Margaret Cho Addresses LGBT Equality In MOTHER Tour

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with comedian/actress Margaret Cho about her current stand-up comedy show entitled MOTHER that takes on sex, queer politics, drugs, guns, identity and proving time and time again, boundaries uncrossed are meaningless. According to Margaret MOTHER offers up an untraditional look at motherhood and how we look at maternal figures and strong women in queer culture. Cho stated, “I think that if you’re queer, if you’re a woman of color and if you do comedy it’s like your voice is very important. Your existence is political and so I think it’s a really great thing and what I’ve always tried to accomplish and now that I’m older it’s even more important.” We talked to Margaret about her current tour and give us her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Cho added, “Well I’m bisexual and so I’m definitely involved and also it’s about my upbringing, my childhood and my upbringing within the queer political community in San Francisco. It was a big deal for me and had a great impact on me. It’s something that is in my heart and in my history and in my life and it always will be.” Cho also addressed her reaction to the US Supreme Court finally ruling that Proposition 8 and DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional as well as discussing her strong commitment to end the epidemic of LGBT teen bullying suicides.

 Margaret is touring MOTHER in various U.S. markets as well as in Europe and Australia. Her fabulous supporting role on Lifetime Network TV show “Drop Dead Diva” just finished its 5th season. She’ll be appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on November 19th and she has teamed with her opening act from her MOTHER tour, comedian Jim Short, for a brand new podcast show called “Monsters of Talk.” Cho will be appearing at The Wilbur in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday November 6th at 8P. 
For MOTHER Tour Info & Tix: margaretcho.com

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Curtis Shaw Gay Activist Producer Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with producer Curtis Shaw about his new documentary “TWO: The Story Of Roman and Nyro”. The film documents Shaw’s 12-year journey with his husband legendary songwriter Desmond Child and the extraordinary story how they connected with Angela Whittaker who would carry their twin sons Roman and Nyro into the world. “TWO” started out as Angela’s video diary from pre-conception through the boys’ first 10 years and developed into over 300 hours of footage. The project was then handed over to director Heather Winters and editor Lennon Nersesian who crafted it into a full-length feature film that tells a personal and powerful story of love and what makes a modern family. We talked to Curtis about this must-see documentary and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shaw stated, “Desmond and I have always been supporters of the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and the Family Equality Council. I think that our choice to live here in Nashville says quite a bit of where our hearts are. We’re doing more to change hearts and minds in the trenches of the Midwest and the South than we would ever do on the sidelines of soccer games in Santa Monica California and New York City. Desmond wrote a song "Livin' La Vida Loca" and so we always say we live La Vida Loca which is true but you know we’re just living our lives and we have activists’ hearts and it’s been our way to be able to live our lives in the moment without interference from much publicity or anything from the outside because Nashville isn’t that kind of community. But with every connection, our parenting community at school, on the soccer field with families from different spectrums in the South you know we’re changing hearts and minds.”

Curtis met his life partner Desmond Child in the Spring of 1989 and they married in New York celebrating 24 years together in 2013. Grammy-winning songwriter producer Desmond Child has written and produced over 70 Top 40 singles with 300 million albums sold worldwide. In 2008 Child was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. After playing the film festival circuit “TWO: The Story Of Roman and Nyro”, which marks Curtis first film production, opened at the Laemmle Music Hall in Los Angeles on October 18, 2013.

For More Info: twothedocumentary.com

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Michael Feinstein His Music & LGBT Equality

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with multi-faceted entertainer Michael Feinstein. Michael is the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook” and is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. Michael will be headlining the London Festival of Cabaret on November 4th at The Palace Theatre where he will be performing his acclaimed show “Michael Feinstein & Friends” joined by special guests Elaine Paige and Julian Ovenden for an evening of great music, lyrics and performance. We talked to Michael about his upcoming show in London and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Feinstein stated, “One of the things in my life has been the evolution I’ve gone through in my perception about LGBT rights. I guess it happens to everybody but for me I have been less on a soapbox and more just living my life as openly and freely as I can. So when I come in contact with people whom I have differing points of view the gentle approach of them seeing me with my husband Terrence in a social situation is sometimes more powerful than anything else. Like I was invited to the younger Bush White House on Valentine’s Day a few years ago to perform and everyone was saying ‘how can you do that?’ Well, my agreement was that I would only go to the White House if I could bring my life partner because we weren’t married then and we would be treated as a couple and we were. We were introduced together, we were treated as a couple and we were with on Valentine’s Day almost all the Bush family’s close friends and that to me was a very powerful statement. The thing that was interesting for me is that I had to hold in check my own emotions about some of the people who were there whom I had perceived as being those who threatened my own freedom and yet I connected with them on a human level. It was very freeing for me and in a certain way was freeing for them and I think that’s one of the things that has led us toward more marriage equality.”

 Michael Feinstein was named Principal Pops Conductor of the Pasadena Pops succeeding Marvin Hamlisch. This year he also released a new CD, Change Of Heart: The Songs of Andre Previn, (Concord) in collaboration with legendary composer-conductor-pianist Andre Previn, with an album celebrating Previn’s repertoire from his catalog of pop songs that have most commonly been featured in motion pictures. When his Manhattan nightclub Feinstein’s at Loews Regency that presented the top talents of pop and jazz from 1999 - 2012 closed in December of 2012 due to a year-long complete renovation of the Regency Hotel, Michael opened his new nightclub Feinstein’s at the Nikko in San Francisco’s Nikko Hotel in May of 2013. He plans to reopen in New York at a new location in the spring of 2014. He is also currently working on a new musical.
For More Info: michaelfeinstein.com 

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Los Angeles Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with producer JD DiSalvatore about the first annual "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" which will be held November 10th from 11A to 6P at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club. More than just an expo this event is a celebration of the US Supreme Court Proposition 8 and DOMA rulings that granted marriage rights for legally married gay and lesbian couples. Marriage equality is expected to create a financial boom for the wedding industry in California. A study conducted by The Williams Institute, UCLA estimated that LGBT weddings would generate $290 billion of new spending in California. We talked to JD about her idea for producing the "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" in association with Frontiers Media and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked about how the “Los Angeles Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo” transpired DiSalvatore stated, “We decided that considering how much work we put into obtaining our marriage rights here in California we thought it would be absolutely the thing to do to produce this giant wedding expo. So it’s the opportunity for all the couples who are now ready to get married to come down and check out about fifty vendors that all service weddings; everything from cakes to fashion, to invitations, to dance lessons, to venue and reception locations, to wedding planners sharing tips how to plan your wedding and everything wedding. So hopefully if anyone is overwhelmed with the thought of planning their wedding or they’re really enjoying planning their wedding they can come down and learn a little something and get some tips and get some expo-only discounts and help people plan their wedding.” 

JD Disalvatore’s tremendous contribution to both LGBT Cinema and culture makes her the perfect candidate to produce this event. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from her involvement as an activist for our LGBT community and as an accomplished award-winning filmmaker. Her film credits include “Eating Out 2”, “A Marine Story”, “Gay Propaganda”, “Elena Undone” and “Shelter” for which she won the GLAAD Media Award for best feature film in limited release in 2009. Tickets for the "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" are $25 for VIP, which includes a complimentary gift bag and a bar hosted by Premiere Events or general admission at $10.
For More Info & Tix: frontiersla.com/weddingexpo

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