Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Summer Is Here!

It's the first day of Summer and nothing says fun in the sun to me like the movie Grease. Grease recently turned 40 on June 16th. I remember seeing it the Summer when it first came out in a theater and I was completely captivated and was ready to Born To Hand Jive when I left the theater and find me some Summer Lovin'!

Little did I know many years later when I went from being a young lad in Junior High ("Yes" I was in the7th grade when it came out) that I would eventually move to Los Angeles and attend a handful of to do's at Randal Kleiser's house, the director behind this classic.

Grease really captures every aspect of what Summer means to me, and I suspect many of you due to it's enduring appeal. 

So let's get systematic and hydromatic and try not to look at everyone like they are Sandra Dee.

Love your summer like Greased Lightning!!!

Grease on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_(film)  

Monday, June 20, 2022

It's Still Pride Month Minions

Ally
John Cena

Hello Minions, in case it has escaped your attention it is still Pride Month, like for all of June, totally. Thus I thought we should celebrate it this Monday June 20, 2022 with an ally who happens to be some tasty eye candy.

"Yes" that's John Cena proudly waving a Pride Flag. For those of you not in the know Mr. Cena has a gay brother and has been a supporter of the LGBTQ community.

Not to mention, well, he's a a stud and a half and one eighth. 

What a better way to kick off yet another week of Pride 2022 than with John and his kick ass support.

I ask you? Yeah, alright I know you aren't going to answer...

Chase the rainbow!!!

John on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cena  

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Father's Day

Who's Your Daddy?

Today is the day we celebrate Fathers, Dads, Daddy's. "Yes" I know it's kind of cliche' commemorating this day with an meme from The Empire Strikes Back, but I happened to see it again recently on TV and it still holds up as a grand piece of filmmaking.

However the "twist" of Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's Father, well honestly who didn't see that one coming? You merely have to be familiar with any sort of classic literature to be in the loop on that revelation.

So let's raise a light saber to all those Fathers out there and hope we cut no one's hand off!

Wookie Drop!

Father's Day on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_Day 

Saturday, June 18, 2022

"Escape"

Bobby Newberry & Fia Nyxx

Bobby Newberry and Fia Nyxx Offer an “Escape”

To The Dancefloor with Their Sexy New Summer Jam

Bobby Newberry and Fia Nyxx are out to make people dance, sweat, feel free, sexy and have a good time this summer.  Their new single, “Escape” is a scorcher of a dance record with sultry house elements, a disco infusion and a seriously hypnotic baseline.   “Honestly, I had been feeling a lot of pressure and stress from the world and everyday life,” Bobby Newberry explains when discussing the genesis of the song.  “I was hearing it a lot from friends too; how there is just always something draining our energy.”  He says he and Fia wanted to give party people a moment to drown out their troubles and re-energize their bodies with a good time.  They wrote and produced “Escape” with their mutual friend, Sam J Garfield.  “It’s about taking an emotional journey, letting go of the world and its problems, getting lost on the dancefloor and feeling alive.”  Bobby Newberry and Fia Nyxx’s “Escape” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms.  The video is available on YouTube.

“The song writing experience was pretty magical,” Bobby Newberry recalls from his Los Angeles home.  “I had the idea for the hook and I kept singing it over and over with Fia, on continuous loop, while rallying Sam to hurry in with the house drop.   It was an incredible session.  The vibe between the three of us was electric. 

The energy resonates in the high voltage music video that accompanies the song.  Filmed at Sam J Garfield’s BlackRose Los Angeles, Newberry co-directed with Logan James who also shot the video.  Choreography is by Bobby Newberry, Taylor Knight and Robbie Blue.  

A shoulder injury sustained by Newberry nearly shut down production on the video.  “We had to adjust all the choreography and creative,” he explains.  “If you watch closely, I do ninety percent of the choreography with my left arm because my right shoulder was in pain.”  

Natalie Saidi styled the video and Bobby says the fashion became a whole character in itself.  “Natalie took us places we had never been, fashion wise.  She really made some iconic looks happen.”

His absolute favorite are the red pants with the flowing tulle.   “I could hardly move in them but they were incredible!” he laughs.

Bobby Newberry began his career in the music industry as a choreographer for Eminem.  He would go on to work with a string of the world’s top artists including Nicki Minaj, The Pussycat Dolls, Missy Elliot, and Lil’ Wayne.   His choreography work has been seen on TV in Dancing with the Stars and X-Factor.  In 2014, Bobby Newberry released his first single and music video, “Dirrty Up (featuring Jessie and The Toy Boys).”  It was soon after followed by his debut EP, The Newberry Special.

Fia Nyxx recently released her sophomore album, Red Umbrella.  In her music, Nyxx embraces a theatrical approach, embodying a brilliantly experimental clash of genres from rock to pop.    “Fia is passionate and rockstar glamorous with such an amazing falsetto register,” Newberry says.  “It was really fun to vocal produce her on this record.”  

Escape is the third single from Bobby Newberry’s upcoming EP.    The dancers in the “Escape” music video are Taylor Knight, Robbie Blue, Brynda Rowen, and Devin Neal.    

Follow Bobby Newberry on Instagram @ bobbynewberry  

Friday, June 17, 2022

Film Buff Friday: Cruising

In keeping with Pride Month I present to you a divisive film from the annals of the history of queer cinema, Cruising. No matter what your take on it, it is a culturally relevant film...

A crime thriller set against the backdrop of the 1970s leather scene, Cruising is a polarizing film with a complicated legacy. When it came out in 1980, mainstream audiences and gay rights activists alike were scandalized—the former due to the graphic sexuality and the latter on the grounds that it portrayed the LGBTQ community in a bad light. (By contrast, director William Friedkin alleges that much of New York’s leather/S&M community actively supported the film and participated en masse as extras.) In recent years, though, the film—which features Al Pacino as a New York cop who goes undercover in the city’s S&M scene to investigate a serial killer targeting gay men—has been reevaluated and is now considered by many as a classic. Love it or hate it, Cruising is a touchstone of queer cinema history.

Cruising on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruising_(film)  

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Michael's Musings

Walk The Dinosaur
Michael Shinafelt

As Pride Month marches along I was thinking about what it means. Being inclusive is one of the great things about Pride. Thus I thought this week I would introduce you to some "totally different head" than you are used to.

Yep, that's correct I'm currently walking my dinosaur, Sequel, and there's my head. Nothing to see here now move along...

If you rush it, you will ruin it. Pause and be patient.

Carry on with your fake crying self, I'm eating

Shark. Coochie. Boards. - discuss

Laugh of the Week: "Ted Cruz looks like an alcoholic werewolf that got stuck mid-transformation" - Stephen Colbert 

Donuts are so gross, all they are is a wad of grease and sugar, blech!

Remember to drink water so you can stay hydrated while you suffer

Only Ryan Gosling could pull off the look they gave him as Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie

Did you hear? The cast of Bound Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon and Joe Pantoliano are reuniting on Season 2 of Chucky?! Yes!!!

Woman Crush of the Week - Garcelle Beauvais for saying what we all were thinking on last night's RHOBH

Beware of a guy who wears a fanny pack, the more you know

Rugs are the cowards carpet, think about it, but not too much

Against all authority, except my Mom

Daaaaaaamn!!!

I am legend, hear me roar...

Tell me what you are, here -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Hump Day & Chill

Bound
Jennifer Tilly & Gina Gershon 

Continuing with the Pride Month theme (It's gonna last until the end of June Minions) - Today we are going to Hump Day & Chill to an iconic LGBTQ duo Jennifer Tilly & Gina Gershon from the 1996 movie Bound.

Say What??? You haven't seen it, well you should! The films story goes something like this:

"Sparks fly when Violet (Jennifer Tilly) sets eyes on Corky (Gina Gershon) in an elevator. Violet is the girlfriend of a violent gangster, Caesar (Joe Pantoliano), while Corky is fresh out of prison and doing renovations on the apartment next door. As the two women launch into a passionate love affair, they assemble an intricate plan for Violet to escape from Caesar, with two million dollars of the mob's money -- but the important part is to make it out alive"

Needless to say with publicity shots like the one above and some steamy sex scenes (especially in the unrated version) Tilly & Gershon became two of the biggest gay icons ever!!!

Thus we shall honor them and this great piece of cinema with a Pride Hump Day & Chill.

Do it and do it now!

Bound on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bound_(1996_film)