Panti @ Dublin Pride

We’ve just had Pride this weekend gone by. A bit overcast, but a very infectious atmosphere. Boyf came over from London to celebrate too - all good. Got a bit trashed and generally had a wonderful time.

Here is a pic of the wonderful Panti, Dublin’s most amazing drag act (apart from Shirley Temple-Bar and Veda Beaux Reves). She was MC for the afterparty (which we left after one too many ‘jazz’ acts). You can see her opening speech on YouTube.com if you like.

And here’s a link to some of my pics of the day on Flickr.

And here are some my pal David took with his enormous new camera.

Happy Pride everyone!

Reasons to love Boy George. 2

Because he's too fabulous to turn up for court, and he's too fabulous to pick up litter. Read all about it with the trusty BBC!

The judge said the Boy could hold a makeup workshop as part of his punishment for wasting police time. Snigger.

Meanwhile, here's a Boy George lookalike called Brandon. Isn't he good? More from Brandon and chums over at Everything Boy George: The Devil in Sister George. Fun times.

Come on Poland!

Pope and the March, originally uploaded by Jim Torr.

Hmmm, despite being listed earlier in the year as one of the world's top ten most homophobic places alongside Iran, Egypt and Uganda, things seem to be changing in Poland.

This year there were more people (6-10,000) in the Warsaw demonstration and no major ugliness.

In fact, despite the march being banned by the mayor of Warsaw, the marchers were joined by several politicians including the Deputy Prime Minister. Cool.
So, Poland, shall we see you fall out of the Top Ten next year, maybe? Best let your politicians know.

Oh Daddy!

Image from kidcreole.com

It's Father's Day (almost) and being a dutiful rather than 'present' son, I sent my Dad a rather stylish card I picked up in London a couple of weeks ago. It read something like "You did a good job - look at how well I turned out'.

I just got a text from him saying "I did do a good job with you".

Wow.

I'm welling up! What a cool dude.

As ironic contrast, here is Kid Creole being a total cunt to his illegitimate child (but what a great song). It's in AAC format, so iTunes or bust, pop kids…..

Download Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Annie I'm Not Your Daddy (remix) 6.1MB

Like this? Purchase 12"/80s here.

I was a male stripper in Osaka-town

Someone did a Google for this phrase 'become a male stripper in japan' and ended up at my site.

Contemplating career change is a major issue and deserves support. 

Work it, beeatch….

Oh lads, it's been sooooo long since I updated this. It's just been one thing after another: two trips to London (fun & alcohol-fuelled, despite the mangling my back incident - the official line is "a suitcase fell on me"), two conferences (I had to chair at one - cool!), a summer school to officiate at, a paper to write for another bloody conference and two major work things to get done (still doing 'em).

So, in honour of work, I give you today, the divine Nellie McKay and her musical stylings. Here's what someone said about her:

McKay has never been easy to classify, though many have tried. She’s a piano-playing singer/songwriter whose repertory includes torch songs, satire, rap, and sunny, socially conscious diatribes, all variously informed by jazz, bossa nova, the Beatles, show tunes, and Randy Newman, for starters. McKay is only 20 but dresses like a Sunday-school teacher. And her diction—round vowels and never a hard “er”—is in the practiced manner of an actress from yesteryear. She’s Sandra Dee, Fanny Brice, Patti Smith and Al Franken all rolled up in one, with a piano. Or something like that.

She's probably quite insufferable in real life, but hey, let's go with the music.

Download 'Work Song' by Nellie McKay

Like this? Buy 'Get Away From Me' here.