It's Just Not New Year's Eve Without Guy Lombardo on My Countdown

Guy Lombardo. New Year's Eve. 'Nuff said!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Jim Backus' New Year's Eve Song Is Delicious

It's New Year's Eve, loveys and I couldn't let the day go by without playing this tune on our Countdown.

Backus and his wife, Henny, are the voices you'll hear on this novelty song that I first heard on a Dr Demento collection. It is completely ad-libbed. I love Henny's smoker's laugh.

Drink your champs responsibly tonight sweetie-dahlings!

Happy New Year!

An ICONic New Year's Eve of Elegance, Fun and Friends

New Year's Eve champagne bar @ Icon

It was my pleasure to return to Icon, in Astoria, on New Year's Eve night. And this time with my good friend, Kevin Scott Hall, cabaret columnist for Edge and Bistro Awards committee member, who is also my downstairs neighbor. We had car service arranged for us and it truly was a special and exciting way to ring in 2014 together.

Me, Nick & Kevin; a happy triumvirate

We were greeted by club owner (as well as music producer) Nick Lion with his usual warmth and graciousness. Nick is a real gentleman in every way and his taste is reflected in the sheer elegance of Icon's decor.

The club is virtually attitude-free with the sweetest, humpiest go-go gods you could ever imagine. It's like gay Nirvana!

Kevin & Tazer & I

It was such a joy to introduce Nick to Kevin as they really seemed to hit it off. I also introduced Kevin to the go-go god Tazer who Nick described as an "old soul" but in a hot, young body!

And, hey! I know I'm vertically challenged but I would appreciate people not equating me with Truman Capote, thank you.

Hosts at the New Year's Eve gala were Amanda LaPore and Carmen Carrera, throwing their own glamor around the room along with the disco lights and adding to the excitement building up to the big countdown to midnight. Amanda was definitely the photo-op queen of the night.

I spoke with the gorgeous Ms Carrera (nee Christopher Roman of Elmwood Park, NJ) at the rear bar (right under the gigantic, sparkling plaques of ladies' platform shoes). She was with a hot date and told me that being on RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag U was a great experience for her. She is now an Elite model, which is no surprise as this transgender woman is an absolute, flawless beauty.

Carmen Carrera (right) and bf

I stuck close to the champagne bar and sat on the comfy, plush, diamond-studded banquets most of the night. Party favors like top hats, noise makers and New Year tiaras were on the tables as part of the graciousness provided patrons. I did, however, get up and bust a move when Dj Amoroso played his hottest tracks, like Alicia Keys' "New York," Aretha's "Deeper Love," Lady Gaga's "Marry the Night" and Whitney's "Its Not Right But It's OK."

The Mad Men Look Is Here!

The Bone Crusher & Ms Carrera

Nick introduced me to Carmen's "aunt" who had a bone-crushing date in tow. He squeezed my neck, my hand, my arms with his big, strong hands, Yowzer! It hurt, I tell you! And I'm so not into pain. Definitely one of the most intense moments of the night, though, to be squeezed like a poor lemon.

Finger food was on hand during the festivities, like salami and cheese, though Kevin had served up that plus shrimp with cocktail sauce before we left Bay Ridge.

Kevin, Amanda & I at Icon

It was a terrific night out in every way and everything NYC nightlife should be, especially on New Year's Eve. After midnight, a whole new crowd pushed its way into Icon. It was indeed a place to see and be seen with no video monitors or game machines as distractions.

But, for me, personally, it was a place of warm friendships, old and new, and special endearments. And sexy go-go boys. Shirtless. In bowties! 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Buddy Beaverhausen and Mae West!

From her groovy 1966 holiday album, Wild Christmas (re-released as Mae in December), comes this incredible track submitted for your approval from the Twilight Zone: "Mae West's My New Year's Resolutions." Have you made yours?

Happy New Year to everyone from Dj Buddy Beaverhausen! From the US to all over the globe, I wish you a joyous 2014. Oh, and, uh, come up and see me some time.

Lady Gaga Drops the Ball

New York City is now officially Gagaville; we just live in it. After doing Barney's windows for Christmas, Her Highness will spend New Year's Eve with Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Now, there's a power couple for you to consider! Lady Gaga Bloomberg... hmm, has a ring to it! Why not? She's a smart girl, after all.

But all seriousness aside, it seems our burgomeister is gaga over Gaga. “I have never met Lady Gaga,” Bloomberg sadly admitted at a City Hall news conference. “I saw her once perform at the Metropolitan Museum. I thought she was a great entertainer, but I do not personally know her and I’m looking forward to it!”

The dance diva will be Bloomberg's special guest on New Year’s Eve for the 2012 countdown. La Ga will push the Waterford crystal button at 11:59 p.m., signaling the start of the dropping ball and the final countdown to midnight. (A dropping ball is not usually a good sign except on New Year's Eve, as you -- and Gaga -- are, most likely, already aware.) M'Lady will also perform in front of about 1 million people in Times Square for New Year's Rockin' Eve: The 40th Anniversary Party. America's Oldest Teenager, Dick Clark, 82, will co-host again with Ryan Seacrest beginning at 10:00 p.m.

Seacrest gushed, "Lady Gaga is one of the most exciting and relevant artists of our time, and we're thrilled to have her join 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' this year in Times Square!"

Lady Gaga, you have ruled this burg this holiday season. In fact, you've recently been all over the globe, freshly returned from performing in India. From Bangladesh to Bloomberg, obviously world domination is your goal and you've nearly reached it. But welcome home, and I hope to tune in to catch you on the edge of glory once again.