#RIP: TRANS ICON, THE LADY CHABLIS

Lady Chablis who found stardom in the film adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil has died.

Chablis performed her cabaret at gay nightclubs in Columbia, S.C., and opened Savannnah’s Club One in 1988. Chablis figured prominently in John Berendt‘s best-selling non-fiction book of the same name. The book focused on the murder of a male prostitute, allegedly committed by Jim Williams, a Savannah socialite and antiques dealer. Berendt effectively captured the charms of Savannah, and included Chablis as a major character. When Clint Eastwoodadapted the film, Chablis insisted on playing herself — and she got her wish.

Starring Kevin Spacey as the mostly closeted Williams (hello!?) the film catapulted both Savannah and Chablis into fame. Crowds would flock to the historic streets of the city to check out sites from the film and hopefully catch a performance by Chablis.

Chablis continued her club performances term the film and wrote an autobiography. She appeared on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and used her fame for good, raising money for diabetes and LGBT causes. She remained beloved in Savannah, even though she lived in South Carolina.

Club One wrote on its Facebook page,

“Just as [Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil] shined the spotlight on Savannah, so too did Chablis shine the spotlight on the gay scene, and especially on Club One. She was Club One’s very first entertainer, officiating our grand opening in 1988, and paving the way for female impersonation in Savannah. No one, however, could outshine the Grand Empress herself.“

Can I get an amen up in here? Chablis was 59. Let’s have one last quick look.

Watch.

(via Out)

ED WOOD'S "GLEN OR GLENDA" LOOKS EVEN MORE BIZARRE IN TODAY'S REAR VIEW

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton posthumously gave Ed Wood, who some called the worst director ever, the fame he never had in life. Martin Landau won a Best Supporting Oscar for his role as Bela Lugosi. We get to see the real Ed, in the 1953 film, Glen or Glenda. It was an exploitation film written, directed by, and starring Ed Wood, and then-girlfriend Dolores Fuller, played by Sarah Jessica Parker in Burton’s film. The original title, I Changed My Sex!is often given as Glen or Glenda?. It’s so crazy backward and bad that it might have seemed funny to audiences up until recently. It’s just been a week but Caitlyn Jenner‘s Vanity Fair cover has already done so much to sensitize today’s world to transgender issues – but in the fifties, it was open season on anything and anyone different. You can see the trailer below, and whole film here. Watch.

IS YOUR GAYDAR BUSTED?

Sometimes it’s important to say what you mean and mean what you say, but with these LGB-Tees, you can let your style do the talking. Are you “Too Gay For Indiana?” Playing for both teams, or maybe looking for a gay beach…? Send out out your own messages and read the signs along the way… but if you cross us, watch out for Ruth Bader Ginsburg!

BRUCE JENNER'S STORY IS A LESSON FOR ALL ABOUT JUDGEMENT

The world watched last night as Bruce Jenner told a story that was his secret and private torment for nearly 60 years. First of all, that’s what I call good TV. But after settling in to really listening what he had to say, his story became something else altogether. We all witnessed someone BECOMING themselves on national TV, exposing something so private and personal, that it transcended Bruce’s and became a story about what it means to be human and “live your truth.”

I grew up gay, in Texas and experienced all that you might guess that comes along with that story. But honestly, I’ve always had a disconnect with transgendered people who are part of the LGBT community. I know MANY drag queens, I’ve dressed in drag, I get being attracted to both sexes,  I’m attracted to men, but when it comes to understanding why someone feels they’ve been given the wrong body, I’ve always been a bit disconnected. I’ve written about the transgender community, I applaud them and support them. I feel for the pain that people go through when struggling with coming to terms with their own gender identity, but Bruce Jenner’s interview really helped me turn a corner in my thinking. I really GOT IT. And I think his hope that he could change the world and really help people, has already started to to come true. (I’m referring to Bruce as him because he didn’t specify a new name or ask to be referred to as “her” and talked about “her” in the third person.)

If you’ve not seen the interview, you really should watch it for yourself. Bruce, Diane Sawyer, ABC (and “her”) all did a spectacular job in all aspects of treating a sensitive story with respect, love and understanding. Bruce’s family seems to have rallied behind him fully and I can’t imagine anyone not being moved by his bravery and the genuine desire to help those who are struggling with gender identity. Bravo, for now. Brava for the future.

But I have to admit, I’m still struggling with one aspect of Bruce’s confession. We ALL, no matter how open-minded, have prejudices. It was info that was probably out there but I missed the tell-tale signs. Certainly people in his family must have known for years. I just somehow can’t get my head around it. Bruce is a Republican!? This is TRULY shocking. Now maybe, he’s going to change hearts and minds within the GOP, but for me, that’s the toughest bit of info that came out of last night’s interview. You might think I’m kidding but I’m pretty serious. But as Bruce said, he’s not sure what this next year will bring. He might even end up supporting a Democratic (female!) Presidential nominee? I know, I know –he’s got enough on his plate right now. One day at a time, as they say. I can just over look it – for a while. But being a transgendered Republican, must be a real cross to bear. As Jack Lemmon confesses to Joe E. Brown as he’s being proposed to in the last scene of Some Like It Hot… 

“I can’t marry you – I’m a man!” 

To which Joe replies…

“Well –nobody’s perfect.”

KATE PIERSON'S MISTER SISTER NONTROVERSY

James St. James posted Kate Pierson’s new music video “Mister Sister” on the Wow Report, with some faint praise and rather harsh criticism. I respect his opinion and he made some good points, but I have a different take. Full disclosure, Kate is a dear friend ( + my pal Kachin is in the video, along with her son) and I’d defend her to the moon, regardless… but here’s my honest take. Had I not seen James post first, none of his objections would have occurred to me. As a general rule, when an artist makes a statement or takes a position, intention is paramount, in my book. If you look at it from that point of view, you can’t fault Kate’s message of empowerment here. And I always take issue with the word police. We saw what happened with RuPaul’s Drag Race and the term “She Mail” but God forbid, we dredge that up again. I think sensitivity to words is always worth considering but here, I think we’re picking nits. (And btw, why trash your allies. See; Alec Baldwin) And come on –that voice and what Kate has championed for years, THAT counts for something. I say, if you don’t like this anthem, write your own.