Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 414 April 17, 2019

Berlin
Pride 2019
Summer Intensive German Program
B1 - C1 Intermediate / Advanced
Sunday July 21, 2019 - Friday July 26, 2019
BOOK NOW: www.jacobiteacher.com/berlin2019

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
DOWNTOWN URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL -
CECE PENISTON AT JOE’S PUB

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
Danny Wood and Jessie Chris:
‘Bodyguard’
New Kids on the Block member Danny Wood and Billboard’s Country
Artist to Watch Jessie Chris have collaborated on an emotional and
touching anti-bullying duet titled “Bodyguard.”
Inspired by country singer and anti-bullying activist Jessie Chris’ music
videos and anti-bullying speeches that she has given at schools, Wood
composed and created a sensitive and compelling story performed
together by the two. “I watched a music video and saw some anti-bullying
speeches Jessie had given at schools,” Wood says. “I just started writing
notes down on a pad of paper. It went from a pad on my desk to my
guitar, and it turned into this song.”
The 21-year-old Chris has made it her mission to visit 100 schools across
America to speak to kids about bullying, while healing from her own
bullying issues. Coming from Massachusetts and desiring to become a
country singer made her different than the rest, causing her to be bullied.
She struggled with her own self confidence, and now finds strength in
those experiences.
New Kids on the Block just released a brand-new anthemic song and
video tributing boy bands, and celebrating their own 30 years of success,
called “Boys in the Band.” The video also features cameos from Bell Biv
DeVoe, NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Debbie Gibson.
Members Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Jonathan Knight, Jordan
Knight and of course Danny Wood will embark on a massive “Mixed
Tape” tour visiting 53 cities beginning May 2 and ending in Hollywood,
Florida, July 14. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
INTERVIEW
Danny, how did Jessie inspire you—
actually, how did you even find her?
Danny: I know her manager, Jeff. He
sent me a few of her songs and then
links to watch her speak at the schools
with her anti-bullying campaign. I was
inspired; she’s so young and talented
and already giving back to kids like
that, which was pretty fantastic. I
thought, “Wow.” I started writing down
some notes, listening to her speak
and wrote the song. We recorded it
and then did a video the same day. So
I’m really proud of it, and I hope that
people enjoy it and that it helps some
people.

Danny, did you feel that inspired
that you felt compelled to create
this song, and why?
Danny: Yeah, I mean, I watched
her speak, and her speaking at the
schools hit me personally. Obviously
everyone has an experience being
bullied. I mean, for me, it was when
I was younger in school. But also I
have three kids that are between the
ages of 20 and 26, and I had to advise
them with social media bullying and
all of that. It hit home right away.
Jessie, what exactly have you been
doing to combat bullying that
inspired Danny to write this song?
Jessie: I’ve been visiting schools in
my free time for about four years
now just having the kids hear my
story, because I dealt with bullying.
I wrote a children’s book about it,
so I read my book, do some songs
and hopefully help some kids who
are struggling. About a year and a
half ago I made a goal to visit 100
schools in one year.
I completed that
goal, and now I still
visit schools when
I have time. It’s just
something I like to
do to help others
when I have the
time.
Jessie, do you
feel that you were
bullied as a child,
and if so, how so?
Jessie: For me, a
big reason why I
was bullied was
because I was a bit
different. Growing
up in Massachusetts
I knew when I was
little that I wanted to
sing country music,
and so kids in my
school made fun
of me for it. I got
cyber bullied a lot. I used to even
get pushed against the lockers just
because I was different. It really took a
toll on my self-confidence afterwards.
So once I regained that selfconfidence
I felt that it was important
to talk to these kids in school. I don’t
have an older sibling. I am the oldest
sibling; I have two younger brothers.
So I think some of these kids need
kind of like an older sibling figure to
share their story with and help them
through it.
PHOTO CREDIT: JEFF GULKO
Danny, the idea of a “bodyguard”
in regard to bullying is a genius
idea. What prompted it?
Danny: I don’t know exactly how that
came to me, but looking back on
writing this song, it’s obvious that
Jessie is a bodyguard to a lot of these
kids. I mean, she is openly speaking
about her experience, and that’s the
best way to get through to these kids,
speaking from experience. Definitely
she inspired it.

As a New Kid on the Block you
have an influence with kids.
On your tour that you will be
beginning in May, have you had
any plans to perform this song
with Jessie during that time?
Danny: Probably not. The New Kids
thing is a whole different world.
This is my solo stuff, and I do it
with Jessie, so I kind of keep them
separate. We have to keep our
show moving. People are there to
see the New Kids—not to see me,
but rather the whole group. So
I’m going to keep the two things
separate, and hopefully me and
Jessie will be able to perform the
song soon.
If I could ask you any question in
the world, what would you want
me to ask you?
Jessie: That’s a cool question. Now
I’m trying to think; that was a really
thought-provoking question. I guess
I would say, “What’s your favorite
color?” because nobody’s asked me
that. I would say pink.
OK, Danny, what’s your favorite
color?
Danny: I don’t really have one.
If either one of you could make a
statement to kids who are being
bullied, what would you say?
Jessie: To the kids that are the
bullies I would say that if there is
something going on in your life
that’s making you angry or upset,
you shouldn’t take that out on
other kids. Also, when you bully
other kids you have no idea what
is going on in their personal life,
and you have no idea how much
harder that bullying can make their
life. So just be cautious of other
people’s feelings, and if you think
about the golden rule we learn in
kindergarten, to treat others the way
you want to be treated, if we really
just live by that, the world would be
a totally different place.
Danny, what about to the kids
that are being bullies?
Danny: I would first tell them that if
it’s in school or social media, I live
by just posting and getting out. I
don’t read any of the comments.
I kind of make it a one-way
conversation, because it’s a lot
easier to deal with. At school I
would tell them that school doesn’t
last forever, and they’ll eventually be
out, and all those bullies usually end
up being not so successful. From my
own experience, when I go back to
Boston and run into people that I
went to school with, if they were one
of the bullies they are definitely not
so successful. So what goes around
comes around.
If you could have your ultimate
stage fantasy, what would need
to happen, and for Danny, you
probably have had it already—so
what was it?
Danny: For me already, anything
I’ve ever dreamt of happened. We
got to play Fenway Park twice, and
for five guys from Boston that’s the
ultimate goal, to be able to play
there. We did it a couple years
ago, so I’m good. I don’t have any
fantasies or wish list or bucket list or
anything like that. I’ve done it all.
Jessie: I would say for me just
playing somewhere at home like
Fenway Park or Gillette Stadium
would just really be a dream come
true, because that’s where I grew
up, going to concerts and wishing
I could be on that stage. So I think
my ultimate stage fantasy would be
performing at Gillette Stadium with
glitter and confetti everywhere.

5 0 0 W 4 8 T H S T .
N Y , N Y 1 0 0 3 6
Cover: Paul Montoya
Photo by WILSONMODELS
ISSUE 414 - APRIL 17 2019
PUBLISHER
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THOMAS
TALKS
I’ve always been
afraid of HIV, but it’s
gotten so bad that
I’ve basically stopped
having sex. Please
help me! Every single
time I have sex with
someone, I ask him
about his HIV status,
when he was tested
last, and I ALWAYS
use condoms. But
afterwards, I freak
out, even if it was
just oral sex. I get
really paranoid that
something went
wrong. Sometimes I
don’t even enjoy the
sex I’m having, because
I’m scared while we’re
doing it. How can I get
over this? My friends
say to just relax and
forget about it. - Male,
Gay, 26
It’s great that you’re
being so vigilant about
your sexual health, but
it’s also stopping you
from enjoying your
sexuality. Where’s the
happy medium? You’re
already doing a lot of
things that I recommend
ABOUT: FEAR OF HIV
to my patients who
have similar fears. But,
there are a few other
things you might want to
consider.
First, challenge the
thoughts you’re having
that keep screaming
you’re at-risk. Those
thoughts are what’s
causing you to stress out
and have anxiety. For
most of my clients, these
thoughts include tons
of “what ifs.” Remind
yourself that you’ve
taken the steps you
know to be necessary
and question your “what
ifs.” Educate yourself on
HIV, how it’s transmitted
and how it’s treated.
Assuming you haven’t
had recent dental
work, your chances of
acquiring HIV from oral
sex are very low. It may
also relax you to know
that although you may
prefer to stay HIVnegative,
becoming HIVpositive
is not a death
sentence anymore. You
can be HIV-positive and
still live a very happy and
healthy life.
Second, PrEP might be
a good option for you.
Last month, I published
a study in the Journal
of Sex Research that
showed a statistically
significant decrease
in sexual anxiety once
gay men began taking
PrEP. This medication
may offer another layer
of protection for you
that might calm your
anxieties. However,
there’s a catch. Based on
what you’ve said about
your sexual behaviors
and risk-prevention
techniques, you
don’t seem like you’d
actually meet objective
qualifications for uptake.
This doesn’t mean a
doctor won’t prescribe
it for you, but you may
want to weigh the pros
and cons yourself.
Third, accidents happen.
Be prepared. For most
sexually active adults,
accidents happen when
it comes to sex. Maybe
a condom is forgotten,
a condom breaks, or
someone lies about their
status (although research
shows this is rare). Find
out where you can
access post-exposure
prophylaxis (PEP). It’s
a set of pills that you
take daily for about a
month that prevents HIV
infection, should you be
exposed. You have to
start taking it within 72
hours of the exposure,
the sooner the better.
It’s available at most
emergency rooms.
There are tons of places
in NYC where you can
get tested for HIV and
STIs at low or no cost.
Make getting tested
a regular part of your
sexual health practice.
You’re in control and
doing a great job.
Sex/Love/Relationship advice? Send your questions to: ThomasTalksAbout@gmail.com
@ThomasWhitfield84

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stories / GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
BY IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@ianmichaelinwonderland
When I woke up on my
last birthday, James was
already up, doing yoga
(or meditating? Or do you
meditate while you yoga?
Hell if I know.) in the corner
of the room. He stopped
when he heard me sit up.
“Good morning,” he said,
sitting on the bed with me.
“I have a present for you.”
“I don’t need any more
presents,” I smiled,
wiping the sleep from my
eyes. The night before
we’d gone to see Book of
Mormon at the Eugene
O’Neill Theater, his treat.
“Just one more,” he
said, taking a few of his
books off the bookshelf
and retrieving a hidden
blue box.
I knew instantly from its
long, rectangular shape that
it was a jewelry box. I didn’t
know what it could be: I
hadn’t insinuated there was
anything I wanted. My mind
buzzed as he brought the
box to the bed: silver letters
proclaimed “Swarovski”
across the top.
“I really don’t need anything
else,” I insisted. “Between
this and the show, it must
have cost—“
“I got it because I wanted
to,” he said calmly, offering
the box.
It was a Swarovski crystal
tennis bracelet. I had
mentioned something
about this: an ad for cheap
diamond tennis bracelets
was on my Instagram feed,
and I mentioned how much
I liked tennis bracelets. “But
the metal can’t be silver or
anything that can tarnish,”
I’d said about the bracelets
in question.
“I know it’s not
diamonds,” he said, “but
the metal is rhodium, so it
won’t tarnish or scratch.”
I extended my wrist,
letting him fasten the
clasp for me.
Sitting there, wearing
the most beautiful thing I
owned with bedhead and
terrible breath, I realized
it was the first piece of
jewelry I’d ever been
given by a partner, except
for a ring when I was
proposed to in 2011.
When I was 16, my dad
took me to a gay novelty
shop, where I bought a
set of stainless steel rings
with rainbow jewels in
them. I gave one to Bill,
my first love, and kept
the other for myself. (I
still have it.) I remember
pretending he had given
it to me, even telling
Swarovski
Crystals
are a Gay’s
Best Friend
PHOTO: STEVE
BRENNAN
WEARING:
SWAROVSKI
BRACELET,
VALENTINO TOP
people he had, because
I wanted to feel special.
One of my favorite movies
growing up was “Some
Like It Hot”: I longed for
someone to fall madly in
love with me and give me
something pretty. I knew it
was materialistic—I blame
Marilyn for that—but I
loved the fantasy anyway.
And this: this sparkling,
thoughtful gift that
spawned from a comment
I’d made offhandedly
months ago... I felt special.
“I remember the first piece
of jewelry your father gave
me,” my mom told me
later over the phone. “It
showed a certain amount
of investment in the
relationship. I still have it.”
Back in bed, I leaned
forward and kissed James,
desperately wishing I tasted
like peppermint. “I love it,”
I said. “It’s perfect.”

PAUL MONTOYA
What inspired you to become
an actor?
I was born in a small Caribbean
island with a lot of limitations,
especially culturally, as there
weren’t many outlets for artists.
Fortunately, my mom instilled in
me the importance of the arts.
She was an actress herself,
and whenever possible she had
me take part in her plays. She
showed me the world
through a different set
of eyes. She showed
me that magical
feeling of being able to
portray anyone and convey
emotions to an audience. My
mom has always been a huge
inspiration for me.
What projects are you working
on right now?
I continue working with Repertorio
Español’s play El Coronel
No Tiene Quien Le Escriba,
and I just started a new project
for a gay-themed play called
“La Posteridad De Las Ratas
(Buscando a Copi)” which will
be playing at FUERZAfest, the
first LGBTQ+ Latino arts festival
in the northeast (May 8 to 19).
You have been traveling quite
a bit the past few years. How
has that inspired you?
I would say travel is my second
passion, and these last few
years I’ve tried to pursue it as
much as possible; life is too
short, and we only have one
to enjoy, and there are millions
of things to discover and experience.
I love “getting lost” in
another country, tasting different
flavors and experiencing new
cultures. I set myself a goal to
see the Seven Wonders of the
World—well, eight, including
the pyramids—in the next two
years. I’ve already visited three.
What are your plans for World
Pride month? What events
will you be going to?
I’m super excited for World
Pride. There are so many
events and parties to enjoy! I invite
everyone, especially theater
fans, to Repertorio Español,
which will be featuring the play
“Smiley” (LGBTQ+ comedy).
Also, Teatro SEA will be featuring
their micro theater project,
celebrating love and pride. And,
obviously, I will be going to THE
party everyone will be talking
about for years to come: Alegria
World Pride 2019at the beautiful
Avant Gardner with three amazing
theme parties and some of
the best international DJs. I will
see you there!
PHOTOS BY WILSONMODELS

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week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
BLACK PARTY @ NEW YORK EXPO CENTER

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
With more dazzling royalty
than the centuries of events at
Buckingham Palace, The Imperial
Court of New York held its 33rd annual
extravaganza, Night of a Thousand
Gowns, at the posh Marriott Marquis
in the heart of Manhattan, this year
benefiting the Trinity Place Shelter.
The most lavish gowns and sparkling
jewels paraded the red carpet while
celebrity photographers, including
Get Out!’s own Wilsonmodels (Jeff
Eason), captured and kept alive the air
of magnificence forever.
I was honored to be accompanied
by my fabulous friend, the infamous
Michael Musto, star journalist, TV
personality, TRAX record recording
artist, actor, film sensation, author
and the most popular, sought after,
diversity activist on the planet of
Manhattan.
Featured guest performer Debby
Holiday, a Billboard Top 10,
internationally popular singersongwriter
and dance chart sensation,
rocked the house. When asked what
the honor of being chosen to perform
meant, she replied, “For me, it means
honoring diversity, it means honoring
people getting together and doing
something all in one space and
helping so many others, and having a
great time while doing it.”
She went on to say, “This is a
community I very much cherish.”
Holiday has new music out called
“Free 2 Be,” which is half dance and
half rock n’ roll. According to Holiday,
the message of the song is: “You
are free to be whatever the hell you
want to, whatever makes you happy,
whatever makes you feel good.”
Night of a
Thousand
Gowns
Guests were also treated to the court’s
rendition of “Little Shop of Horrors”
by Skyla Versai, a drag veteran of the
famous Lips Restaurant, and a special
performance by seasoned Broadway
dancers staged by Broadway Cares/
Equity Fights AIDS.
Needless to say, the dinner was
over the top, the goodie bags were
loaded with diamonds and jewels
and the silent auction was inundated
with sensational items, with all
the proceeds going toward the
beneficiaries.
We said goodbye to Empress XXXII
Gayle Banter and Emperor XVII and
Regent Emperor XXVII Rob Hunter
de Woofs and welcomed the new
Empress Imperial Crown Princess
Royale Chuleta Devine and the new
Emperor Imperial Crown Prince
Royale Antonio T. Ventura to the
throne. Queen Mother of New York
Absolute Empress Coco Lachine made
a glittering appearance as well. When
the new empress was asked what her
new title meant to her, she answered,
“Right now it hasn’t sunk in for me.”
The new emperor exclaimed, “I’m
overwhelmed!”
It was a marvelous production, a night
of love, caring and bursts of color
and eclectic magnificence. Get Out!
magazine was proud as always to be
included as a sponsor, and to support
“Night of a Thousand Gowns.”

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
NIGHT OF 1000 GOWNS @ MARRIOTT MARQUIS