“We congratulate ABC’s ‘Modern Family’ for its well-deserved six Emmy wins and 14 nominations,” GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. “The show positively reflects the realities of diverse families and deals sensitively with the crucial current issue of bullying, and GLSEN is thrilled to see the show receive such terrific acclaim and recognition. GLSEN looks forward to being the first national LGBT organization to honor ‘ Modern Family,’ at our Respect Awards – Los Angeles on Oct. 8.”

GLSEN also will honor Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the GLSEN Educator of the Year, presented by Sodexo, and longtime supporters Eugene Kapaloski and Dan Renberg.

The Respect Awards, held annually in Los Angeles and New York, recognize individual and corporate leaders who have helped propel GLSEN’s efforts to ensure safe schools for all of America’s students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Respect Awards – Los Angeles co-chairs are Linda Bell Blue, Executive Producer of Entertainment Tonight; Kevin Brockman, Executive Vice President of Global Communications for Disney/ABC Television Group; Michael Lombardo, President of Programming for HBO; and Chip Sullivan, Head of Publicity for Dreamworks Studios.

Past Respect Awards – Los Angeles honorees include: HBO, Shonda Rhimes, David C. Bohnett, 2009 Student Advocate of the Year Austin Laufersweiler, Disney/ABC Television Group, Lance Bass, Darren Star, Dr. Neal Baer, Greg Berlanti, Hon. James C. Hormel, Hon. Sheila Kuehl, Cisco Systems, James Howe, Virginia Uribe, Moises Kaufman, IBM, Frankie Martinez and Jeff Quinn.

About GLSEN
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN’s research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

The Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach and Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride are proud to announce the Long Beach Q Film Festival 2010, which will take place October 7-10, 2010 at the historic Art Theater located at 2025 East 4th St. and the neighboring Center Long Beach, both on Long Beach’s renowned “Retro Row.”  Ticket prices range from $5 – $15 for individual screenings and parties.  An All Fest pass, which allows admission into all screenings and parties, will cost $120.  An All Film pass, allowing admittance into all screenings but not parties, is $85.  Another pass granting admission to five films of the holder’s choice will also be available for $40.  Tickets and passes will be available for purchase in early September through the Q Film Festival page at www.centerlb.org as well as through the Long Beach Pride website, www.longbeachpride.com.

A special festival pre-event will be held at 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 18th, at the Long Beach Pride offices located at 1017 Obispo in Long Beach.  The pre-event will highlight audience favorites from past Q Film Festivals and give a sneak peek at this year’s fest.  Admission is free with the purchase of any Q Film Festival ticket or pass.  Food and beverages will be provided.

Long Beach’s long-running film festival since 1993, the Q Film Festival presents narrative features, documentaries and short films that embody the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.  This year’s event will feature several of the most acclaimed features on the 2010 film festival circuit: “A Marine Story,” winner of both the Jury Award and Audience Award for best U.S. Dramatic Feature and of an Achievement in Acting Award for its star, Dreya Weber, at Outfest; Peru’s “Contracorriente” (”Undertow”), winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and a Special Award for Artistic Achievement at Outfest; “Role/Play” starring Matthew Montgomery, who won an Artistic Achievement in Acting Award at the Philadelphia Q Film Festival; “On These Shoulders We Stand,” recognized with a Special Programming Award for Freedom at Outfest; and “Out in the Silence,” which won the Audience Award at the Hardacre Film Festival and the Alternative Spirit Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival.

An all-time high of film submissions were received this year from both student and professional filmmakers from around the world.  Many filmmakers and cast members of each film to be shown will be present for audience discussions after their screenings.  Festival events will be hosted by a variety of local performers and luminaries.  Jury awards will be given to worthy films in several categories.  The festival will also feature panel discussions, parties and opportunities for local community members to meet and mingle with filmmakers, actors and other industry professionals.

Q Film Festival 2010 will kick off with the local premieres of “A Marine Story” at 7:00 pm and “Contracorriente” (”Undertow”) at 9:15 pm on Thursday, October 7th.  An Opening Night party will take place between screenings starting at 8:00 pm at the neighboring Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach.  Screenings on Saturday, October 9th will include a variety of great short films in the “Men in Briefs” and “Women in Shorts” programs.  The documentary “On These Shoulders We Stand” will screen at 1:00 pm on Sunday, October 10th, followed by a selection of comedic short films under the title “Laugh Your Shorts Off.”  The Long Beach premiere of “Role/Play” will bring the festival to a close at 4:45 pm on Sunday, with a Closing Night party immediately following.  All festival parties feature cocktails, libations and live entertainment.

The full Q Film Festival schedule will be announced by the end of August.  Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, producer of the annual Long Beach LGBT Pride Festival and Parade, is co-presenting this year’s Q Film Festival with The Center Long Beach for the first time.  All net proceeds from the festival will benefit The Center Long Beach and Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride.  Sponsors and underwriters are invited to participate.  Please contact Christina D. Rios Bennett at (562) 889-2826 for information about sponsorship opportunities.  For more information on the Art Theater, please visit www.arttheatrelongbeach.com.

About The Center Long Beach
The Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach is located at 2017 E. Fourth Street in Long Beach. The Center was officially incorporated in 1980 as One in Long Beach, Inc. and has been providing a variety of health, social, advocacy, legal, and service programs to the LGBT community in the Long Beach area for three decades. The Center serves approximately 21,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients and constituents annually through 23 different programs and services.
The Center Long Beach
Tel: 562-434-4455
Fax: 562-433-6428
www.centerlb.org

About Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, Inc.
Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, Inc. was established in 1983 and produced the first annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival and Parade in June, 1984.  Since then, the festival and parade has become the third-largest such event in the U.S., annually attracting more than 75,000 participants.  The organization has also granted over $1 million to local charities since its inception.
Contact: Julie Brown or Sergio Macias, Co-Presidents
Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride, Inc.
Tel: 562-987-9191
www.longbeachpride.com

Shelter Surf Presents “Get Stoked Tour” Film Fest @ The Art Theatre Fri-Sun Aug 20-22nd!Shelter Surf Shop is proud to present 3 great films in one weekend at the Art Theatre of Long Beach, Friday August 20 – Sunday August 22nd! The “Get Stoked Tour” Features The World Premier of Cyrus Sutton’s new film, “Stoked And Broke” on Saturday, August 21st @ 9pm. Also screening: “One California Day”, Friday August 20th @9pm and “Stylemasters”, Sunday August 22nd @ 9pm.

PLUS: Join us at Shelter for a FREE Pre-Screening Event on Saturday @ 6pm featuring a live musical performance by The Black Apples, Blue Tarp Surfing and a Kourdoroy TV Short Film Festival! Refreshments will be provided courtesy of Shelter Surf Shop and the Get Stoked Tour sponsors.

Schedule:
• Friday August 20th 9 PM – “One California Day”
• Saturday August 21st 9 PM – “Stoked and Broke WORLD PREMIER!
• Sunday August 22nd 9 PM – “Stylemasters

Cost: $10 Per Movie or Get a weekend Pass to See All Three for $20! Click here.

About the movies:
“Stoked And Broke”: Cyrus Sutton and Ryan Burch set out on a nine day staycation with their handmade bamboo rickshaws. In the old times, rickshaws were mainly used as means of transportation for the social elite. Well for these two, the elite has become a bunch of gear: boards, handplanes, foam, fins, camping gear, and no cash. As Cyrus and Ryan make their way from Encinitas to Point Loma by foot, they will be surfing, camping, and finding interesting characters along the way who are “stoked and broke.”

“Stylemasters”: This documentation of performance surfing on the North Shore from 1977 to 1979 takes you on a journey back to a free era of change, when boards became shorter and movements more radical. A time when style was being redefined and there were no limits to where surfing could go. Discover just how big of an effect the past has had on the modern world of surfing in a retro-minded documentary that takes a trip back to the time when style was in a state of transition and the only limits were the height of the waves. By speaking candidly with such surf legends as Gerry Lopez, Peter “PT” Townend, Spyder Wills, Dan Merkel, and “Buttons” Kaluhiokalani, filmmakers find out just how surfing has changed over the last few decades, and also find out what may be in store for the future of the popular beach sport.

“One California Day”: Follow the lives of eight California surfers in the newly released film, “One California Day.” Produced by Builde Worldwide, and Co-Directed by Mark Jeremias (maker of DRIVE) and Jason Baffa (maker of Singlefin:Yellow), this super 16mm film stars Joel Tudor, Chris Malloy, Alex Knost, Tyler Warren, Jimmy Gamboa, Joe Curren, Dane Perlee, and Tyler Hatzikian, with special appearances by Skip Frye, Dan and Keith Malloy, Tom Curren, Gerg Noll, and Lance Carson

Our friends at the AMP Organization are at it again with their 3rd Annual Cut and Paste Rock and Roll event tomorrow night!  The event which will be held at DiPiazza’s in Long Beach (5205 East Pacific Coast Highway) starting at 7:00 PM and will feature ten different out and proud bands, live art from LGBT artists, vendors, crafters, tons of free stuff and lots of queer fun.   Proceeds from the night will benefit the The AMP Organization’s (Art, Music and Philanthropy) Queer Youth Scholarship fund supporting local LGBTQIA students who are passionate about art and the queer community.

Cut and Paste Rock and Roll is a grassroots night of celebration and recognition of queer musicians, artists and community organizations within the Los Angeles area. Based in Long Beach, CA founder Annie Parkhurst first organized this event in response to the queer movements happening in larger cities like San Francisco “Long Beach and LA need to hear our local queer voices” Parkhurst said “and the queer people of socal need a place to call their own, something different than the mainstream gay events.”

People from all over Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Diego, Bakersfield and more gather together to be apart of this event each time. The queer performers range from indie bands to spoken text and art is displayed on the walls, table tops…and people! You’ll find crafts on every table allowing every attendee to make their own queer art all night for free.

At every CPRR local artists, bands, companies and other groups pitch in to the Queer Survival Kits given to each attendee. These bags are hand decorated by local queers and in the past have included treats from: Condom Rev, Blackheart Records, Daisy Rock Guitars, Queer Control Records, The New Gay and The Trevor Project just to name a few.

Attending CPRR is fun, here is what you get!

- Free Queer Survival Kit gift bags (toys, stickers, zines ,safesex info & more) for all attendees while supplies last. Bags are hand decorated by the MYTE youth group at the Long Beach Center

- 5 Tokens to give to your favorite bands,the band with the most wins $200 in Sam Ash Music Store gift cards at the end of the night

- Be sexy and get tested for free at CPRR#3 http://www.aidshealth.org/ Free HIV Mobile Testing courtesy of AIDS Healthcare Foundation

- The Miracle Bookmobile, activating redistribution of used literature will be there with FREE BOOKS FOR ALL http://bit.ly/br7kTr

Out and Proud Queer Performers:
7PM The Bellhaunts (LA) http://bit.ly/9gnNV9
7:45 Fancy Pants (Arizona) http://bit.ly/9AZVIG
8:30 Once a Pawn (Nebraska) http://bit.ly/b3Kv7u
9:15 Wendy Ho (LA/NYC) http://bit.ly/c1KmmY
10PM Rough Duchess (LA) http://bit.ly/9V8rpM
10:45 LONG BEACH DRAG KINGS!!!!!!!!!
11:30 Metahuman (LA) http://bit.ly/aptry4
12:15 Spare Parts For Broken Hearts (OC) http://bit.ly/bZrfCe
1:00 Box Squad (SF) http://bit.ly/aahueu

Giveaways and raffle prizes will include:
- Hot Topic basket full of rocknroll clothes, gear and gift cards
- Wine basket and accessories from Wild Coyote
- Passes to the Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific
- Passes to Long Beach Comic Con
- Annual passes to AMP events
and more!!

LGBT Community orgs & Crafty Vendors include (Bring CA$H)
- There Goes the Neighborhood
- Long Beach YELP
- Haute Green Designs
- Sew Gay
- Queer Trash
- Kristen DeWitt
- Gilardi
- Conciencia Femenil

Live art by: – Kale Likover

Stage props and art by: -Nick Lopez

CPRR#3 Photo booth by: D’licious Chaos

CPRR Online: http://www.cutandpasterockandroll.com/

AMP Online: http://www.amporg.org/

If you’re like me and you just can’t get enough of Jeff Lewis, Jenni, Zoila and the rest of the cast of ‘Flipping Out’ then you will be elated to hear that Season Three begins Tuesday on Bravo!

The fourth season of Bravo’s hit docu-series “Flipping Out” returns on Tuesday, August 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with Jeff Lewis, everyone’s favorite obsessive-compulsive house-flipper. Throughout the last four years, viewers have watched as Lewis struggled with a downturn economy, some unruly clients and even a few backstabbing friends and employees, but somehow Lewis always finds a way to flip things right side up again.

Last season, Lewis cut back on flipping homes and started focusing on growing his design business, Jeff Lewis Design. With business now booming, Lewis is back to his stressed-out self and when House Beautiful magazine names him the designer for “Kitchen of the Year,” the flip-outs reach an all time high. It’s the most high-profile job he’s had to date – and it’s based in New York, so Lewis drags Jenni Pulos and Zoila Chavez across the country to be there for some much- needed moral support. This season Lewis also expands on his family of disgruntled yet lovable employees. Chavez is Lewis’ rock, but this season she is feistier than ever! Pulos has been promoted to Chief Operations Officer – a promotion with no pay increase – and Lewis’ bubbly sister-in-law Sara Berkman is back as his full time assistant. Jett Pink, the hot house assistant, is a father now and Trace Lenhoff, the intern a.k.a. “mini-Jeff” is back as a full time employee. For a sneak peak at the new season click here.

Chely Wright, country singer, author and soon to be star of her own documentary about coming out, will be at Borders in Hollywood (Sunset and Vine) this Thursday 8/5 for a performance, reading and autograph signing at 7pm.

Chely became the first country music artist to publicly come out back in May when she published her autobiography, Like Me.   While many musicians and actors have felt more comfortable coming out in recent years, Chely’s decision to do so was particularly brave due to the generally conservative, religious and mostly republican fan base that makes up the country music community.

The book, provides a painfully honest exploration of her struggles growing up in small mid-western town which was deeply rooted in religion, her rise to stardom as a county music signer in Nashville and the heartbreak of a losing long term relationship after almost a decade of hiding it from only a few of her very closest friends and family.    From the despair she expresses in the first chapter of the book, to her decision to come out and live and truthful life in last (at the possible cost of her career), this book is one that both people who have struggled with their own sexuality or know someone who has will relate to.

For more information on the book signing you can visit the Facebook event page here.

Fabulous’ guests can now visit www.MyFabulousVegas.com to select from their choice of MGM Resorts hotels listed above, then choose from four Fabulous packages offering varying levels of VIP access to private parties, preferred entry to the hottest LGBT events and exclusive opportunities with some of Las Vegas’ top shows. The four packages, ranging from $50 to $575 plus hotel, will provide a flexible approach for guests to be as Fabulous as they want to be.

The Fabulous weekend will serve up drink specials at participating pool bars from noon to 7 p.m. each day. Every day also will feature the LOGO Lounge at eyecandy sound lounge & bar at Mandalay Bay from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and a Fabulous Happy Hour across all host properties from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. LOGO Lounge will be the center of activities offering guests meet-and-greets with LOGO TV personalities, sponsors and other Fabulous guests. For guests who have not purchased their package online, LOGO Lounge also will serve as a purchasing location.

Evenings will heat up with concerts, shows and exclusive parties. Select Fabulous packages include tickets to the sold-out Monster Ball starring Lady Gaga, tickets to Zumanity, the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil, and private parties at ROK Vegas and Studio 54.

Further celebrity mingling is an option as guests will have a chance to meet and socialize with proud out Chef Susan Feniger at her restaurant Border Grill and get up close and personal with the artistic and talented casts from seven Cirque du Soleil shows at the Cast After-Party at ROK Vegas. Fabulous guests also will receive preferential treatment at Las Vegas’ most popular LGBT events – Heaven at Bare Pool Lounge, Closet Sundays at The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge and Temptation Sundays at Luxor’s South Pool. Other Fabulous events include blackjack and slot tournaments with the casts of Thunder from Down Under and FANTASY, docents tours of the Fine Art Collection at CityCenter and fashion events at Crystals, Las Vegas’ newest and most extravagant shopping district.

For one weekend, this town is Fabulous, and the LGBT community owns it. Start following @MyFabulousVegas on Twitter and Facebook or visit MyFabulousVegas.com for more information, updates and to book your Fabulous package.

NOW FRIDAY NIGHTS ARE GAY NITES AT LA TRAVIATA..
From 7:30 p.m. Happy Hour & Wine flights…..

301 Cedar Ave, Long Beach, Ca 90802
562-432-8022
Latraviata301.com

Friday July 9 – Thursday July 15, 3:15pm: Jeunet’s ‘Micmacs’
Micmacs à tire-larigot (’Non-stop madness’) is a 2009 film by French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie, Delicatessen) that premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is billed as a “satire on the world arms trade”, as a man and his friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers.

Thursday July 15, 9pm:  Gallery of Animation
The Gallery of Animation is a 90-minute collection of some of the finest animation in the world. Several of the films will be making their theatrical debut when the film opens here in LB. The artists who contributed to the show have animated and directed for Disney, WB, Sony, Fox and other major studios, but this film showcases their independent, personal films. From edgy to outrageous, funny to surreal, disturbingly intense to sweetly lyrical, the Gallery presents a wide spectrum of emotions, as well as traditional and cutting-edge animation techniques.

Starting Friday July 16th for 2 weeks: INCEPTION with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page with Special Sneak Preview, Thursday July 15th at midnite)
Showtimes: check website for info!
Inception is a 2010  sci-fi action thriller film written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, with a supporting cast that includes Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Tom Berenger, Dileep Rao and Michael Caine.

Saturday, July 17 11 am: TOUR DE FRANCE Stage 13 LIVE hosted by LB Bike Ambassador Tony Cruz
Pro cyclist and LB Bike ambassador Tony Cruz hosts this live screening of Stage 13, from Rodez to Revel (196 km)! Showing commercial-free in HD PLUS $8 drink/popcorn snakpak with a reserved seat!

Sunday July 18th, 11:30 am:  Friends of LB Animals fundraiser:  ‘HACHI: A DOGS TALE’ starring Richard Gere
The 2009 drama directed by Lasse Hallström is based on the true story of the faithful Akita Hachik? and stars Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Sarah Roemer.

In the wings/Coming Soon!:
July 19-25: Kirk Douglas in Kubrick’s ‘SPARTACUS’
July 25 11am: LB Opera lecture/film
July 29: 9PM – OUT AT THE MOVIES Presents ‘THE MORMON PROPOSITION’
July 30: Bening/Moore/Ruffalo in ‘THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT’
August 13: Roberts/Bardem/Franco in ‘EAT PRAY LOVE’
August 5  7PM: CHASING LEGENDS-New TOUR DE FRANCE film!
Fri August 27 Midnite: NINE INCH NAILS-THE GIFT concert film
Sat August 28 Midnite: MOGWAI concert film ‘BURNING’

About The Art Theatre:
Voted THE NUMBER ONE INDEPENDENT THEATRE in Long Beach by OC Weekly and District Weekly, the Art opened as a silent movie theatre and included a pipe organ and orchestra pit. It is the oldest operating single screen house in Long Beach in 1924. Our art deco, streamline modern-style historical landmark is famous for its screening of the most imaginative and stimulating independent, documentary, animated, alternative lifestyle, and foreign language films. After one million dollars of loving restoration, and the addition of a wine bar and coffee bar to round out a full evening experience, we are proud to continue this long-running tradition.

www.arttheatrelongbeach.com
2025 East 4th Street
Long Beach, CA 90814-1001
(562) 438-5435

A resident of Palm Springs since June of 2006, I went online one day looking for a website specifically geared toward LGBT performers and entertainers, their fans, followers and venues that are searching for them. Since there were none to be found other than one or two with different formats than what I was really looking for, Alterna-Talent.com was born. Having dreamed of being an entertainer since childhood, then doing drag and performing in the 1980’s and moving on to writing and directing in the late 1990’s; I know a bit about the entertainment business. But after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2002, seven years, four surgeries and currently working on recovering from a final ankle replacement, I’m ready to get on with an entertaining career- even if it’s not necessarily my own. Although I am not a talent agent, Alterna-talent.com is my new career. My intention is getting all LGBT entertainers online in one place, as I work daily making the best connections I can find with those who need LGBT talent.

Alterna-Talent.com allows members to post everything about themselves and their career, so a talent seeker can see all there is to know about the talent. Their bio, music, videos, photos and how many fans and followers they have. Talents may also post any articles written about themselves, write a daily blog and post their own events and shows. The LGBT community has done a good job standing up and being noticed over the past few years by fighting to be equal in America. Celebrities have come out, LGBT oriented television shows are getting popular, LGBT movies, magazines and online venues have surfaced by the thousands. It’s time we looked deeper into the entertainment industry from an outside-trying-to-get-in perspective. To be noticed by the big boys with contracts in their pockets. Slowly they are beginning to see that the LGBT community can do so much more than simply put out plot free porn movies with horrible dialog. It’s here, it’s now and it’s going to get bigger.

More and more LGBT movies are coming out that actually have meaning, a story, a plot and they touch us right where we live. However, many are using straight actors to play gay parts. So it’s important to let those producers and directors know that there are plenty of talented gay men and lesbians out there, so they don’t have to choose a straight actor or actress to “play gay”. Personally, I think that’s insulting to our talented community. As much as we love and need male dancers and drag queens performing in nightclubs, events, shows, etc.- we should also be able to see their talents on television, commercials, box office hits, walking the red carpet and getting major media attention. It’s time the talented LGBT community gets accepted and noticed enough to land real parts and real contracts, without the fears of being “outed” or ripped by the tabloids. That time is just around the corner and this is my contribution as part of the LGBT community as well as a lover of entertainment, my dream come true being lived by the lives of others and is the main goal of Alterna-Talent.com. #