Bette Midler Goes West on HBO

The big buzz you've been waiting for, people! Surely you've heard by now that none other than the Divine Miss M herself will be assaying (and sashaying in) the part of droll diva and camp icon, Mae West. The HBO film (to be released theatrically outside the U.S.) is to be directed by William ("The Boys in the Band," "Cruising" and some little opus called "The Exorcist") Friedkin. And who is writing this biopic? None other than Harvey Fierstein ("Kinky Boots," "Torch Song Trilogy"), based on Miss West's autobiography, Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It, that's who.

Bette Midler has been having herself a grand time lately, coming hot off her Broadway hit, I'll Eat You Last (in which she assayed but pretty much stayed on her assets as famed Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers) and now swirling into the role of Mae West.

I guess HBO had the urge to outdo themselves on the gay-o-meter after the success of their Liberace biopic. I first read the Bette buzz today via Playbill on-line. The next thing I knew, it was all over the Internet. Variety said it was actually Deadline Hollywood that first broke the news and wrote, "The performer who became synonymous with busty bravado, sex and sultry humor died in 1980 at age 87 after a long career on stage and screen." Doesn't that sound divinely perfect for Miss Midler, who just turned 71? "Pic focuses on West’s early years as a stage player in Gotham when she battled censors and faced legal sanctions for her risque Rialto show 'Sex,'" Variety informs. Well, Miss M looks good and can play younger, I suppose.

So, Bette in the Mae West biopic, Liza in the Sunset Boulevard movie! Sounds like things are shaping up for our cherished divas! Star vehicles at last, dahlings, for female stars not named Meryl!

"[Mae] West eventually moved from stage to screen and rose to super stardom in the 1930s when she became one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood at the time," Huffington Post touted.

Buddy Beaverhausen thinks Bette will be an ideal Mae West. In fact, she's notoriously gone West in her live stage shows from the start. The hair fluffing, her raunchy lines, her campy delivery, her knowing overtures to her gay fans, her petite but curvaceous figure. If there was no Mae, there might never be the Bette we know and love.

Mae West said, “I wrote the story myself. It's about a girl who lost her reputation and never missed it.” She was also quoted as quipping, "Good sex is like good bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand."

Sounds like HBO's holding a firm hand on this one.


 

Jive Turkeys

"Conservatives bashed Macy's via social media for the inclusion of a drag queen and a musical number from the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," read The Advocate on-line today.

People, chill out and grow up! That's what Dj Buddy Beaverhausen has to offer on this matter.

"Conservatives immediately took to Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of social media to bash Macy’s for the inclusion of a musical number from the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade," according to the source Back 2 Stonewall.

Oh, puh-leeze, dahlings! From what I saw, it was SUCH a gay parade overall. Kristin Chenoweth! Joan Jett! Those campy cheerleaders! And those over-the-top fabulous floats! Get over yourselves, haters!

“Macy's worst decision ever with your cross dresser show on Thanksgiving, you've completely removed the family part of thanksgiving,” someone posted on Macy’s Facebook page. “Absolutely disgusting, whoever made that decision should be fired.”

“Not happy with the drag queen show,” another person wrote. “Not a conversation I wanted to have with my five-year-old on thanksgiving morning.” Really? It would be that hard to discuss?!

I would say that, for most people, it was such a mild and fun-filled parade performance. Wonder if Cyndi, Harvey Fierstein or Jerry Mitchell will have responses. It's like bitching about the witch in The Wizard of Oz  presntation being an anti-Christian symbol. How simple-minded! Why, if it wasn't for LGBT people in the arts, entertainment would be a snooze. We all know that! Besides, Kinky Boots has been such a huge success on Broadway, it's obvious not many people are offended by it.

Buddy B says fuck 'em if they can't take a little cross-dressing. Ain't they ever seen Uncle Miltie? Drag has been part of popular entertainment since theater began. Tell it to the ancient Greeks and to Shakespeare! Sheesh!

The Cyndi Lauper Poll Revealed ... and More!

Cyndi in the new Uniqlo ad in Japan

I thought I should share with people who took my most recent poll (and with non-participants alike) just how things turned out. The poll closed the day before NYC Pride (in other words, two days ago), and the question was: "What remixed Cyndi song best captures the spirit of Pride 2012?" It really was that ridiculously simple, although I posted seven choices and surprised even my own self that "The Ballad of Cleo and Joe," a song about a drag queen, wasn't one of them! What was I wasn't thinking?  (Who am I trying to kid? It would have never won anyhow! Ha!)

The winner of the poll, then, was "True Colors" (like, gasp!) with 13 votes, compared to three for classic and many, many, many times remixed "Time After Time," two for "Shine" (What?), one each for "Same Old Fucking Story" and "Into the Nightlife" (off her "Bring Ya to the Brink" dance album) (What?), absolutely zip for either "Girls Just Wanna..." (guess you girls didn't wanna!) or Cyn's cover of "Disco Inferno." And there you have it, voters. Of course, when you consider the voter apathy issue, things might have turned out much different, bitches! Just sayin'.

Here's a photo of Cyndi, looking fab in her red top-hat at yesterday's NYC march, as Grand Marshal.

Prideful Cyndi 2012

(Love the lashes.) The two New York City commuter-friendly community free papers, AM New York and Metro, commented very positively on the parade that I didn't attend. "More than 1 million in the streets," said Metro. "Two months after President Barak Obama says he supports gay marriage...," we are also reminded. And, "Festivities come one year after New York state legalizes gay marriage." Oh, right! Last year! Isn't that quaint?

Metro tells commuters that the rare protester of the event was either ignored or dissed. And why shouldn't they be? Nobody but nobody is gonna rain on our parade! Not with all the glorious sunlight showering down and Ms Lauper upfront and center.

In AM New York, another glowing, crowing article about the eventful day with an interview with observer George Takei (Sulu from the original Star Trek series, and an out, and outspoken, gay man). "It's terrific! It's galactic!" he raved. Trippy!

Kinky Cyndi

"I was as grand a marshal as I could have been," our diva tweeted. Not only that, she performed at the newly located Dance on the Pier. She has a new disco tune about to drop, which she previewed during her performance. The song, "Sex in the Heel" is from the forthcoming Broadway play, Kinky Boots, music and lyrics by Cyndi, book by Harvey Fierstein, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell! Wow! (Ok, where the cast at?)

Cyndi was  more than Grand Marshal! Just keep rockin' us with "True Colors" and beyond!

Below, from YouTube, the forthcoming Morel remix of "Sex in the Heel." Get your cha-cha heels on!: