Events section: Metro Weekly

Faith in Humanity

Chris Stedman seeks out common ground as a ''faitheist''

Published on May 16, 2013, 7:20am

Chris Stedman's mother rifled through her teenage son's diary and read about his struggles with homosexuality. But unlike many other parents, her response was to introduce Stedman, who had been going to an anti-gay evangelical church, to a local pastor at a progressive church. ''He gave me a different, affirming perspective on homosexuality and Christianity,'' Stedman says. So while initially angry at his mother's violation of his privacy, Stedman couldn't stay mad for long. ''I was very fortunate, actually, that ...[more]

Manning Up

Ross Mathews has grown from his early days as a ''big gay cartoon clown''

Published on May 2, 2013, 4:02am

''I think there wasn't someone like me on TV before, so maybe it was a little culture shock. Like, who's this big gay cartoon clown?'' Everyone remembers his first time seeing comedian Ross Mathews, who got his start as the all-caps GAY intern on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno over a decade ago. Not everyone was as enraptured as actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who writes in the foreword to Mathews's new memoir, ''I fell in love with Ross Mathews the ...[more]

Oscar! Oscar!

The DC Center rolls out its annual Oscar red carpet at Town

Published on February 14, 2013, 6:07am

''With Lena Lett commenting on people's outfits, I think it's going to be better than [watching] Joan Rivers,'' says Michael Fowler, co-chair of this year's ''Glamour, Glitter & Gold'' Oscar-night party at Town Danceboutique. Town's patron drag queen returns to co-host this eighth annual spring fundraiser for The DC Center, the city's LGBT community center, alongside fellow Town drag queen Ba'naka, comedian ''Glo'' and Randy Shulman, editor of Metro Weekly, a co-founder and sponsor of the event. The co-hosts will ...[more]

Gomez, Darling

Marga Gomez returns to D.C. for a politically inspired show

Published on January 3, 2013, 4:33am

When Marga Gomez dances, people think she's just trying to be funny. ''I dance really terribly,'' admits Gomez, whose own mother was a professional dancer. ''I belong to a minority of Latinos who can't dance. When I go out to the club, suddenly I forget and I think that I'm good…and I just start going for it. And then the people I'm dancing with will look at me, then imitate me. They think I'm joking.'' Usually, Gomez is joking. One ...[more]

The Partying Dead

Alexandria's Torpedo Factory has your ticket to deadly thrills

Published on October 25, 2012, 3:07am

If in the days after Halloween you still aren't ready to let the ghouls and grossness go – or if you still want to dress up – Alexandria's Torpedo Factory has your ticket to thrills. The Old Town art and exhibition gallery offers the exhibition Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, all next week, including a costume and dance party Friday, Nov. 2. The festivities pay tribute to the traditional Mexican and Latin American holiday for remembering ...[more]

Ghost Story

The Athenaeum hosts events honoring Old Town's ghosts

Published on October 18, 2012, 1:49am

Catherine Aselford and her colleagues occasionally hear eerie, unidentifiable sounds while working out of Old Town Alexandria's Athenaeum. No one's sure who, or what, exactly is haunting the Civil War-era historic building, built as a bank and now operated as an arts venue by the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association. ''Maybe it's some [former] depositor,'' speculates Aselford about the building's ghost. ''Maybe it's an angry Union officer. But,'' she says, ''I have a feeling we might find out on the ...[more]

Campus Politics

Professor Joy Ladin brings her memoir of transition to DCJCC

Published on October 11, 2012, 7:15am

Professors are supposed to be smart. That's why they're professors. Certainly, Joy Ladin is no dummy. The literature professor waited until she'd secured tenure before advising her dean at New York's Jewish Yeshiva University that she would be transitioning, fully expressing her female identity. No more Professor Jay. She wasn't expecting the fallout, mild as it was. Everything would be just fine – as long as she didn't set foot on campus. {Joy Ladin (Photo by Lisa Ross)} ''The university ...[more]

Ram Tough

Craig Ramsay has the hard body, but also a soft touch

Published on September 13, 2012, 6:57am

Craig Ramsay is not just a pretty face. He's also a pretty body. And a song-and-dance man, former hockey player, health a fitness superstar – to the point of being a brand – and even a genuine contortionist. But what the heck is that good for? ''Ask Brandon,'' Ramsay answers, referring to his partner, beauty guru Brandon Liberati. ''Date six – I sealed the deal.'' {Craig Ramsay (Photo by By Tauseef)} Obviously, Ramsay has a cheeky sense of humor. He ...[more]

Humorous Behavior

Michele Balan is selling jokes at the Birchmere

Published on August 16, 2012, 5:24pm

''When I was young I started by doing Bette Midler impressions,'' Michele Balan says. ''I was a female female impersonator.'' But Balan, it turns out, didn't see comedy as a successful career until much later. A couple decades ago, in fact, Balan was working in sales for a computer company. Even then, she found humor as a ticket to success. ''I should really give classes on how salesmen can make a better deal if they have a little humor,'' she ...[more]

Sizzling Sidewalks

From Waverly to Washington, MidCity Welcomes Dog Days

Published on August 2, 2012, 3:47am

Think of Tennessee and what comes to mind? Dollywood? Maybe you should think of sidewalk sales. After all, it was such a sale in tiny Waverly that served as the inspiration for the MidCity Dog Days sidewalk sale, now in its 13th year. That's how Waverly native Greg Link explains it. Owner of Home Rule at 1529 14th St. NW, he would know. It was his idea. This year he'll be joined by about 70 other businesses. {Tracey Erbacher (Photo ...[more]

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