Don't Rain On My Parade

 

"Here is a strange and bitter crop" Strange Fruit, Billie Holliday

"Oh I'm weary all of the time" Stormy Weather, Etta James

"You say you want a Revolution" Revolution, The Beatles

Weather Forecast For Washington DC Today Here -

https://globalmeteo.com/weather/washington/jun-14/  

It's Friday The 13th!!!

Me & My Buddy Jason

It's Friday The 13th!!! Here I am hanging out with Jason on the rooftop of The Montalban Theater in Hollywood for a screening of the original 1980 slasher movie.

While Jason merely makes a cameo in that one at the end, he is so associated with the Friday The 13th series I guess they figured they'd trot him out for the show. 

Ki-Ki-Ki...Ma-Ma-Ma...

TGIF!

Friday The 13th on IMDb -

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/    

Michael's Musings

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme A Man After Midnight"
Michael Shinafelt

"Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight, Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away?

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight, Take me through the darkness to the break of the day" ABBA, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

Indeed! Keep on keeping...Happy Pride Month!

Resist and Dance! That's all...

Billionaires are parasites, the more you know!

Eat of this Crunchwrap Supreme, for it is m body. Drink of this Baja Blast, for it is my blood - Taco Bell

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And it's rider's name was Death, discuss 

Exercise your right to protest, and face 2,000 National Guard Troops. Attack the Capitol and get a full pardon. Make it make sense.

Went to the Bears in Space event at Akbar for the first time ever this past Pride Weekend in Hollywood, good times!

Finally saw They All Laughed with the late Dorothy Stratten, So sad her life was cut tragically short and she didn't get the opportunity to do more movies, she was wonderful in it.

I wanted to marry my dreams. So I cheated with fear and broke up with doubt

Woman Crush of the Week - Bisexual Icon, Civil Rights Activist and Pioneer in the Entertainment Business Josephine Baker. A quite remarkable woman, Google her you'll see. 

Jonathan Groff giving Keanu Reeves an eyeful while performing Mack The Knife on The Tony Awards, now that's entertainment!!!

Rachel Zoe joining Season 15 of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, so fetch

So*Do*My neighbors, friends & idols, think about it, not too much

I'm wished I had gotten the chance to see Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. her performance on the Tony's was a knockout!

Speaking of knocking things out, time to get back to work on my secret project, TTFN

I won't give away my secrets, but you can keep up with me here - 

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

https://bsky.app/profile/michaelshinafelt.bsky.social

https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelshinafelt  

Hump Day & Chill

Resist and Dance! Hump Day & Chill!

That's all...

Happy Pride Month Minions!

"Equality is a human right."

Pride Month on Wikipedia -

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

Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero

Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero, the world’s first animated feature film centered on a drag queen superhero, will be released on TVOD platforms—including Amazon, iTunes, Google, and Dish—on Tuesday, June 17. Created and directed by Anthony Hand, this dazzling fusion of drag culture, high-energy music, and superhero fantasy follows Simon, a shy barista who discovers a magical wig that transforms him into the fierce and fabulous Maxxie LaWow. As Maxxie, Simon must embrace his power, protect his community, and take on the villainous Dyna Bolical, a drag queen scientist determined to reclaim her family’s fortune at any cost. Her devious plan involves an unusual beauty secret (drag queen tears!) that forces Maxxie to rise to the challenge and save the day. Beneath the wigs and shade, the film delivers a heartfelt message about self-acceptance and the power of chosen family.

 

Voicing many of the film’s colorful characters are some of today’s most celebrated drag personalities from RuPaul’s Drag Race, including Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCrème, Monét X Change, and Rosé.  Newcomer Grant Hodges voices Simon and Maxxie La Wow and Broadway and television actor Terren Wooten Clarke lends his voice to the film’s formidable villain, Dyna Bolical. 

Anthony Hand’s journey to filmmaking was far from typical. Raised in a small farming village in Southeast Michigan, Hand never imagined a future in Hollywood. It wasn’t until 2018, after realizing the lack of LGBTQ+ superheroes in mainstream media, that he decided to take action. Moved by the personal stories of drag performers on Drag Race, he set out to merge drag artistry with animated storytelling, creating a vibrant, laugh-out-loud adventure infused with heart and music.

 

One of the biggest creative hurdles was translating the larger-than-life essence of drag into animation. Hand teamed up with Chubby Beagle Productions, a studio deeply rooted in drag culture, and brought on Johnny Burgess as character designer. Every frame was crafted with authenticity—from the intricate movements of wigs and gowns to the film’s show-stopping lip-sync battle packed with clack fans, makeup powder attacks, and aerial choreography.

  

Music is central to Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero, too, with four original pop tracks propelling the story forward. Grammy-nominated vocalist Angie Fisher delivers powerhouse performances on songs like “Bye Girl Bye,” an anthem of self-empowerment, and “Shero,” a high-energy opening number celebrating individuality. Composers Dave Volpe and Electropoint (Roman Molino Dunn) crafted a soundtrack that blends campy fun with deep emotional resonance.

 

As the first animated feature spotlighting a drag queen superhero, Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero represents a landmark in LGBTQ+ storytelling. “In a time when LGBTQ+ voices are being challenged, we need stories that celebrate our resilience, our joy, and our magic,” says Hand. “Simon’s journey is about learning to believe in yourself,” he adds. “His transformation into Maxxie represents that moment we all experience—when we stop waiting for permission and start embracing the powerful person we truly are.”

 

The film has already garnered critical acclaim, winning Best Animation at this year’s San Francisco Independent Film Festival, the Impact Award at the Washington, D.C. Independent Film Forum, and both Director’s Choice and Festival Favorite at Cinema Diverse. 

 

Breaking Glass Pictures, a leading distributor known for championing independent LGBTQ+ cinema, acquired the film for North American distribution and is licensing the worldwide rights. CEO Rich Wolff recalls being instantly captivated by the film.  “Maxxie LaWow is such a joyful, outrageous celebration of queer culture, identity, and drag artistry,” he says. “It is a wild, witty, and unapologetically fun animated adventure that delivers both laughs and heart.”

 

Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-Shero will release to TVOD platforms Amazon, iTunes, Google, indemand, Dish, DirectV and VUDU on Tuesday, June 17.  

 

For more information, visit www.maxxie.com

Up On The Roof

Myself & Tyler Cassity, Owner Of Hollywood Forever

Yesterday I attended a party celebrating the opening of the new mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA, naturally.

The to do was held on the rooftop of the structure, that's correct I said rooftop. This mausoleum is big! Five stories to be exact and one hundred feet tall. With some amazing views and curated space for events and celebrations of any kind.

It was christened with the first yoga class ever held on the roof yesterday before the party.

Here are some photos yours truly took while attending it.

Enjoy!

Rooftop Fun

A View Of The Hollywood Sign, Of Course

Things Are Looking Up

For More information about Hollywood Forever visit -

https://hollywoodforever.com/   

"Boy Blue"

"And when she put you out on your own
It may have stolen your innocence
But not, no-not your soul" - Boy Blue, Cyndi Lauper

I remember buying the album True Colors by Cyndi Lauper and being immediately taken by the track "Boy Blue" on it.

Here is the 411: 

"Boy Blue" came after Gregory Natal, a friend of Lauper's who was dying from AIDS, asked for her to write a song for him. He wanted her to release it "in the spirit of "That's What Friends Are For."

In honor of Pride Month we will give gratitude to those before who fought the battle so the rest of us could live free. Never give up!

Hit the video after the jump!

Cyndi on the WWW -

https://cyndilauper.com/