Barry Brandon continues to live his life to the fullest.  From a kid who wasn’t supposed to live past infancy, this medical marvel has placed his foot down in the city with the release of an electro-pop album, producing and promoting his own events and starting a non-profit organization that is in the midst of being launched full-scale.  The Fox Theatre will be rolling out the red carpet to welcome The Heart Foundation’s Inaugural Gala in mid-September.  Part of the evening will include a preview screening of The Tin Man Project, the documentary surrounding Barry’s eighth open-heart surgery and the development of this promising organization.

Born with a rare and life-threatening heart condition, Barry was not expected to survive.  With an unrelenting desire to perform on the stage, he railed against his disease.   At an early age, he began to understand the healing that can occur when family is present to support and keep hopes high through such trying times. Spending a lifetime in hospitals, he was deeply affected by the many patients in surrounding rooms who had to endure these deadly procedures alone.  These experiences are what sparked the inspiration for The Heart Foundation.

This past month, The Heart Foundation wrote its first check to help a family in need. September is just around the corner and The Heart Foundation is eager to help the next family.  The Heart Foundation aims to alleviate the financial stress and burdens put on family and friends of heart patients who are undergoing either surgery or serious invasive procedures. The goal is to help take care of everyday expenses so that patients can have someone by their side during these difficult times. The long term goal of The Heart Foundation is to acquire Heart Houses. Similar to those of The Ronald McDonald House yet even more personal. More of a bed and breakfast for those family and friends that are acting as the relentless driving force of hope and light behind the healing of patients. It is the belief of The Heart Foundation that love and laughter act as the driving force behind healing and recovering.

Barry states that, “When my sister and I were little, we always talked about getting rich so that we could give money to these people so that their families could afford to be there.”  Today, they have reached their mission.  On June 16th, 2009, Barry debuted the now touring, In My Own Words, a musical journey where Barry tells his story through humor and song in a one-man act format.  In My Own Words acted as a powerful tool in introducing people to the concept behind The Heart Foundation. The Heart Foundation is hosting its Inaugural Gala on September 19, 2010 at The Fox Theatre taking place in The Grand Salon and The Egyptian Ballroom. Spearheaded by his powerhouse business-woman sister, Aleacia, the Gala is shaping up to be a veritable “who’s who” of Atlanta social and professional networks. Suchita Vadlamani of Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta has enthusiastically accepted a position as master of ceremonies for the Gala after a charmed interview with the performer on the local Fox morning show.  The night will include an upscale catered dinner by top catering Affairs to Remember, live music, performances, raffles, auction and more.

The main attraction to the evening is the “preview screening” of The Tin Man Project.  This highly anticipated documentary has created a great deal of buzz in Atlanta as of late, although Los Angeles based, director Jordan Hackworth has been following Barry and the Foundation in Atlanta for the past two years.  The movie was originally conceived by Barry, who, upon learning that he would need an eighth open-heart surgery decided to record the experience.  “I was told I only had about a 15% chance of survival for number eight…I felt that if I had a last legacy; it would be to help others in my situation…by exposing the circumstances of a family having to endure a risky procedure.”  He goes on to say, “I figured that even if I didn’t make it through the procedure, the footage could boost my message, which is actualized through The Heart Foundation.”  Barry has made sure that his message will be heard.  Loud and clear.

Barry sent the footage from his procedure to his old friend, Jordan.  “I didn’t know what to expect.  I didn’t know what his intentions were.  Frankly, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to watch something so traumatic.  Especially with someone I cared about.”  The footage turned out to be a promising surprise for the filmmaker.  Jordan says that, “It [the footage] was rife with hysterical laughter, even with only hours before the first incision.  I knew I was holding something special.”  The feature documentary chronicles Barry’s ambitions while his deadly surgery approaches.

Jordan began a film company to house the documentary called “B’shert Films”.  “When Barry learned that I would be traveling the country, following him, his mom, and his sister who were by his side the whole time, he asked me, ‘Don’t you love that we now know why we met?’”  B’shert is Yiddish for something that is meant-to-be or written-in-the-stars.

While the cameras continue to roll this fall in Atlanta, we can only sit and watch what Barry’s next move will be.

Tickets for the Gala are $100 per person with options to buy tables starting at $800. These tickets may or may not still be available. Should you wish to come just for the film, tickets are $30 each. There will be only 80 movie premier tickets sold. You may purchase them in advance or at the door (permitting there are still tickets left). The Heart Foundation will hold a Private Official After Party Celebration at MSR with DJ Vicki Powell. There is a $5 donation at the door requested. Because The Official After Party is a private event, you must be on the list to attend.

For information on The Heart Foundation, The Tin Man Project or The Official After Party, feel more than free to visit:

www.theheartfoundationcharity.org

www.thetinmanproject.com

or email info@theheartfoundationcharity.org

Does tree-stialty (the act of “loving trees and plant life) do it for you? Do you have a sexual energy lurking within you, just waiting to be released by the tantalizing lyrics that only Miss Lady Flex, Peep Peep, Princess Genius, Vas D and Master Dong can provide? Well then you’re in luck.

Le Sexoflex details their beginnings as having “come together more than 3 years ago in the streets of Buttlanta, Gorgeous.  The finer details of how these five friends merged into one cestuous entity remain shrouded in mystery, though one theory continues to surface when asking the right people on the southeast corner of Ponce & Boulevard:

Miss Lady Flex made the most delicious hot dogs in all the land!  The tales of her succulent wieners spread like melted Velveeta in a steamy hot pocket, until one day she was approached to have her dogs be a part of a huge festival!  She slaved all night to make the best hot dogs of her career, but alas, her efforts were squandered as she was forced to give them away at a commercial tent instead of her own communal wigwam.  To ease her trauma, Miss Lady Flex pulled out her magical vibrating cucumber; the enchanting sounds that she emitted into the festival caught the attention of four other like-minded and equally flavorful hot dog aficionados, each of whom specialized in their own unique ingredients and aromas.  Ecstatic over their shared interests in sex, butts, and food, the five-some celebrated with a decadent round of mayonnaise wrestling, and thus Le Sexoflex was born!

However this band of misfits came together, one thing is clear: Their brand of dance/rap/comedy performance – dubbed Gigglebox Electrosex – is spreading like a sorority girl’s thighs at the winter formal.  Coming off of live shows in Chicago and San Diego, Le Sexoflex is once again touching down in Buttlanta for a special Dragon*Con themed performance at the Drunken Unicorn.  Le Sexoflex made their first Dragon*Con appearance in 2007 simply by showing up with faux-fur outfits, fresh dance moves, and a boom box so they could hit play and break out into song guerilla style throughout the event’s host hotels, resulting in their now infamous hit song (and signature dance move) “Marriott Cock Squat.”  The following year they were approached to create a music video for the song, which got national attention on nerd media such as Attack of the Show, Topless Robot, and Distorted View.  Fast forward to today, and you will find Le Sexoflex’s basket of fruit has grown to include a full-length mixtape (Le MiXXXtape: Invagine the Pussibilities, available for FREE at Lesexoflex.bandcamp.com), singles, remiXXXes, and two music videos–Poop On Face and Twincest, both of which have risen to international viral acclaim.  After being deemed inappropriate and thusly pulled from YouTube (don’t worry, you can still see it on Vimeo!), Twincest is being featured at the Iris International Animation Festival for Sexual Diversity.

Le Sexoflex doesn’t walk the line of sensitivity and correctness; they jack-hammer it until it has crumbled, then pour rainbows in the gaping hole that is left behind in their wake.  Their music, performance, fashion, and demeanor is a reaction to a world of pop media, fast food, and sexual absurdity that runs the gamut from de-sensitized yet fearful, proud yet shamed, and aware yet blissfully ignorant.”

Le Sexoflex isn’t just witty lyrics, satirical humor and hotdogs; they’re a creative mass of musi-comedic genius.

“There is so much creative energy like an aligning of the planets. Le Sexoflex saw a hole, a need for sexiness and rammed right into that hole, mercilessly and with force.” Says Miss Lady Flex.

As they tour the country, infecting one audience at a time with the “Le Sexiness”, Le Sexoflex took time to bare it all:

David: So, how did Le Sexoflex and the five of you come to be?

Miss Lady Flex: “It’s hard to actually remember how it all started; we truly just came together as individuals with very unique and refined talents that seemed to complement each other with this sexy, sticky art called music.”

Peep Peep: “We met on the corner of Ponce and Boulevard here in Atlanta and then that turned into a 20 minute show on a very small stage. Our reception was unexpected, people loved it!”

David: How has the overall reaction and reception been to Le Sexoflex?

Peep Peep: “Well, as an example, we did a show in San Diego and at the end of the performance one of the security guards said ‘I’ve worked here for seven years and I’ve never seen anything like that’. The crowd kind of stood silent in front of the stage when we first began with little reaction, they were unsure how to process what they were experiencing, but once they heard the lyrics and the beat, they ate it up. That’s how it usually goes.”

Le Sex’s mix of fans is just as unique as the music itself. The bands mixed usage of the many social media outlets has allowed for them to build a multifaceted fanbase.

“Each outlet has its own set of fans. For example Tumblr is probably our largest group of online gay-male fans.” says Princess Genius.

David: How exactly do you come up with your lyrics?

Princess Genius, Peep Peep: “We just sit around, holding our notepads and  listen to beats and then it just flows…the beat forms and the verses just come together”

Le Sexoflex has a lot in store for the future, with the release of the Le MiXXXtape, as mentioned before; they also have new videos in the works. Le Sexoflex is here to stay, tearing down boundaries and release copious amounts of sexual energy into the air for all to receive. Le Sexoflex, as sexy and fabulous as they are, remembers why they are here; fans. Le Sexoflex, with their following of “jizz baguettes” thanks their fans everyday and can’t wait for their army of “Jizz Baguettes” to one day rule the world.

Need the sexiness? Wanna feel Le Sex’s beats pulsate and have their lyrics penetrate your ears? Visit www.lesexoflex.com to download their release of Le MiXXXtape.

To promote the new Scissor Sisters album NIGHTWORK, the band’s front man Jake Shears placed an ad, including erotic nude photos, on the male escort site, Rentboy.com.  He lists his talents as “go-go dancing and stripping” and his out rate as $11.99, the price of the new album.  We chatted with Shears as he prepared to embark on a 26-city world tour to promote the album.

Do you have a fascination with rentboys?

Jake Shears: Rentboys and sex workers operate outside the lines of our society. They make their living through sex and showing people a good time. We, in the band, feel we’re on the same team.

Except you’re not selling sex.

There should be no shame in using sex as self-employment.  I have an incredible amount of respect for sex workers. I think it’s a fully valid profession that deserves to be treated as any other.

The Nightwork album cover is a photograph of a ballet dancer’s butt by artist Robert Mapplethorpe.

Mapplethorpe was someone who relentlessly explored pushing his own limits.

According to Patti Smith’s memoir “Just Kids”, Mapplethorpe worked as a street hustler in New York City to support himself as a struggling artist.  Reportedly, he loved the mystery and glamour of the hustler lifestyle.

He was a fascinating man. By all means an outsider who was turned on by very dark stuff. He was able to turn those influences into something incredibly beautiful.

Is it true you worked as a go-go dancer in New York City?

Go-go dancing is what got me into performing in the first place. It was a great way for me to get up in front of a bunch of people, shake it and not be shy.  When I started getting bored with it, I wondered how I going to make it more interesting for me. That’s when I started singing.

Has your go-go past helped you in your career today?

There’s not a huge difference to what I did then and what I do now on stage.

How do you feel about today’s party scene?

I think it’s a great time right now for dance music. There’s so much good stuff coming out, and I feel like it’s a great time for people to really dive in.

Invisible Light is a particular standout on the album. It’s a magic, mystical dance song with overtones of Gandalf, Lord of the Rings and Pink Floyd.

It’s about tripping the light fantastic. I wanted to make a song that brought you to the edge of a void. It really takes you to Mars. It’s like just staring into a storable light.

Has your singing style changed with this third album? I hear less falsetto—which you are known for—and more passionate mid-range singing.

I wanted to rely less on the falsetto, to give people an idea of what kind of range I can really do. I wanted to sound a bit sexier this time around.

And Ana Matronic appears more on the new album.

Ana’s on this record more than ever and has also co written more tracks than ever before.

Tell us about your new musical based on Amistead Maupin’s Tales of the City.

Everybody’s a ho in Tales! No, really. It’s a very sex-positive show, and there is plenty of gay action. In a lot of ways it’s a really queer musical, though I think it will accessible to just about anybody. It’s co-written with Jeff Whitty of Avenue Q fame.

Do you have a final message you’d like to relay to the thousands of rentboys around the world?

Fight for your rights and never let anybody make you feel less than the truly beautiful person that you are.

Visit Jake Shear’s Rentboy profile at www.rentboy.com/Nightwork.

Mary Edith Pitts, famously known around town for years of performing in drag with the Armorettes and on her own, and from hosting shows at Burkhart’s, has a heart bigger than most fans and bar patrons know.

Inspired by the tragic loss of best friends, Pitts has spent the past several years raising money for HIV/AIDS around her birthday. With close to 5,000 friends on Facebook alone, she is generously at work again this year and asking ALL her friends, old and new, to help a very worthy cause.
Her goal this year is to raise $60,000, and at this point she has raised approximately $28,500 from donations at shows, donors, and a scooter raffle.

“Money is still trickling in from the scooter raffle but we still need some big checks from donors,” said Pitts, whose real name and alter ego is Richard Cherry.

Pitts says her reason for doing this fundraiser is “simple,” that as difficult as it is in this economy for an average person to get by, it’s even more challenging for someone living with HIV/AIDS.

On August 21 she will be drawing the winner of the scooter raffle, for which she has been tirelessly selling tickets for weeks. Whether she reaches the goal or not, she plans to present her donation on Aug 29 to Jerusalem House, which provides housing for individuals with HIV/AIDS, and to The Grady Infectious Disease Program, which provides comprehensive healthcare.

Q&A With Mary Edith Pitts

David: We wish you the best in reaching your fundraising goal. What can we do to help?

MEP: Challenge your friends who may be in a better financial position to make a tax-deductible donation. Growing up, my birthdays were never special, and as an adult they didn’t have much meaning. When my best friend Kevin passed away before my birthday, I found an opportunity to step outside my own grief and honor his memory and the memory of my first best friend, Barry. Now what I ask everyone is instead of gifts, flowers, cakes or cards, bring me a tax-deductible donation to help individuals living with HIV/AIDS. I look forward to my birthday now because it has real meaning for me . . . I get to help others. My first birthday fundraiser in 2006 raised $1,700. In 2007 we raised $6,600. In 2008 we raised over $20,000, and in 2009 we set the bar high ad raised over $40,000. This year I set the goal at $60,000. I know it’s ambitious, but the need is greater than ever. What is amazing is the community support and sponsors like Burkhart’s, Prescription4Love.com, Carma Productions, Brushstrokes and countless friends and family.

David: Who are some of your favorite singers/entertainers?

MEP: Eva Cassidy and Audra McDonald are my favorite vocalists. Monique & Wanda Sykes make me laugh the most.

David: What is your favorite characteristic in a man?

MEP: Quiet confidence

David: What kind of guy are you attracted to?

MEP: Though my character is notorious for bringing twinks on stage, I’m usually attracted to men between the ages of 30 & 50 who are comfortable being themselves. They must also be able to separate my stage persona from who I am.

David: What size shoe do you wear?

MEP: Womens 13

David: What are some of your favorite Atlanta restaurants?

MEP: Murphys, Roxx, Metrotainment

David: What are some of your favorite movies?

MEP: The Notebook, Death Becomes Her, Auntie Mame

David: What’s your favorite alcoholic drink?

MEP: Smirnoff Triple Black

David: What advice do you have for gays in the closet?

MEP: Girl, its dark in there, turn on a light!

David: What advice do you have for gays who just came out of the closet?

MEP: Did you get dressed in the dark? Be yourself and “don’t go changing to try and please” someone else.

David: What advice do you have for new couples?

MEP: Enjoy being a couple but don’t lose sight of who you are individually.

David: What was your most embarrassing moment performing?

MEP: I was sitting down performing a song and everyone kept pointing and laughing. Much to my horror and embarrassment, I realized there was a giant hole in my body suit and I wasn’t wearing panties that night. Ooops!

David: What do you do for fun outside work?

MEP: I play piano, read, listen to great music, and watch movies. Can we say cliché?

David: How many piercings do you have?

MEP: Mary Edith has one, Richard, none.

David: What makes you laugh?

MEP: Bodily functions have always made me laugh. I think something about spending 4 ½ years in an orphanage made me look at the world differently.

David: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

MEP: I’d do both of them sissies!

David: What is one thing that fans would be surprised to know about Richard?

MEP: That I’m very shy and quiet when I first meet people.

David: Are you pro gay marriage?

MEP: Definitely! We should be able to be miserable too.

David: What TV show that is no longer on do you miss most?

MEP: The Nanny made me laugh every time!

David: Who’s your favorite “True Blood” character?

MEP: Alcide and Jason Stackhouse

David: In your own words, what three words best describes Mary Edith Pitts?

Outrageous, Caring, Committed.

Courtesy Photo

Who is Dragonette? If you don’t already know, you will soon get to find out. Atlanta audiences will hear and meet the Canadian trio Monday Aug. 16 when they perform with Shy Child and Barry Brandon at The Drunken Unicorn, 736 Ponce de Leon Place NE.

Dragonette is made up of singer-songwriter Martina Sorbara, bassist and producer Dan Kurtz (also in The New Deal), guitarist Chris Hugget and drummer Joel Stouffer. A few years ago they released a self-titled album before moving to London and signing with Mercury Records. There they recorded their debut album “Galore,” followed by a second studio album, “Fixin to Thrill” in 2009.
Since the release of their albums, they have been touring the UK and are now on tour in the U.S. Their stop in Atlanta at The Drunken Unicorn is greatly welcomed by local music fans. Their U.S. tour concludes in San Diego in late September.

Some of the hit singles they have released so far include “I Get Around” and “Jesus Doesn’t Love Me.” They also released a cover of Calvin Harris’ hit single “The Girls,” which they retitled “The Boys.” When they released “I Get Around” in their home country of Canada, it peaked at number fifty-seven on Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100.

The lead singer and bassist/producer met at a music festival and originally formed a duo they called The Fuzz. They rehearsed in their basement for fun. The duo recruited a third musician and formed Dragonette after these initial recordings, and supported New Order on only their second live performance. In 2005, the band released the Dragonette EP, prior to signing a record deal with Mercury Records of Universal Music UK.

In 2008, Dragonette received a Juno Award nomination for Best New Group, while Kurtz and Sorbara wrote and produced the song “Grab a Hold” with Cyndi Lauper for her 2008 album “Bring Ya to the Brink.” Will James Stapleton left the band, to be replaced by Chris Hugget.

On 27 July Dragonette released “Our Summer” a single made digitally available together with “Volcano.” It is available on iTunes and on their website, dragonetteonline.com. Dragonette will release the “Mixin’ To Thrill” EP digitally and a limited edition CD will be sold via the bands online store beginning August 3.

Tickets are available for their show Aug. 16 at all ticket alternative outlets and at ticketalternative.com. For more information, go to arjanwrites.com or okproductions.net.