Gay Activist Jay Critchley 25th Swim For Life

UPDATE: Over $200,000 was Raised! Thanks Everyone :)
In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with activist and artist Jay Critchley about the 25th Silver Anniversary of the Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life and Paddler Flotilla that happens Saturday September 8th. Since 1987 thousands of swimmers, kayakers, volunteers and the public have been participating in this fabulous Provincetown fundraising tradition presented by the Provincetown Community Compact. Swimmers across the country will swim the 1.4 mile across Provincetown Harbor to benefit the following community organizations and projects: Helping Our Women, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad, Lower Cape Ambulance, Academy at Provincetown Schools, Soup Kitchen of Provincetown and The Compact Community Fund. Last year swimmers raised $200,000. We talked to Jay about the event and issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Critchley stated, We’ll I’m an artist who’s always been very out and I’m also a father with a son and two grandchildren. That has been an experience. I’m very open and out as an artist. One of my major projects was “The Old Glory Condom Corporation” which was a patriotic condom company in the eighties and nineties, which made it patriotic to practice safer sex. I wanted to get a trademark for it and the government denied it so I had a three-year legal battle with them. They said it was immoral and scandalous to associate the flag with sex but eventually we won. I did get a trademark. The slogan of the company was “Worn With Pride Countrywide.” Basically the American flag was printed on the condom. I created the first AIDS healing performance on the beach here in Provincetown in 1983 called “Immunity Mandela”. So a lot of my work has been intertwined with civil rights for people with AIDS, for the LGBT community and the community. I bring people together. It’s all about different facets of the community coming together which is what Provincetown is all about.”

The Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life and Paddler Flotilla weekend events include the Celebration of Life free concert on Friday September 7th at the UU Meeting House. On Saturday is the Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla followed by the Mermaid Brunch and awards ceremony at the Boatslip Resort.
For more Info: swim4life.org

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Entertainer & Gay Activist Richard Skipper

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with entertainer Richard Skipper who has been entertaining audiences for 20 years. He received rave reviews for his show Carol Channing's Broadway, his off-Broadway tribute to Carol Channing and he appears in Dori Berenstein's must-see documentary CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE currently on Showtime On-Demand. We talked to Richard about everything Carol Channing and issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Skipper stated, “I am in a committed relationship. My partner and I have been together for twenty-three years. I was a late bloomer. I did not realize that I was a gay man until I was twenty-one but I was a kid who was bullied in school and I was called all kinds of names by other kids and I didn’t know anything about my own sexuality. Yet people were putting labels on who and what I was before I was even able to access what labels I wanted to put on myself. For that reason I really believe in supporting one another because I lead a very full life and I have a wonderful life but I work at that life. I don’t have time to think about what other people are doing in the privacy of their own homes. I don’t have time to think about what my neighbors are doing. I don’t point fingers at other people and I feel it is very important especially here in New York where my partner and I got married. I hear stories over and over again that couples that are in committed relationships to find after 20, 30, 40, 50 years one of the partners gets ill and other partner is denied to be at their bedside in the hospital room or having to fight estate issues when two men or two women have set up a life together. I know there are some people out there who say that that piece of paper does not make a marriage. Well that piece of paper doesn’t make a marriage but it defines and legalizes the fact that two people have committed their lives to one another and for that very reason I have jumped on that bandwagon. To me it’s not a personal issue anymore as much as it is a federal issue. It needs to be across the board that every single person in this country has equal rights and that’s where I am on that issue.”

Currently Richard is writing a book celebrating the 50th anniversary of the musical “Hello, Dolly!” that happens in 2014 and campaigning diligently for Carol Channing to receive a long overdue Kennedy Center Honor. He also has a highly successful blog RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES which focuses on artists and what makes a great entertainer unique.
For More Info: richardskipper.com

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GOP Convention Nix Gay Marriage Speaker

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Retired Navy Captain Joan Darrah about a letter she wrote to Governor Bob McDonnell (R-VA), Chairman of the National Republican Party Platform Committee asking to address the Committee in support of marriage equality when it meets in Tampa, Florida August 27th through August 30th. Captain Darrah served for thirty years as a Naval Intelligence officer. She retired in June 2002. After retirement she was a leading advocate in the fight to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and testified before House Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Darrah and her wife Lynne Kennedy are plaintiffs in McLaughlin v. Panetta, a case in which Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) represents eight married gay and lesbian service member and veteran couples seeking the same recognition, rights and benefits as their straight, married colleagues. Her request to speak at the Republican Convention was denied. We talked to Joan about this and other issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Darrah stated, “Well I served for thirty years in the Navy. After I was in for several years I realized that I was gay and I continued to serve under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. When I retired I knew it was a terrible law and I knew I basically had to live two lives under it. I got some encouragement from other people to try and join the group primarily led by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to start work to try and get rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Initially I was a little reluctant because it was so difficult to live under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and I needed a little distance. But then I added my voice and testified before Congress, did a significant amount of lobbying and grassroots initiatives to ultimately get “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed. So now gays and lesbians can serve openly in the military without the fear of being fired. My whole career I would go to work each day hoping that wouldn’t be the day I might get outed and fired. So fortunately “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is gone and from all reports gay service men and women are serving and it’s working out just great. So the next logical step is to have all service members be treated equally and because of the Defense of Marriage Act gay couples are not afforded so many benefits that their straight shipmates are afforded.”

During her career Darrah had various operational and administrative assignments including Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander at the Office of Naval Intelligence. Captain Darrah’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal. Joan lives with her partner and spouse of 22 years, Lynne Kennedy, in Alexandria, Virginia.
For More Info: sldn.org

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Gay Producer Adam Weinstock Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Adam Weinstock, President of Creative Concept Productions. Adam has produced shows on and off Broadway since the 1996 revival of Mart Crowley’s The Boys in the Band. He has worked closely with Bruce Vilanch, Lea Delaria, Judy Tenuta, Charles Busch, Margaret Cho, Ellen Greene, Paula Poundstone, Michael Feinstein, Sandra Bernhard and Linda Eder during the summer Creative Concept Productions theater events in Provincetown, Massachusetts. We talked to Adam about his 2012 Provincetown line-up which includes Lisa Lampanelli, Margaret Cho, Linda Eder and Paula Poundstone. We also talked to Weinstock about issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Weinstock stated, “First of all they’re human rights and because I’m a person in the community I think we fight for what’s important to us and it becomes not necessarily our charity. I have a good friend John Bartlett and he does a lot of work for PETA. Obviously he’s not a member of that group of animal society but that’s what calls to him and what calls to me is the LGBT community probably because I’m a member so I figure that doing something good for the community and selfishly I’m helping myself. If I give money to marriage equality I’m helping myself in the long run. If I give money to AIDS research I’m helping myself in the long run so I think it’s selfish even though it’s humanitarian. I’m a gay man. You can’t turn your back on your community and if you turn your back on your community you’re turning your back on humanity and you might as well be a hermit and live somewhere but you need other people to live. You need books to read and entertainment to go to and food to eat and unless you’re a farmer with a vivid imagination you can’t be isolated. You have to put your faith in the world and try to do something good. I guess you don’t have to, but I think you do. That’s my commitment to the community and I always find plays with our themes but our theme is out there. Any play that I produce is being produced by a gay man so it becomes an LGBT play because I have taken an interest in it and created, supported and paid for it. If I make an omelet it’s a gay omelet and it’s masculine because it’s made by a man, a gay man. So there it is. If this play is produced by a gay man though the actors, writers, and directors may not be gay it becomes part of us.”

We caught Creative Concept Productions Lisa Lampanelli’s show in July, which was fabulous. Margaret Cho is appearing at the Art House in Provincetown August 11th through August 18th during Carnival Week. Paula Poundstone will be appearing at the Crown and Anchor on August 26th. Provincetown is offering amazing performances by topnotch entertainers all summer long so you still have time to take in a show.
For More Info: creativeconceptproductions.com

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LGBT Author Sarah Pearlman "Mother Talk"

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with author Sarah Pearlman about her new book “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and FTM Transgender Children.” Sarah Pearlman is a well-known author on lesbian and transgender issues. Her book is a collection of stories of twenty four mothers, twelve who found out a daughter was a lesbian and twelve who learned that their daughter intended to transition to male. This groundbreaking book takes the reader into the lives of these women as they express their struggle of coming to terms with their daughters’ sexual orientations. We talked to Sarah about her fascinating new book and crucial issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked if she wrote “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and FTM Transgender Children” as an educational tool, Pearlman stated, “How I thought about the book was really for parents. The focus is on mothers. I think that also for people that do family therapy programs it would be helpful because a lot of families go into counseling to understand. So the better clinicians understand what the issues are, the more really responsive and helpful they’re going to be to parents. I think that my book can have training purposes for people in psychology but I wrote it really with mothers in mind. Also for daughters it’s helpful for lesbians and female to male transgenders to understand their own mothers and what they go through because coming to terms with and accepting is not immediate. It takes time and a lot has to do with fears for their children.”

Sarah Pearlman is a pioneer in this area of expertise and was selected by the American Psychological Association Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues as the recipient of the 2011 Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution. Pearlman served for many years as an Associate Professor in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hartford and is now Associate Professor Emeritus. Sarah lives in Boston and is active in LGBT elder organizations. She's currently on tour with her book published by Demeter Press. She will be speaking at Booksmith in Brookline, Massachusetts on Wednesday August 22nd at 7 pm, the Rotary Club in New Britain, Connecticut on Thursday September 13th at noon, PFLAG in Worcester, Massachusetts on Wednesday September 19th and Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge Massachusetts on Thursday September 27th.
For More Info: demeterpress.org/mothertalk

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Gay Activist Actor Dan Butler Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with actor, writer, director and producer Dan Butler. Dan is probably best known as “Bulldog” from the television series “Frasier.” We talked to him about his new short film PEARL which is about when a midwestern poet (Dan Butler) brings news of his mother’s death to an elderly relative (Frances Sternhagen, SEX IN THE CITY, THE CLOSER), the visit takes an unsettling turn. The film adapted from the poem of the same name by former US poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Ted Kooser is currently playing in film festivals. Dan has been very active with LGBT Teen suicide prevention and in 1995 was the National Coming Out Day spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. We talked to Dan about his reaction to recent celebrities coming out in Hollywood and more.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Butler stated, “I think sometimes it’s the way you live your life. I’ve been politically active in the past with the Human Rights Campaign and Act Up. Right when the Trevor Crisis Line formed I worked the lines for Trevor and The Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles for about six years. So now I think it’s by example. I believe in that Gandhi quote, “Live your life as if the changes you hope happen, have already occurred.”

During the run of “Frasier” was when Butler came out publicly as a gay man. He did so dramatically starring in a one-man play that he wrote, "The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me” that earned rave reviews when it opened in Los Angeles in 1994 and then Butler took it to New York the following year where it received critical acclaim including Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations. In 2006, Dan produced, co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the faux documentary “Karl Rove, I Love You” which the Huffington Post called “hilarious and unsettling – a political Blair Witch Project.” Acting credits include major roles On and Off-Broadway and at repertory companies across the US as well as numerous television shows including “House,” “Monk,” “From the Earth to the Moon,” and “Prayers for Bobby.” Film credits include: “Crazy, Stupid Love,” “Enemy of the State,” “Fixing Frank,” “Chronic Town," and “Silence of the Lambs.”

Dan Butler lives in Vermont with his husband Richard Waterhouse who produced PEARL and with whom he’s formed 2nd Act Productions.

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Gay Activist Shane Bitney Crone Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Shane Bitney Crone. In the Spring Shane posted a video on YouTube entitled, “It Could Happen to You.” It was about the accidental death of his life partner Tom Bridegroom and what happened in the aftermath because they weren’t married even though marriage was their dream. The video went viral with over 2.7 million visitors and more than 50,000 people posted comments. The video had such an overwhelming positive response that they’re making a film, BRIDEGROOM: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY. Producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (Designing Women, The Man From Hope) and Linda Burstyn (Emmy Winning writer/producer for Nightline with Ted Koppel) have signed on to make a feature length documentary about their story. They need our help to raise funds on the crowd funding site, KICKSTARTER. They’ve reached their $300,000 goal but they still need to raise as much as they possibly can by their July 19th deadline.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Shane stated, “I’m completely committed to this. I never really saw this happening for my future. I didn’t see myself being like an activist but after losing Tom it just really opened my eyes and it inspired me to do whatever I can to help the LGBT community. Right now how I can help is by sharing my story. I want to do whatever I can and if by sharing my story is what helps bring equality to everyone sooner then that’s what I’m going to do.”

When Tom Bridegroom died, his homophobic parents brought him back to Indiana for burial and barred Shane from attending his funeral. BRIDEGROOM is more than a tragic love story. This film will represent every single person who has ever been ostracized and condemned for being who they are and loving who they love. Shane and Tom were never able to marry because it was and is illegal in California. This film will provide a rare and powerful opportunity to open people’s hearts and minds on this very important human rights issue. We need your help to spread the word and drive people to their KICKSTARTER page to raise the funds to make this film. Their ambitious goal is to have BRIDEGROOM completed and in theaters by the election. As Shane said, “We can’t change the past, but with your help, we can create a more equal future.”
To Contribute: kickstarter.com/bridegroom

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Gay Filmmaker Icons & Allies Speak OUT

In this exclusive audio montage Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, host of OUTTAKE VOICES™, talks with celebrities at the 14th Provincetown International Film Festival. First we chatted with Director John Waters, HAIRSPRAY, SERIAL MOM, who presented The 2012 Filmmaker on the Edge Award to legendary Producer/Director Roger Corman, whose films PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THE TRIP and THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS are just a few of his cult classics. Then we talked with Corman about being honored at the PIFF, his films and LGBT issues. Next we chatted with Actor Screenwriter Craig Chester, SWOON, ADAM & STEVE, who presented Actor Parker Posey, PRICE CHECK, PARTY GIRL, BEST IN SHOW, with The Excellence In Acting Award. Chester is Posey’s gay husband of twenty years and had a lot of insight about Posey. Chester is currently working on a biopic on Actor Montgomery Clift and developing some projects at SHOWTIME. We also talked about how independent filmmakers are finding new life in television and his spin on LGBT issues facing our community. Parker Posey talked about accepting her award and her spin on gay marriage and the LGBTQ bullying epidemic.
Documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED and OUTRAGE, received The Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award. Kirby is an Academy and Emmy Award nominated documentary director whose most recent film, THE INVISIBLE WAR, is a groundbreaking investigation into the epidemic of rape within the US armed forces and the cover up that exists. The film won the Audience Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Kirby talked about his new film, the independent film community and LGBT issues. We concluded our audio montage with Producer Christine Vachon, FAR FROM HEAVEN, BOYS DON’T CRY, about the future of Queer Cinema and LGBT Equality. We talked about her upcoming films that includes KILL YOUR DARLINGS, which stars Daniel Radcliffe as a young Allen Ginsberg. Christine has had enormous success as an independent filmmaker. When asked how she continues to succeed in this difficult market Vachon stated, “You know really I think the secret to my success is that I’m not very self-reflective. So along with that besides being reasonably shallow is you know I just don’t sweat stuff that much.”

This was our sixth year covering the festival for OUTTAKE VOICES™. The Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) is the year-round organization and home of the fourteen year old Provincetown International Film Festival and the Whaler's Wharf Cinema. PFS is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of acclaimed and emerging directors, producers and actors. This is achieved through its 5-day Festival in June as well as its year-round theater operation, the Whaler's Wharf Cinema. PFS is equally devoted to expanding the audience for independent film and to serving the Provincetown and Outer Cape community by filling the void for annual film programming and reflecting the community's rich diversity in selected films and honorees. An integral part of PFS's mission is to contribute to the economic and creative vitality of America's oldest art colony.
For More Info & Tix: ptownfilmfest.org

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Gay Ally Actor Hal Sparks Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Actor Hal Sparks, star of Disney XD’s top-rated TV series LAB RATS and the groundbreaking series QUEER AS FOLK. Sparks appears as a regular guest and fill-in host on the national STEPHANIE MILLER RADIO SHOW, providing three hours of commentary and humor on Wednesday mornings. We talked to Hal about the new season of LAB RATS and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Sparks stated, “In my life growing-up in Kentucky I use to hang out with four running buddies as a kid, six, ten and eleven years old. Two of them would later come out and so fifty percent of my friends as a kid were gay. So in the long run I guess the short answer is people will ask you why you care about gay rights or why you care about LGBT issues and my question would be, why wouldn’t you? If you are for freedom and equal rights which we hear a lot of talk about these days, then you have to include the LGBTQ community in that. And if you’re not willing to put your time where your mouth is then I don’t know quite what you mean by commitment in your life. I think the AIDS Crisis was a shock to the community. It required sort of a new level of commitment to all of these issues. And I think the primary one was lack of hospital visitation rights, which is probably the crux of my involvement early on working with Marianne Williamson and AIDS Project Los Angeles and Project Angel Food. And once you get past the life and death of it you know you get to the life of it.”

Sparks is politically active not only in his cutting-edge stand-up and weekly Saturday radio show THE HAL SPARKS RADIO SHOW being picked up by Sirus XM this fall but as the celebrity spokesperson for major equality and civil rights movements, including the NOH8 Campaign and AIDS Walk. Hal appears in top shape with two sold-out tours: Stephanie Miller’s Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour which boasts the country's #1 album on the Billboard comedy charts and SRO dates with his leading rock band, ZERO 1. All new LAB RATS episodes air through the summer on Thursday nights at 7:30P on Disney XD and the cast returns to tape the new fall season in August. Sparks resides in Los Angeles and is a proud new father to son, Camden.
For More Info: halsparks.com

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