Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 554

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
JOY BEHAR
“My First Ex-Husband” @ the MMAC Theater January 29, 2025
The woman with bigger balls than
any man I’ve ever known, comedian,
playwright and host of The View Joy
Behar will be at starring off-Broadway
in her self-written, hilariously funny
“My First Ex-Husband” @ the MMAC
Theater (248 West 60th Street) from
January 29 - February 23. She will
be joined by Susie Essman (Curb
Your Enthusiasm), Tovah Feldshuh
(Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and Adrienne
C. Moore (Orange is the New Black).
Each month, the cast will change,
bringing new voices and perspectives
to the unfiltered, messy truths about
love, marriage and divorce. Beyond
February 23, other cast members each
month will include Judy Gold, Susan
Lucci, Cathy Moriarty, Tonya Pinkins,
Gina Gershon, Jackie Hoffman,
Veanne Cox, and Andrea Navedo.
An original member of ABC’s
The View, Joy Behar has been
honored with a plethora of awards, including the 2009 Daytime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Talk Show Host, three MAC awards, a CableACE Award and a 2000
GLAAD Award for relentless support of the LGBTQ+ community. She has appeared
on screen (“This Is My Life”, “Manhattan Murder Mystery”), in theater (“The Food
Chain”, “The Vagina Monologues”), and aside from The View, she is an acclaimed
TV veteran (HBO, “BabyBoom”, “Crisis in Six Scenes”). She has hosted her own
radio show and penned five books, including her most recent “The Great Gasbag:
An A-to-Z Study Guide-to Surviving Trump World.”
Joy was fun and sincere, and when doing an interview, there is not much more you
can ask for. She has an enormous amount of energy and a creative ability that goes
beyond, and she’s a gay advocate as well. Without giving too much of My First Ex-
Husband away, this comedy is going to go viral on many different levels.

INTERVIEW >>>
I feel like you are one of the
most sought after people
to be interviewed on the
planet right now.
Oh, really, why is that?
Well, a lot of reasons.
Because everyone I
mentioned your name to is
like “Oh my God”, so that’s
one reason.
Once you open your mouth
and state an opinion on
television, you lose half the
audience. They hate you or
love you.
It is still people who know
who you are. Even if it’s
negative attention. Anyway,
I wanted to thank you for
your time in advance. And
I want to congratulate you
on your play. And I wanted
to know aside from your
first ex-husband, what
motivated you to create
the play “My First Ex-
Husband”?
It’s a funny thing. After I
got divorced, I just went on
with my life. But years later,
I thought, “Why do people
get divorced, exactly?”
People would ask me what
happened and I would ask
people what happened. I had
a few girlfriends who were
divorced, so I thought, “I’m
going to interview these girls
and put it on tape and see
what they have to say about
it”. So I got a couple of people
that I knew. I interviewed
them. I sat there with them
for several hours and this
started back in 2013. I
transcribed everything myself.
And I found that there was
gold in “them Thar hills”. It
was interesting stuff. A lot of
them had very good insights.
Then I decided to turn them
into monologues to see if I
could do it something with
this. I was doing The Vagina
Monologues and I like that
format. I did that one and
I also did Love Loss, And
What I Wore. And I thought,
“This is such a fun thing to do
because you don’t have to
memorize anything”. You can
keep changing the cast so
none of the actresses have to
commit for too long of a time.
That was sort of appealing to
people in the industry. They
don’t want to be there for 10
years, you know. Now they
only have to be there for four
weeks and then we switch it
again.
So each time you have a
new cast, their stories are
different?
No. I might change them.
But no, not really. I’m writing
more. I have three in my
back pocket. If I have an
actress who seems to fit
that monologue more, then
I could switch it. But if they
don’t, then the ones I have
are good.
No, what I meant was, let’s
say I go to see your show
and then I go to the next
one with let’s say Susan
Lucci. Her monologue
would be different?
No. She’s going to do the
same monologue that she did
in the first batch. You might
want to come again down
the line if you want to hear
some new ones. I might be
replacing some. The main
reason to see it more than
once is to see a different
actor.
Everybody on the planet
that I know has had at
least one first ex husband.
Including myself, so I think
it’s a great topic.
Even Gloria Steinem told me
it was a good idea and it was
about time somebody did this.
What are you hoping
people will walk away
with, aside from a night
of entertainment? Do you
think they’ll walk away with
any kind of knowledge or
insight?
I’m hoping that they can
relate to the story. When
you hear somebody else’s
story, you feel less lonely and
less crazy. I hope that they’ll
relate to it because there are
stories in there that are kind
of universal.
There are different topics
and reasons to get
divorced. My first husband
from 30 years ago is now
my client.
He’s your client?
Yeah. I have a PR Company
and he’s in a band and my
client.
So if I had to ask you in one
or two sentences why did you
get a divorce, what would you
tell me?
I married him when I was
16 years old because he
played guitar better than
me.
Isn’t that funny? I mean, a
lot of these stories are like
that. It’s kind of like, “What?”
I was 22, so I can relate to
the fact that you were actually
even younger than I was and
there’s new research that
says your brain is not even
done until you hit 25. So we
were really much too young.

I have never watched The
View until last night because
I kind of wanted to get to
know you a little bit better.
What kept your attention
for so long? You have been
there for so long.
I’ve been there for 28 years.
With a hiatus imposed on
me for two of those. So, 26
years...I think it’s coming on
27. The fact that you can be
yourself. I started out as an
actress, which didn’t really
appeal to me that much. Stand
up comedy--that’s my area.
What I was able to do with that
was to be myself on stage. I
was able to add from that and
subtract from that and make
it into a piece. The View is
kind of similar in that you are
yourself and it is spontaneous.
And you really can’t beat a job
like that, and it’s in New York.
I see you are on Long
Island. Girl, so am I.
Well, I was raised in Brooklyn
and now I live in Manhattan,
but Long Island is where I was
living when I was married the
first time.
Is there a moment that you
can recall that change the
whole trajectory of your life?
Well, my divorce. At the
same time I divorced my
first husband, I had a near
death experience. I also got
fired from my job at Good
Morning America. I was sort
of an assistant receptionist
person there. The three things
happened all at the same
time. Within a year and a half
of each other. And I think that
little trifecta turned me around.
Have you had your ultimate
stage fantasy yet or are you
still looking for it?
My fantasy is coming true
right now as I am writing
plays. This is not the only one.
I have another one called
“Bonkers In The Buroughs”
that we probably are going to
be producing in the fall. I have
other short please that I’ve
written. I even have a long one
that I’ve written called Crisis
in Queens. So, I’m doing it,
Whatever the fantasy is, I’m
in the middle of it right now.
I don’t have another fantasy
at the moment. I did a oneperson
show at the Cherry
Lane theater. Me, My Mouth
and I. That was another thing
I’ve always wanted to do. Now
I’m doing this, plus I have a
job at The View. I mean, I have
a lot going on. By the way, a
lot of the facts and information
and trajectory of the piece are
all anonymous. Everything is
anonymous. Nobody knows
who anybody is. And that’s a
very important point. And then
I also change a lot.
So, you are still really
writing. It’s an ongoing
project, which is cool.
Yes, and if they don’t give
me enough material, I have
to fill in what I think has
happened. So they are based
on true stories, but they are
embellished by me.
And I bet they are hysterical.
We did two of them in Sag
Harbor, last summer, I think it
was. It was like for a benefit, to
raise money for the theater. It
got big laughs. I didn’t expect
it to be that funny because
they’re so true.
So anyway, I’ve been seeing
you mentioned everywhere.
It’s because of this play.
Did you ever consider
running for political office?
No. No, absolutely not.
And I want to be your
campaign manager, LOL.
Okay, I’ll remember that. No, I
was never really interested in
being a politician. Absolutely
not. Look at how they roll over
and capitulate as soon as
they’re in a position of power. I
don’t go for that.
That’s interesting. That’s
probably a good choice
in your life, by the way. If
you could have me ask you
anything on the planet, what
would it be?
I don’t know--let me ask my
husband. What is something
that no one’s ever asked
me before that I wish they
would ask me? He said, “How
fabulous is your husband?”
He’s funny. He is also a
fabulous editor. He’s in with
me on this all the way.
Is there anything about the
play that I haven’t asked you
and you want to go over?
Well, I want you to be sure
to say that everything is
anonymous. That they are
inspired by true stories. The
women were very interested in
telling me their stories. Their
venting. Umberto Eco says we
really can’t understand your
life until you tell a story about
it. These women that spoke
to me got a lot of insight after
they spoke about it. And most
of them are coming to see it.
Did you ever think of having
your ex-husband do a play
called My First Ex-Wife?
I tried it. But they don’t give
you full answers--they give
you one word answers.
You know, “Her mother
was annoying and she was
nagging me”. These things
do not make a story. Another
thing I asked some of the men
at the benefit in the audience
was, “Did you feel that this
was male bashing?” And they
said, “Absolutely not. As a
man, I am not like that.” They
didn’t relate to it at all.

FEATURING A NEW ALL-STAR CAST EVERY 4 WEEKS
i do.
i'm now,
done!
a new show joy behar
by
joy behar
Susie
essman
Judy
gold
Cathy
moriarty
behar
FEB 26 THRU MAR 23
FIRST CAST THRU FEB 23
Susan
lucci
Tonya
pinkins
Tovah
feldshuh
Adrienne C.
moore
myfirstexhusband.com
mmac theater
212-787-1178
284 w 60th st. nyc
MAR 26 THRU APR 20
Veanne
cox
Jackie
hoffman
gershon
Andrea
navedo
PHOTO CREDIT: Luisa Opalesky

WINNER - LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
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LAUGH YOUR
ICEBERG OFF! ”
Dave Quinn
people
“A PERFECT
MARRIAGE OF GREAT
BROADWAY-CALIBER
THEATER AND
HARD COMEDY. ”
MATT ROGERS
LAS CULTURISTAS
BOOK BY
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CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Ellenore Scott
DIRECTED BY
DARYL ROTH THEATRE
101 EAST 15TH ST, NYC
TELECHARGE.COM
800-447-7400
TITANIQUEMUSICAL.COM
@TitaniqueMusical
#Titanique
@Titanique

ISSUE #554
COVER:
LINUX
PHOTO BY
WILSONMODELS
PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD
MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM
DESIGN AGOTA CORREA
AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO
@EILEENSHAPIRO3
NYC’S NIGHTLIFE AWARD WINNING BLOGGER/
WRITER & INTERVIEWER JIM SILVESTRI
NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER WILSONMODELS
JEASO86@HOTMAIL.COM
The publications of MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT, getoutmag.com or any
other related print or Web publications or social media accounts, their images,
quotations or articles should not be construed to be an indication of the sexual
orientation of anyone portrayed therein.
All Content © Copyright 2019
MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT
25-21 45TH STREET ASTORIA, NY 11103
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT EST. 2009

BY BEN NELSON
MARTHA WASH BRINGS THE LOVE
THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
The two-time Grammy nominee performs at Joe’s Pub
PHOTO BY: MIKE RUIZ
Martha Wash, the legendary,
platinum-selling, two-time Grammy
nominee, will take the stage at
Joe’s Pub on February 14 for an
unforgettable evening of music
and emotion. The iconic vocalist,
celebrated for her powerhouse
hits like “It’s Raining Men” and
“Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody
Dance Now),” will mark Valentine’s
Day performing songs from her
groundbreaking album, Love &
Conflict.
This highly anticipated performance
will see Martha Wash bringing
a fresh sound to her audiences,
blending emotional ballads,
thought-provoking lyrics and
infectious grooves in a stunning
new collection. The Love & Conflict
album is a bold departure from her
dance music roots, showcasing an
eclectic mix of blues-rock and adult contemporary songs that highlight Martha’s
extraordinary vocal talents. The album, produced
by Sami Basbous and his team, explores themes
of love, heartbreak, and resilience, with every
track delivering a positive message. We spoke
with Martha Wash from her New York home.
Tickets for Martha Wash’s Valentine’s Day
performance at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette Street at
Astor Place) are available now at PublicTheatre.org.
7pm showtime. Doors open at 6pm.

INTERVIEW >>>
Your career spans decades.
How do you balance
honoring your dance music
legacy while exploring new
sounds?
Martha Wash: It can be a
challenge at times. Naturally,
people want to hear the songs
they danced to and loved
over the years—hits like “It’s
Raining Men” and “Gonna
Make You Sweat”. Those
songs are a huge part of my
legacy, and I’m so grateful
for the joy they’ve brought to
people. But as an artist, it’s
important to grow and explore
new directions. For me, that
means trying out different
genres and taking creative
risks, while hoping my fans will
come along for the ride.
How does Love & Conflict
differ from your earlier
albums?
With this project, I wanted to
dig deeper and explore new
textures and stories in the
music. The sound is rawer and
more intimate. It’s got grit and
emotion.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Let’s face it—love isn’t always
roses and champagne, right?
There’s passion, there’s
tension and there’s everything
in between, and that’s
what this album captures—
especially with songs like
“Like Fire,” “Glamour Flows”
and “Never Enough Money”. I
connect emotionally with the
audience every time I
sing these songs. I feel
like I’m sharing a piece
of myself with them.
Have your personal
experiences
influenced these
songs?
I’ll just say I’ve been
through some of these
things—and leave it at
that! (laughs)
Do you have a
message for fans
this Valentine’s Day?
My message is this:
Expect ups and downs
in life—because they
will come—but don’t give up.
You’ll survive, and you’ll grow
stronger. Take chances—you
never know what incredible
opportunities might come from
stepping outside your comfort
zone. Stay grounded—don’t
believe the hype or get swept
up in it. Most importantly, find
or create what truly makes you
happy and be authentic. Trust
your journey and stay true to
yourself.
What can fans expect
from your Valentine’s Day
performance at Joe’s Pub?
Fans can expect an
unforgettable evening filled
with music, passion and all
the emotions that Valentine’s
Day brings. I’m bringing my
all to the stage at Joe’s Pub,
performing songs that will
make you laugh, cry and
everything in between. And
yes, there’s a surprise in
store—but you’ll have to be
there to find out! Let’s just
say it’s going to be a show
to remember. I can’t wait to
share this special night with
my darlins!

BY JIM SILVESTRI
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILSONMODELS
LINUX
DOMBEEEF AND AIRIK PRINCE
INTERVIEW >>>
Linux, hello! Thanks for
chatting! So um, how are you
enjoying 2025 so far, lol?
Hello!! 2025 has been off to an
incredible start. I feel like all
the seeds I planted in 2024 are
finally starting to sprout, which
makes me really happy and
excited.
Your garden is beautiful!
Congrats on your Glam win,
you’ve won as a writer. What
can you tell us about about
your columns—how did that
opportunity come to you and
what inspired your entries?
Aww, thank you, thank you.
The whole writing thing just
came to me, I never had a
plan to do it. The story of how
it came to be is actually quite
beautiful. Back in 2018, I was
wrongly identified and arrested
by NYPD, who placed me in
a men’s prison unit on Rikers
Island. I was there for nine
days in what was definitely the
most traumatizing experience
of my life. I don’t know how
I survived. I met a few other
trans girls there as well, who
were set to be there even
longer than me. We all worked
together to stay alive and look
after each other. A voice in
my head told me, “You need
to be writing this all down.”
So I found a pen from the guy
giving tattoos and a roll of
toilet paper and I documented
my entire experience while
at Rikers. When I was finally
released, I went to Justin
Moran, the editor in chief at
Paper Magazine and I told
him my story and that the
world needs to know what is
happening to our trans sisters
right in our backyard. Once it
was published, there wasn’t
a single night I could go out
without people coming up to
me and mentioning my Rikers
Island piece. They say you
should continue doing things
that evoke a positive response
from people and my writing
seemingly did, but I didn’t
want to write about traumatic
experiences anymore…so I
thought to myself, “What is
something that makes me
happy that I can write about?”
The clearest, most
immediate idea was nightlife.
This industry saved me and
others so many times and it’s
something I’m very clearly,
deeply passionate about. So
once I came to that conclusion,
I was like, “OK, I’m doing a
nightlife column!”
And the rest was history!

That’s a beautiful story!
Speaking of beauty: Paul’s
Dolls at Paul’s Casablanca!
That’s a very popular party
you’ve been producing. And
Wednesdays aren’t easy!
Can you tell us a bit about
what sets this night apart
from other parties?
Yesss, my home!!! I moved to
NYC in 2015 and there was no
place for dolls to meet each
other. We had a Facebook
group called the Fish Tank
and if there were girls in your
city, you’d get lunch or go in
on a hotel room with them to
see daddies, or you would just
fully text them from their escort
ads.
Parties did not have 15+
dolls running around them
like they do now. The sole
connection between dolls was
sex work. I wanted the girls to
be more than that together, I
wanted us to be real friends
and have a sisterhood. So I
started making reservations
at restaurants around the
city and inviting like 20 of my
trans friends to the dinner; We
would call it “DOLL DINNER.”
After a few of them, there
started being too many of us
to fit at a dinner table and I
was like, “Wait, this would
make a great party!” So I
set up a Wednesday night
at Paul’s Casablanca and
we just kept having amazing
night after amazing night to
now celebrating our third year
anniversary.
I think what makes this party
so successful is that I’m
trying to act selflessly. I truly
just want to better the terrain
of NYC nightlife and make
a spot for people that didn’t
previously have one. It’s fun,
it’s chaos, it’s a sisterhood.
I’m really proud of how far
it’s come and where it is
seemingly headed.
You’ve started a night
called Clout 9 at Gabriela in
Brooklyn. How’s that going?
Yes! It’s my new monthly
Friday. If Paul’s Dolls is a
house party, Clout 9 is when
we finally get to the club.
When I first saw Eli Escobar’s
new Brooklyn spot, Gabriela,
I knew I needed to throw a
party there. The layout is just
perfect: you get that cunty
bottle service moment on
the floor, you can socialize
more privately on the upstairs
mezzanine that overlooks the
whole party and then you can
also just get totally lost on the
dancefloor. It’s very chooseyour-own-adventure.
I wanted
to bring in my magic touch of
crowd curation, and I think we
were really successful with
it. New York weekends are
sooooo action packed lately,
so I wanted Clout 9 to kind
of feel like the Friday night
social lubricant to your 48-hour
bender of a weekend.

Paul’s Dolls kind of requires
my DJs to play more poppy/
less experimental music
because of what it is, so I
really like that I’ve been able
to have more of the music
I like to dance to on my
weekends out — the techno/
heavy house vibe, at Clout 9.
Werk! Is there anything
else you wanna mention or
promote?
I’ve got a lot of things I’m
cooking in the kitchen that I
can’t wait to announce, but
the column and parties are my
prime focus right now.
What’s a crazy nightlife
story you can share?
Let me tell my most fab party
moment I’ve ever had. A few
years back, Susanne Bartsch
brought me to a friend’s
dinner party at this mansion
in Malibu….I’ve never gagged
harder. It was at the same
mansion that Gaga filmed her
music video for “Paparazzi”
in. It’s four long dinner tables,
and the seating was pre
assigned and randomized.
Across from me was RuPaul,
behind me was Bette Midler,
next to her was Susanne and
then Naomi Campbell. Just
when I thought it couldn’t
get crazier, after dinner had
ended, Miley Cyrus walked
in, yelling “Sorry I’m late. The
traffic was crazy!”
It was the wildest night of
my lifeeeeee. Susanne has
brought me to the wildest
corners of the earth.
LOCATION COURTESY OF MICHAEL
WAKEFIELD FOR PICKLES’ PLAYGROUND

DIRECTOR PRESIDENT
MARK CASTANZA
ABOUT THIS YEAR’S
EVENT:
The Imperial Court of New York, Emperor XXXlll
Jeffrey ll, and Empress XXXVlll Ruby Starling
present the dazzling and radiant 39th annual
Night Of A Thousand Gowns, a Masquerade
Ball, on Saturday April 5, 2025 6PM-11:00PM @
the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan.
There will be a red carpet, followed by a three
course dinner, a silent auction and entertainment
by Sabel Scities, Betty, Claybourne Elder and
the Boy Band Project. The Gala and celebration
will benefit Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
Get Out Magazine spoke with the very cheerful
and positive Board of Director President Mark
Castanza about this year’s event.
INTERVIEW >>>
So let’s talk about this years
Gala. What’s your exact title
and do you have a royal
name?
Yes, it’s Emperor XV Fantasia.
President of the board of
directors.
How did you get to be
President? How did that
happen?
What happened was I ran for
President like four years ago.
I got elected and I won for a
two-year term. I did my first
two years, but my second term
I could only do a year because
I was diagnosed with stage
four cancer.
Oh, are you okay now?
Yeah, I am seven years
cancer free. Since no one was
really interested in running
for the President, I decided
to try it again. And I won by a
landslide. I got all 152 yesses.
Zero no’s and no abstains.
They like me, they really do
like me, lol.
Tell me the order of how
things are going to go. I
mean, I know it, but pretend
I don’t.
It’s going to be on April 5th
@ the Edison ballroom.
The beneficiary this year is
Broadway Cares Equity. And
our reigning monarchs are
Emperor Jeffrey 2 and our
Empress is Ruby Stalin.
It’s going to be a wonderful
affair, as it usually is. We have
great entertainment. We have
the Bar Boys, the boy band.
We have the Betty Boops.
We usually do the red carpet,
where we have our sponsors.
We don’t have a lineup of
responses yet because we
usually do that at the end
of the month. Most likely, it
will be the same sponsors
as last year. Hopefully, we
would get Miller Coor’s and
Li-lac chocolates. We also had
Boxers and Get Out magazine
with the fabulous Mike Todd.
It’s going to be a very exciting
evening. I’m told all I have to
do is show up in my outfit and
have fun.
Tell me a little bit about
the silent auction. Are you
having that this year?
Yes we will be having our silent
auction. We will be having 35
to 40 items.
Anything you want to lure
anyone in with?
Well we just started but we
have a lot of our Court jewelry
like tiaras and rhinestones and
bracelets. We also having a
raffle.

Which will hopefully be an
Apple watch, a tablet and one
of those rings that you wear
that tells you about your health.
We are also going to have
the wonderful Ben Fink. He’ll
be selling his book Notable
Deeds. Which is a huge thing
for the Imperial Court System.
He has many many pictures
of raining past Monarchs and
Prince and Princesses. I got
to see the book in Florida. It’s
really a beautiful presentation
of a book. He’s a sweetheart
of a guy.
What encouraged you or
even motivated you to
become involved with this
organization?
Back to 1999, when I was
21 years old, before I joined
the Court, my best friend Sal
had AIDS. He never told me.
One day I couldn’t find him
or get ahold of him and he
used to leave me messages.
But one day, I had enough
and I went to his home and
his mom answered the door
with her Italian accent and I
asked if Sal was there and
she said “No, no, Sal no here
no more.” I asked where did
he move to and she said, “No,
no, he died.” I said “What?”
And his sister came out and
said, “Mark, we’ve been trying
to find you.” And she told me
he passed of AIDS. I couldn’t
understand why he wouldn’t
have told me. And she said
he was embarrassed. So,
from that point on, I always
thought there’s no reason
to be embarrassed and that
started me on my crusade to
start raising money for people
with HIV and AIDS. I joined the
court in 1999 and I’ve been
on the board of directors since
then. I’ve been on the board
for over 25 years already. I
started off as a board member
at large and then I woÅrked
myself up to Vice Preåsident
and now President. The same
way I started out as a Lord and
Lady and worked my way up to
Emperor.
A lot of my friends have been
Emperors and Empresses.
We have a great membership.
They’re very supportive. We
just had our holiday Gala,
which turned out fabulous.
They treated us like kings and
queens.
This year, it says it’s a
masquerade ball. Isn’t it
always a masquerade ball?
Originally, when it first started,
it was a masquerade ball. It
continued for years, and as
monarchs evolved and got
younger and newer, they
wanted to change the theme.
One year was Razzle Dazzle,
one year was Spectacular, one
year it was Icon, and now this
year they decided they wanted
to go back to the masquerade.
Hopefully, everyone will be
wearing a masquerade.
Outrageous costumes. Trying
to bring back the old days.

BY GERARD PASSARO
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alexander Ananasso stars as Marco in the
LGBTQ romance film Sex Love Venice
Alexander Ananasso brings his signature
blend of soulful intensity and Italian
charm to the role of Marco in the eagerly
awaited queer romance film, Sex Love
Venice. The Rome-born out actor
delivers a spellbinding performance as
the charismatic Venetian who guides
Michael, a man jaded by hookup culture,
toward rediscovering intimacy and love.
Set against Venice’s enchanting canals
and iconic architecture, the film explores
themes of desire, patience, and selfdiscovery,
with Ananasso’s portrayal
anchoring its emotional core.
INTERVIEW >>>
It’s been a long road to this
point. How excited are you
about the release of Sex
Love Venice?
Alexander Ananasso: I can’t
wait to see myself on the big
screen and I’m so hopeful
that moviegoers will love
the film as much as I do!
What initially attracted you
to the role of Marco?
Marco is very different
from the man I am and
he presented a challenge
that I felt up for. He gave
me the opportunity to turn
on my magnetism and
charm, but also tap into my
vulnerability and quirkiness.
I couldn’t make him come
across as too self-assured!
I think Marco’s playful and
curious, which I am too.
Marco believes in the
transformative power
of cultivating desire,
maintaining that the things
we long for most are
infinitely sweeter when
savored with patience and
intention. Do you agree
with him?
Yes, I do. I’m a very patient
person. If something or
someone is worth it, I can
wait and put my energy into
preparing and building up to
a climax.
Have you tried the
transformative power of
cultivating desire in real
life?
I think I have. Not sure I
was as disciplined and
determined as Marco is,
though.
As an out actor, what does
it mean to bring authentic
representation to the screen
in a love-themed film?
It is great to see real LGBT
people on screen portraying
LGBT characters. It is
inspiring and motivational,
and makes me feel like
I belong when, at times,
I often feel like I don’t.
As an actor, it’s not only
a privilege to be the one
chosen for a role, but also
an honor. It’s incredible
to think that someone out
there might be inspired and
touched by what I do and
say on screen.

What was the most
memorable moment on set
during filming?
There were many! One
scene I really enjoyed
filming was the one we shot
in the famous book shop,
Libreria Acqua Alta. It is
often visited by tourists, so
we weren’t sure we were
going to be able to get
permission to shoot there,
but that day they opened the
shop a half-hour earlier and
kept the customers outside
for us to shoot. The scene
we shot wasn’t the one we
originally had planned on
doing. The dialogue wasn’t
in the script! Daniel and I
were able to improvise with
each other and create on the
spot, which was fun.
pick any celebrity to star
alongside you in your next
romantic film, who would
you choose?
Andrew Scott. He’s
my favorite actor. He
communicates vulnerability
and emotions so specifically
and powerfully. I love
watching his work.
when meeting new people,
whether they be potential
friends, colleagues or
lovers.
What’s next on the horizon
for you?
I love theatre and I would
love to bring my solo show
A God Who Can Speak to
the states. I’m also writing
a new piece about online
dating and mental health.
Is mental health important
to you?
Everything I do has to do
with healing and personal
growth. I’m a big believer
in self-discovery and
awareness.
I’m surprise you didn’t say
the bed scene.
Well, yes, I suppose if
I had to pick one really
memorable moment in the
film, the bed scene would be
it. It was really beautiful and
powerful.
You and Daniel have
wonderful on-screen
chemistry. If you could
What do you hope
audiences—both
LGBTQ+ and beyond—
take away from Sex Love
Venice?
I hope the film stimulates
them beyond their
regular way of thinking
and that it challenges
them to be more openminded
and open-hearted
Sex Love Venice opens in select theatres on Friday,
February 14, as well as on streaming platforms
including Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

WRITTEN BY OREN FORTE II
BLACK
PARTY
New York City’s Black Party isn’t just
an event—it’s a rite of passage, a
journey into the heart of darkness
that leaves a lasting mark on
everyone who dares to enter. For
over four decades, this legendary
gathering has been a cornerstone of
queer culture, selling an intoxicating
allure: danger.
Danger defines the Black Party.
It’s not just about sex, music or
performance—it’s the thrill of
stepping far outside one’s comfort
zone and embracing organized
chaos. In this carefully curated
space, attendees marvel at strange
and mesmerizing acts and feel the
electric charge of possibility in every
corner. For those who fully immerse
themselves, the Black Party can be
a profound awakening. It challenges
attendees—particularly gay men—
to confront and expand their
identities, leaving them to grapple
with transformation’s aftermath.
This reckoning becomes its own rite
of passage, integral to what makes
the Black Party unforgettable.
At its core, the Black Party is
a journey into the unknown,
structured as a narrative with
symbolic gestures and motifs
hinting at a greater story. While
no one may catch the entire
arc, meaning is embedded
in every beat, performance
and encounter. For many, it’s
an opportunity to witness
awe-inspiring and audacious
creativity, a kaleidoscope of the
unexpected.
Balancing history with
reinvention is an ongoing
challenge. Each year, the Black
Party strives to outdo itself
while staying true to its roots.
Nostalgic attendees may yearn
for moments from past parties,
but such nostalgia misses the
point: The Black Party’s magic
lies in its evolution. Nothing
stays the same, and this constant
reinvention is what keeps it alive.

More than a spectacle, the
Black Party is a musical
journey rooted in the pagan
Rites of Spring. It guides
attendees from darkness
to light, offering a cathartic
release of winter’s constraints.
Over 16+ hours, it transforms,
revealing new layers of
meaning and connection. The
dance floor becomes a space
for renewal and rediscovery.
The dress code, labeled “heavy,”
reflects this ethos. While it nods to the
leather culture of yesteryear, today
it’s evolved into BDSM chic, with
harnesses, jocks and other provocative
attire encouraging attendees to
embrace their most daring selves.
PHOT CREDIT: BUNNY Z
As the party has shifted across
boroughs—from Manhattan’s glitz to
Brooklyn’s edginess to the Bronx’s
raw energy—each location has left
its mark, adding depth to its storied
history. These shifts have shaped the
party’s identity, infusing it with new
layers of experience.
This year’s theme, inspired by *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy*, introduces a playful, intergalactic twist. Was
the choice inspired by the number 42? Perhaps. What’s
clear is that this theme reimagines Black Party’s central
narrative: a journey through chaos and rebirth, where
transformation is the only certainty.
With DJs announced in February, anticipation builds
steadily. In a city as restless as New York, the Black
Party sustains its mystique. It’s not just a party; it’s an
institution—a celebration of danger, desire and the
endless possibilities of stepping into mystery.

THE ANSWER
TO LIFE
THE UNIVERSE
AND EVERYTHING.
®
THE SAINTAT LARGE
PRESENTS RITES XLII:
THE BLACK PARTY
10 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON
605 WEST 48TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY
STRANGE LIVE ACTS DRESS: HEAVY TICKETS: SAINTATLARGE.COM
SPONSORED BY PRIAPE.COM
®
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DESIGN: ANDYREYNOLDS.NYC

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