Anthropomorphism & Me

My friend, dance-diva Karin Nagi from Holland, is also the spokesperson and head of the group Voices for Children and Animals. Karin came to New York City last summer to speak at the United Nations. We hung out afterward, with my friend, author and cabaret columnist, Kevin Scott Hall. We saw Ron Giles' act at Don't Tell Mama (which we all loved), then had a sensational vegan dinner at the nearby Zen Palate (now closed, unfortunately).

Since last May, I've been struggling to go vegan myself. Karin is an advocate of it, and my podiatrist and his life partner are vegans and strongly support this. I have given up eating mammal meat (cows, pigs, lamb, etc.) because of the cruelty issue to these creatures. To be frank, I've slipped a few times, but as I wrote, this is a struggle. At this point, I still eat fish, fowl, cheese and dairy.  I'm hoping to eventually evolve past that.

On Voices' Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1410717999210324/?ref=ts&fref=ts, Karin's images depict animals with very obvious emotions on display that we human animals can relate to. You can see grins, joy, happiness, depression, sadness, hopelessness on their faces just as you can with other humans. You can read and understand their body language.

I learned the word anthropomorphism in high school. It means to assign human attributes to everything from deities to animals to inanimate objects. In a way, my respect for animals came from my mother taking me to see classic Disney films at the movie theater, like Lady and the Tramp. Bambi and Dumbo were particularly traumatic as their mothers were killed in those films. My mom consoled me and taught me about animal cruelty. And I grew up realizing that, when it came to animals and their feelings, Disney's films had a reality to them, even if dogs don't eat pasta human-style. Of course, we still ate meat in our house. I mean, c'mon, it was the late '50s/early '60s and vegetarianism was not part of the consciousness for the average family at the time.

But I learned it at the movies. That we are one and not so different, we creatures sharing the Earth. And I continued to learn through films like 1973's The Day of the Dolphin. Or Orca (1977) with its beautiful theme song, "We Are One." The film starred Richard Harris. Someone left the cake out in the ocean!

So, I recommend "anthropomorphic" films for the kiddies, especially via animated film and tv shows. Ok, I'm in the mood for a vegan meal tonight. Corporations aren't people. Animals are people, my friends.

Revenge of the First-Rate Lounge Act: Ronnie Giles

Ronnie Giles' "Revenge of the Third-rate Lounge Act" was a breezy afternoon treat that swept through a packed house at Don't Tell Mama with plenty of aplomb and no shortage of charm.

Ron's nonchalance and his smooth vocals made this a thorough Saturday afternoon delight. Bistro Awards founder, Sherry Eaker, was there as was Bistro Committee member and Edge NY's cabaret critic, Kevin Scott Hall. I was seated with Kevin and my friend, dance-diva Karin Nagi, here to address the United Nations as head of the organization, Voices for Children & Animals. We were entertained enormously by Ron's show.

Ron's quintessential showmanship and suave, classic crooner of a voice (that did not hit a false note throughout the performance) led us through standards like "On the Street Where You Live," "The Girl from Ipanema" and "I Get a Kick Out of You."

There is an endearingly '60s lounge-act quality indeed to Ron's schtick and he knows it. This show's title is Ron's response to a supercilious (and just super-silly) cabaret critic who used the term "third-rate lounge singer" to crudely dismiss Ron's act.

Ron did one of his Sinatra numbers ("The Tender Trap") and a tribute to Gerry Goffin ("Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?") before ending with "Witchcraft." He came back to the stage to sing "I Wish You Love," his encore.

Darryl Kojak, musical director and on piano, was outstanding, as always. The easy banter between Giles and Kojak made us laugh and added to the free-wheeling quality of the show.

Ron doesn't offer up snob appeal. Ron offers us a return to a simpler form of cabaret -- very focused on sheer entertaining. If there is a theme to Ron's show, it's to enjoy the nostalgic simplicity often missing from our current fare. I would love to hear Ron tackle a contemporary pop song with '60s stylings, a'la The Puppini Sisters.

Lounge singer? Yes! Why, I don't think it's a bad word at all! I love it. I think Ron Giles does, too. And I recommend you do NOT miss this first-rate lounge singer when he returns!

With Ron Giles at the Bistro Awards 2012

Go West? The Arizona Issue ~ Part Two

Merv Koehle lived in Arizona in the 1980s, moved back east, then returned with his wife, Tracey, in the 2000s. He explained, "In 1990, the '93 Super Bowl XXVII was originally scheduled to take place in Arizona. However, the Governor at that time, Evan Mecham, cancelled the Martin Luther King Day holiday ["saying that King did not deserve a holiday," according to Wikipedia, "and that black supporters of the law should have been more concerned about getting jobs."]. The NFL consequently pulled out of Arizona and moved Super Bowl XXVII to Pasadena."

Super Bowl XLIX is currently slated for the University of Phoenix in Glendale in 2015. Jan ("The Wicked Witch of the West") Brewer, described by people I know as "bat shit crazy," should decide where she stands on this matter cautiously. She has already expressed sympathy for the so-called "religious freedom" argument the bill uses as an excuse for hatred, discrimination and obstructionism.

I was wondering what people outside the United States think about this very un-American activity of attempted segregation. So, I asked international dance-music diva, children-and-animal-rights activist and friend, Karin Nagi, to share with us her view from Holland.

"I think it is a disgrace that we still have the prejudice outbursts. Don't care what country," Karin replied, frankly. "We are all human beings and have the right to live in peace and harmony on our beautiful Mother Earth. I will never accept any negative remark against about gender, color, nationality or religion. I will fight till my last day for every living being. Justice for all!"

Finally, I asked another dancefloor diva (whose new club tune, "Dominate My Love," is now available on-line) and friend, Amber Dirks, to weigh in on the matter as she and her family reside in Arizona. Here's what Amber told me:

"I feel using religion to try to mask the true reasoning behind this bill -- which is to allow for discrimination -- is unconstitutional. It's truly not only about the LGBT community, while a major part of the hate laced law is, it's about anyone with a business who will be allowed to pass judgements on people for whatever reasoning they deem fit and hide behind religion as the cause. It's a coward's way of trying to get around the law.... 

"This bill is encouraging business owners the right of refusal [to serve anyone] for any reasons. I.e., I walk into a business wearing purple, they can say that color [purple] is against their religion and, for that reason, they can have the right to refuse service! This law will also allow for assumptions beyond a reasonable doubt and this law will protect these business owners to make their assumptions. 

"Arizona is known for trying to make statements against people's rights and it's time for people to stand up against what's wrong, and this is ethically and Biblically wrong!! Last I heard, God is the only power to pass judgements, not man...! Maybe those businesses that oppose this pro-discrimination law should be given the right of refusal of servicing those members of congress, state legislators, etc. that voted to pass this into legislation, and these businesses should be covered by the "Bullying Law" and "Harassment Law" since they are bullying and harassing groups of people... whether gay, straight, orange, yellow, black, brown, clothing choice, shoe choice, car choice, etc. This is 'Unethical', 'Unconstitutional', 'Inhumane', 'Unfathomable' and completely 'Discriminatory' which is against our [nation's] laws and they are using religion to justify this injustice!"

"Arizona's right-to-discriminate bill is drawing fire from Apple, American Airlines, Marriott Hotels, the NFL, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and both of the state's Republican senators," The Rachel Maddow Show posted on-line today. "So what is Gov. Jan Brewer... going to do?" 

Jan, we've got the divas on our side, honey. Get a clue.

Go West? The Arizona Issue ~ Part One

Last Friday, CNN revealed: "Arizona's Legislature has passed a controversial bill that would allow business owners, as long as they assert their religious beliefs, to deny service to gay and lesbian customers.

"The bill, which the state House of Representatives passed by a 33-27 vote Thursday, now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican and onetime small business owner who vetoed similar legislation last year but has expressed the right of business owners to deny service."

This legislation would certainly be challenged at the federal level but, meanwhile, it has raised quite a bit of ire, not only among Arizona's LGBT community but among the state's business community. Today, it was reported that a few supporters of this discriminatory hate bill are already back-peddling away from it and Senator John McCain Tweeted: “I hope Governor Brewer will veto [the bill]”.

Huffington Post reported on February 25 that Marriott Hotels and American Airlines sent letters to Arizona Brewer requesting she veto the pending legislation.

"George Takei fired a virtual photon torpedo Friday at Arizona in a scathing letter addressing legislative passage of an anti LGBT law allowing for discrimination in services," wrote Raw Story last week.

"This 'turn away the gay' bill enshrines discrimination into the law," Takei wrote on his blog. "Your taxi drivers can refuse to carry us. Your hotels can refuse to house us. And your restaurants can refuse to serve us. … You’re willing to ostracize and marginalize LGBT people to score political points with the extreme right of the Republican Party. You say this bill protects ‘religious freedom,’ but no one is fooled. When I was younger, people used ‘God’s Will’ as a reason to keep the races separate, too. Make no mistake, this is the new segregation, yours is a Jim Crow law, and you are about to make yourself ground zero."

"Takei notes in his letter that his husband Brad Altman and he have strong ties to Arizona. Altman was born in Phoenix, and the couple vacation in Show Low," Raw Story notes. "Governor Jan Brewer’s signature stands between the bill and its enactment. Brewer has yet to comment on her intentions.

"If  [Governor Jan] Brewer signs the bill, make no mistake. We will not come. We will not spend. And we will urge everyone we know–from large corporations to small families on vacation–to boycott. Because you don’t deserve our dollars. Not one red cent,” Takei insisted.

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen, investigative cub reporter, decided to ask Tracey and Merv Koehle, close friends who moved from Connecticut to the greater Phoenix area, only to move back again after a few years way out west, to share their thoughts on the controversy.

"I see the recent attempt at legislation just one in a line of others that passed in Arizona and that I find regressive," said Tracey. "Like carrying unconcealed guns into establishments such as bars. Hearing about this new proposed legislation confirmed my feelings that our moving back to Connecticut was the best option for us."

"I loved Arizona because it was such a beautiful state in terms of the natural landscape," she added, "but we found the governing sources are too conservative and too heavily influenced by the fundamentalist, right-wing 'religious' element."

[Continued in Part 2]

Cher v. the Russian Olympics

Cher is the latest diva with a large LGBT following to diss the Russian Olympics over President Vladimir Putin's fanatical homophobic policies.

"Not that LGBT people needed another reason to love Cher, but there is one," The Advocate informed us today. "[S]he turned down a chance to give the opening performance at the upcoming Olympics in Russia because of all the 'gay hate' there.

"'I can’t name names but my friend called who is a big oligarch over there, and asked me if I’d like to be an ambassador for the Olympics and open the show, she told Canadian newsmagazine Maclean’s. 'I immediately said no. I want to know why all of this gay hate just exploded over there. He said the Russian people don’t feel the way the government does.'"

It's not like I'm involved enough in sports or, specifically, the Olympics to name anyone Olympian besides Olympia Dukakis but, this year, gay bars and businesses have continued boycotting Russian vodka and other products imported from Russia. Our dance-diva idols, meanwhile, have supported opposition to anti-gay legislation and an Olympics boycott. 

"When conservative opponents of Madonna and Lady Gaga's support for LGBT rights in Russia failed to convict them on charges of 'homosexual propaganda', they managed to nab them on a visa technicality instead," UK's The Guardian reported. "Russia's prosecutor general's office recently attested that both singers violated the terms of their cultural exchange visas by giving profit-making concerts last year."

In my recent interview with Karin Nagi on my new blog dedicated exclusively for Q&As, Blab It to Beaverhausen, the dance idol snapped: "Snap out of it, Putin! We're living in 2013.... Boycott the Olympics! Let's not go there! No way!" [You can read the entire interview at: http://blabittobeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/09/exclusive-q-with-international-diva-of.html ]

In fact, the only divas who seem to be headed toward Russia as of late are the Miss Universe beauty queen contestants. And who knows? Perhaps the winner, once the tiara is gently placed upon her coiffed hair (for heavy is the head that wears that crown; after all she's Miss Universe ~~ even better than being Queen of Outer Space) this November, will stand tall in her stilettos and, through tears, as she embraces the sentiment of world peace, will blurt out words about human rights as a part of that concept. After all, It's a Woman's World, Prez Putin!