LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Being Scene |
by Tom Minnuto |
Cliff, Cliff, it's all about Cliff. (Miss Lassahn, if you're nasty.) Who else could host tea dance after tea dance...bravely stand on Baltimore avenue greeting guests at a birthday party...land on the cover of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth and Q. Public... throw the largest, most successful theme party of the season...and do it all with stunning drag perfection? If you don't know his name by now, you should. He's one of a kind, ahead of his time, and we love him. As you read on, you will notice Cliff's name sprinkled throughout this column. Please don't complain unless you're as fabulous as he is. My dearest Cliff, since I'll be kissing your ass throughout this column, please forgive me for what I'm about to say. (And tell your girlfriends not to throw their high heels at me on the beach.) I must confess that when the Chinese announced this was the Year of the Dragon, gay men must have thought they said the Year of the Drag Queen. Hence, drag is everywhere these days. The problem is most Drag Queens like to be called Female Impersonators, or better yet, Female Illusionists. (This is where I roll my eyes to the top of my head.) Sorry to bust your hip pads boys, but if you like wearing a dress, and you do it often, you're a Drag Queen, plain and simple! Come out from under your politically correct umbrellas. Words like impersonator and illusionist are just softer ways of saying it. If you need further convincing, look at the traveling muscle boy who bounces from dance party to dance party; he's known as a Circuit Queen. A man who prefers young boys instead of someone his own age is known as a Chicken Queen. The guy in your beach house that huffs, puffs, carries on, always has big problems and drives the other housemates crazy until he gets kicked out is known as a Drama Queen. Now, for those gay men who frequently dress up in dragwhether to impersonate or create illusionplease say it with me: "DRAG Queen!" I hope I've cleared things up. If you have an opposing viewpoint, please let us know by dialing 1-800-DEE-NIAL. The 3rd annual Beach Essentials dance party was an enjoyable experience. Squeezing 300 sweaty men into a tiny courtyard is my kind of party! (Think JR's without the roof and the men wearing fewer clothes.) Add to that DJ Darryl Strickland and some cute bartenders and the night was complete. Although all vodka was sucked dry before midnight, it didn't seem to bother the testosterone-driven crowd. In fact, a few individuals were too busy setting their sights on who they wanted to do the same to before the night was over. On the top of everyone's wish list were 715 Spring Lake's John Urquijo, 10 George's Mike Casey and 37 Quillen's Bill Pullen. Although he wasn't even at the party, edible Andrew Criss also made the cut. He must have been busy flexing his pecs (and more) over at The Double L. Later that night, the local buzz was that the people of Shampoo had come to town and revamped the Renegade. It was so crowded that the only parking space I could find was so far in the woods I thought the Blair Witch was going to snatch my purse! In any event, I paid the cover and went inside to see what all the fuss was about. Surprisingly, it was fun and full of energy until the wee morning. A nice job was done transforming the lounge into a second dance floor, and the dcor throughout was spectacular. Kudos goes to Wayne Hodge & Co. for creating a sensational evening. Only next time, Wayne, try to find models that won't fall off the stage! These days, there are so many tea dances it can make your head spin. On Sunday afternoons, it's not unusual to see packs of party boys scurrying back and forth between Yum Yum and Cloud 9. Can you blame them? Michele Miruskione of DC's best, and by far the most spunky of all DJ'sis often at Yum Yum, while incredible Cliff Lassahn is usually hosting a CAMPsafe Tea at Cloud 9, dressed in one of his outrageous outfits. At the latest CAMPsafe Tea, Cliff played mother to Chris Riss' beautiful bride. Carrying a box of tissue, Mama Lassahn was in tears. Question: If Chris Riss were your daughter, wouldn't you be in tears too? I hear Jon Klenert has a perfect squirt! He and his housemates at 3 Country Club pulled off yet another flawless Squirt Gun Party. Reportedly, this year's party showcased some of the best, wet chests ever. Safe sex advocates listen up! This is the only party where men can run around naked with other men, and shoot in the eye without any serious repercussions! The Rod Squad did it again! Yes, 208 Rodney's Viva Las Vegas Party was everything we expected it to be and more. Breathing new life into the summer 2000 party scene, Cliff Lassahn, Tom Kantor, Gregg Wolff, Eric Lancaster, Todd August, Michael Curry, Eric Masterson-Mott, Michael Rutledge, Joel Pearson, Rut Paul, Robert Mittleman and Kevin Cacciola, proved once again that Baltimore boys have more fun. We're not just talkin' glue guns and construction paper here. These boys go above and beyond with costumes, set design and lighting and have a great time doing it. Comparing "Viva Las Vegas" to previous Rodney productions"Wild, Wild Chest," "The Hot Rod Drag Race" and "Austin Powers Meets Valley of the Dolls"it was clear to see that attendance and costume participation were at an all-time high. (Cliff, I hear the Convention Center is available next summer.) What's more, the competition among attendees to make a grand entrance was fiercer than ever. Several of them made quite a lasting impression as they made their way from the street onto the Rodney catwalk. From Kevin Litschgi's Liberace to Chris Riss' pregnant bride whose water broke all over the stage, a vast array of Vegas-types was present. Drag rivals from 302 Laurel (Sassy LaRue, J.I.M., Jack Strogus and Ed Boornazian) brought the crowd to its knees as they arrived in two fire trucks complete with sirens blaring and lights flashing. Truth be told, members of 302 Laurel spent weeks on their knees at the Fire Hall in order to pull the stunt off. Finally, 205 Rodney's Edsel Gayoso arrived by car (even though he lives two houses away) and rocked the crowd with his Whitney Houston impersonation. Wearing a slinky dress, Edsel hoisted a bottle of vodka to the crowd just before wiping away some unidentifiable white powder from beneath his noise. Speculation still exists as to whether Edsall was pretending to be Whitney at that moment or just being himself. This sensational party weekend ended with yet another dress-up opportunity, (yes, Cliff was there, too!) Complete with search lights, massive sets, zoot suits and even a speakeasy door, Rob Dick and the Blue Moon staff celebrated the restaurant's twentieth anniversary with a Roaring Twenties party. This weekend, Saturday, August 12, stop by 1 Robinson for a "Twist of Orange." That's right, a twist of orange. Wear something in that color. Bad hair dye jobs don't count. Orange peeling is from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then from 9 p.m. to midnight, 22 William F. is hosting "Under the Big Top." This is supposedly a circus extravaganza, but something tells me there's more to the name Big Top than the housemates are revealing. Bottoms up! The weekend of Saturday, August 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 205 Hickman hosts "The Jetspray Juicy Juice Machine." Sounds tasty. The Hickman boys, with help from 46 Delaware's Matt Conley and Doug Schantz, will raise money for the National AIDS Marathon and runner, Tony Fischer. A donation is requested at the door. Then from 9 p.m. to midnight, 1015 5th Street is hosting "Purgatory: One Man's Sin, Another Man's Salvation." (Can't wait to see Cliff's outfit for this one.) All you sinners and saints stop by for a devil of a good time. And, if you've ever dreamed of being a star, here's a chance to turn your dream into reality. On Saturday, August 19, Gaywired and DANCE1 will be videotaping their new national club video release at the Renegade. Who knows, this could be your 15 minutes. Finally, don't forget to buy your tickets for SUNDANCE 2000: The Super-Duper, Ultra-Iridescent, Rainbow Revolution. SUNDANCE is a two-day event held over Labor Day weekend at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. It includes a silent and live auction (Saturday, Sept. 2, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and the main dance event (Sunday, Sept. 3, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.). Both events include an open bar and music by DJ Mark Thomas. To reserve tickets call CAMP Rehoboth, 302-227-5620, or Box Office Tickets at 1-800-494-8497, or look for me selling them on Poodle Beach beginning August 19. For weekly information on what's happening at the beach, get on the NEWS & NOTES e-mail list. Simply e-mail Tom@BeachHouseNetwork.com and write ADD ME in the subject line. Include your first and last name in the body for tracking purposes. Do you have important news to share? Want to target your business to the gay and lesbian community? Are you a real estate agent with a listing you need to sell/rent? Are you hosting a fundraiser or party you'd like to promote? Whatever you have, send it in to Tom@BeachHouseNetwork.com for possible posting. Close to a thousand people receive NEWS & NOTES on a weekly basis and it keeps growing! This is one of the best, and FREE ways to reach a large gay and lesbian audience. Don't miss another week! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 11, Aug. 11, 2000. |