Wes Smoot 8/5/24 Wes Smoot 8/5/24

MUSIC FORWARD AND GIBSON GIVES PARTNER FOR: LGBTQ+ EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS GIBSON GIVES TO DONATE OVER $43,000 TO UNIQUE AND IMPACTFUL MUSIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORTING YOUNG TALENT IN THE MUSIC

NASHVILLE, TN (August 5, 2024) Gibson Gives, the non-profit division of the legendary music brand Gibson, is honored to partner with Music Forward to present the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards for 2024. A unique and impactful grant program, the goal of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards is to help break down the barriers of access in the music industry, allowing artists to have thriving careers and promote a more inclusive music industry overall. With 45 of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awardsgranted, the new Music Forward and Gibson Gives partnership allows the program to continue to champion diverse voices from all backgrounds and communities, from Atlanta to Austin, and New York City to North Hollywood.

The screening process for the awards is extensive, with ten (10) LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awardees aged 18-24 years old to be selected based on many factors, including the strength of their body of music work, the breadth of their body of work, their artistic vision, and their articulation of their career goals. The ten US-based selected artists are dedicated to their songwriting craft, and their vision for themselves through music. The ten awardees will each receive:

· $3000 Grant

· $1000 Gibson retail for an instrument.

· Performance Opportunities that include the Gibson Garage Nashville and Gibson showrooms, as well as other venues.

· Quarterly Mentorship with established musicians, as well as the Gibson and Music Forward teams.

LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards submissions for applicants are open now HERE.

The timeline for the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards program is as follows:

· Monday, August 5: Applications open.

· Sunday, August 18: Applications close.

· Monday, August 19 – Friday, September 27:Application review and selection.

· Monday, September 30: Awardees notified.

· October 2: Announcement of Awardees.

· Mid-late October: Virtual Award Show.

Music Forward and Gibson Gives believe in music as a catalyst for discovery, connection, and transformation, and the power of amplifying artists and providing a forum for their diverse voices to be heard. Gibson Gives will donate over $43,000 to the program for 2024, including $33,000 in cash grants ($30k grants/$3k admin fees), and $10,000 in Gibson retail for an instrument. Music Forwarddevelops and administers the grant awards from selection to distribution, and Music Forward and the Gibson team collectively develop and execute mentorship programs. The Quarterly Mentorship Opportunities range from songwriting sessions with Gibson artists to exploring a variety of trending topics and skills, including Gibson and Live Nation Leadership professionals sharing knowledge and insight on what it takes to find success in the business, learning from experts who have turned their passions into professions in the ever-changing entertainment industry, from bands to boardrooms and everything in between. The program is designed to help nurture artists’ growth and progress, expand their social capital, and to reduce barriers, both external and internal, that may come between them and achieving their greatest artistic potential.

Singer-songwriter and record producer Butch Walker, one of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award musician mentors for 2024, states “Hey all! I’m excited to be supporting the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award, and to celebrate the amazing talent and diversity within the community. This award not only recognizes artistic excellence, but also empowers emerging voices to inspire and create needed change.”

“Gibson Gives is proud to partner with Music Forward to support the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award,” says Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director of Gibson Gives. “We believe in the power of individual voices and strive to break down barriers, promoting a more inclusive music industry. These awards support often-marginalized artists, nurturing their growth and helping them achieve their greatest artistic potential.”

“At Music Forward, we work towards inspiring young artists and providing resources to drive their careers forward while making the industry more inclusive for all voices,” adds Nurit Siegel Smith, Executive Director of the Music Forward Foundation. “The LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award is a staple of our programs, and we are excited for our partnership with Gibson Gives to continue to empower the next generation of LGBTQ+ musicians.”

A national nonprofit in the Live Nation family, theMusic Forward Foundation creates opportunities for young talent in the music industry by mentoring entertainment careers for the next generation through live performances, workshops and panels. Acclaimed artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Maxwell Frost, Trombone Shorty, and Andrae Alexanderare past program participants and grant recipients. While performers such as Kahlid, Sophia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Martina McBride, Carlos Santana, and Julia Michaels have served as Ambassadors for Music Forward:https://musicforwardfoundation.org/.

Gibson Gives is the non-profit division of the legendary music brand Gibson, Gibson supports the music community via its philanthropic endeavor, Gibson Gives, assisting non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused music education, health and wellness initiatives, and inclusive musical partnerships worldwide. The Gibson Gives Scholarship program has provided direct financial support to young students with music career aspirations and is on track to help even more players in 2024. Gibson Gives a 501(c)(3),is committed to cultivating and offering steadfast support for all communities. To date, Gibson Gives has raised over $4.5 million and enabled $46 million in funding for key organizationsthrough product donations and meaningful giving worldwide, with 100 percent of all donations to and from Gibson Gives going towards providing the gift of music.

Wes Smoot 4/25/23 Wes Smoot 4/25/23

Billy Eichner and Dyllón Burnside Join Unleashed LGBTQ Live Event - September 2023

Joining a Powerful Lineup of Talent, including Antoni Porowski, Indya Moore, Shangela, and other Industry Leaders making Noise in the LGBTQ+ Market

DALLAS — APRIL 25, 2023 — Unleashed LGBTQ, a first-of-its-kind conference and entertainment festival creating a space for brands, artists, and LGBTQ+ professionals to connect, is thrilled to announce new talent joining its lineup, including Billy Eichner and Dyllón Burnside, for its first live and in-person Unleashed LGBTQ 2023 conference, taking place at Gilley’s in Dallas, Texas, from September 22 - 24, 2023. Unleashed event organizers also welcome iHeartMedia back as media partners to activate the programming as the official audio partners for the festival’s first ever in-person event.

"Our first live, in-person, event is going to create a synergy between talent, the business community and the entertainment industry in a way no LGBTQ+ event has ever done before,” said Founder, Wesley Smoot. “Companies sending representatives to our event will be able to take advantage of all opportunities available, whether it’s for educational purposes, networking or entertainment, LGBTQ+ professionals or others focused on allyship, will reap the benefits of our educational and entertainment-based lineup. We have dedicated an entire area to workshops for attendees to learn new skills from today's thought leaders and we’re confident companies sending entire departments to Unleashed LGBTQ 2023 will have a more informed, supercharged team that will be lightyears ahead of other brands.”

Each day at Unleashed LGBTQ will begin with educational topics — from workshops and panels discussing business (advertising, marketing, DEI), society (non-profit, advocacy), and personal (financial planning, continuing education) development – and will feature high-tech brand activations and experiential marketing installments throughout the venue, before transitioning to entertainment that will include screenings, drag shows, stand-up comedy, and musical performances. Attendees will be enriched by professional development and networking opportunities through the Unleashed LGBTQ event app (developed by WebEx/Cisco) and at specialized mixers and unique branded activations through the award-winning Freeman event services.

The growing lineup of talent will include:

● Billy Eichner Co-writer and Star of Bros (Universal Pictures), Billy on the Street, The Lion King (Disney), American Horror Story (FX), Difficult People (Hulu)

● Antoni Porowski Emmy-Award Winning Show Queer Eye (Netflix), Host of Easy Bake Battle (Netflix), Author of Antoni in the Kitchen & Antoni: Let's do Dinner

● Indya Moore Emmy Award-Winning Show POSE, Yves Saint Laurent Cosmetics, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

● Shangela Emmy Award-Winning Shows We're Here (HBO), RuPaul's Drag Race, & RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (MTV)

● Dyllon Burnside Emmy Award-Winning Show Pose,Emmy Award-Winning Show POSE, Emmy-Award winning PBS docuseries PRIDELAND, Golden Globe nominated limited series MONSTER. GLAAD & HRC award recipient

● Daniel Franzese, Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures), Ru Paul's Drag Race (MTV), Looking (HBO)

● Kelly Ann Winget, Founder & CEO of Alternative Wealth Partners, Over $1B in private equity raised, Host of The Wealth Alpha podcast, and Author of Pitch the Bitch (April 2023)

● Brian Sims, Former Penn State Rep., LGBTQ+ Advocate & Speaker, Managing Director of Government Affairs & Policy at Out Leadership, Board Member at Campus Pride & GLSEN

● Naomi Green, MBA Speaker, Marketer, Professor, and Transgender Advocate

● Ashley Brundage, President & CEO of Empowering Differences, Author of Empowering Differences, Transgender Advocate, Former DEI Vice President at PNC Bank, Mother

● Dr. Carlton Thomas, Gastro-Intestinal Medical Doctor, Social Media Sensation, Contributor to Men's Health Magazine, LGBTQ+ Consultant to the White House & the CDC

● Matt Skallerud, Founder & President of Pink Media, Host of #iLoveGayToday, former President of IGLTA, Award-Winning Online Marketer connecting businesses to the LGBTQ+ consumers

● Vicky & Charisse Pasche, Co-Founders of Dapper Boi – body-inclusive and gender-neutral apparel – Marketing, Sales, and Entrepreneurial Experts, Wives and Mothers of Twins

● Stacey Stevenson, CEO of Family Equality, Co-Founder of The Changists (Law Firm Consulting), LGBTQ+ Activist, Speaker, Mother of Two

● Gary Sanchez Sr., Director of Community Impact at Visit Dallas, Former Chairman at North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Chairman at Chamber Foundation

● Brad Pritchett, Award-Winning Marketing Executive, Chief Experience Officer at DMA (Dallas Museum of Art), Host of The Good, The Brad, & The Ugly podcast

Unleashed LGBTQ is also partnering with the iconic Alamo Drafthouse to host screenings of new LGBTQ+ content from streaming services, movie studios, and television networks. Independent filmmakers can submit works for Unleashed LGBTQ 2023 Film Festival at:

https://www.filmfreeway.com/unleashedlgbtq

Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC is proud to have received support, endorsements, and/or grants from the following organizations: DTPID (Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District), Visit Dallas, North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce, NLGCC (National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce), & IGLTA (International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association).

Other partners include Gilead Sciences, iHeart Media, equalpride, and Kelly Ann Winget.

About UNLEASHED LGBTQ, LLC

Unleashed LGBTQ, a space for brands, entertainers, and LGBTQ+ professionals to connect, will host its inaugural, live event September 22nd - 24th, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. Attendees can learn about the latest products, services, and campaigns debuting in the LGBTQ+ market in a fun and interactive environment. Unleashed LGBTQ provides premier networking opportunities for professionals in a variety of industries. Unleashed LGBTQ will host speakers, panels, and performances from some of the biggest names in LGBTQ+ culture, including film, television, music, and business. Stay tuned for additional Talent announcements.

Tickets are currently on sale on the event website here: https://www.unleashedlgbtq.com For more information on partnerships and company group rates visit: www.unleashedlgbtq.com

CONTACT:

Nicole Rodrigues

NRPR Group for Unleashed LGBTQ

Nicole@nrprgroup.com

424-421-9610

To request press credentials email:

press@unleashedlgbtq.com

Wes Smoot 3/29/23 Wes Smoot 3/29/23

The Wizard of A-Has: Dungeons & Dragons Breaks the Hasbro Curse Review

by Arnold Wayne Jones

There are names that, when I see them in the opening credits of a movie, instantly make me cringe, or at least give pause: “Directed by Michael Bay.” “Screenplay by Joe Eszterhaus.” “Casting supervised by Harvey Weinstein.” High on that list? “Based upon the property by Hasbro.” Eckk. I know people flock to the Transformers movies, but they are noisy nonsense in a visual dungheap of meaningless VFX; Battleship, Ouija, Jen & the Holograms, My Little Pony? Unwatchable. I’m not even a fan of the strained, unfunny cult classic Clue (yeah, well, sue me). Movies based on games?! When has that ever worked?

But there were two things that lured me into screening of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, despite its pedigree: First, the humane and intrigue dramatic success of The Last of Us on HBO, which showed video games could be the source of filmic creativity; and the second was its appealing trailer, which had a hip, subversive energy. I’d take a risk.

Only it didn’t turn out to be a risk at all. D&D: HAT is one of the most disarmingly enjoyable romps I’ve had in a theater in a while. It’s everything that the trailer promised and more: Funny, clever, exciting and even a little sexy.

One serious upside – which, I dunno, may be a downside for devotees of the game – is that it requires zero familiarity with its source material in order to get caught up in the story. Are the cinematic characters pulled from the game? Are locations celebrated and revisited? I have no clue, and don’t care. It stands on its own for entertainment.

The plot is fairly familiar: Two antiheroes, Edgin (Chris Pine) and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) are betrayed, captured, imprisoned, manage to escape, and go on a quest to achieve their original goal, only with more at stake. Along the way, they team up with lame sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), shapeshifting druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) and dreamy Paladin Xenk (Rege-Jean Page). They battle the undead, master magic amulets, plan heists and best the fattest dragon in the world.

Yeah, a fat dragon. Who has flame-performance anxiety. And the villain’s wisecracks are more Noel Coward than Cowardly Lion. And did I mention dreamy Rege-Jean Page? (I might come back to him again.)

The inspiration for D&D seems less Game of Thrones or Conan or Lord of the Rings and more Princess Bride: sassy, buoyant, clever and wondrous without aiming for outright awe. The visual effects are excellent, but not the entire meal; the action sequences have the balletic humor of Jackie Chan; the plotting is smart and unexpected. For instance, when we first meet Edgin and Holga, he’s knitting and she’s beating the crap out of an ogre. Indeed, the main action set pieces all feature the women. It’s as if Everything Everywhere All At Once had big-budget backing.

Hugh Grant plays a charmingly evil Blofeld-like baddy, and Page (sigh!) plays it entirely straight as a sincere Westley-ish swashbuckler. Even Bradley Cooper shows up in a cameo as a milquetoast farmer. Co-writers and -directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein cast down the gauntlet to jokey actioners like Guardians of the Galaxy … and they win with an off-hand queer subtext (including the presences of Rodriguez and Smith) that delivers a tartness. This could be the start of a new Hasbromance.

Opens in theaters March 31.

Wes Smoot 3/11/23 Wes Smoot 3/11/23

A Whale of a Tale: A Small Movie Offers One of the Best Films in Ages

By Arnold Wayne Jones

There was a time, not too long ago, when the queer community desperately sought out and embraced gay content in mainstream movies … especially those blessed with Oscar validity: Remember panting over The Color Purple, Philadelphia, Longtime Companion and The Crying Game? All excellent, but few and far between.

My, how we’ve progressed in the intervening two decades, with the success of films like The Kids Are All Right, Moonlight and more. But this year? This year feels especially significant. There’s the queer daughter in Everything Everywhere All At Once (and, in one timeline, a touching romance between Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis); Cate Blanchett as an arrogant lesbian in Tar; gayness aplenty in Triangle of Sadness. But no nominated film this year is quite so profoundly meaningful and unexpected as The Whale.

Based on a play, almost all of the action takes place in a single set, and yet it doesn’t feel anticinematic at all; rather, it’s an incredibly intimate film that takes full advantage of the benefits of motion picture magic. The opening shot is a bold one: The camera tracks in on an immensely obese man (Brendan Fraser) watching gay porn on his laptop while jerking off. It’s simultaneously titillating, disgusting and invasive – one of the many cycle that the film constantly juggles. We learn the man is Charlie, a college writing professor who teaches online classes only with his camera turned off so his students can’t see his grotesque body.

Charlie was, until a decade ago, a seemingly straight father of a girl, married to a woman, when he met a male student and fell in love. He divorced and married his much younger paramour, only to be heartbroken when the young man dies, sending Charlie into a spiral of over-eating and self-destructive weight gain. He lives in a modest apartment, never venturing to the outside world except via his class Zoom calls and a dear friend, Liz (Hong Chau), who brings him food, nurses him and clucks about how he’s killing himself with food. Charlie seems fine with that, though.

You’d expect that we’re meant to be revolted by Charlie’s gross physical appearance and ravenous appetites, but that’s not the case; neither, however, do we outright pity him. Instead, we come to understand and sympathize with the sadness in his soul, the bottomless well of despair that comes from his broken heart.

This couldn’t have been accomplished without Fraser’s breathtakingly vivid and detailed performance. Charlie suspects – well, knows – that most people would judge and despise him on sight, but he never wallows in his own tragedy; if anything, he empathizes with their predictable reactions – self-awareness overpowers self-pity. He’s basically disgusted by himself, though content with it as well. There are several scenes where Charlie attacks food – pizza, sandwiches, etc. – with the voracious energy of a jungle cat feasting on a kill. He’s post-sex; calories are his passion. Eating is the replacement for human intimacy.

His life is thrown into additional chaos when a Mormon missionary enters his life, and he unexpectedly renews contact with his now-teenaged daughter. How all of these elements eventually coalesce around themes of love, redemption, betrayal and sacrifice is the greatest joy in discovering the film.

It might seem that, other than the brief porn at the top, Charlie being gay is incidental, or that you can’t otherwise peg this as “a gay movie,” but nothing could be further from the facts. The isolation, the body issues, the love, the identity issues, the guilt? It’s one of the most incisive portraits of queer anxiety ever committed to screen.

Whether it wins Fraser a well-deserved best actor Oscar this year I can’t predict with certainty. What I can be sure about is the loveliness and power of The Whale (even its title has layers). Its stellar performances, beautiful direction (by Darren Aronofsky), flawless makeup and multifaceted writing make this one of the best films in the past year.

Wes Smoot 3/8/23 Wes Smoot 3/8/23

Texas-based queer artist and activist Caleb De Casper performs and speaks at SXSW 2023

The "budding star" will play 6 official and unofficial shows and speak at a panel on LGBT rights

Since Caleb De Casper's last SXSW, the artist was named KUTX Artist Of The Month, co-headlined a Pride festival, had his ACL Fest performance named a "Most Memorable Moment" and the City of Austin declared April 21st to be "Caleb De Casper Day". On the other hand, homophobic trolls had a field day when City Council member Chito Vela posted a congratulatory photo of himself with the artist, but Vela and De Casper had the last laugh when as a result, "Y'all Means All Day was declared" and the debacle ended up in Teen Vogue. The incident made the classically trained musician even more determined to speak out for queer rights and he will be doing just that at a panel put together by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. As a resident of Texas which is rife with anti-gay legislation, he has plenty to say.

And of course there will be plenty of opportunities to see the artist perform live at SXSW this year, six in fact. And De Casper's live shows are legendary, complete with costumes, props, theatrics and plenty of audience participation. For proof, here is some further reading...

"If theatrics are what you are after, don't miss this performance."- CultureMap

"Peering sharply over Fifties-style sunglasses, De Casper connected to adoring fans through fluctuating electronic beats and audacious flair. With feather boas, pom-poms, and tantalizing phantasmagoria, the 'Real Girl' showed the tenacity of a true superstar." – Alyssa Quiles, Austin Chronicle/Alternative Press

"De Casper’s most notable live performance was a wild, sold-out show at Mohawk last October with NOLA Bounce queen Big Freedia. It was clear they won over the audience with a stellar performance."- Glide Magazine

Caleb De Casper's glam rock show is both over the top and sensational. The gifted songwriter has a knack for incredible live performances.”- Cosmic Clash

Wes Smoot 2/28/23 Wes Smoot 2/28/23

SXSW Comedy Festival Announces 2023 Lineup

Austin, Texas, February 27, 2023 – South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals unveiled the Comedy Festival lineup for 2023. This year’s diverse slate highlights some of today’s most compelling comedic voices during a week-long celebration of comedy. From March 10-18, SXSW Comedy features stand-up showcases, improv, conversations, live podcast recordings, and more.

Since 2008, the SXSW Comedy Festival has hosted hundreds of acclaimed comedians and performers from all corners of the entertainment industry. The festival is a unique opportunity to connect today’s most influential comedy minds and the next wave of groundbreaking comedic talent with icons from the world of film and television, creating a festival environment unlike any other. SXSW Comedy offers a rare space to witness those spontaneous magical moments that blossom into enduring collaborations.

All SXSW registrants (Platinum, Interactive, Music, and Film &TV) are welcome at all SXSW Comedy showcases. Film & TV wristband holders can attend SXSW Comedy showcases from Friday, March 10 through Saturday, March 18 and Music Wristband holders, Monday, March 13 through Saturday, March 18.

2023 SXSW Comedy Festival Participants:
Abbi Jacobson • Adrienne Iapalucci • Andre Hyland • Anna Kendrick • Anthony Atamanuik • Anthony DeVito • Aristotle Athari • Beth Stelling • Bob Odenkirk • Brian Moses • Caitlin Peluffo • Caleb Hearon • Chelsea Handler • Christina Catherine Martinez • Doug Benson • Eddie Pepitone • Emma Willmann • Eric André • Felipe Esparza • Godfrey • Greg Proops • Ismael Loutfi • Jackie Fabulous • Jake Johnson •James Adomian • Jessica McKenna • Joe DeRosa • John Gemberling • Josh Johnson • Joyelle Johnson • Katherine Blanford • Leonard Maltin • Matt Besser • Mike Lawrence • Natalie Palamides • Nick Thune • Patton Oswalt • Pete Lee • Phoebe Robinson • Rachel Sennott • Reggie Watts • Sabrina Jalees • Sam Jay • Sam Tallent • Sandy Honig • Steve Agee • Steph Tolev • Stuart Goldsmith • Tim Robinson • Todd Barry • Tone Bell • Yamaneika Saunders

Plus surprise guests and more!

2023 SXSW Comedy Festival Special Programs Featuring:
Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show • ASSSSCAT • The Comedian’s Comedian • Comic Relief US • The Creek & The Cave • Doug Loves Movies • Good Trip Live: A Night of Comedy and Psychedelic Stories • Gotham Comedy Club • I Used to Be Funny • improv4humans • Maltin on Movies • Matt Besser’s 420 Show • Roast Battle’s Tournament of Champions • Swan Leak: A Silent Clown Ballet • Variety Power of Comedy and more

Variety Power of Comedy, presented by Inspire Brands, will recognize comedic achievements across stand-up, film, TV and digital platforms on March 10. This year’s honorees include Chelsea Handler, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Patton Oswalt, Phoebe Robinson, Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin and others. This star-studded celebration of comedy will be hosted by Mike Lawrence and Nick Thune. Participants also include Bob Odenkirk. Full lineup and details below.

Expert impressionist James Adomian returns to SXSW Comedy with his third festival “keynote”, ŽIŽEK vs ŽXŽW: My God, What Is This Polycrisis? (A Comedy Keynote in Twelve Volumes), featuring celebrity philosopher Slavoj Žižek (Adomian) sharing inscrutable insights and questioning guests who will no doubt struggle to comprehend what cannot be understood about deep politics, late capitalist culture, and SXSW itself.

Comic Relief US (comicrelief.org), the nonprofit known around the world for Red Nose Day, hosts stand-up performance and special event, Funny Thing About Breaking Up the Boys Club. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Sam Jay (Bust Down), and Joyelle Johnson (Crashing) join for a discussion on the impact of women who break barriers and the power of laughter to affect change.

Adult Swim joins the festival to celebrate the return of the The Eric Andre Show. Eric André, along with co-host Felipe Esparza, DJ Douggpound, and friends, will present an evening of live comedy along with an exclusive sneak peek of the long-awaited sixth season.

Producers of the hit Netflix documentary, and 2020 SXSW Film selection, Have a Good Trip, will host a night of comedy and psychedelic stories with Eric André, Reggie Watts, Steve Agee, Sandy Honig (SXSW Featured Short Pennies From Heaven), Hamilton Morris, and surprise guests! The Good Trip team will also take part in a SXSW Conference featured session, Have a Good Trip: Psychedelics in Film and TV.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB) cofounder, Matt Besser, will return with a slate of shows including his beloved podcast improv4humans. He will provide stoner comedy at The 420 Show and lead UCB’s longest running show, ASSSSCAT, featuring true tales from celebrity guests and inspired scenes from some of today’s most skilled performers. UCB favorites Anthony Atamanuik (The President Show), John Gemberling (Broad City), and Jessica McKenna (Party Over Here) will join in the fun.

Besser will also present Johnny Cash Jr. & The Nepo Babies Hootenanny, a relatively star-studded event. Johnny Cash Jr. (Besser) hosts an evening of infamous nepo babies performing their biggest hits, or maybe their parent’s biggest hits. Another jam session of sorts, Nick Thune will host Riffs and Riff-Raff, a mixed bag of weirdness, complete with outlandish characters, nonsensical lyrics, and improvised songs.

The schedule features a slate of live podcast recordings. Renowned film historian Leonard Maltin and daughter Jessie Maltin, will talk all things cinema with guests on Maltin on Movies. Stuart Goldsmith will return with live editions of his famed podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, where he delves into the minds of the funniest people with his signature curious and insightful style. Doug Benson will record his hit audience-interactive game show, Doug Loves Movies. For the first time in almost a decade, Greg Proops (Whose Line Is It Anyway) brings his podcast, The Smartest Man in the World, to the SXSW stage.

Two comedy institutions are back again this year to bring some of their favorite acts to the festival. A renowned launching pad for New York’s funniest, Gotham Comedy Club brings a killer lineup of comedians from their famous stage. Official SXSW venue The Creek & The Cave, which fostered a massive wave of comedy in NYC before making a home in Austin, will also be showcasing a selection of their top stand-ups.

Brian Moses returns to the festival with The Hateful Eight: Roast Battle’s Tournament of Champions. Since its inception at the world-famous Comedy Store, Roast Battle has spent a decade spreading the art of insult comedy, crowning the best trash talkers in cities all across the country. Moses assembles a first-ever meeting of champions from every region of America to compete in a three-day battle of wits… until one is crowned best roast battler in the country.

Joe DeRosa, comedian and owner of NYC sandwich shop, Joey Roses, returns with another edition of last year’s hit, Joe DeRosa’s Sandwich Summit. The summit will bring together chefs and creators behind some of Austin’s best eats to talk about all things sandwich.

In their first year at SXSW, comedians Natalie Palamides and Christina Catherine Martinez team up for SWAN LEAK: A Silent Clown Ballet. Moonlighting as incendiary LA clowns, the pair explore their softer side through a soggy interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece.

Comedian and actress Rachel Sennott stars as an aspiring stand-up comic struggling with PTSD in SXSW Narrative Feature, I Used to Be Funny. In partnership with the Film & TV Festival, We Used to Be Funny celebrates the film and its comedian-studded marquee with a stand-up show featuring cast members Rachel Sennott, Sabrina Jalees, Caleb Hearon, and friends.

Variety Power of Comedy, presented by Inspire Brands, will recognize comedic achievements across stand-up, film, TV and digital platforms on March 10 at SXSW. This year’s honorees are Eric André, Cult Favorite; Chelsea Handler, Comedy Icon; Jake Johnson, Comedy Director; Anna Kendrick, Comedy Actress; Patton Oswalt, Stand-up Comic; Phoebe Robinson, Comedy Innovator; Tim Robinson & Zach Kanin, Sketch Comedy; and Rachel Sennott, Breakthrough Artist. Variety Power of Comedy will be hosted by Mike Lawrence and Nick Thune. Participants also include Bob Odenkirk.Inspire Brands will be serving food and drink at the event from Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin', Jimmy John's and SONIC Drive-in. The event will be open to SXSW badgeholders on a first come, first served basis.

SXSW Film & TV Festival
Featured performers will also appear in an array of exciting new films and TV series debuting at the SXSW Film & TV Festival. Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick star in the SXSW Narrative Spotlight film, Self Reliance. Patton Oswalt will attend the premiere of TV Spotlight, Shatter Belt, where he stars in episode three of director James Byrkit’s modern mindbender. He’ll also make an appearance at a featured discussions session, The COHERENCE Effect: Manifesting Shatter Belt, to discuss the unconventional approach to the making of the film. Rachel Sennott takes the screen in narrative feature, I Used to Be Funny, along with comedians Sabrina Jalees and Caleb Hearon. Sennott also appears in the hilarious SXSW Film & TV Festival Headliner Bottoms. Sandy Honig attends the festival as director of her short film, Pennies From Heaven, and additionally for her acting role in The Young Wife.

About SXSW
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music and comedy showcases, film screenings, exhibitions, professional development and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2023 will take place March 10 - 19, 2023. For more information, please visit sxsw.com. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.

SXSW 2023 Comedy Festival is sponsored by Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Volkswagen, The Austin Chronicle, Porsche, Itaú bank, C4 Energy, and Slack.

Wes Smoot 2/21/23 Wes Smoot 2/21/23

Unleashed LGBTQ is Coming Out of the Virtual Closet for the First National LGBTQ+ Business & Entertainment Festival!

After a successful pandemic virtual launch, Unleashed LGBTQ hosts its first in-person LGBTQ conference and festival for LGBTQ+ professionals in Dallas, September 2023.

Gilley’s Dallas 1135 Botham Jean Blvd Dallas, TX 75215

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 13th, 2023) - Wesley Smoot, in partnership with iHeart Radio, equalpride (Out, The Advocate, Advocate Channel, Pride, Plus, Out Traveler), Dallas Voice, and Kelly Ann Winget announce their Unleashed LGBTQ conference and festival in Dallas, Texas, on September 22nd - 24th, 2023. This trailblazing event will bring LGBTQ+ professionals from across the country to connect in a fun and interactive environment with top talent, brands, and industry leaders across Business, Entertainment, Fashion, Travel, and Technology sectors. Attendees will be introduced to the latest products, services, and campaigns entering the LGBTQ market through keynotes, panels, workshops, screenings, and live performances from some of the biggest names in LGBTQ culture. For announcements about speakers and entertainers, visit the link here.

“You’ll love what these guys are doing... They’re basically creating a “gay SXSW.” – Matt Skallerud of Pink Media

Following a successful virtual launch during the pandemic, this three-day in-person event arrives at Gilley’s Dallas – one of the most sought-after and beautiful conference venues in Texas, with 92,000 square feet across seven unique rooms, multiple stages, and rooftop views of the Dallas skyline – and the neighboring Cedars Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, an upscale theater and dining complex where film and television screenings and panels from popular streaming services, studios, and networks will take place.

Each day begins with educational topics (e.g., Effective Advertising, Financial Planning, Entrepreneurship, DEI, LGBTQ+ Representation in Media & Politics) and high-tech and experiential brand marketing installments and transitions to entertainment (e.g., music, drag, and comedy performances, panels from film and television). There will be ample opportunities for professional networking using the Unleashed LGBTQ event app (developed by WebEx/Cisco) and at specialized events and unique branded activations through the award-winning Freeman event services.

Speakers and Entertainers for LGBTQ Unleashed 2023 will be announced in groups leading up to the event date. Last year’s virtual events included a diverse slate of speakers and performers, including Comedian Matteo Lane (Netflix, Comedy Central), drag diva Carmen Carrera (RuPaul’s Drag Race, Victoria’s Secret fashion show), Brian Sims (Pennsylvania State Representative), Stacey Chosed (CEO, League at AT&T), Michael Sam (first openly gay NFL draftee), Gravity Balmain (HBO Max’s Legendary), comedian Daniel Webb (Apple TV, Comedy Central), and trans activist Celia Sandhya Daniels (Trans Can Work nonprofit), to name a few.

Unleashed LGBTQ is currently taking submissions for additional speakers, panelists, artists, brands, and project premiers. For more information about registration, participation, or ticket sales, visit: https://www.unleashedlgbtq.com/

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Unleashed LGBTQ will have designated areas for press to connect with talent and other industry professionals. Bloggers, journalists, and influencers can request information about press credentials by emailing press@unleashedlgbtq.com.

Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC is proud to receive support, endorsements, and/or grants from the following organizations: DTPID (Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District), Visit Dallas, North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce, NLGCC (National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce), & IGLTA (International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association).

Media Contact

Amanda Samoyloff│Samoyloff PR amanda@samoyloffpr.com

Unleashed LGBTQ Founder/CEO, Wesley Smoot

Wes Smoot 2/20/23 Wes Smoot 2/20/23

Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC has been certified as a LGBT Enterprise by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce

For Immediate Release

Febuary 20, 2023

Dallas, TX – Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC is proud to announce their recent certification as an LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE®️) through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Supplier Diversity Initiative. The NGLCC is the business voice of the LGBT community and serves as the nation’s exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned and operated businesses.

“On behalf of the entire National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), it is our distinct honor and pleasure to send Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC our congratulations! I am happy to inform you that the NGLCC Certification Committee has officially approved your application for Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) certification through the NGLCC Supplier Diversity Initiative.”

Unleashed LGBTQ, LLC is now eligible to participate in the NGLCC’s corporate partners’ supplier diversity programs, can take advantage of the vast educational opportunities promoted by the NGLCC and will work to foster business relationships with other LGBTBEs worldwide.

“Unleashed LGBTQ’s primary goal, from day one, has been to work with LGBTQ+ brands, supportive corporate partners, and of course, largest LGBTQ+ voices. Thank you to the NGLCC, we are honored to be certified by your organization, we can’t wait to partner with other organizations in this valuable and inclusive business community,” said Wesley Smoot- Unleashed LGBTQ Founder & CEO

About UNLEASHED LGBTQ, LLC

Unleashed LGBTQ is creating a space for brands, entertainers, and LGBTQ+ professionals to connect. Attendees can learn about the latest products, services, and campaigns entering the LGBTQ+ market in a fun and interactive environment. Unleashed LGBTQ provides premier networking opportunities for professionals in a variety of industries. Unleashed LGBTQ will host speakers, panels, and performances from some of the biggest names in LGBTQ+ culture— including film, television, music, and business.

About NGLCC

The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and the exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned businesses. With more than 200 corporate partners, and 62 local, state, and international affiliate chambers, NGLCC is the largest LGBT business development and economic advocacy organization in the world. www.nglcc.org

Wes Smoot 10/19/22 Wes Smoot 10/19/22

Disko Cowboy Interview | Austin City Limits 2022

Interview by Wesley Smoot

Disko Cowboy at Tito’s Vodka Stage- ACL 2022

Weslo: This is Wesley Smoot, with Unleashed LGBTQ, I’m here at Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas with Disco Cowboy... How are you today? I heard you crushed it at last year.

Disko Cowboy: Thanks brotha. I’m great, how are you?

Weslo: Not bad at all. How’s your ACL?

Disko Cowboy: Actually, it’s my first day here. But it’s been awesome.

Weslo: So, you’re going on soon.

Disko Cowboy: That’s right, here in about an hour.

Weslo: Yassss… You’re a Texas boy, what’s your thoughts on the scene? You've been here a while.

Disko Cowboy: I grew up outside of Austin, this is my permanent residence now, looking at about 8 months. Austin is great, it’s not what it used to be, but you can say that about most places.

Weslo: I'll agree wholeheartedly. You're not only a musician & producer but a designer and entrepreneur. You’re the founder of Vinyl Ranch, a really hip apparel company, can you tell our readers about the line?

Disko Cowboy: Sure, it’s kind of more of a pop-culture mash-up, obviously rooted in country music and dance music culture— I just kind of pull off kinds of topical references from what I’m doing. I try to keep myself open to always receiving new, creative ideas.

Weslo: I can dig it. I’m seeing so much overlap and synergy between pop music and country, things like Lil Nas X with Ol Town Road, do you see this growing as more of a sub-genre?

Disko Cowboy: Definitely, that’s been a whole conversation lately. I almost feel like with most genres, the lines are blurring in every direction– there doesn’t need to be a singularity of what a music genre is. It’s just gonna be music, kind of like food. Now, we’re all just cooking gumbo, it's actually a great time to be making music.

Weslo: I can see that. I saw Diplo wearing your gear, it seems like Vinyl Ranch is blowing up. Congrats! Can you tell us more?

**Disko** **Cowboy** & **Diplo** wearing **Vinyl** **Ranch**

Disko Cowboy: Yes! I did a merch collab with him. I helped design his merch for Stagecoach in April. I’m actually collaborating with him on some other live events– stay tuned. I just DJ'd the Stagecoach launch party in LA. I think everyone is assuming a partnership has developed. But yeah, he’s been a big supporter of Vinyl Ranch. It’s cool to work with people that have brands that are so expansive and universal. He’s obviously one of the most prominent, famous Djs in the galaxy. To have someone like that put you on, it’s a real honor.

Welso: I dig it. So back to music, anywhere specific you pull inspiration from?

Disko Cowboy: Everything. I’m so curious about everything. I love the term country-curious (laughing), but I’m like, curious about everything. Anything that I can experience that will make an impact in my creative statement, I’m always open to living it, learning it, loving it.

Welso: Are there close connections or overlap in the creativity of fashion and music?

Disko Cowboy: Absolutely. I think they're so interdependent on one another. I’ve always been at the intersection of the two, ever since I was a kid. I have polaroids of me dressed as Michael Jackson, sleeves rolled up– my mom said I used to cut my own hair because I had to be in control of my own look, style. I think the two will always go hand-in-hand.

Welso: Well as you know, we are Unleashed LGBTQ, we know you do not identify as queer yourself, but you mentioned before the interview started, you have always got lots of inspiration from queer artists.. We can definitely see that in your fabulous outfits. Can you tell us more?

Disko Cowboy: I have lots of LGBTQ+ influences. When I was younger, my mom’s two best friends, Eric and Michael were really influential to me. They were a gay couple in San Antonio, Texas, “roommates” – my grandfather was queer as well, a great man. But, when I first started DJing, I was playing raves and a gay club in San Antonio, called The Saint, this was many, many years ago in the Y2K. But I’ve always had friends in the community, I was always proud to be an ally, it’s thanks to my upbringing that I was open and accepting, we’re all just people, we all need love.

Welso: I love that. As far as gay music, who were your influences?

Disko Cowboy: George Micheal, 100%. The day George Michael died; I’ve been wearing this dangly earring. I’ve been wearing it ever since. When I was a kid, my mom had two cassettes: The Judds and George Michael, Faith. And when I was a young boy, I'd see this cassette every day on the way to school, I’d think to myself, that’s what I want to look like. To this day I rock a five o’clock shadow and my tight jeans. He could have been gay, straight, a fucking martian… I knew I idolized him. To this day, universal sex appeal.

**Disko** **Cowboy** & **Wesley** **Smoot** ACL 2022

Welso: Well, he’s still one of the most beautiful men to have walked the planet. Not to mention his charitable contributions and influence on the actual music industry/business.

Disko Cowboy: Absolutely, George Michael and Prince both. It takes individuals as talented and bold as them to stand up to the industry giants. What they did for all musicians, songwriters, publishers, should never be forgotten.

Welso: Amen, boo. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. You’re an ally and a hell of a talent. I look forward to catching you on stage and keeping up with you.

Disko Cowboy: This has been my pleasure. Thank you, Wesley.

Disko Cowboy has been pioneering and redefining urban cowboy culture through Vinyl Ranch and his own DJ prowess since the brand launched in Houston in 2007.

He has become especially known for his country disco music mashup DJ party that's grown in popularity across the country. In fact, Disko Cowboy is one of the only DJ's regularly booked on big festival bills like Bonnarroo (for the last two years), Stagecoach this year where he did a merch collaboration with Diplo, the inaugural FORMAT Fest last weekend in AR, now ACL Fest both weekends for the second year in a row, Lucktoberfest this Halloween in Austin opening for Orville Peck, and partnering in a big way on a brand new fest coming very soon -- more in store to be revealed.

This is all without consistently publishing new music, yet staying relevant with his unique style reinforced through the Vinyl Ranch brand.

Wes Smoot 10/18/22 Wes Smoot 10/18/22

5® GUM TEAMS UP WITH YUNGBLUD AND GREG YUNA TO CREATE THE “MASTERPIECES” CAMPAIGN FEATURING LUXURY JEWELRY CONTAINING CHEWED GUM

Fans can own the thrill by bidding-to-win one of 5® gum’s fifteen limited-edition luxury necklaces that feature Yungblud’s chewed 5 gum

*Photo courtesies to Jordan Strauss Photography*

NEWARK, NJ [October 17, 2022] – Today, one of Mars’ most exhilarating and adventurous brands, 5® gum, announced its “Masterpieces” campaign in collaboration with musician and Gen Z icon, Yungblud, and prominent New York City luxury jeweler and artist, Greg Yuna. The campaign brings to life across multiple touch points the brand’s purpose: to encourage people to embrace the thrill of taking a chance, pushing the limits of their craft, and doing what makes them feel alive.

At the center of the new campaign is the “Masterpieces” collection, a set of 15 custom luxury necklaces designed and crafted by Yuna using pieces of Cobalt Peppermint 5 gum that were chewed by Yungblud as part of his pre-concert ritual during his 5 gum-sponsored U.S. album release tour last month. Leaning into the brand’s namesake of stimulating all five senses, Yungblud chewed a piece of 5 gum before hitting the stage at each show throughout his tour, capturing the anticipation and exhilaration felt moments before doing something life-changing.

After his electrifying concerts, a total of 15 pieces of the iconic bright blue 5 gum were collected and sent to Yuna to handcraft into 15 collectible necklaces, each representing the thrill felt by both Yungblud and his fans before, during and after each performance, as well as by Yuna when ideating and creating such fascinating pieces of jewelry.

"I love these jewelry pieces that Greg Yuna created. His work is next level and the fact that some of my fans will have the chance to own a little piece of history is amazing,” said Yungblud. “I loved this tour with 5 gum and I couldn’t think of a better way to have celebrated the release of my album than by hitting as many cities in the U.S. as I could and seeing as many of my fans as possible. Playing these new songs for the first time in these beautiful record stores was an experience I’ll never forget.”

No two necklaces of the 15-piece collection are the same. Each one features a piece of chewed cobalt blue gum in its original shape as the center piece, encased in Lucite. White diamonds and a charm engraved with the 5 gum logo and Yuna’s signature stamp surround the gum pendant, which hangs on a 14K white gold chain. Each of the necklaces will be encased in a custom-designed 5 gum jewelry box, featuring an exterior inscription noting the edition number of that specific “Masterpiece” within the larger collection. The jewelry will also come with a certificate of authentication and a pack of the limited-edition Cobalt Peppermint 5 gum featuring Yungblud’s name and image.

“Creating slightly shocking luxury jewelry pieces out of an everyday item such as gum is something that has never been done before in the industry, so I loved stepping into the unknown and challenging myself to create pieces that were equally as exhilarating as Yungblud and 5 gum,” said Greg Yuna. “Experiences that heighten your sense is the new luxury, and I’m incredibly proud of both this partnership with 5 gum and the final jewelry pieces. As fans will see, they truly embody self-expression, passion and boldness, which is what I’m all about.”

“As a brand that strives to be the most adventurous and distinct brand for life's most exhilarating moments, 5 gum’s partnership with two authentically bold, artistic geniuses, like Yungblud and Greg Yuna, was a natural fit and a great honor,” said Justin Hollyn-Taub, Senior Marketing Director at Mars Wrigley. “The 15 pieces of custom jewelry, featuring our very own 5 Cobalt gum, were created in such a way that they truly live up to the name of this campaign and collection – Masterpieces. We simply cannot wait for fans to get the unique chance to take home a piece of the thrill that was experienced throughout Yungblud’s tour and the masterful creation of the jewelry.”

Yungblud & Weslo (Wesley Smoot) SOHO House 2022

Now through October 26, fans worldwide can bid on 5 gum’s Masterpieces collection on eBay at www.ebay.com/e/ad/5GumMasterpieces. Bidding starts at $5 and all proceeds from the sale of each Masterpiece will benefit the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) to further its mission to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent venues, promoters, festivals, and cultural hubs of local communities across the United States.

To see a behind-the-scenes look at the thrill felt on stage and in the studio with Yungblud and Greg Yuna, check out this video and follow 5 gum on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook.

Wes Smoot 10/13/22 Wes Smoot 10/13/22

TAMMIE BROWN’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR PREMIERES OCTOBER 21ST ON OUTTV

Tammie Brown and Kelly Mantle are thrilled to return to OUTtv with their brand-new holiday special, Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular. Premiering October 21 and streaming throughout the trick-and-treat season, the show stars everyone’s favorite comedic drag duo as they fight ghouls, goblins, and crazed fans to keep their Halloween Spooktacular afloat. The hilarious hour of comedy and hijinks includes negligent bodyguards, botched fashion shows, and meet-and-greets gone wrong. Luckily, Kelly Mantle is there to take matters into her own hands… so what could go wrong? Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular features two new singles by Tammie Brown, “Soothsayer” and “Pumpkin Blaster,” and guest star appearances by Sonique Love, April Carrión, Fena Barbitall, Todd Glass, and the Sugarbaker Twins.

“I love the variety show format,” says Tammie Brown, the drag persona created by Keith Glen Schubert who is best known for her stand-out appearances on RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars. She has released four music albums including the popular hit singles, “Port-A-Potty Prostitute” and “Schubert,” and regularly performs all over the world. “Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular will introduce new music, hilarious sketches, and a myriad of dynamic guests. It will be a rip-roaring event,” she promises.

Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular also sees the return of Kelly Mantle’s zany alter-ego, Sheila. “People love Sheila because she has no filter, no censor and no shame,” Mantle explains. “She says what we’re all thinking. She’s bold and blunt, but it goes down smooth like a Pumpkin latte mixed with Southern Comfort.”

Kelly Mantle made Oscar history by being the first openly non-binary person to be approved and considered by The Academy for both Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress for their role in the feature film, Confessions of A Womanizer. Mantle is a graduate of Second City in Chicago and has appeared on television in RuPaul's Drag Race, Lucifer, Modern Family and Mike & Molly, among others. Their uncle is the late great Mickey Mantle.

Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular is directed by John Mark, who also created Tammie Brown and Kelly Mantle’s half-hour comedy series, The Browns, available on OUTtv.

Tammie Brown’s Halloween Spooktacular will be available to stream OUTtv.com and on AppleTV+ via the OUTtv Channel on October 21.

Follow Tammie Brown on IG @planettammie

Follow Kelly Mantle on IG @kellymantle, Twitter @thekellymantle, and FB @ Kelly Mantle

Follow John Mark on IG @johnmarkcreative

Wes Smoot 10/11/22 Wes Smoot 10/11/22

Ada Vox Sings Out Loud and Proud This National Coming Out Day with Powerful New Anthem, “Let My Love Shine”

This National Coming Out Day, drag queen Ada Vox, best known for competing on American Idol and winning runner-up on the first season of Paramount Plus’ Queen of The Universe, will release her new song, “Let My Love Shine.” The beautiful song about finding strength and resilience through life’s toughest challenges offers a combination of electronic and dance music, with small gospel influences in the bridge. “I’m known more for dramatic, heart-wrenching diva ballads, but this time around, I wanted to be able to spread joy and happiness,” she explains. “By the end of the song, every single listener should feel compelled to toss their fears aside and live their lives in a way that leads with positivity and light.” Ada Vox’s “Let My Love Shine” is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major platforms on October 11.

“I have experienced hiding behind the facade of a fake smile while feeling miserable inside,” admits Ada Vox. “I’ve learned we cannot let our feelings control us. We need to consciously find joy and absorb it and share it with others. In the end, we’re all mere specks of dust in this universe. We may as well float around like happy specks, making as many other little specks happy along the way.”

The lyrics for “Let My Love Shine” were written by Negin Djafari (who has written previously for Miley Cyrus and Drake) and Helienne Lindvall. The song was produced by Daniel Robles.

“I met Daniel at RuPaul’s DragCon,” Vox continues. “He proposed the idea of a collaboration and his energy inspired me. I just knew everything would fall into place beautifully; so as soon as it was possible, we made it happen.”

The world first met Ada Vox when she auditioned for American Idol in 2013. At the time, she was known as Adam Sanders. In one of his Season 12 performances, Adam got a standing ovation from three of the four judges with his rendition of Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind.” However, he was eliminated after Hollywood week. It came as a surprise for all when on the March 25 episode of American Idol, Adam returned as Ada Vox, wowing judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan with her rendition of “House of the Rising Sun”. She was immediately given her golden ticket to Hollywood.

While the exposure from the show won Adam Sanders AKA Ada Vox plenty of new fans and many exciting opportunities to perform, he also began getting death threats on social media. People attacked his weight and his sexuality. It crushed his soul and he admits he even contemplated taking his own life.

Luckily, with the help of fans from the LGBTQ community and beyond, Ada found her strength. “Let My Love Shine” reflects her long-held motto, "I do what I love for the people that love what I do."

“There is so much more to life than worrying about how we can please the naysayers,” Ada Vox says today. “There are people out there who love us for exactly who we are. The only way to find them is to be our true selves. Light attracts light, so let your love shine through in every little thing you do!”

Follow on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram @adavox.

Wes Smoot 9/13/22 Wes Smoot 9/13/22

RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag

The North American Halloween Tour

Fresh off RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7, Yvie Oddly stars as The Boogieman in RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag, an extravagantly produced live stage production that draws inspiration from Dante's Divine Comedy. Joining Yvie Oddly in the annual Halloween spectacular will be a cast of sinful RuPaul’s Drag Race queens that have been summoned from the depths of the Boogieman’s fiery hell, including Aquaria the Sloth, Asia O’Hara the Envious, Bosco the Lustful, DeJa Skye the Greedy, Kim Chi the Glutton, Lady Camden the Proud, Rosé the Vain, and Vanessa Vanjie the Wrathful. Presented by Voss Events, in collaboration with World of Wonder, RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag will take place in eight North American cities including in Chicago (at the Rosemont Theatre on 10/25) and New York (at Kings Theatre on October 30).

“Prepare for chills and thrills in this year’s production of Night of the Living Drag,” promises Yvie Oddly. “As the ultimate queen of curiosities, I am excited to host a fierce and frightful exploration into all of world’s most wicked sins.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag will feature spine-chilling performances, haunted scenery, and macabre costumes; all meant to shock and amaze. “We are pulling out all the stops with this production,” says the live show’s producer Brandon Voss. “It will be an immersive experience with horrifying tableaus, state-of-the-art lighting and a spook-tacular sound system. We advise audiences to prepare themselves to be dragged into the deepest depths of the Boogieman’s hell.”

The RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag tour launches October 20th in Houston and runs through October 30 in New York with stops in Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, and more.

Tickets for RuPaul’s Drag Race Night of the Living Drag are available at VossEvents.com. Ticket prices range from $50 - $99. There are also a limited number of VIP passes that include a pre-show meet-and-greet available for $249.

Wes Smoot 7/21/22 Wes Smoot 7/21/22

FLOAT FEST - MUSIC, TUBING & CAMPING FESTIVAL - STARTS THIS WEEKEND WITH NEW ACTIVATIONS AND A SHOW STOPPING LINEUP

Coca-Cola presents Float Fest - the only festival in the world to combine the Texas tradition of floating the river and live music - including new activations, vendors and more for the 2022 festival happening this weekend. The festival will be held on a 765-acre private ranch in Gonzales, TX, conveniently located just over an hour from both Austin and San Antonio, two hours from Houston and situated right off of major highway US 183. Sponsors include Coca-Cola, Minute Maid Aguas Frescas, Topgolf, Monster Energy, Deep Eddy Vodka, Karbach, Bud Light and more. Float Fest also has special amenities for festival-goers hitting the river and staying at the campsites.

The 2022 headliners for Float Fest include Marshmello, Vampire Weekend, Cage the Elephant, Deadmau5, Chance the Rapper, Lord Huron, Chvrches, Kaytranada, Quinn XCII, 100 Gecs and Pusha T. Other artists on the lineup include Tove Lo, Hippie Sabotage, Two Feet, Sueco, Aly & AJ, Nane, Daisy the Great, CVBZ, Sam Austins, Sir Woman, Me Nd Adam, Madeline the Person, Doublecamp, Little Image, Games We Play, and Blossom Aloe. With 27 artists on two identical stages, there will be no overlapping performance times allowing attendees to watch every set, unlike many other music festivals.

Schedule of Headliner Performances:

Saturday, July 23, 2022
- 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Kaytranada
- 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. - Chance the Rapper
- 10:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. - Vampire Weekend
- 11:45 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. - Deadmau5
Sunday, July 24, 2022
- 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - CHVRCHES
- 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Lord Huron
- 9:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. - Cage the Elephant
- 10:45 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. - Marshmello

WHEN:

Saturday, July 23 - Sunday, July 24, 2022

2:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.

*Festival goers can begin arriving as soon as 12 p.m. on Friday, July 22.

WHERE:

1 County Road 197

Gonzales, TX 78629

MORE:

Daily shuttles will be offered from Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and San Marcus to and from the ranch and are available for purchase on the Float Fest website. The location is adjacent to the city center of Gonzales, providing access to grocery stores, retailers, hotels, restaurants, and more. For more information on Float Fest, please visit the pages below.

WEBSITE: www.floatfest.net

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/floatfestival

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/floatfest

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/floatfest

Event Hashtag: #ThisIsFloatFest

Wes Smoot 7/14/22 Wes Smoot 7/14/22

LOU RIDLEY SHARES A SOUTHERN “BLESS YOUR HEART” IN RESPONSE TO ANTI-ABORTION BILL

Today, human rights advocate and self-proclaimed ‘Anti-country’ country and soul artist Lou Ridley returns with her first release of the year titled “Bless Your Heart.” The track, named after a phrase most southerners would agree is more of an acid-tongued remark than a positive well wish, was written after news leaked that The Supreme Court voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Ridley calls to question those who radically demand their right to freedom yet in the same breath limit the same access to the country’s most marginalized communities under the guise of religious scripture.

LISTEN TO “BLESS YOUR HEART”

Raised in the small town of Southlake, Texas, and now, Nashville-based, Ridley is no stranger to navigating and challenging the ideals of far-right extremists and religious conservatives in the deep south. With both women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights at the forefront of recent and continuous attacks, Ridley felt responsible to speak out, especially while partaking in a genre that often looks to remain silent during controversial and conservative discussions.

“I wrote this song before the overturn. I wrote it as a southern woman whose life has been riddled with experiences of misogyny and prejudice under the guise of Christianity and God. I’m speaking directly to the cowards. In honor of not only other women but all the other lives that are threatened due to the willful ignorance of our leadership in this country. My genre (country), and the men especially, have been alarmingly quiet about these issues… so yet again I’ll grab my nuts and walk forward.”

Recently she sat down with Gloria Johnson (D - Knoxville) former teacher and Tennessee representative to learn more about what the overturn means for Tennessee residents, what to expect next, and the different ways that people can get involved. They go in-depth about healthcare, education, and LGBTQIA+ rights as well as what needs to be done to protect and better them.

WATCH EP. 1 PT. 1 OF NO THANKS WITH TN STATE REPRESENTATIVE GLORIA JOHNSON HERE

Lou Ridley has been making waves in Nashville for not submitting to the typical textbook 'country' artist image. She fearlessly aims to push the boundaries by being unapologetically vocal about Nashville's 'boys club' culture as well as its lack of inclusion and representation. Last year Ridley stormed onto the scene with her wildly popular track “Hometown” written about her hometown of Southlake, Texas, and her sophomore EP titled Angel/Outlaw which lead to praise from The Recording Academy/Grammys, People Magazine, and Houston Chronicle to name a few. Aside from music, she works closely with the Patrick Cady Foundation in Los Angeles to aid unhoused men and women fighting addiction (See here on Soft White Underbelly).

FOLLOW LOU RIDLEY:

Wes Smoot 7/6/22 Wes Smoot 7/6/22

Miki Ratsula GeNder Neutral Cover EP ‘made for THEM’

New Project from the Trans, Nonbinary Musician Due July 8 Featuring Gender Neutral Covers Of Tracks From Harry Styles, Phoebe Bridgers & More.

Miki Ratsula has built a sizable audience by openly and honestly welcoming people into their world. The trans, nonbinary artist uses their platform to candidly document their life: from coming out to getting top surgery to their mental health journey. It’s the kind of storytelling that listeners, especially young queer kids, crave and deserve.

Ratsula will release their gender neutral covers EP, made for them, July 8 via Nettwerk. The made for them EP comes on the heels of releasing their acclaimed debut album i owe it to myself this spring. The new project was co-produced by Miro Mackie (St. Vincent, Mallrat, KALI) and features covers of songs by Phoebe Bridgers, Harry Styles, One Direction, Angus & Julia Stone and the EP’s first single, a stunning cover of Dodie’s“she.”

“When I posted my first gender neutral cover on TikTok, I didn't realize how much it would mean for so many of you. There's something special about feeling represented in music. These songs have a special place in my heart and it was an honor to put my own spin on them. I truly hope you enjoy this piece of work. And thank you to the writers and original artists for creating such beautiful songs.” made for them is available for pre-order / pre-save here: https://mikiratsula.ffm.to/madeforthemep.

made for them follows the March 2022 release of Miki’s debut album, i owe it to myself – an acoustic pop dream guided by Miki’s lush, lofi-inspired production that captures the full emotional seesaw that rocks between youth and adulthood. It’s a testament to self-love and a gift to anyone seeking the same, and sees Miki at their most vulnerable and fully realized. Their deeply intimate record touches on mental health, loss, love, and everything in between and the album’s singles received praise and playlisting by the likes of Billboard Pride, them., Under the Radar, PopMatters.

‘made for them’ track listing

01 - big jet plane (gender neutral version)

02 - cherry (gender neutral version)

03 - graceland too (gender neutral version)

04 - she (gender neutral version)

05 - steal my girl (gender neutral version)

‘made for them’ Pre-order / Pre-save link: https://mikiratsula.ffm.to/madeforthemep

FOLLOW MIKI RATSULA

Official Site | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Facebook

Wes Smoot 6/29/22 Wes Smoot 6/29/22

Andy Cohen’s Pride Party with MUJEN and DE-NADA at The Skylark

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Andy Cohen attends the celeb-filled Pride Day celebration with MUJEN SPIRITS and DE-NADA TEQUILA at The Skylark on June 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, June 23, 2022—The Skylark, Midtown West’s elevated bar and lounge with New York City’s most breathtaking 30th-floor views, today announces its PRIDE Day Celebration on Sunday, June 26, 2022 (4pm-9pm), hosted by Andy Cohen.

The invitation-only gala event includes an open bar servingspecialty cocktails by Master Mixologist Johnny Swet, featuring DE-NADA Additive-Free Tequila and MUJEN Spirits – a new premium line of Japanese shochu introduced to the marketplace this year; passed bar bites by premier caterer Abigail Kirsch; DJ Timothy Lucent spinning tunes; as well as exclusive merchandise by Bloomingdale’s.

Located in Manhattan’s historic Garment District, The Skylark is the brainchild of hospitality veteran David Rabin and premier catering and hospitality group Abigail Kirsch. It is an all-season, multi-level indoor/outdoor destination for sophisticated cocktails during the week and private events on weekends.

“PRIDE is something very close to our hearts here at The Skylark, and we can see this becoming an annual celebration and the premier post-PRIDE Parade event,” says Anthony Simone, General Manager, The Skylark. “We are making sure to pull out all the stops to make this the most epic PRIDE event in New York City, and one that benefits a very worthy cause.”

All proceeds from the joyous, high-energy PRIDE Day Celebration, which includes a silent auction, will benefit The Ali Forney Center in New York, which protects LGBTQ youth from homelessness. In addition, until the end of July at The Skylark, a portion of proceeds from cocktails made with DE-NADA Tequila and MUJEN Spirits will benefit the organization.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: DE-NADA Tequila is served at Andy Cohen's celeb-filled Pride Day celebration with MUJEN SPIRITS and DE-NADA TEQUILA at The Skylark on June 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

The Skylark’s PRIDE cocktails include:

De’Perfect Paloma

2 oz DE-NADA Blanco Tequila

1.5 oz grapefruit juice

0.5 oz lime juice

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine all ingredients and shake until cold. Strain into a highball glass over ice and stir in grapefruit soda. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge sprinkled with salt.

Tokyo Lemonade

2 oz MUJEN Original or MUJEN Ai

1 oz lemon juice

0.75 oz simple syrup (3 parts sugar, 2 parts water)

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine all ingredients and shake until cold. Strain into a Collins glass over ice and stir in 3 oz of soda water. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Just the Prick Margarita

1 oz MUJEN Original or MUJEN Ai

1 oz DE-NADA Blanco Tequila

2 oz prickly pear purée

0.75 oz lime juice

0.5 oz orange juice

0.5 oz agave nectar

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine all ingredients and shake until cold. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Andy Cohen (R) attends the celeb-filled Pride Day celebration with MUJEN SPIRITS and DE-NADA TEQUILA at The Skylark on June 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Anthony Simone, Angel Au and guests attend Andy Cohen's celeb-filled Pride Day celebration with MUJEN SPIRITS and DE-NADA TEQUILA at The Skylark on June 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Andy Cohen attends celeb-filled Pride Day celebration with MUJEN SPIRITS and DE-NADA TEQUILA at The Skylark on June 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Wes Smoot 6/10/22 Wes Smoot 6/10/22

Peacock Reboots a Gay Staple with Unexpected Success QUEER AF

By Arnold Wayne Jones

If you’re old enough (and gay enough) to remember watching when Russell T. Davies’ original British series Queer as Folk debuted more than 20 years ago – I, sadly, am – then you will never forget the adrenaline-rush of seeing sexually-active gay men engaged in realistic-seeming sex without AIDS, shame or suicide being the dramatic driving force. It was staggering in its radicalism. There was no marriage equality; it was still GLBT – the “A” hadn’t been added, the letters reversed, the Q codified. It was sexy, frivolous, and its politics was that of stentorian outrage at closet-cases, homophobia and hypocrisy. The original QAF – and its American remake, which ran on pay-cable for five seasons – was a kind of fantasy soap opera of bed-hopping, shade-throwing and melodramatic cliffhangers. (Question: Should we call a gay soap opera a “lube musical”? But I digress.)

We live in a new world now, although not always a better world. Gay weddings are now called “weddings,” Grindr gets joked about in primetime, COVID has replaced HIV as the virus of the moment, trans kids are… well, a thing. But there’s also the Pulse nightclub shooting, anti-trans legislation and the current SCOTUS membership. We’ve come far, but there’s still far to go.

Which is why, as I discovered slightly to my surprise, that we really needed a reboot of Queer as Folk. I needed convincing; I’m generally opposed to rehashing old properties simply because Hollywood is so bereft of courage or originality that it assumes audiences only want what they already know. (Unfortunately, they are often right.) Why revisit the same characters, or “new” characters regurgitating the same ideas, just for clicks and a 4.5 in the demo? The fact that this QAF was coming to NBC’s Peacock – the buggiest and boringest of the major streaming services from the most middle-brow of networks – gave me little hope.

Then I watched the first episode. And the second. And third. And it dawned on me that, of all retro series reboots out there, this may be the one that has the best chance to seem more relevant than the original.

In some ways, this is a critique of the American version. A dirty little secret: Most gays will concede that we often hate-watched that show. We wanted to see idealized versions of our own lives on screen (hard bodies glistening with perspiration in soft-core lighting), but these scenes were sandwiched between stereotypes, often painfully overwrought dialogue and predictable plotting. Most episodes left you with the same dissatisfaction as a Diet Coke: You asked for it, but the empty aftertaste left you wanting something better. The Peacock version needed to improve upon those feelings, and so far, it has.

The first amazement for me was the opening scene: A fairly explicit and rolicking anal sex scene that shows more ass and abs than I expected from NBC. The second amazement: Diversity. Another reason why the earlier incarnation was so disappointing was the total lack of color in the primary cast: Of the dozen or so regulars, every single one was as white as a Trump rally. There were token lesbians, a mix of tops and bottoms, twinks and doms but virtually no bears, no queens, and no POC. Not so this time out. The lesbian couple are mixed race – a butch black dyke and a thin lipstick transwoman; the local slut is mixed, the adopted son of white parents (including an almost unrecognizable Kim Cattrall, doing excellent character work) with a brother on the spectrum (Special star Ryan O’Connell); there are Latinos, gender-fluid teens, otters, a disabled guy and Juliette Lewis. (Sadly, no senior queers – hey, it’s still a gay fantasy.)

Another big difference is how the stakes seem contemporary and relevant. There’s less worrying about HIV (PrEP!) and molly overdoses and more mass shootings, social media awareness and criticism of faux allies. But there are still the cliches: Young gays having/wanting kids (heteronormative ideals are the flesh-eating viruses of most mainstream portrayals of gay culture); superficial conversations about overwrought emotions; secondary characters praising/apologizing for the anti-heroic stars; and so, so many pretty boys fucking wildly to fill in for plot (OK, I admit I like that part a lot). The trade off works, though.

I’ve enjoyed the acting (other than O’Connell, who is sweet but never convincing in his line delivery) and the mancandy helps the bad dialogue go down easier. I’ll definitely watch all eight episodes and probably wait for another season. And maybe two decades from now, another version will come along and rewrite the gay script over again for a future generation. And maybe it will be Queer AF too.

Wes Smoot 6/9/22 Wes Smoot 6/9/22

Mr. Man Unveils “Battle of the Streaming Services” Pride Guide

Netflix Wins Title of Streamer with the Most-Gay Content

This Pride, Mr. Man is pitting the top streaming services up against one another to determine which network is the gayest with the best male nudity. The editorial team at Mr. Man had the laborious task of combing through all of the content on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, and Prime Video to find their gayest titles. They then went even further, counting the number of intimate gay scenes within each title! Results for “Mr. Man’s Battle of the Streaming Services” Pride Guide were broken down into four categories: the series with the Most Gay Scenes, those with the Most Nude Scenes, and those with the Most Full Frontal and the Most Butt Scenes.

Netflix wins the Most Gay Scenes category. It comes as little surprise as Netflix is the network behind such LGBTQ hits as Grace and Frankie, Orange Is the New Black, Queer Eye, and its latest phenomenon Heartstopper, starring cutie Kit Connor. But it is the network’s other Kit, Kit Williamson, who stars in its gayest title. With 28 steamy gay scenes in it, Eastsiders, the popular series about a tangled web of gay relationships, has the distinction of being the gayest title on the gayest streaming network.

HBO comes in second place with 128 gay scenes, 17 of which come from Looking, HBO’s very first series to center around the lives of gay men. The show starring Jonathan Groff, Russell Tovey and Murray Bartlett enjoyed two seasons and a TV movie and nearly every episode featured a steamy gay scene.

In the Most Nude Scenes category, Netflix once again dominates with over 700 male nude scenes! El Marginal, the Argentinian cops-and-criminals show tops all other series with 28 scenes, ten of which are full frontal. Elite, its teen series features the most rear scenes with 26 bare bottoms!

HBO comes a close second in the Most Nude Scenes category with Oz, the series about inmates and correctional officers battling for power and survival, scoring the most naked scenes on the network. Mr. Man counts 72 nude scenes in Oz, with 43 being full frontal! In fact, the one category HBO leads in “Mr. Man’s Battle of the Streaming Services” is in Most Full Frontal Scenes, and it is in large part thanks to Oz.

Showtime, the network that introduced Queer as Folk to the world, ranks as the #3 streaming service in all categories in the battle. It’s show, Shameless, features male nudity in nearly every one of its 134 episodes and Gigolo, it’s reality series about real life escorts in Sin City, is second only to Oz for its number of full-frontal scenes.

Prime Video and Hulu consistently rank at the bottom of “Mr. Man’s Battle of the Streaming Services” Pride Guide but special recognition goes to Prime Video’s El Juego de las Llaves, the only series to be named in all four categories, and to Hulu, for scoring big in gay hearts with its two endearing series, Love Victor and Normal People.

All scenes featured in “Mr. Man’s Battle of the Streaming Services” Pride Guide are viewable in their entirety with free signup at https://www.mrman.com/promos/tv-pride-guide.

Wes Smoot 6/2/22 Wes Smoot 6/2/22

First-Look Images for Billy Porter’s Directorial Debut ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE – Globally on Prime Video July 22

Launching Globally on July 22 Exclusively on Prime Video

Anything’s Possible is a delightfully modern Gen Z coming-of-age story that follows Kelsa, a confident high school girl who is trans, as she navigates through senior year. When her classmate Khal gets a crush on her, he musters up the courage to ask her out, despite the drama he knows it could cause. What transpires is a romance that showcases the joy, tenderness, and pain of young love.