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SOUTHERN VOICE OCTOBER 7/1993
THEARTS & ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE OF SOUTHERN VOICE
She’s all over the place, from Time to USA Today to Rolling
Stone’s “Hot List.” But if a lot of the press is a result of the
media’s recent fascination with lesbians, DeLaria’s not buying
into that “lesbian chic” thing.
“Oh, it’s silly,” she says. “It’s like a woman on your arm is
a better fashion accessory than a Gucci purse right now. It’s
totally preposterous because what’s ‘lesbian chic’ about it? 1
mean, they don’t even use real lesbians. They throw a couple of
women on the cover of a magazine, slap some lipstick on them.
You know what they do? They go lesbian chic [as] started by
Madonna. 1 love this. Here iL is, lesbian chic started by a fucking
straight woman. Nothing against Madonna. 1 love Madonna.
I’d like to fuck her ’till it hurts to pee, but frankly, I resent that.
It’s like saying ‘the black civil rights movement started by John
F. Kennedy.’ 1 don’t think so. I mean, k.d. lang kissing Cindy
- CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 8
would, notice.
“Mujf Diva”
Lea DeLaria
is hot, hot, hot
these days.
Now, if only
Jodie Foster
By JAMES FITCH
U2 vocalist Bono recently suggested to “Spin” rnagazine
that “in the 90s, regarding political and cultural shake-ups, the
comedians will be the first in line. Musicians have had their
day.”
Upon hearing this news flash, comedian Lea DeLaria laughs.
“Bono’s about 500 years behind,” she says. “Every social revo
lution has a cultural revolution that goes along with it. And
every cultural revoludon has always had comics. We’ve been at
the forefront of almost every social reform that you can think
of. We can’t expect Bono to know this. He’s a rock musician.”
DeLaria should know about being at the forefront of social
and political revolution. This year, she emceed the March on
Washington and became one of the hottest comedy uckets
going. Last March, when
she walked out on the
“Arsenio Hall Show,”
she was the first openly
gay comic to do so in
the history of United
States network televi-
Lea DeLaria
will appear one night
only, Saturday,
Oct. 9 at the Variety
Playhouse, 1099
Euclid Ave.. in Little
Five Points. Tickets
are $15 in advance at
Charis Books & More
or $18 at the door.
sion.
She’s here, she’s
queer, and the masses
are not only getdng used
to it, but digging it. The
press—the mainstream
press—has been very,
very good to DeLaria.
Gay & Lesbian Arts Festival kicks off in Buckhead
Yellow fliers denote it as the “2nd Annual Atlanta Gay and
Lesbian Arts Fesdval.”
To Jim Chappeleaiix, the fesdval’s director, fundraiser and
just about everything else, the word “second” itself is cause for
celebradon. This year’s fesdval, which begins on Oct. 7 and
continues through the Columbus Day weekend, is being held in
conjuncdon with Nadonal Coming Out Day.
“We need more than one gay holiday per year, other than
Pride, especially in the South,” Chappeleaux says.
The arts fesdval will be held in the Buckhead area in a
number of locations. “When you mention ‘arts festival,’ most
people think it is the Piedmont Arts Fesdval or they associate it
with the park,” Chappeleaux explains “But art happens in the
space that best suits it.” Theatrical performances will be held in
OutProud Theater and artwork will be displayed in art galleries.
’ Another reason the arts fesdval will be happening in the
Buckhead area is that Chappeleaux feels that the art and enter
tainment media is an excellent way to educate society.
“We really need to expand our visibility, branch out more
into the straight community. People need to see us. It’s very
important that we educate the straight community. They need to
be able to see tilings. All people need to be able to see things
expressed and learn from them.”
In beginning the arts festival last year, Chappeleaux had an
ultimate goal in mind—that by the year 1996, the festival will
be able to move
to the Summer
Olympic Games
as a visible sign
of gay/lesbian
culture.
Chappeleaux,
however, claims
not to be a busf-
nessman and
finds the under
taking of prepar
ing and imple
menting the arts
fesdval a bit over
whelming.
“I’m finding
that it’s much too big for just one person. I do all the writing,
fundraising, advertising. Everything. In order for this festival to
really grow, I need volunteers who are willing to devote some
time to this.”
However, there was one process in which Chappeleaux was
not involved. Everything for the fesdval underwent a juried
selection process in order to ensure the quality of the fesdval.
The events are varied and include workshops, visual perfor
mances, film and music. Some highlights include:
• Anita Loomis, a National Fund for Lesbian and Gay
Artists recipient, will perform “Money, Sex, Love, Art and
Public Transportation” on Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at
OutProud Theater, 75 Bennett St. N-l
Local artists S. Faybell Ma-hcc and Jim Chappelcax arc
also on the bill. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
• Visual art will be on display on Thursday night from 7
p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Windsor House Galleries, on Miami Circle,
the Lowe Gallery, on Bennett Street, and the Goldsmith Gal
lery, on Buckhead Avenue. Admission is free.
• An artist’s market, featuring original works from local
lesbian and gay artists, will be Saturday and Sunday from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Windsor House Galleries. Admission is
free.
• A gala fundraiser,.benefiting the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian
Ans Festival and National Coming Out Day, will be held
Monday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Otherside. Tickets are $5.
Advance tickets and $20 festival passes are available at
Charis Books & More in Little Five Points, E.D.’s Gourmet
Records in Ansley Square and Maddix iDeluxe at Virginia-
Highland. Music and theater performance affiliated with the
festival continue weekends through Oct. 24.
PENNY WHITE
Chicago performance artist Anita
Loomis headlines the festival.