The Not So Private (But Still Personal) Diary of Jason Sechrest Host/Publicist/Manager/Journalist/Actor/Singer/Director/Web Entrepreneur/Liza Minnelli.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Postponed!
The date for Fifteen Minutes of Shame at Howl at the Moon this Monday has been postponed for two weeks! The ads, graphics and JasonSechrest.com listings will be made to reflect this change over the weekend.
The venue had a charity book them for a private party last minute and their "every other week" comedy night had to be cancelled. Please join me instead on Monday, April 16th at 9:00 pm (PT) at Howl at the Moon on Universal Citywalk for the debut of Fifteen Minutes of Shame. Or at M Bar on Tuesday, April 24th at 10:00 pm (PT).
The upside? I have another two weeks to work it. And work out. Oh well. Life goes on. You guys will still come, right? ;-)
Should we really be shocked that our country is using terror to fight the war on terror?
And how much responsibility are "we the people" to accept for this nationwide tactic of fighting fire with fire?
A terrorist is a bully -- someone who invades your space and takes something that is precious to you.
I meet a lot of bullys on a daily basis and as anyone who reads my "News Desk" can attest, I sometimes become a pretty fierce one, too.
It is, after all, how most of us battle our obstacles on a daily basis. If someone screams at us, we scream louder. If someone cuts us off in traffic, we curse at them.
Many of us take this even a step further by bullying ourselves. We indulge in self-destructive behavior or "punish" ourselves for our imperfections. We bomb ourselves out of our own preciousness.
Not every country handles themselves this way. This is not the behavioral pattern of Europe where they operate on a level of respect and tolerance. There is a reason why Americans are seen as "pigs." We are indulgent in everything from our desires to our emotions. The majority of the world realizes your desires and emotions only matter to you and has nothing to do with contributing to those you love or society as a whole.
But this is who we are. This is what we have made into our America. And we weren't always this way, not back when the those treaties were signed.
So we have to accept some sense of responsibility for how this country handles itself when it is bullied because we fight terror with terror in our own backyards every day. It would be hypocritical of us to place all our upset in an index and point it to King G.
Our parents and their parent's parents created this societal blueprint.
You and I created this.
The great news is, that means we can end it. We have been fooled into believing that we are helpless, but we have way more power here than we realize.
It is said that if you want to change the world, you need to start with the self.
The war is right here. It is fought with the people we encounter and with the self on a daily basis.
We are the weapons of mass destruction we were looking for. We have been for a very long time.
There is light that can be pulled from the darkest of situations. We have the power to turn this war into a major "wake up call" for our country by turning ourselves and the way we operate around one individual at a time.
I went out with what I call the RentBoy.com "posse" both nights over the past weekend.
Jonathan Chang's night spot, Popular at here Lounge in West Hollywood has really become THE place to throw a birthday party in the past few months. It seems like everyone is having their "get togethers" there these days and Kyle Foxxx's 21st birthday bash was to be no exception. I managed to pull myself away from my computer around midnight to drop by and ended up hanging out with Angel Benton and Rusty on the couch for the majority of the evening.
Lex Sabre, Brandon Baker, Jeremy (Starrfucker Blog), Photo Tom and Kyle Aames (with lovely girlfriend) were all in attendance, as well as a new boy making the rounds who everyone is affectionately referring to (well, okay some not so affectionately - see Andy Kirra's blog) as Houseboy. (I think his actual name is Eric.) He's the shirtless one in the pics. And if all those horrible rumors going around about him are true, let me be the first to say... I think they make him even hotter and hope to God someone mentions my endowment. :-P
On Sunday night, I met up with Brandon and Rusty to see the movie, Premonition. I really liked it. Brandon was very confused. We're hoping to make the "night at the movies" a regular Sunday thing though when everyone is in town.
By the way, can someone tell me why I care so much what Brandon Baker thinks of me? His opinion matters a lot to me and that is very rare in my world.
I'm sure it's just because he is the picture of health! lol ;-)
Wow, it's only been a few days, a few posts and I've already received a dozen emails. You know the ones: "Stick to what you do best, peddling smut." Or worse yet: "I am a Republican and will cancel membership to your site if I have to keep reading shit about George Bush and Stevie Nicks."
Right. Because, of course, if you are open in your bouts of exploitation you can't possibly be nurturing and your right to personal opinion should be immediately castrated or at the very least devalued. (Note: Sarcasm.)
With all the amazing colors out there, some people still insist on painting the world in black and white.
I warned readers earlier, this blog is taking a very different direction, as is my career this year. My eyes are wide open, and a little afraid to blink to be honest, because I will no longer stand idle during warfare -- of a physical or psychological nature. And this war is not just in Iraq. We're all on the attack, every day, if not to others then to ourselves.
I'm not looking to machete The Saboteur out of the water either. To negotiate with him is the only way back to the garden.
A friend of mine recently told me he was so disgusted with the majority of Americans (his specific issue was the superficiality of our culture, which is certainly prevalant amongst us gays), that he didn't think he could live here anymore and was considering a move overseas. That's fine, should that be his path. But I reminded him that if everyone with their eyes open flees the country, we will ultimately be held responsible for the inevitable destruction of the soil on which we were born.
The next generations will have questions. They will ask, "When America was at its crossroads, what did my father's father do? Did anyone shake themselves out of the slumber to really look at the direction we were headed? How did no one recognize their own power in this situation and use their platforms to the best of their abilities?"
My "Diary" has always been a reflection of who I am. Should I repress the ways in which I've grown and the person who I have become so that you continue to give me your $19.95 a month?
JasonCurious.com will not be around forever. But the ideas that our words carry to others who then carry it to others, this is our every day immorality. I intend to start using it wisely.
Had it. Party of one, now. Can you tell?
And instead of strapping a bunch of artillery on my back, I'm dressing up in a disco ball so the so-called opponents can reflect on just who they're really firing at.
All of this will find its way into every aspect of my work without beating someone over the head about it. But here, on this page, is where you get "the director's cut." This is the "no lube zone." Every other page, you get your spoonful of sugar, but I assure you, the message remains at its core.
Did you hear that, as of yesterday, gays are now being allowed into the conservative Jewish fold?
While the extremely liberal Reform Jewish movement has allowed gays to become Rabbis for years, it is noteworthy that the branch of Conservative Judaism voted yesterday to start allowing openly gay and lesbian students into its flagship institution.
Chancellor for the Jewish Theological Seminary, Arnold Eisen, said, "The issue [is] how we can remain true to our tradition in general and to halakah [Jewish law] in particular while staying fully responsive to and immersed in our society and culture."
You mean we're no longer pretending we live in the years the scripture was written? Or even translated?
Kick ass. I'm actually impressed. Arnold gets a gold star! ...From David.
As Dylan used to sneeze, "The times they are a-changing."
The new leader of U.S. Central Command, William J. Fallon, informed the media this morning that there were many parts of Iraq that are booming and prosperous. Some areas that are even quiet. "The idea that this whole country is at war with one another is absolutely not true," he said.
Fascinating. Why are we there?
"There are small factions fighting each other. I think it's a very small percentage of the population. [But] there are killers still on the loose in this country."
It's the midnight hour and I'm sitting here getting work done on the site, jamming to my iPod, as usual.
So much Stevie Nicks and so much Tori Amos. I am lucky my mom and my readers like them both so much because everyone else in my life is damned tired of hearing about them.
You know why I think I relate so much to these two? Besides the fact that they have that whole "midnight music" vibe with their "witchy ways" and the intricate weaving of their spiritualities into their work, another thing these two have in common is that they are the quintessential queens of the sentimental.
Think about it, how many times do these bitches reflect on the past?
Hell, Stevie's still writing songs about her high school sweetheart! Not that I have any room to talk. I still think of mine at the very least once a month. But then, I am 27 and she is 58.
It is ridiculous though how many times in my day I stroll down memory lane. And this is not a quality I have any desire to change anytime soon. I like my memories. My version of them, at least.
Which archetype would that fit under? (See "The Twelve Faces of Jason" entry from earlier this week.) God, I hope it's not The Saboteur in disguise! Ugh, it probably is. Damn him! I'll sick The Pioneer on his ass. I can just hear Mr. P now. "We're breaking new ground here, child. Get out the way!"
But oh how I love these songs! And it's not like these gals look back in anger or in sadness or with regret. They just... look back. I love those spaces. My memories are like warm blankets. And if they're not, I have to deal with them and work through them until they become that for me.
But then, I suppose if you're constantly looking in the rear view mirror, you're gonna smash into something sooner or later.
Anyway, just a reminder that Stevie's CD/DVD collection, Crystal Visions... The Very Best of Stevie Nicks, comes out today, sentimental tracks aplenty! Her bouts of nostalgia run rampant in "Silver Springs," "Landslide," "Planets of the Universe," "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?" and "Blue Denim."
If you missed Stevie's interview on CBS Sunday Morning, here's the segment in full.
I would like to coordially invite you all to bask in my Fifteen Minutes of Shame!
I am excited to announce that I will be performing at the world-famous Hollywood Improv this Summer and before the big date, I've been lucky enough to be booked by a few famed restaurants, piano bars and comedy clubs to test my material.
So what are you in store for with my Fifteen Minutes? If you've ever seen me host any events or shows, you already know the answer to that question. You're going to get lots of ME, the love child of Liza Minnelli and Jimminy Glick, and my entirely inappropriate view of the world at large.
The structure of the act is pretty much complete, but I'm going to be meeting up with Kathy Griffin on Thursday afternoon so she can give me a little "master class" on the art of stand-up.
These are the first two confirmed dates with more to be announced throughout April and May. Stay tuned to JasonSechrest.com or the calendar here for frequently updated dates, times and locations.
Please come out next Monday to experience my Fifteen Minutes of Shame debuting at Universal Citywalk and enjoy the show! :-P
Monday, April 2nd, 2007 - 9:00 pm Howl at the Moon @ Universal Citywalk 1000 Universal Center Drive Universal City, CA 91603 Dinner Reservations: (818) 755-9970
Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 - 10:00 pm M Bar 1253 Vine St. Hollywood, CA 90035 (323) 856-0036
As an epilogue to my relationship with Mikey, which many of you have followed since the launch of JasonCurious.com in 2001, I thought you might be interested to know that we spoke this week. We've chatted only one other time briefly in the last four months and it had not gone well. At all.
But it was really important to us both that we clear things up and leave it on a really positive note. Should we ever run into each other, living in the same town, it would be nice to smile and hug as opposed to biting the insides of our cheeks, you know? I've been told that it shouldn't matter how we leave things or what we think now that we are no longer in each other's lives, but the truth is, seven years does matter to me. We both apologized for how we have treated each other and agreed that we have both moved on and that we gave it our best shot.
And that we think of each other all the time.
But this is cooling, faster than I can... On that note, I wanted to also let you know that there will be a slight change in the format of "Jason's Diary" from this point forward.
The "Diary" will continue to be a place for me to express my own personal growth and recall behind the scenes stories and happenings from out and about, but it will no longer be a detailed account of anyone's life other than my own.
As opposed to specifying circumstances and individuals, I plan to generalize the sagas and the lessons learned.
So much has changed since I started the site. It used to be that I could talk about anyone I either dated or had a one-night stand with and chances were, they probably wouldn't find out. Today, the popularity of the site and the local readership is so high, if I say one slightly negative comment about someone, I get "the phone call." Even my own family members read this "Diary" now (even the ones who say they don't) and while I have nothing to be ashamed of, I don't know that they need explicit details of my latest sexcapade or to hear what I really thought of what they were wearing.
Above all else, when I started the site, all I wanted was to be a public figure and I had absolutely no use for "privacy" whatsoever. Six years later, I value it much more than I ever thought I would and I know the people around me would prefer that I respect their's.
Gene Hetzel and I have been working at editing these diary entries into a book, I Am Curious, along with transcriptions from my more revealing interviews with adult stars throughout the years. So this seems a good place to set a new course.
You can also expect to read more about my favorite artists, my own mainstream ventures and personal political views here in the future.
Thanks to everyone who has been along for this ride, holding my hand as I grew from boy to man.
Including those who really did hold it.
So then Love walked up to Like And said, "I know that you don't like me much, Let's go for a ride."
This ocean is wrapped around that pineapple tree. And is your place in heaven worth giving up these kisses?
And Peggy got a message for me from Jesus. And I've heard every word that You have said. And I know I have been driven like the snow.
Speaking of archetypes (see yesterday's "Twelve Faces of Jason" blog), Tori Amos announced this week that she will be role playing on her May 1st release, American Doll Posse, personifying five very different women and telling the very political and personal stories of how they each see the world today. She'll also be taking each of the five women on tour with her (from left to right): Santa, Clyde, Isabel, Tori and Pip. Naturally, we gays are ecstatic. Costumes and wigs. We couldn't be happier.
Most brilliant of all though is Tori's most recently hatched marketing scheme of giving each "doll" her own blog, updated frequently and hidden online for her fans to find! She says, "Instead of hosting an Easter egg hunt, this year I'm hosting a posse hunt. Happy hunting!"
Dozens of "fakes" popped up immediately, but there were a few with publish dates prior to the announcement. They also sound the most legitimate and carry Tori's unique prose. (With the exception of maybe Pip's. The jury is still out on that one.) Here are the four we're tracked down so far:
The House of Representatives passed a bill Friday for a 2008 Iraq pullout.
To get this to become law by Congress would require not only the vote of every democrat, but about twelve republicans as well. An extremely tall order, but hey, at least there's hope. Right?
Mmm, no. Not really.
President Bush announced immediately following the passing of the bill that the House was wasting its time, that it would never become law and promised that if it reached his desk, he would use his power to veto it.
Lovely. Both chambers would need two-thirds majorities to override his veto.
Dictatorship. Don't fool yourselves. We're only two-thirds of the way from living in it.
Between reading The Psychology of Transference by Carl Jung and listening to leaked clips from Tori Amos's forthcoming CD, American Doll Posse, I have been surrounded by the idea of archetypes living within each of us lately.
It is said that, as we grow, we discover we hold dozens of archetypes within our beings, but there are twelve that remain in the "inner circle" for life. Through becoming aware of these core twelve, we can compartmentalize them, using them to our benefit by bringing them out in full force during situations where they are needed. This compartmentalization also helps us to keep them in check, knowing when and when not for them to be in a war with each other, or worse yet, against you.
Through my study of these, I have found my own "inner circle," the twelve faces of Jason if you will.
Here is my own personal "posse," in no particular order.
THE WOUNDED CHILD In Entertainment: Diana Scarwid in Mommie Dearest, Linda Blair in The Exorcist, Leonardo di Caprio in This Boy's Life. In Religion/Myth: The Amazons, warrior women of Greek myth who, as children, had their right breast removed to facilitate the use of bow and arrow, their chief weapon. Common Traits: Compassionate, Forgiving, Finger-Pointing, Resist Progress
THE CLOWN Aka: Court Jester, The Fool In Entertainment: Barbra Streisand in What's Up, Doc?, Charlie Chaplin in The Circus In Religion/Myth: Mullah Nasruddin, Sufi figure in Egypt, half saint and half fool, who acted like a ninny to teach wisdom. Common Traits: With one comment, can make some laugh while others cry, Critical of hypocrisy. Masked, physically or emotionally. Allowed to cross the boundaries of social acceptance, representing what people would like to do or say themselves. Tendency towards cruel, personal mockery or betrayal, specifically the breaking of confidences gained through knowledge from the inner circle. THE GUIDE Aka: Guru, Sage, Spiritual Master, Evangelist, Preacher In Entertainment: Robert Duval in The Apostle In Religion/Myth: Marpa, Buddhist master and guru Common Traits: Insightful. Spiritual teacher. Sees the divine in every aspect of life. Self-disciplined.
THE WOUNDED HEALER Aka: Caregiver, Nurse, Analyst In Entertainment: Ellen Burstyn in Ressurection, Barbra Streisand in The Prince of Tides In Religion/Myth: Asklepios, Greek hero who later became a plague god, then the god of medicine and healing. Common Traits: Once a Victim or Wounded Child archetype. Ability to heal, but often self-defeating in wanting to help only those who don't want to be helped.
THE LIBERATOR In Entertainment: Tom Selleck in In and Out, Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame, Sally Field in Norma Rae In Religion/Myth: Jesus, Muhammad and Buddah. On the other hand, so was Lucifer, a rebellious angel who refused to worship Adam or acknowledge the supremacy of God. In mythology, Dionysus and Eros, both bore other names meaning "the liberator." Common Traits: Non-conformists. A desire to liberate the masses from tyranny or self-inflicted negative thought patterns and beliefs, spiritual sluggishness, destructive relationships and addictive behavior. Tendency to believe their way of life is "the right way."
THE ADDICT Aka: Conspicuous Consumer, Glutton, Gambler, Workaholic In Entertainment: Leonardo di Caprio in Basketball Diaries, Dom de Luise in Fatso In Religion/Myth: Tantalus, son of Zeus and king of Sipylos, invited to partake of "the food of the gods," but after abusing the honor was punished by being "tantalized" for all eternity by food and drink he could not reach. Common Traits: Indulgent, Emotional, Extremely Intelligent
THE NETWORKER Aka: Messenger, Journalist, Publicist In Entertainment: Stewart Peterson in Pony Express Rider, Jeff Goldblum in Between the Lines In Religion/Myth: Archangel Raphael, Messenger of the Gods. Common Traits: Brings information, inspiration and/or power to groups of people. Friends amongst vastly different groups of people. Social flexibility. Ability to find commonality with others who at first might not seem potential allies. Tendency to use others for personal gain. Prone to gossip.
THE PIONEER Aka: Explorer, Settler, Pilgrim, Innovator In Entertainment: Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls, Jean Arthur in Shane Common Traits: Desire to be groundbreaking. Interested in doing and creating what has not been done before, setting a trend, a new path for others to follow. Tendency to compulsively abandon one's past and move on, sometimes associated with The Seducer/Don Juan/Femme Fatale archetypes.
THE SABOTEUR In Entertainment: Woody Harrelson in The People vs. Larry Flynt, Angela Landsbury in The Manchurian Candidate In Religion: The Serpent, a figure who deceives humans, often sabotaging their only chance at immortality. Common Traits: Low self-esteem. Blocks paths to hapiness and success out of fear that they will be taken away. Self-destructive.
THE STORYTELLER Aka: Singer, Narrator, Actor, Writer Common Traits: Prone to exaggeration. No concept of time. Teachers. Entertaining by nature.
THE STUDENT Aka: Disciple, Devotee, Follower, Apprentice In Entertainment: Matthew Broderick in The Freshman, Audry Hepburn in My Fair Lady In Religion/Myth: The great sorceress Medea, devotee of Hecate and Greek goddess of the crossroads. Common Traits: Insatiable thirst for knowledge and self-growth. Pursuit of mastery. Tendency to invent new reasons to continue being schooled without ever putting their current knowledge to the test.
THE VISIONARY Aka: The Dreamer, The Prophet, The Seer In Religion/Myth: Muhammad, the final prophet of Islam. In Greek lore, Cassandra, the daughter of the king and queen of Troy, who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo in an attempt to seduce her, but because she refused his advances he made all her prophecies fall on deaf ears. Common Traits: Ability to see possibilities beyond the span of one's lifetime that benefit the all of society. Attune to divine guidance. Selfless, working on behalf of humanity. Often associated with psychic abilities.
P.S.: This entry was writen, as always by The Networker, but relayed by information from The Student. ;-)
P.P.S.: Through choosing the twelve, I was also forced to eliminate certain archetypes that I may have felt I identified with, but after close introspection found I probably just look up to. For example, I found that I am not The Artist, but instead the Storyteller, an art of its own of course, like anything, but this does not make one an Artist by the archetype's standards. (I didn't compose the brilliance, I'm just stepping outside of myself so I can embody it. A humbling discovery, to say the least.) In the same vein, I found I am not the Mystic (devotes majority of their day if not all of it to ascension to the divine realm), but the Guide and the Visionary. Anyway, I found it's really quite helpful knowing what you're not, too!
I have been slowly inching my way back to the dating scene for the past few weeks and it has been interesting because it is a whole different ball game now. When I bolted up and decided to change my life late last year and never settle for anything less, I was unaware of how it would affect absolutely every aspect of my life.
Winter 2006/2007 was like transforming into this brand new person and now I feel like I'm getting a chance to live in my new, or rather "updated," person, constantly asking myself, "Why am I doing this? And why am I liking it?" and constantly answering myself, "Oh that's right! Becuase the new you actually would like that, wouldn't he?"
When it comes to dating, I am no longer looking for a boyfriend. I am looking for a partner.
Well, that certainly changes everything, doesn't it? I no longer need a boyfriend to make me feel good about myself or enjoy things that I could just as easily enjoy on my own. Would I like to partner with someone? Absolutely. But I don't need it and will be very happy investing in myself and giving to the world in whatever ways I can if that is to be my path.
This perspective changes the dating scene immeasurably for me because I don't want to waste anyone's time, especially mine. So I have discovered that what I really need is to separate the boys from the men.
Well, this seemed simple enough at first, but I'm now finding that in order to do this, I need to define what really makes a man.
I'm not at all discriminating when it comes to age. There are plenty of 40 year olds who are still playing in the sandbox and there are 18 year olds who can play their prodigal sons. So I knew immediately that for my personal definition, age was not a factor in what makes a man.
But men are at least supposed to be strong, right? Men are good with their hands. Men are virile, whatever that means. They have their shit together, right? Men can provide security and... I don't know, shelter. Something!
No, the truth is, what I'm really looking for is someone like my father. Yet, he is none of those things that we so often associate with what makes a man. He is selfless. He is in touch with his emotions, but never wallows in them. He would walk to the ends of the earth to make happy those who he loves. He is far from indulgent, putting so much before himself and his own desires -- his music, his family, his religion. He is strong in his faith and in his love. He is honest and loyal and knows the meaning of true friendship.
Yes, these things are, to me, what makes a man. Yet, for some reason, until now, they have always been the last things I think about when dating! I'm accostomed to measuring up everything from waist size to resume, but never these things. Never the stuff that makes "partner" material.
So, to all my fellow bachelors, before we all go off half-cocked about how someone isn't worth dating because they don't have a job or maybe they don't have much of a sense of style or perhaps they live at home with their parents, I implore us to ask of ourselves as we sit across the dinner table judging them silently, what it is that we're really seeking.
Your answer might not be the same as mine and that's fine but we have to be honest with ourselves. Some seek financial or physical security. Some seek subordinants. I don't need any of that. These days, I feel I have everything I need all in me and will take fine care of myself. In fact, I don't "need" anyone, but I want a true "partner," and so I am seeking a different kind of security of the emotional kind.
Good to define things before dinner is served.
P.S.: There are a so many songs that popped into my head while writing this entry. They all fit the mood nicely. I am going to let you vote on which you think should be my upcoming "Song of the Week" here and available for download on my MySpace and D-List profiles.
"I don't need no heartbreaker, fifty-faced trouble maker, two timing time taker, dirty little money maid, muscle bound cheap skate, low down woman hater, triple crossing double dater, yellow bellied alligator!" - Eurythmics, "I Need A Man"
"Now and then we wonder who the real men are." - Tori Amos, "Real Men"
"Tell me if you can, what makes a man?" - Liza Minnelli, "What Makes A Man?"
I took Keith Allen to the airport tonight and he seemed sad to go. I think he really enjoyed his couple of days here and I hope he got a good taste of Los Angeles. I took him to The Grove and the Graumann's Chinese Theater and the Dreamgirls Revue -- you know, all the really important things to see in the area! lol
Here's an adorable photo of him with Sadie.
Keith and I are a lot a like. He's always just... a few years behind me, seeing as he's a few years younger. I think one of the reasons we have stayed friends is that we both value that. It's nice for me to see a reminder of where I was and for him to see a glimpse of where he'll be.
Liza Minnelli interviews the hard rocking My Chemical Romance frontman Gerald Way in the new issue of Interview magazine, where she proves the old addage that interviews are often as much about the journalist as the subject!
For those not already aware (I don't think I had mentioned it here yet), Minnelli is featured on the band's new album, Welcome to the Black Parade, in the song "Momma." (Take a listen in the clip below, good stuff!) The legend says that what drew her to the band was their fearlessness and "that sense of 'fuck it' but 'fuck it' with style!"
Minnelli gives a rare sound byte about the comparisons to her own momma, Judy Garland, in the interview, stating, "I think it's so weird when people come up to me and say, 'Oh, you're just like your mother,' you know? I want to go, 'No, she sang about being afraid and wishing for things, and I sing about getting them and celebrating things!'"
Keith, despite being so much smaller than me, drank me under the table last night. He's younger than me, he's shorter than me, he's thinner than me and he drinks twice as much as I do. And holds it!
It's 5:30 am and I am nursing a Diet Coke in an attempt to stop the tightness of my brain.
Let's talk about Monday nights in West Hollywood. Deadest night of the week, right? Well, if you have to go out, may I suggest hitting up The Abbey? It is unlike any other night during the week at that bar. There's actually a decent amount of people there without it being "busy." Everyone is sitting, either at a table, booth or bar. None of the usual standing around "mingling" about. And there's live music! Like two fantastic black men by the fireplace strumming their guitars and singing standards like "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever" and "The Shadow of Your Smile." It is like a modern-day version of what those chill clubs in the 60's were. So relaxed and such a completely different group of people than the usual "boys looking to get laid" too if you're seeking something more mature and substantial.
I know I've been slacking on the KabbalahCurious.com posts, but those of you who check that site frequently will be happy to know that when it rains it pours and when it's dry it's arid! Get ready for the flood! I'll be doing daily posts over the next few weeks.
Between The 12 Days of Aries (beginning Tuesday - read up!), Pesach/Passover, the Spring Equinox/Ostara, my continued study of Regardie'sOne-Year Manual and my recent reading of the gnostic gospels, I've got a lot of ground to cover!
Sunday is such a day of reflection for me and I find that this past week's lessons for me have all led to the same conclusion: There's a thin line between love and hate.
Now, I think a lot of us agree with this statement, but a lot of times we don't really fathom just how close they are, these two parts of our beings.
As a Sagittarius, one of my fatal flaws is always being quick to show someone just how wrong they are. Some people perceive this to be a violent attack, but for me, it's coming out of a place of love, wanting to help that person better their lives. But this is not my place, is it? It's not my job to basically shove someone's face in their own shit to make them see just how horrible it smells. That's almost like trying to play God.
Let's take this a step further though where it gets really complicated.
As an example, one of the groups that I seem to "take on" in this way quite often are the hardcore Christians for being so frequently hypocritical, saying there is only one path, that it's their way or the highway. They say that they base everything out of love and peace, but telling someone it's their way or they are unworthy is quite a violent attack! So in my writings and in my every day life, I try my best to explain to them what they're really doing, the hate and the repression that I believe they have caused in society. And yes, sometimes I am so desperate to have people see this, especially if they are close to me and I love them, that I will shove their face in it.
But what's interesting is that by shoving their face in it, I am doing exactly what they are doing, aren't I? Saying, "You shouldn't live your life this way." I'm performing an attack out of love, just like they are.
And how different is this from the terrorist attacks on America? Not very with the exception that it's physical in the nature of its violence. But they were still coming from a place of "love" and believing in peace, wanting to show us what's right, show us the way.
Acts of hate disguised as acts of love.
How often in your day do you wish someone would see the error of their ways, be it out of love or hate? Do you fight with your friends over their behavior? Do you scream at that person in traffic?
We can all say that we are peace makers to our dying breath, but we are and will always be duality. There is a darker side of our nature and by ignoring it and claiming we only act out of love and peace, ignoring it only makes it stronger. We have to combat that "hate" that sneaks up on us, but before we can do battle we have to face that opponent.
I posted a quote from Tori Amos about this very subject earlier this week: "It's easy to see the enemy in another culture. Find the enemy in your own culture. Then find the enemy in your own being. We all have this part of ourselves that will choose to obliterate instead of negotiate, because it doesn't take a lot of skill to obliterate, unfortunately."
This quote came from an interview when Tori was discussing her song "Waitress." It's the song of the week and not only that! You may have noticed in the comments section here and on YouTube, some people have been asking for a new Tori cover. So, I decided I needed to get out some much needed "terrorism" in a healthy way, and decided to do a little improvised duet with her on this song.
I was actually recording another song one of you had requested (I may post that later) and just experimenting with this afterwards, but the harmony came very naturally about half way through and I found myself improvising lyrics being whispered into my head that worked really well: I will give you peace of mind. I will give you peace of mine. My piece, mine! ... Find that girl.
Despite the fact that my "News Desk" blog is syndicated, it's this blog, "Jason's Diary," that captures a more diverse audience and oddly enough receives more hits on my site than any other page. Some people read the "Diary" to catch a glimpse of what life is really like for someone who works behind the scenes in adult entertainment. Others read it because they relate to my personal introspection. And then there is this entirely separate group of individuals who read it for the latest news on my many favorite divas.
Yes, it's true, "Jason's Diary" of all blogs has recently been a point of reference on fan pages ranging from Tori Amos to Judy Garland. Even Cybersocket Magazine made mention of this aspect of the "Diary" in their review of the JasonCurious.com blogs in this month's issue.
So I suppose it's time to give you all an update on what our favorite divas have been up to.
Someone asked me recently, "How do you know all of this?!"
Well, I see a lot of concerts. I read a lot of fan sites. And my site can drive a lot of traffic, so mainstream publicists happen to love me. ;-)
STEVIE NICKS - On Tuesday, March 27th, Stevie Nicks will release a CD/DVD set entitled Crystal Visions... The Very Best of Stevie Nicks. This will be the first "greatest hits" CD of Stevie's to combine her work both with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. Aside from the usual classics, it will include the new Deep Dish remix of "Dreams," a live version of her "Rock and Roll" cover, and two new live versions of "Edge of Seventeen" and "Landslide," both performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Most exciting for fans though is that this will be the first time Stevie's music video collection has been brought to DVD. Stevie's audio commentary is included for each of the 13 videos, plus never before seen footage of her recording her first solo album, Bella Donna, inside her home. To promote the CD/DVD set, Stevie will be taking to the road with Chris Issak for a summer tour slated to begin in May. Though she is slated to perform a return engagement of her hit show at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas from March 20th - 24th, no dates have been set as of yet for the summer tour. She is, however, currently scheduled for an interview on CBS Sunday Morning for Sunday, March 25th, will perform "Landslide" and "Rhiannon" on The Today Show Friday, March 30th and will perform "Landslide" and "Stand Back" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Wednesday, April 18th. (Though she will be performing both songs for audience members, it is not certain that both will be featured in the broadcast.)
The track listing for Crystal Visions... The Very Best of Stevie Nicks is as follows:
CD: 1. Edge of Seventeen 5:29 2. I Can't Wait 4:36 3. Sorcerer 4:55 4. If Anyone Falls In Love 4:07 5. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (with Tom Petty) 4:03 6. Silver Springs (with Fleetwood Mac) 4:46 7. Dreams (with Deep Dish) 3:47 8. Rhiannon (Live) 7:02 9. Rooms On Fire 4:35 10. Talk To Me 4:10 11. Landslide (Live with The Melbourne Symphony) 4:14 12. Stand Back 4:48 13. Planets Of The Universe 4:46 14. Rock And Roll (Live) 4:03 15. Leather And Lace (with Don Henley) 3:55 16. Edge Of Seventeen (Live with The Melbourne Symphony) 9:12
DVD 1. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (with Tom Petty) 2. Edge Of Seventeen 3. Stand Back (Scarlett Version) 4. Stand Back 5. If Anyone Falls In Love 6. Talk To Me 7. I Can't Wait 8. Rooms On Fire 9. Whole Lotta Trouble 10. Sometimes It's A Bitch 11. Blue Denim 12. Every Day 13. Sorcerer (with Sheryl Crow) *. Bonus: Audio Commentary for 13 Videos *. Bonus: The Making of Stevie's solo debut, Bella Donna
One of the most anticipated things on Crystal Visions is the "Scarlett Version" of the video for "Stand Back." This was the first version of the video shot, very elaborate, extravagant and high budget, which was discarded and replaced with the more simple version everyone knows well from the 1980's.
As a special treat, I have not only the long-awaited video itself, but Stevie's hilarious audio commentary included. Enjoy!
* HEAR IT HERE? PLEASE PRE-ORDER FROM MY LINK! ;-)
CYNDI LAUPER - Cyndi Lauper has announced that she will launch her True Colors Tour on June 8th where she will be joined by several performers including Rufus Wainwright, Erasure, Debbie Harry and Margaret Cho, making it quite possibly the only tour more gay than Cher's farewell love fest. And with good reason! A dollar from every ticket sold is going to the Human Rights Campaign. Lauper said in the press release, "You shouldn't be treated badly because of your sexual orientation. Come on, we don't live in a dictatorship. This is supposed to be America, the home of the free and the brave. It can't be free for some and not for others." The tour is currently only slated through the end of June, but depending on ticket sales could continue throughout the Summer.
Cyndi sang an acoustic version of "True Colors" when promoting the tour on The View this week.
TORI AMOS - As if Stevie's musical witchery taking to the road weren't enough to bowl us over this Summer, Tori Amos will be touring with a band for the first time in four years to promote her May 1st release, American Doll Posse. The tour begins overseas in late May. American dates not yet set.
The first promotional photo for the album consisted of Tori standing outside of a suburban home looking like the most "desperate housewife" you've ever seen, a woman divided; the picture of perfection with a Bible in her hand on her right, while on the left a picture of total catastrophe with a broken heel, menstrual blood running down her leg, and the word SHAME written in her palm. This along with the first leaked snippet of the song "Big Wheel" in which she tells Jesus, "So you are a 'superstar,' get off the cross, we need the wood!" and calls herself a "MILF" repeatedly may mean Tori's going back to her "Crucify" roots. Tori has been unusually tight-lipped about the album with minimal press release info. So here is what we currently know and what we speculate.
We know: Tori has said the theme of the album is that "the political IS the personal." But before you begin thinking this is a full on anti-war statement with songs like "Yo, George" (leaked lyrics: I salute to you commander and I sneeze cause I have now an allergy to your policies it seems. Is this just the madness of King George?) and "Velvet Revolution" (leaked lyrics: Feeling radical in cotton purified in my satin, but the bomb of the season is the velvet revolution. All you killers of children, there's a new commandment. The true divine creator wants a velvet revolution.), Tori says she's not interested in submitting anything along the lines of Neil Young's album, Living with War. "I love Neil Young," she said in her only interview to date discussing the album, "but I'm not interested in the old farts that Neil Young probably reached with his album. I'm after their teenage daughters. This is about rousing 18-year olds to wake up and make choices. I want them to realize what their future will be in 20 years time unless they start voting for whom they truly want in power." Amos has always been a huge advocate of world change beginning with the self and has hinted that says that this album delves into changing the war against the self as well with songs like "Fat Slut," "Girl Disappearing," "Teenage Hustling" and a look at the scene of youngun's pop music in "Programmable Soda." There are five different sections of the album, divided by interludes, a first for the artist.
We speculate: The few "friends of press" fortunate enough to hear and review the album online have all agreed that it is her biggest rock album to date, sonically most similar to her cover album, Strange Little Girls. There have been rumors of her taking on five different personas for the album and rumors of several "wigs" for not only promotional photos but the tour itself, also in the vein of the SLG album. It has been said that a handwritten letter from Tori was included in the press kits wherein she states, "I, like you, can not just turn my back on this very fragile Blue Ball that is our only known hope of existence," and relays a story of two women approaching her at Starbucks asking her to "tell it like it is" and reminding her, "The war is not just in some far away place, but it's in my life too," that inspired her to write American Doll Posse.
The track listing for the album was announced this week as follows:
1. Yo, George 1:25 * 2. Big Wheel 3:18 3. Bouncing Off Clouds 4:08 4. Teenage Hustling 4:00 5. Digital Ghost 3:50 6. You Can Bring Your Dog 4:04 7. Mr. Bad Man 3:18 8. Fat Slut 0:41 * 9. Girl Disappearing 4:00 10. Secret Spell 4:04 11. Devils and Gods 0:53 * 12. Body and Soul 3:56 13. Father's Son 3:59 14. Programmable Soda 1:25 * 15. Code Red 5:27 16. Roosterspur Bridge 3:58 17. Beauty of Speed 4:08 18. Almost Rosey 5:23 19. Velvet Revolution 1:19 * 20. Dark Side of The Sun 4:16
* = Interludes
There will be a CD/DVD set that includes a brief documentary, "What My Posse Can Do," along with the additional tracks "Posse Bonus Album," "Smokey Joe Album" and "Dragon."
Someone set the first leaked snippet of the songs"Big Wheel" in which she calls herself a "MILF" to YouTube so here's your first look at the sound of American Doll Posse, hitting stores May 1st.
* HEAR IT HERE? PLEASE PRE-ORDER FROM MY LINK! ;-)
MADONNA - You no doubt know by now that Madonna has launched her own line of clothing through H&M. Before, by the way, she was merely the company's spokesmodel. Now she has her own line which she takes a hand in designing herself, called M by Madonna from H&M. If you have not seen the director's cut of the commerical, see it below.
What you may not know is that the writers of the hit TV show Nip/Tuck are writing a role for her upon her Madgesty's request. (They want her to do something with her pal, Rosie O'Donnell.) She is also back in the studio working on a new album with Timbaland as one of the currently chosen collaborators.
And as mentioned here previously, a special edition DVD of her 80's bomb, Shanghai Surprise, co-starring then-hubsand Sean Penn, will be released on Tuesday, April 10th.
BARBRA STREISAND - Remember Barbra Streisand's big tour last year? Well, it's coming to CD and DVD. But first to CD. And then much later to DVD because the bitch wants you to buy EVERYTHING!
Streisand: Live in Concert will be a 2-CD set that, while touted as being live from Madison Square Garden, from what I hear behind the scenes includes a few "better vocals" from a Philadelphia concert or two here and there. Il Divo's mid-set is not included in the CD, though all of their duets with Streisand are. Unfortunately, the only Streisand track cut from the album was my personal favorite, "The Woman in the Moon," but we can remain hopeful that it will surface on the DVD edition as she did perform it during the closing night Los Angeles concert where the DVD was filmed.
Notice some of my notes on the track listing for Streisand: Live in Concert is as follows:
Disc: 1 1. Overture 2. Starting Here, Starting Now 3. Down With Love 4. The Way We Were 5. Ma Premiere Chanson (Streisand playing at the piano) 6. Evergreen (with Il Divo) 7. Come Rain Or Come Shine 8. Funny Girl 9. The Music That Makes Me Dance 10. My Man 11. People (with "We travel single-o" intro from film version)
Disc: 2 1. Entr'acte 2. The Music Of The Night (with Il Divo) 3. Jason's Song/Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen 4. Unusual Way 5. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? 6. Happy Days Are Here Again (NOT sung with the Bush impersonator) 7. Have I Stayed Too Long At The Fair? 8. A Cockeyed Optimist (with "The Time of Your Life" reading intro) 9. Somewhere (with Il Divo) 10. My Shining Hour 11. Don't Rain On My Parade (the Broadway Reprise version) 12. Smile
It has also been said that Streisand will be making "a big announcement" around the time that the CD is released. My guess? That she is taking the show to Europe. This was discussed at the end of the last tour and what better time to do it than with a CD to promote this time around?
* HEAR IT HERE? PLEASE PRE-ORDER FROM MY LINK! ;-)
KATHY GRIFFIN - Guess what? Here's the thing! I have the date of the season premiere for Bravo's third season of My Life on the D-List! We'll all be tuning in on Tuesday, June 5th at 9:00 pm (PT) to see the season in which Kathy deals with divorce from her husband, the death of her father and, of course, the hosting of The GayVN Awards in San Francisco. Also airing on Bravo! (in all likelihood that same night or the night before) will be Kathy's new stand-up comedy special, Everybody Can Suck It.
Griffin will also be going on tour to promote the show this Summer and while Cyndi Lauper will be performing with the likes of Rufus and Blondie at a smaller venue like The Greek Theater, Griffin is playing to the freaking Universal Ampitheater!
D-List? I think not. But honey, you milk that title as long as you can!
LIZA MINNELLI - Liza Minnelli, who celebrated her 61st birthday this week, will be returning to The Luxor in Vegas for the fourth time in the past year March 29th - 31st. She is rumored to be including as part of her second act a preview of her upcoming Showtime televised concert special, a tribute to godmother Kay Thompson. No date has been set for the special yet, but aside from the Showtime date, there is also a CD and tour in the works. The show includes so much dancing (just incredible for someone with fake hips and knees at 60), Liza wears a headset for a microphone and is accompanied by four male backup dancers and singers.
Here is a short clip of her show's opening song "I Can See Clearly Now/I Can See It" from a performance last month to show you what kind of voice she's in these days. Catch it if you can before she takes to an extensive overseas tour of her current show in April, May and June!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my OWN American Doll Posse! ;-)
In the same vein as yesterday's blog, I've just been informed by Sam Phillips that the horror movie we did together a few years back, The Legacy, from producer Roger Corman, is being sold to Showtime and will hit the tube internationally this Summer.
For those of you who don't remember, The Legacy was the real stretch -- where I play a straight, stoner frat bro. Uh huh. Pretend you don't already know me and watch a clip from the screener! ;-)
