Funny and Gay!

Polari’s spotlight on exceptional LGBT voices in the blogosphere. This week it’s Joe. My. God.

“What Joe manages to do is to run a blog that is in effect a well-curated hub. It is no wonder that news sites follow his lead.”

Bar Wotever, and Sceam Club & Electrosexual.

A night out at Bar Wotever introduces Polari to a great institution.

Bar Wotever is a wholly inclusive performance arts club night that fuses a real sense of community & social responsibility with art and culture.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: David Shenton.

Clayton writes about an exhibition at the Drill Hall by the cartoonist, David Shenton.

I first saw Shenton’s cartoons in the weekly gay newspaper Capital Gay back in the early 80’s. They were funny, thought-provoking, depicting a world of check shirt and leather-clad clones.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: Soft Cell and Lady Gaga

Clayton writes about the joys of Soft Cell and the inspiration of Lady Gaga.

He tells me where the early Soft Cell videos were filmed (around Walkers Court), about recording in Trident (which is just up the road on St Anne’s Court), a studio where Bowie and Bolan once recorded.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: the film The Prophet

Clayton writes about the film The Prophet, and Sebastian Horsley.

But what was also nice were all the bum shots. There were bum shots in A Single Man but they were arty bum shots. Bums drifting in cloudy swimming pools. Bums lingering seductively in bedrooms. In A Prophet they were ‘dangerous’ bum shots.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: on Tom Ford.

Clayton writes about Tom Ford, A Single Man, and Ford sidestepping the issue of homosexuality.

What has been disappointing is that this is now the third interview I’ve read where Ford has tried to distance himself from the film’s homosexuality ‘It’s not a gay movie. Absolutely not,’ he said in one interview.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: on Katy Manning and Dr Who.

Clayton writes about meeting Katy Manning and the magic of Dr Who.

When I was growing up the Daleks were scary. I mean really scary. They were like the Terminators of their day.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: Jonathan Kemp.

Clayton writes about cafes, record shops, and Jonathan Kemp, author of London Triptych.

Outside the street is even busier, the crowds more raucous, and we decide to end the night back at the coffee shop, passing dancing Krishnas, drunken businessmen and six blonde girls with pink fluffy headbands and weather-defying minis, their thighs turning pinky-blue with the cold.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: on writing a column.

Clayton writes about writing a column, and his right testicle.

‘That works for me!’ he replied sweetly, like a 19 year old looking down at Iris Robinson’s naked body as she waves a cheque for fifty grand.

Our columnist this month is radio presenter Scott De Buitléir.

Scott takes on the hypocrisy of the homophobic Protestant politician Iris Robinson.

Her words against homosexuality paved the way for her to be branded ‘the Wicked Witch of the North’ by many in the LGBT communities in Britain and Ireland, with apt tribute paid to her in the Belfast Pride march of that year.