Newspaper Page Text
The Barb 2
Community Activities
by Bill Smith
Last month ABC-TV
treated its viewers to an
hour long episode on the
effects of sexual molesta
tion by a thirty-ish man
on a fourteen-year-old boy.
The show, we were told,
had nothing to do with
homosexuality. Boston and
Philadelphia affiliates can
celled the program. Most
of the national sponsors,
including Shell Oil and Col
gate-Palmolive, cancelled
their advertising time.
What did it all mean? Did
we serve notice on the net
works that anti - gay shows
are unprofitable? If so, it
is a step in the right di
rection, but it misses the
primary target; realistic
presentations of Gay peo
ple. We have had few such
episodes. The Mary Tyler
Moore show has included
two over the years,' and
then there was “That Cer
tain Summer,” a show that
was almost there.
What about movies? “The
Gay Deceiver,” “The Boys
In The Band,” “Flesh Gor
don....” were they harmful
or helpful? What about skin
flicks in general?
We say we want a realis
tic portrayal of gay people,
yet we spend our money
on anti-gay films and art
less skin flicks at exorbi
tant prices. If we pay, the
media will produce.
The Galloping Gay
by Mother Goddam
New Time Cinema is
launching the first “good”
gay film; “A Very Natural
Thing.” Those who have
seen it agree. AFTER
DARK says “(it) is a first
rate evocation of humanity
--a movie to make you re
member your own loves,
whatever your partner
preferences.” THE ADVO
CATE calls it “an honest
look at an urban gay...It is
going to have to rely
heavily on Gay support to
recover costs and justify
Larkin’s feeling that the
homosexual community is
ready for an honest non-
por nographic story about
themselves.”
The Advocate has touched
the key issue with a sledge
hammer. The movie will be
Larkin’s first and last if
gay people don’t buy. The
straight media will prick
up only if it meets with
extreme success in the Gay
Community. It does have
the potential to draw in a
straight oriented film in
dustry.
If you think this is your
kind of film, write to New
Time Cinema (853 Broad
way, NYC 10003) and let
them know, in Atlanta, call
or write the Metropolitan
Community Church and
urge them to make every
effort to obtain and show
this film. If you live out
side of Atlanta, talk with
local theatre operators that
might take a chance on the
film. Let them know you
are interested and willing
to pay for quality films.
Advertise in The Barb!
The Gay Days We Remember
by Liddia Lipshits
THE WORLD'S MOST
FAMOUS* DRAG QUEEN...
Two queens were sitting
at the bar with an Indian.
One . queen was .comparing
Her apar.ajtqs with the other
queens. ‘‘Mine is so long
that I can tie a knot in it”.
She said. The. other one re
plied,. “Mine , is so long 1
can . tie , two knots in it.”
The Indian spoke up saying,
“How Come????”.
Humor has had its place in
America more than any
other country in the world.
Like the old addage says
“Just what we need, an
other comedian”. This old
girl won’t even try to be;
But I have to stop to think
about the gay comedians.
Do you remember Ray
Bourbon? (Some of us older
girls do).
Miss Bourbon performed
regularly from the late
thirties until the mid six
ties. His most engaging en
gagement was possibly at
Emmy Wilson’s Glory Hole
in Colorado Springs. It was
there that such impersona
tions of “Frigit Bardot”
and “Gina Lollo Frigida”
were seen as performed by
Ray. Ray is the only drag
queen in history to have
given a command perform
ance for The Prince of
Wales and later, Edward
The Eighth. She was ar
rested numerous times for
performing in drag from
New Orleans to San Fran
cisco. During a time when
such shows were not con
sidered proper, let alone
being seen in public in
drag, Miss Bourbon con
tinued to entertain thous
ands.
Her forte was hilarious
risque stories of esca
pades with gay friends
punctuated with screams of
laughter and delight. Ray
supposedly underwent a sex
change operation in Mexico
in 1953 and one of his most
famous LPS was subse
quently entitled “LET ME
TELL YOU ABOUT MY
OPERATION”. Other world
reknown LPS include,”
AROUND THE WORLD IN
BE GROOVY !!
KEEP UP WITH THE HAPPENINGS
Don’t Miss A Single Issue of The Barb
Subscribe Today.
Subscription Rates 12 Issues $4.00 In Plain Wrapper
Enter My Subscription To The Barb.
Enclose $ .
Name-
Address-
City
-State-
-Zip-
I certify that I am 18 years of age or older:
MAKE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO: THE
BARB AND SEND TO P.O. BOX 82543--ATLANTA,
GEORGIA 30354.
Two trips in a month can
be exhausting and frustrat
ing, but my two trips this
past month were wonderful.
Thanks to marvelous, in
quisitive friends who had
done their research well,
your dear Mother had the
time of her life.
Kansas City, Missouri is
a town of a bit over 500,000.
I had the mistaken idea that
things would probably be
rather dull. WRONG! From
the moment I stepped off
of the plane (Delta Airlines,
by the way, and I highly
recommend them, service
and personnel are fabuluxe)
until I arrived home tired
and weary in Atlanta, I met
some of the greatest people
and saw some of the nicest
places ever.
A little word of warning;
If you fly to K.C. I advise
that you have friends pick
you up. The airport (very
new and ultra-modern) is
very confusing. If you’re
not being met, proceed with
extreme caution to the
ticket counter of your air
line and get THEM to tell
you where to find trans
portation.
My friends, Fred and
Zoe were waiting for me at
the gate, dressed beauti
fully, smiling and singing.
We then tap-danced down
to the baggage claim, and I
knew the visit would be
great. My first evening in
K.C. was spent trading
stories and talking. Bed ati
6:30 AM and up again at
11:30 for a hectic day.
Zoe and Fred are both
students at the Kansas
City Art Institute, one of
the country’s finest art
schools, which is where I
stayed. Friday night Zoe
threw a divine party and
invited a mostly student
crowd.
Saturday was sightseeing
day, and I discovered that
there realty is a great deal
to do in K.C. I was most
impressed with the Crown
Center, an uptown develop
ment of Hallmark Cards
(Whose home Offices are in
K.C.). This is an exciting
place to shop--not only are
there major department
stores, but also an in
teresting maze of specialty_
shops called WEST VILLAGE
Spent hours there, and too
much money as well.
Saturday bar-hopping.
Kansas City has a number
of bars, and the people
were extremely friendly.
My favorites were the IVAN-
HOE CABARET, located at
Continued Page 8
AVAILABLE NOW! IN 8mm
BRILLIANT COLOR
All new, uncensored,
pre-tneatre release
all male cast. .^5
? 00 f
EIGHTY WAYS” AND
“BACK IN DRAG AGAIN”
His LPS were released in
one batch in 1955 and ex-
tremly few copies of Miss
Bourbon’s art still remain.
Miss Bourbon never re
vealed her age but she died
in California in 1968 at the
age of approximately
seventy. Miss Bourbon is
undoubtly performing night
ly as the star of that
“Great Drag Show In The
Sky” One of Ray’s great
expressions was “If I Live
To Be Normal” Don’t
count on it girl!!!!
EACH PART
$45.00
(25 MINUTES)
COMPLETE . • _
3-PARTS $115.
ALSO:
CASEY DONOVAN in
"HOUSE FOR SALE"
with Val Martin (PART 1)
"ROOM FOR RENT"
Starring Burt Edouards and
Kurt Gerard (PART 2)
"APARTMENT FOR RENT"
Starring Peter Fisk & Tom Wright
(PART 3)
Write for free illustrated brochure.You must be over 21
IRVING INC. 850 SEVENTH AVE.
SUITE 204 NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
BOYS IN THE SAND, BIJOU & CALIFORNIA SUPERMEN
r
The BARB is published Monthly in Atlanta, Georgia.
We do not accept the responsibility for unsolicited manu-.
scripts, photos, etc. Letters are welcome, but we do not
guarantee publication of all material.
Opinions expressed by our columnists do not necessari
ly reflect the opinion of the Newspaper.
STAFF
Editor......... | ...Ray F. Green
Co-Editor Jeanni Graham
Staff writers:
Bill Smith
Steve Warren
Peter Thomas
Eric C. Moore
Ft. Lauderdale-Miami,
Representative
Peter Thomas
3801 N. Ocena Blvd.
Jim Hunter £1 Lauderdaie Fla^aaSOS
Phone: (305) 566-4376
Tim Curtis
Steve Douglas Advertising Mgr.
Phone (404) 264-4510,.
THE BARB, P. O. BOX 82543--ATLANTA,
GEORGIA 30354.