24 Hours From Tulsa

Last night my friend Liz Rywelski was in town to see Younger Than Jesus at The New Museum. Ryan Trecartin's films Sibling Topics (Section A and Section B), featuring Liz, debuted at the show. In January I (minimally) worked as a PA on these films - it was exciting to see Ryan's vision come to fruition. Ryan is a modern Cassandra - his prophecies about the economy are coming true every single day.

Ryan Trecartin's videos are included in “Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation”, which is slated to run from May 22 to Aug. 9 at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. It recounts the French luxury firm’s long association with the art world, from the Art Deco designers who collaborated with the founder’s grandson on trunks to more recent hook-ups on leather goods with contemporary art stars such as Takashi Murakami and Richard Prince. His videos are amongst Vuitton's permanant collection.

Ryan Trecartin, photographed by Moris Moreno for The New York Times


Composite image from Ryan Trecartin's Sibling Topics (Section A and Section B):


Liz Rywelski Portraits: Kmart, Walmart, and Olan Mills, Suits 1, 2 and 3 2002-present:


Before the show, Liz and I visited my new neighbor on Lafayette Street: Baby Grand, a cocktail lounge with a karaoke machine.

Liz performed Smells Like Booty - she requested Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit", and sang the lyrics to Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious". Her voice and dance moves turned the mother out.





I sang Gene Pitney's 24 Hours From Tulsa. I didn't turn the mother out, but a great time was had by all. 24 Hours From Tulsa, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David is a very hard song to sing. All of Burt Bacharach's songs are epic (in every sense of the word)

Burt always had a cinematic vision:

"When I was doing songs with Dionne, I was thinking in terms of miniature
movies, you know? Three-and-a-half-minute movies, with peak moments and not one
intensity level the whole way through. ... You can tell a story and be able to
be explosive one minute, then get quiet as kind of a satisfying resolution."

- Burt Bacharach

24 Hours From Tulsa is the story of a man (or a woman) who was travelling home (to a lover in Tulsa, Oklahoma) when he met someone else, had a one night stand, fell in love, and can never go home to Tulsa. I do believe in love at first sight.



Gene Pitney version of 24 Hours From Tulsa:


Dearest, darling
I had to write to say that I won't be home, any more
For something happened, to me
While I was driving home
And I'm not the same any more

Oh, I was only, twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Ah, only, one day away from your arms
I saw a welcoming light
And stopped to rest for the night
And that is when I, saw her
As I pulled in outside of a small hotel, she was there
And so I walked up, to her
Asked where I could get something to eat
And she, showed me where

Oh, I was only, twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Ah, only, one day away from your arms
She took me to the café
I asked her if she would stay
She said, "okay"

(instrumental)

Oh, I was only, twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Ah, only, one day away from your arms
A juke box started to play
And that turned into today
As we were dancing, closely
All of a sudden I lost control as I, held her charms
And I caressed her, kissed her
Told her I'd die before I would let her out, of my arms

Oh, I was only, twenty-four hours from Tulsa
Ah, only, one day away from your arms
I hate to do this to you
But I love somebody new
What can, I do?
And I can never, never, never, go home again



Dusty Springfield version of 24 Hours From Tulsa:

J Setting with Jaquel Knight

Beyonce performs "Get Me Bodied", wearing Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière spring 2007 leggings.



J-Setting is a form of dancing has been a part of black gay culture for at least a decade, and was inspired by the famed Jackson State University band’s dance line, which is known as the Prancing J-Settes. The lead-and-mimic style of dancing—actually an interpretation of Bob Fosse's style in All That Jazz and Chicago— has been re-appropriated by black gay youth across the country, but is particularly popular in the South.

J-setting is a fixture in black gay clubs across Atlanta and other parts of the country—especially in Atlanta clubs such as Traxx and Chicago clubs like the Prop House—, with teams of dancers engaging in fierce battles against one another on the dance floor.

Jaquel Knight, a 19 year old choreographer from Atlanta choreographed Beyonce's video "Single Ladies". Jaquel was chosen by longtime Destiny's Child and Beyonce choreographer Frank Gatson.

“[Being a gay icon is] definitely my goal, and my dream,“ Knowles revealed during a 2006 interview with Here! TV. “That’s the ultimate thing I could be. That’s the ultimate compliment for me.”

Tracy Garraud of Vibe Magazine asks: Beyoncé: The New Queen of Queer?., and says: How Beyoncé became the gay man's best friend, and why it's important.

This queer did not elect Beyonce queen. She is not my best friend.

Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them.

My friends stick by me, support me, and love me. They don't use me when its convenient and then deny me to my face.

It is all very grand of Beyonce to utlize the talents of gay choreographers, fashion designers, makeup artists, and hair stylists. Without the gays she would be wearing her mothers tacky clothes, dancing the running man, and washing and setting her own wig.

And really, what has Beyonce ever done for the gays?

Where was Beyonce when Propositon 8 was put on the ballot in California? Why hasn't she spoken out against this bigotry and hatred?

Christina Aguilera, a true friend of the gays, spoke out against Proposition 8.

"Last night, there was a whole rally that I saw for Prop. 8," she told MTV News. "A lot of people came out with their signs, and I think [Prop. 8] is discrimination and I don't understand how people can be so closed-minded and so judgmental. We chose an African-American president, and it means so much ... [it's] a time in history of great change and open-mindedness. Why is this any different? It just doesn't make sense to me. Why you would put so much money behind something [aimed at] stopping from people loving each other and bonding together? I just don't understand it. It's hard for me to grasp. But I would've been out there with my rally sign as well."

George Clooney, a different kind of gay icon, told E!'s Ted Casablanca, "At some point in our lifetime, gay marriage won't be an issue, and everyone who stood against this civil right will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black."

Beyonce's silence on Proposition 8 is deafening. Jaquel Knight and Jonte are the real deal. Beyonce is the new Pat Boone: taking the fierceness of gay culture and watering it down for the masses.

J Setting:


Beyonce J Setting:


Beyonce dancing with Jonte:


Jaquel Knight's Choreography Reel:


Jaquel's Ladies night:


Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity:


Bob Fosse's All That Jazz:


Bob Fosse's Chicago:


Christina Aguilera speaks out against Proposition 8:


Proposition 8 The Musical:

Beyonce: I am....the new Pat Boone

Christmas is a time to be thankful for freedom, health, love, and friendship.

It is also a time to remember those who are less fortunate, or are no longer around to celebrate the holiday.

This Christmas, please think of JonBenet Ramsey. This Christmas is the 12 anniversary of her murder. She would be 18 years old if she were alive today. We will never know what woman she would have been....

Would she have been an entertainer like Beyonce? Beyonce and JonBenet have many parallels. They both have mothers who encouraged them to perform in provocative costumes. Beyonce performed on Star Search as a child. JonBenet competed in beauty pageants as a child.

Also, like JonBenet, Beyonce has a mother who dressed her up in provocative tacky clothes to perform in.

Beyonce Knowles is a cipher - she can be whatever you want her to be: Star Search contestant, girl group member, girl group leader, solo artist, superstar, girlfriend, wife, daughter, sister, Diana Ross, Deena Jones, Sasha Fierce, model, dancer, actress...............

Beyonce has always confused me, and left me cold. Her mother would dress her in tacky revealing costumes, yet she she wanted to be seen as a chaste Christian.

When Vanity sang "Nasty Girl" she sang "I'm looking for a man to love me, Like I've never been loved before. I'm looking for a man that'll do it anywhere,Even on the limousine floor.".

When Beyonce sang her version of " Nasty Girl" she sang: "These men don't want no hot female that's been around the block female, you nasty girl. Shakin' that thang on that man, lookin' all stank and nasty. Swore you look cute girl in them dukes, booty all out lookin' trashy. Sleazy put some clothes on, I told ya. Don't walk out ya heezy without clothes on, I told ya. You nasty girl, you nasty, you trashy. You classless girl, you sleazy you freaky.".

Her image didn't match her message.

Today, Beyonce has a couple of new tricks: performing in Gareth Pugh outfits - copying the moves Bob Fossse choreographed for Gwen Verdon, and some dancing new moves from choreographer Jonte.

I am not impressed. Beyonce is merely mimicking the postures and carriage of the Legendre fierce children of New York, as seen in Jennie Livingston's "Paris is Burning". Pop stars bringing the style of a minority safely to the white American masses is an old story. Pat Boone took the songs of Little Richard and homogenized them in the 1950's.

In 2009 I am lookign forward to more freedom, originality, peace, creativity, inspiration, and positive energy!

Agyness Deyn and Beyonce wearing Gareth Pugh:


JonBenet Ramsey:

Paris Is Burning:

Walk it out Fosse:

Jonte:


Single Ladies:

Single Ladies + Single Man + Fosse:


Cubby dances to Beyonce's Single Ladies Video:


Single Ladies (BIG GIRL REMIX)