once justified the constant change of locations as being “fashion nomads”.  However I question if the word “nomand” is covering up for other shortcomings which are not being made public?

The opening night itself was pretty much  standard with usual fashion pack in attendance: Suzanne Boyd from Zoomer Magazine, David Livingstone Fashion Journalist extraordinaire, Andrew Sardine from NOW, the fabulous Bernadette Mora Acting Editor-in-Chief of Fashion Magazine,  Jeanne Beker  designers: Farley Chatto, Marty Rotman (of North Bound Leather) and Joesph Mimran (of Joe Fresh) .The returning sponsors Shick, L’Oreal, Rowentta, Woolite and Holt Renfrew all had respected booths and such. However the feature of the night was the IZMA collection from Izzy Camilleri and Adrian Mainella. Camilleri and Mainella (who you may remember as former host of Fashion File) collborated on the line of furs under IZMA.

As the lights went up the collection has Izzy signature all over it with very little of Mainella’s style blended in. Camilleri over the years as developed a style for sleek, elegant and drool inducing women’s clothes which are, no word of a lie, traffic stopping. However, I was straining to see where Mainella’s, who is now billing himself as an Image Consultant, influence was. Though there were some menswear, it was token and as I found not very practical. For women’s clothes this collection had some awesome pieces and if you can sift through some of the mesh pieces for Fall 10, it would be worth it.

Here are some pictures from opening night:

The Shick Razor Girls at LG Fashion Week

FDCC President, Robin Kay Opening Night of LG Fashion Week

Designer Farley Chatto at Opening Night

My seat at the IZMA Show

Last Thursday a friend had invited me along to see Joan Rivers at Centre for the Living Arts.

This was the first time I had seen her live. To be expected were the numerous of blue-hair rinses with expectations they were coming to an evening of “coffee chat” with Joan Rivers, and we were out in Mississauga.

Instead, I’d venture to say they probably never have heard references to female anatomy in all its forms in their entire lives than they did that evening.

Having never seen Joan River’s live, I’ve heard that she puts it all out there and crosses every line there is to be crossed.  What I discovered was a very funny 76-year-old woman who could care less about what you thought.

One of the reasons I think she can get away with it is that she has a history of community involvement, and raising a lot of money for charities.

For example, was she got on to the subject of AIDS, I laughed quite a bit, mostly because she dared go there and pulled it off.

“There was a time when AIDS was killing everyone, now it’s a long-term chronic illness. I don’t want to be delivering meals to the same guy three Thanksgivings in a row, and then watch him go off to the gym. Either AIDS is going to kill you, or I am!” she says motioning as if she holding a knife up.

At Spirits for their weekly Open Mic night, a friend and I had a recent conversation about how you don’t come to comedy and then complain about being offended. “Comedy is how we work all this shit out in our lives.” says my friend, a comic herself.

Having said that, one guy that night told a joke about rather than go to Canada’s Wonderland to wait in long line ups, and pay 60 dollars to feel like you were going to die for five minutes, why not just go get an HIV test done.

He lost the audience on that one, and had to work to get us back.  But that’s comedy, people take a lot of risk: Sometimes it works, sometimes doesn’t.  I wasn’t offended, but slightly uncomfortable for a second. The rest of his set was quite funny and he did win us back.

Joan continued on with her brand of inappropriate humour.

On Jennifer Aniston:

“She’s so needy that a rapist wouldn’t even go near her” Pretending to be Jennifer Aniston talking to the rapist, “Will I see you again?”

On getting older:

“Nobody told me when I was going to get old my vagina was going to drop. One day I looked down and I was wearing bunny slippers. Now I can have sex in one room, and watch TV in the other.”

On 9/11:

“Did you know that the families of people who died in 9/11 all got five million dollars, five million dollars. Really I can think of a few relatives that should have been there. Oh grow up! Just wait until Thanksgiving and look around the table.

It was a great night out, and I hadn’t laughed that hard since I’d seen Kathy Griffin.

I now know the litmus test of a good comedy night is when people walk out,  something both Joan and Kathy can easily make people do.

“You are a lover.  The larger part of you loves.  When you don’t love, you are not who you really are and there is a seperation that you can feel in your solar plexus that feels like hate or feels like anger.” – Abraham

Interesting:

I had a romantic situation arise this week that inspired an intense emotional reaction.  When presented with the opportunity, my first thought/feelings regarding it were very strong.

I began feeling what seemed like very negative emotion right away.  Something was telling me that this was not the direction I wanted to be going. I could easily feel that I was being guided toward a different decision.

The problem is at the time I just questioned  these thoughts/feelings, as opposed to welcoming them, and listening to the message they related wholeheartedly.

I felt I was being selfish and not who I really am, I felt full of fear and insecurity.

“That empty awful feeling that you call fear simply means, your thought is not in sync with who you are.” – Abraham

The truth is: I allowed this message – “Richard, you are not being yourself” – to fall on deaf ears and let those deaf ears provide a false sense of peace.

The person I am today knows when to say NO to what I was being offered by life – and for good reason.

Yesterday I was making a playlist for a friend and I had asked about including music from a certain artist.

He said:  “Whatever is in your heart, add!  Doubt means don’t.”

And I thought…

OMG!  I knew that.

Why didn’t I listen to my own doubts about this romantic situation this week?  They were so loud and clear!  But I fought them.  I thought it was me being out of the vortex of my well being.  It was my own inner guidance system and it was saying: “RUN!”

“Negative emotion means you have departed from who you are.” – Abraham

I hadn’t experienced this much prolonged activity outside of my vortex in recent memory.  I could have easily listened.  Made other plans for a time when they felt right.  Instead I pushed myself and in the direction of that which I do not want.

In a text message from my beautiful sister, Allysyn, this morning, she asked: “How are you feeling through all this?”

I honestly replied: “Doing well.  The hot embarrassed feeling has almost entirely left me.  I have learned that next time my body, mind, soul  are giving me a direction, I will directly succumb to its guidance.  I do feel free knowing that something or someone has been experienced that brought a lot of life giving contrast – gave birth to huge desire – and will never quite happen that way again.”

“Ride your own rocket into the vortex and imagine your own resolutions that your life experience has caused you to launch.” – Abraham