Celebrities Archives - Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer

A-List Celebs Dazzling Photos

dorriolds — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Meeting, Interviewing and Photographing Stars

Celebrities can be so sparkly. As a kid, I was sure fame and money meant happiness. Ha! It means hard work for years. I’ve clawed my way to the middle. Haha.

IRL, many stars have that electric charisma and look fabulous in person. After meeting a ton of A-listers, I am happy to report that only tiny number of celebs seem – shall we say – less than humble. Once in a while, a top star can be surprisingly cranky! In their defense though, fame requires working one’s tuchas off.

This photo (below) was taken at the Tribeca Film Festival red carpet for The Quiet One, a fascinating film about ex Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. It was only a half-block from my home. One rarely sees famous far-right Republicans in my all-the-way left Manhattan neighborhood. At first, Rupert seemed awkward. Most likely because he knew that he wasn’t going to make a lot of friends in Chelsea. But he loosened up and seemed to enjoy the attention.

Blondie in the East Village

My photo has been chosen for the soon-to-be-released paperback edition of Debbie Harry’s book, ‘Face It: A Memoir.’

I met charismatic and gorgeous Debbie Harry (Blondie) at Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming. Blondie’s appearance at the Enclave Reading Series was kept on the down low. As a member of the press, I’d been tipped off ahead of time and was quickly ushered to my seat. I sat between Thomas Manzi (Harry’s manager) and the entertaining theater director and actor, Rob Roth.

The punk icon successfully slipped into the dark club without notice and was led to her seat at our table. It was great fun when the eyes in the surprised audience popped when Blondie’s presence was announced. This was Harry’s first public reading from her debut memoir, Face It (HarperCollins). Oh, what a night!

I❤️NY

More A-List Celebs

It’s a lot of fun interviewing top celebs. Here are some of the stars I’ve interviewed and photographed here in my native New York City. My YouTube Channel stats are up to 1,746,884 views.

Check out more on my YouTube Channel

Update: As you know #Covid19 put the 3D entertainment industry on hold. We all want this nightmare to end. Wear your mask, get vaccinated, stay away from lunatics with AR-15s, and please come back soon! Love and kindness. In the meantime, here’s a virtual video with another New York City icon, Joan Jett.

Julianne Moore. Photo © Dorri Olds

Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen Photo ©Dorri Olds

Daniel Radcliffe. Photo © Dorri Olds

Laverne Cox. Photo © Dorri Olds

Shia LaBeouf. Photo © Dorri Olds

Rosario Dawson. Photo © Dorri Olds

A–G

Alec Baldwin, Moran Atias, Woody Allen, Angela Bassett, Kim Basinger, Jamie Bell, Mayim Bialik, Roseanne Barr, Prince Lorenzo Borghese, Kate Bosworth, Lorraine Bracco, Abigail Breslin, Jeff Bridges, Adam Brody, Albert Brooks, Zlatko Buric, Gerard Butler, Rose Byrne, Lizzy Caplan, Patricia Clarkson, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Billy Crudup, Penélope Cruz, Rory Culkin, Willem Dafoe, Paul Dalio, Rosario Dawson, Robert De Niro, Kirsten Dunst, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Facinelli, Michael Fassbender, Abel Ferrara, Ralph Fiennes, Isla Fisher, Jodie Foster, Ciaran Foy, James Franco, Antoine Fuqua, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julia Garner, Paul Giamatti, Alex Gibney, Terry Gilliam, Domhnall Gleeson, Shep Gordon, Ryan Gosling, Maggie Grace, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Jodie Foster on the red carpet at Tribeca Film Festival. Photo © Dorri Olds

Dorri Olds interviews A-list Celebrities. Photo © Dorri Olds

H–N

Paul Haggis, Jerry Hall, Pooch Hall, Tom Hardy, Debbie Harry, Lucas Hedges, Katherine Heigl, Jonah Hill, Emile Hirsch, Katie Holmes, Gavin Hood, Vanessa Hudgens, Holly Hunter, Oscar Isaac, Allison Janney, Richard Jenkins, Joan Jett, Felicity Jones, Jason Katims, Zoe Kazan, Catherine Keener, Jack Kesy, Sir Ben Kingsley, Luke Kirby, Kevin Kline, Steven Knight, Shia LaBeouf, Christine Lahti, Peter Landesman, Frank Langella, Jill Larson, Juliette Lewis, Liana Liberato, Ray Liotta, Justin Long, Kevin Macdonald, Eddie Marsan, Dylan McDermott, Mads Mikkelsen, Cesar Millan, Helen Mirren, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Erroll Morris, David Morse, Viggo Mortensen, Cillian Murphy, Rupert Murdoch, Kumail Nanjiani

James Franco.©Dorri Olds

Edward James Olmos. ©Dorri Olds

O–Z

Edward James Olmos, Elizabeth Olsen, Ellen Page, Josh Pais, Vanessa Paradis, Nate Parker, Aaron Paul, Bernadette Peters, Oliver Platt, Carrie Preston, Richard Pryor, Jr., Kathleen Quinlan, Daniel Radcliffe, James Ransone, Jeremy Renner, Jason Ritter, Eric Roberts, Ray Romano, Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Peter Sarsgaard, John Sayles, Liev Schreiber, Adam Scott, Kristin Scott Thomas, Michael Shannon, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard, Christian Slater, Mira Sorvino, Paul Sorvino, Steven Spielberg, Gloria Steinem, Kristen Stewart, Sir Patrick Stewart, Jerry Stiller, Julie Taymor, Juno Temple, Fred Thompson, Uma Thurman, Lily Tomlin, John Turturro, Sofia Vergara, Alicia Vikander, Sam Waterston, Naomi Watts, Forest Whitaker, Michael K. Williams, Patrick Wilson, Nicolas Winding Refn, Alex Winter, Nat Wolff, Elijah Wood, Evan Rachel Wood, Matilda Mae Wyman, Suzanne Accosta Wyman, Bob Zappa

Nat Wolff. ©Dorri Olds

Julia Garner. ©Dorri Olds

Lily Tomlin. ©Dorri Olds

Paul Sorvino, Debi Mazar, Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco. ©Dorri Olds

Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander.
©Dorri Olds

Michael K. Williams. Photo © Dorri Olds

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Nancy Spielberg Tells the Wild and Heroic Tale of a Ragtag Team of Israeli Pilots in 1948

dorriolds — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 22:48:40 +0000

Above and Beyond, produced by Nancy Spielberg (sister to Steven), is a wild adventure true-life tale you won’t want to miss. It is a riveting documentary about a ragtag team of Jewish-American pilots who, after surviving World War II, decided to risk everything to save the State of Israel.
I published a few pieces when the movie first came out in 2015. Today, after a friend and I went to see another true story, Three Identical Strangers — which is fantastic by the way — this indie popped into my head. As an entertainment writer, I see hundreds of films every year. Many of them blend together in my head and others I forget quickly — due to their meh factor. Special films stand out and stay with me. This movie is one of those.
Above and Beyond is directed by Roberta Grossman, written by Sophie Sartain and Harris Done is the cinematographer. It tells the strange tale of a small group of young men with loads of chutzpah, who became heroes. They barely knew what the heck they were doing. By the seat of their barely-piloting pants miraculously became the first Israeli air force in 1948 and saved the Jewish homeland.

An Exclusive Interview with Nancy Spielberg

Dorri Olds: Have you thought about making this into a feature film?
Nancy Spielberg: Oh, I have. It’s like a cross between Catch Me If You Can, Band of Brothers and Indiana Jones. [Laughs] All those elements — the capers, the clandestine operations and the bigger story — have so many wonderful pieces to it, more than we could fit in the documentary.
Have you daydreamed about who could be in the movie?
I think Leo DiCaprio as [the pilot] Al Schwimmer would be good. I’ll ask my 26-year-old daughter, “Who do you think is hot and cool and can play swarthy, sexy pilot types?”
Does it make your job easier or harder to have a famous brother?
[Laughs] A little of both. It made it much harder to raise money, much harder. You know, like it’s hard to raise money for the Shoah Foundation because everybody thinks Steven Spielberg supports the Shoah Foundation completely. It was hard because I did have to answer that question. I would gather people together, show them a sample reel, tell them I’m raising money, it’s a 501(c)(3) not for profit, and I would get these questions, “Why can’t your brother give you the money?” Or “Where’s Jeffrey and David, his friends?” So I had to say, without being defensive, “I didn’t ask and that’s not the kind of relationship I want to have with my brother. I also think that this is project that we all need to support. This is not a one-man-show.” In that sense it was tough.
On the other hand, the benefit is that I feel like a lot of doors opened up and people listened to the story and I already knew a lot of people that I contacted to work. I’m very close with James Moll. He’s an incredible filmmaker who started off making home movies for my brother. “It’s Kate’s birthday, let’s make a movie.” Then he went on to make “Last Days” and “The Foo Fighters.” He’s won Oscars and Grammys and Emmys. He’s incredible. The joke was that I went to James first and said, “I need your help,” and he said, “OK, your brother helps me. I help you.” He had Harris Done, which was my dp [director of photographer] who I’ve known through James. James had Larry Benjamin, the guy who mixes sound who is incredible. These people were all willing to work with me.
Here is a fascinating sample reel:
Above and Beyond • Playmount Productions • Katahdin Productions.
Is it true that when you called Director Roberta Grossman that she didn’t believe it was really a Spielberg calling her?
Yes, she wouldn’t take my call and didn’t answer my email. She thought it was a prank. As she described it, “Hava Nagila” was opening up in film festivals and was getting all the awards and she was feeling very smug and secure. The big joke in her office was, “Oh, if that’s Spielberg, tell him I’ll call him back.”
She checked me out with Rachel Levin from Righteous Persons Foundation saying, “Does Stephen have a little sister named Nancy that’s making films?” So she checked me out before she would return my call. But I’ll tell you, she’s incredible. We have such a great team. I feel bad because sometimes that whole Spielberg thing tends to overshadow the people that deserve credit more than that name. She’s wonderful. The whole team was wonderful. I’m grateful she finally took my calls. [Laughs]

Nancy Spielberg

What sparked your ideas for “Above and Beyond”?
In 2011, after I finished executive producing the documentary “Elusive Justice: The Search for Nazi War Criminals,” I came across the obituary of a man named Al Schwimmer. “Father of the Israeli Air Force Dies at 94,” it read. The obituary detailed how an American, a flight engineer for TWA, had smuggled the first planes to Israel, recruited volunteer pilots to fly them in the ’48 War and, in doing so, helped create the Israeli Air Force.
You have a daughter who lives in Tel Aviv, correct?
Yes, I do. Jessie Katz.
Does it worry you? Israel is such a scary place these days.
Israel is not as scary as CNN makes it out to be. I was there during the war and there during the intifada. The intifada scared me because there were suicide bombers in the streets in Jerusalem. I was scared at every bus stop I walked by. One of them was blown up while I was there.
My daughter was there when somebody took a tractor in Jerusalem and plowed into a crowd. That was during the intifada. That scared me. I know it’s very controversial but when they put the wall up there were actually terrorists there. I had been locked in my apartment and wasn’t allowed to go out into the streets because they said a terrorist had gotten into the city. There was a big parade that day. So, yeah, that got a litte scary.
And I was there during the war but now I’m really not frightened for her. I don’t feel frightened in Israel. Sometimes I’m frightened here in New York City, especially in the subways. I feel frightened of terrorist activities here. I don’t think we have a grip on terrorism. You get into a crowded subway, packed body-to-body and in the winter everybody has heavy coats on. You have not a clue who is next to you.
When things happen that are so random — like what happened in Paris — that’s frightening. I think it’s frightening anywhere in the world right now. I think Israel has had to live with a watchful eye for so many years that the first time I went there and I went to a movie theater and somebody looked in my purse, I was like, “How dare you?” Then I got used to it and now I welcome it and I wish somebody would look through my bag when I get into a New York subway and everybody else’s bag. So I’m not worried.
Today she sent me a picture of herself wearing a gas mask but the picture had a dog sitting next to her and she complained that the dog had gas. I’m glad she can make jokes out of it. I know she’s happy there.
Above and Beyond Trailer • Katahdin Productions
Teaser • Katahdin Productions
A bomber pilot in the Pacific in World War II, Frankel received the Navy Cross for his heroism in the Battle of Okinawa. “I just made up my mind that I was going to do it,” he says of his decision to volunteer for Israel. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do it.” Frankel flew 25 missions for the Israeli Air Force as a member of the101 Squadron before returning to Minnesota.
Coleman Goldstein
A U.S. Army Air Corps pilot, Goldstein’s plane disappeared over France in 1943 andhe was declared “missing in action.” He crossed over the Pyrenees to Spain and was eventually rescued. For this reason, Goldstein kept secret from his family hisdecision to fight for Israel. After flying in the IAF’s 101 Squadron, Goldstein stayed inIsrael for 32 years and became a pilot for El Al Airlines. He died in 2014.
Lou Lenart
After serving in the Marines in the Pacific Theater, Lenart volunteered to fly for Israel and led the Air Force’s first combat mission on May 29, 1948, stopping the Egyptians less than 30 miles from Tel Aviv. “I was born to be there at that moment in history,” he says. “It’s the most important thing I did in my life.” Lenart later helped airlift Iraqi Jews to Israel and became a pilot for El Al Airlines, as well as afilm producer.
George Lichter
The former U.S. Army Air Force pilot flew 88 missions over Europe in World War II. After Lichter volunteered for Israel, he was singled out for his expertise as a flight instructor and trained the first wave of Israeli pilots. He became Israel’s chief flight instructor. “I really did get a lot of satisfaction training those pilots,” Lichter says. “That was the beginning of the Israeli Air Force.” Lichter passed away in 2013 at the age of 92.
Gideon Lichtman
A former U.S. Army Air Force pilot, Lichtman shot down an Egyptian Spitfire on June8, 1948, in one of the Israeli Air Force’s first missions. “I was risking my citizenship and possibly jail time,” he says of fighting for Israel. “I didn’t give a shit. I was gonna help the Jews out. I was going to help my people out.” Lichtman flew more than 30 missions for the 101 Squadron. He returned to the U.S. after the war and lives in Florida.
Harold Livingston
Part of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ transport squadron in World War II, Livingston joined Israel’s Air Transport Command and flew critical supplies, weapons and airplanes between Czechoslovakia and Israel during the war. “The idea that Jews were going to fight back I found exciting,” he says of his service for Israel. “It’s about time.” Livingston became a novelist and Hollywood screenwriter, penning the script for Star Trek.
Milton Rubenfeld
A former stunt pilot who flew for the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Force, Rubenfeld was one of the first volunteer pilots in Israel, narrowly missing out on the IAF’s first combat mission when there were five pilots but only four planes to fly. He flew the next day, May 30, 1948, on a critical mission that stopped the Iraqi Army. After volunteering, Rubenfeld returned to the U.S. His son Paul Reubens became famous as the character Pee-wee Herman.
Al Schwimmer
Regarded by many as the father of the Israeli Air Force, Schwimmer worked for TWA and was a flight engineer for the U.S. Air Transport Command in World War II. Upon learning of the need for aircraft for the new nation of Israel, Schwimmer smuggled about thirty surplus planes to Israel in 1948. He also recruited pilots and crew from the U.S. After the war, Schwimmer was indicted for violating the U.S. Neutrality Act and lost his citizenship. He stayed in Israel and founded Israel Aircraft Industries. In 2001, he was pardoned by President Clinton.
Smoky Simon
A navigator-bombardier with the South African Air Force, Simon flew missions over North Africa and Sicily in World War II. He and his wife Myra Weinberg pushed their wedding date earlier in 1948 so they could both volunteer for Israel. Simon flew more than 20 missions during the war, in a range of aircraft including B-17bombers. He became Chief of Air Operations for the IAF and is currently chairman of World Machal.

Click here to stream Above and Beyond

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Melissa Blake Says ‘My Cats Are Heroes’

dorriolds — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Melissa Blake is a badass. She’s also a dedicated activist, prolific writer, has written a book and she lives her life as an open book. Blake is a shining example of standing up to internet trolls. At the same time, she knows how to put bullies in their place by speaking out loud and proud.

In other words, she is an original. By using her voice to help others, Blake has become a top influencer. You will find her writings in essays, articles, blog posts, and social media messages that are all over the web. In addition to top internet outlets, and her byline includes appearing in major print magazines.

As a result of her hard work – and determination to help others – Melissa Blake is a fiery activist educating the world. In addition, Blake is now the author of a memoir: Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths About Disability. The book’s release date is March 5, 2024. However, it is available for pre-order now.

Here is one of her brilliant tweets that went viral.

During the last round of trollgate, people said that I should be banned from posting photos of myself because I’m too ugly. So I’d just like to commemorate the occasion with these 3 selfies… ????

— Melissa Blake @melissablake

Years ago, Blake wrote to me after seeing my New York Times essay about teen rape. Her kind words gave me comfort and she shared parts of her life with me. Although our experiences weren’t the same, we bonded over surviving trauma and a shared mission to help others.

I have experienced Blake’s kindness firsthand. We met when Blake reached out to me after reading my essay Defriending My Rapist which was published in The New York Times.

Centennial Cats

Blake said yes to an interview for my recent assignment for Centennial Animals, a sub-division of Centennial Media. Inside Your Cat’s Mind is a popular magazine series. I did a deep dive into why cats are not officially-approved service animals. Despite the myth that cats aren’t trainable, of course, they are. Just ask a cat trainer!

Cat Trainer Melissa Millet

Dr. Melissa Millet, one of Hollywood’s go-to animal trainers, rescued five cats. She then trained them to star on the silver screen. As a result, her five cats are cast members in the remake of Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary.” These kitties knew nothing about acting until Millet trained them.

Her secret? Patience and kindness. The five furry critters went from non-actors to reaching the top of the crop as cat stars in a major motion picture. As a true-blue animal lover, Millet fights for the rights of animals. Her requirements include supervisors hired to be on set in order to ensure humane treatment. Trainer Millet will never have it any other way.

My cats are trained to do fun tasks like riding a scooter, balancing in a sit pretty on my head, hitting a mark on cue. For these tasks, my cats are actually more reliable and more intelligent than my dogs!
Animal trainer Melissa Millet

Dr. Mikel Delgado, Cat Trainer and Cat Lover

Back to Blake

Cat lovers like Blake don’t need a certificate to prove heroism in their felines. However, not every residence permits dogs on their premises. And, there are licensed service animals, for example, miniature-horses, that are turned away. Yet, landlords are often agreeable to four-legged feline family members. So, yeah, trained cats have not yet earned their rightful title: “Official Service Animals. Hopefully, that will change in the near future.

“Harry gave us so much love when we needed it most,” Blake tells me. “We gave Harry a home thinking that we were saving him. But instead, Harry saved us.”
Melissa Blake

Wild About Harry

Blake’s first cat Harry came into her life at a crucial time. It was after her father’s suicide. Sisters Melissa and Joy, and their mother, grappling with grief. “Harry gave us so much love when we needed it most,” said Blake. “We gave Harry a home, thinking that we were saving him. But instead, Harry saved us.”

Blake was born with a rare genetic bone and muscular disorder called Freeman-Sheldon syndrome. After Harry lived a long, full life, the family met two more life-saving cats named Whitney and Stella. “They are precious creatures,” says Blake. “They always remind me to slow down. When I am anxious or depressed, just petting them for even a minute calms me. They have a soothing, loving presence. It is so peaceful.”

And, Blake says, “One of the things I’ve found most interesting, is that none of our cats have been afraid of my wheelchair. Whitney loves sitting in my seat and it reminds me how accepting cats are. Cats never fail to make me smile. They lift my mood.”

Ok folks, I’ll leave you with this #WednesdayBrag

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Dogs: Expert Training Tips for a Perfect Pooch

dorriolds — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 16:10:00 +0000

So, you decided to get a dog or train the four-legged pal in your family. Dogs enhance our lives tremendously, but they can be a handful, to say the least. When you’re out on the town with your furry best friend, use these simple techniques to ensure you both still love each other by the time you get home.

These Paws are Made for Walkin’

Dog expert Cesar Millan explains that a happy, well-behaved dog knows how to walk on a leash properly. The Dog Whisperer takes a six-step approach for stepping out with your furry friend.

Walk in front. You’re the pack leader. Stay in front and always enter the door first.
Keep ‘em on a short leash, which gives you more control and makes it easier for you to correct missteps.
Don’t rush walks. Dogs love walks mostly in the morning, and most breeds need 30 to 60 minutes of quality walk time per day.
Reward dogs for good behavior during the walk. If your dog behaves, let him sniff around and relieve himself. You decide when reward time is over.
Keep leading. Make your dog wait patiently and obediently while you put his leash away.
Reward your dog for working hard with a healthy treat. Provide a purpose, and make dogs work for their food.

For more Cesar Millan Tips check out his YouTube Channel.

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Ms Foundation For Women Celebrates Historic Win Of Kamala Harris

dorriolds — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 06:58:20 +0000

Ms. Foundation

I had to share this Ms. Foundation statement about the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Win! “Ms. Foundation applauds President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their monumental victory.”

We are ecstatic to witness the first Black—or South Asian—person and the first-ever WOMAN elected to serve as Vice President of the United States!
Ms. Foundation

Vice President-elect Harris’ achievement builds on the foundation laid by past and present feminists, like Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Hillary Clinton, Stacey Abrams, and many others. A joyous congratulations to the Biden-Harris team. And to all those whose collective efforts brought us to this moment.

We recognize the countless and arduous efforts of Black women and women of color, who long have been the backbone of our democratic process. And the many whose grassroots efforts contributed to this crucial win.

We are proud and moved to witness the unquestionable impact of their leadership in one of the most tenuous moments we have faced as a nation. Once again, it could not be clearer that we must prioritize this treasure of our democracy and radically increase support for feminist and women of color leaders whose visionary commitment to justice carries us forward toward a more perfect union.
Ms. Foundation

President-elect Biden’s words on Saturday evening stirred hope. [They] refreshed our spirit for the … road ahead…. All of us need to remain attentive and engaged in the months and years ahead, as we mentioned in our latest statement.

The Ms. Foundation is already hard at work. We won’t falter in this fight. We’ll continue to build feminist power by supporting and amplifying the work of grassroots organizations led by and for women and girls of color until there is full gender and racial equity for all people.

Let’s enjoy a deep breath and then let’s get to it!

In celebration,

Ms. Foundation for Women

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Remembering Robin Williams – Director Dito Montiel opens up about Robin’s last film – Boulevard

dorriolds — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 09:38:33 +0000

In the movie “Boulevard,” Robin Williams plays Nolan Mack, a 60-year-old bank worker who spontaneously takes a dramatic U-turn — literally and figuratively — when he drives down an unfamiliar street and becomes intrigued by a young male hustler, Leo (Roberto Aguire), who asks if Nolan can give him a lift.
After forming a peculiar connection with Leo, Nolan faces the fact that he is gay and has spent his life hiding that. He’s hidden it from his wife Joy (Kathy Baker) and even from himself. Nolan’s climactic decision to confront who he really is proves the old adage: It’s never too late to change.
From director Dito Montiel and written by Douglas Soesbe, “Boulevard” also stars Bob Odenkirk (TV’s “Better Call Saul,” “Breaking Bad”) as Winston, Nolan’s supportive best friend. Montiel was drawn to “Boulevard” because of its poignant and universal themes. “When I read Douglas Soesbe’s script, I thought about how many people are in Nolan’s situation in some way or another,” Montiel told Dorri Olds. “It really is every man’s story. Nolan does not have a terrible life; his wife is not mean to him, he has a decent job and the prospect of a promotion, he lives in a nice house. But emotionally he feels empty, as if he is sleepwalking through a lonely and subdued world, devoid of all passion.”
This is the last film from the beloved Williams, who tragically hanged himself in August 2014, two weeks shy of 63. Williams struggled for years with depression and substance abuse, but what led to his suicide was the neurodegenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) combined with Parkinson’s disease.
In November, ABC News reported:
“All people with LBD have dementia, and sometimes appear confused and disoriented and exhibit unusual behavior, said Angela Taylor, the director of programming for the Lewy Body Dementia Association. According to the coroner’s report, Williams had been acting strangely before his death. He is said to have kept several watches in a sock and was very concerned about keeping the watches safe.”
The much-missed Williams began his career as a standup comedian in the mid-1970s, then made it big as the hilarious alien Mork on the hit show, “Mork & Mindy.” Williams worked for four decades making films; my favorites include “One Hour Photo,” “The Fisher King,” “Good Morning, Vietnam” and “Good Will Hunting.” In 1998, Williams won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for “Good Will Hunting,” and during his long and magnificent career, he received two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Grammy Awards.
Williams gives a gripping performance in “Boulevard,” and director Dito Montiel spoke openly about working with the late actor on his last film during this interview with Dorri Olds.
Dorri Olds: What was Robin Williams’ take on his character?
Dito Montiel: We were on the same page, which was really nice. There was one scene in particular where Robin as Nolan and Kathy as Joy are in bed together, and they both say “I love you.” It wasn’t in the script, but I said, “You love her. Why don’t you tell her you love her?” Robin said, “Yeah, I would,” and then Kathy said, “I love you, too.” I thought that scene was so touching because they’re saying so many things. They’re saying, “I love you” and “It’s over” and “Goodbye.”
Robin, Kathy and I felt strongly that this was a loving marriage, just not the right loving marriage for Nolan. Kathy had an interesting thing to say, and then Robin said it all the time. It was that their characters had an unwritten agreement, and Nolan was breaking it. That’s why Joy was so mad. They have the big blowout when they finally have this conversation. It was like a “don’t ask, don’t tell” marriage for too long.
Could you tell that Robin was feeling depressed?
That’s impossible to know. We talked all the time, but it was about his character mainly, and he was as obsessed as I was about it. We would just literally talk at crazy lengths about Nolan and walk around all night while shooting. It was impossible to tell that sort of thing. You never know with anybody, unfortunately. It’s one of those weird things. He’d joke around when I’d try to give him direction about how sad Nolan was, and he’d say, “I’ve done the research.” There’s a side to Robin that is outrageous, that goes on David Letterman. Then there’s the guy who goes home at night trying to sit by himself and think about things.
“Boulevard” available online for streaming. LGBT drama. Rated R. 88 min. RIP Robin Williams.

You were an original. One of the best talents the world has ever seen.

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RIP Kobe Bryant … but…

dorriolds — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 21:51:26 +0000

Dear Kobe Bryant,

I never knew you personally but I saw how you inspired so many. And thank you for using your NBA fame to put good out into the world.

But I can’t stop thinking about how your accuser must feel now. She’s seeing the whole world honor you, the man who changed her life forever. Believe me when I tell you, it only takes one traumatic event to completely alter the way someone lives, the way the world changed for them. The way I never healed completely after what happened to me. I’ve been reading about her civil lawsuit against you, and the DNA evidence, and the fact that you shelled out an undisclosed amount of money to settle the case. If you were innocent — if you had not raped her, it is hard to imagine that you would have paid to rid yourself of what you did. I believe her. And I believe the DNA.

The Daily Beast wrote:

“Bryant is an 18-time All-Star, 12-time member of the All-Defensive team, and 5-time NBA champion. He will go down as the second-best shooting guard in NBA history—behind His Airness—and one of the Top 20 players to ever set foot on the hardwood.

“But when taking into account the entire breadth of Bryant’s tenure in the spotlight, the personal and professional, there will always be one giant question mark, one disturbing episode that gives even the most ardent admirers of [Bryant] considerable pause: THE RAPE CASE.

“The Kobe Bryant rape case has, in the annals of popular culture, been reduced to something of a punchline due to the aftermath—namely, Bryant’s $4 million, 8-carat purple diamond apology ring that he gifted to his wife, Vanessa. But what exactly transpired on the night of June 30, 2003, at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, in Colorado, may always be a mystery.

“Despite being charged with sexual assault and false imprisonment—facing life in prison—and tearfully confessing to committing adultery with his 19-year-old accuser, Bryant’s case never made it to trial. On Sept. 1, 2004, one week before opening statements were to be made, the case was dismissed after the accuser, who had been dragged through the mud for months by the media and Bryant’s defense team, informed the court that she would not testify.

The woman had filed a separate civil suit against Bryant, and had agreed to dismissal of the sexual assault charge against him provided the athlete issue [an] apology to his accuser….”

Navigating the world is so complicated. I felt physically ill when I saw The New York Times headline that you had been killed in the crash, Kobe. I felt sick. Shocked. Stunned. Then I heard about your daughter Gigi’s death.

Can I grieve for a man who raped a woman? I don’t think I can. Even though I had thought it was honorable to use your celebrity to help children. Now I don’t know what to do about my posts.

One thing I’m sure about is that my heart goes out to your 3 surviving daughters who lost their father and their sister. You were 41 which is a young age to die but GiGi was only 13.

I can only imagine what Vanessa Bryant is going through right now. My grandparents lost two sons in their lifetime. It is tragic whenever a parent outlives a child.

My heart does go out to your family, Kobe. You will be missed by many people but I am a #MeToo and cannot reconcile celebrating your life with the fact that you ruined that young woman’s life. I was never the same after being raped by my classmates when I was the same age as GiGi.

You will be missed by many, Kobe. But my feelings are for your family. It’s terrible to lose a loved one so suddenly. It is a tragedy.

RIP Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi Bryant

When I saw The New York Times headline, it was like I was kicked in the stomach. Shocked. Stunned. My legs felt wobbly and I had to sit down before I fell down.

It’s so heartbreaking to think of his family having to go through this terrible shock.

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Spielberg Movie ‘Who Will Write Our History’ Gives the Facts vs #FakeNews

dorriolds — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 18:22:28 +0000

Executive Producer Nancy Spielberg and Writer-Director Robert Grossman ask the crucial questions in their award-winning film, Who Will Write Our History. Seeking historical accuracy their questions include: Which side of the story becomes the official narrative? and Whose accounts do we elevate to the level of truth? This indie film couldn’t be more timely.
During this fraught time in American politics, we are now beginning 2019 continuing to question which outlets are providing the provable facts versus the #FakeNews or “Alternative Facts” that are running rampant across the internet from outlets like Fox and Breitbart sites. At this frightening time of Holocaust deniers and White Supremacy at an all time high, we must focus on the facts. This movie is a must-see for anyone who cares about what really happened.

“This Sunday, January 27, UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, and over 350 venues in 55 countries, will host an unprecedented screening of the award-winning documentary, “Who Will Write Our History” and concurrent Facebook Live events. The international screening events and Facebook Live, orchestrated by Abramorama, and with the support of UNESCO, the World Jewish Congress’ #WeRemember initiative and multiple major partner organizations, takes place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and comes at a time of rising anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic attacks, and increasing concerns that the lessons of the Holocaust are quickly being forgotten.”

I feel a personal connection to this film by Spielberg and Grossman due to my family’s horrific past in Europe where they died in the Nazi concentration camps. My father’s cousin meticulously researched what happened to our family. Many were killed in the camps. The most frightening was the family members who died in Auschwitz. We will never know if they were experimented on by the demonic Dr. Josef Mengele.
Watch the Trailer
Synopsis: This film is about a courageous group of resistance fighters imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto in World War II. In November 1940, days after the Nazis sealed 450,000 Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, a secret band of journalists, scholars and community leaders decided to fight back. Led by historian Emanuel Ringelblum and known by the code name Oyneg Shabes, this clandestine group vowed to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. Now, for the first time, their story is told as a feature documentary.
The New York Times calls it, “A vital Holocaust documentary…Heartbreaking.”
Writter and director Roberta Grossman and executive producer Spielberg teamed up once again to create Who Will Write Our History which the writings of the Oyneg Shabes archive with new interviews, rarely seen footage, and stunning dramatizations that transport us inside the Ghetto and the lives of these courageous resistance fighters. They defied their murderous enemy with the ultimate weapon—the truth—and risked everything so that their archive would survive the war, even if they did not.

Now playing at the Quad Cinema in Manhattan

Showtimes & Tickets

Wed January 23

Thu January 24

Fri January 25

Sat January 26

Sun January 27

Mon January 28

Tue January 29

Wed January 30

Thu January 31

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Felicity Jones Interview

dorriolds — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 01:37:12 +0000

Felicity Jones photo © Dorri Olds
A while back, I sat down with Felicity Jones for an exclusive interview. At the time, Jones starred as Sophie, an exchange student from England in the Focus Features indie drama, “Breathe In.” Sophie went to stay at the home of Keith Reynolds (Guy Pearce), a high-school music teacher while sexy Pearce is having a mid-life crisis.
Keith’s marriage to Megan (Amy Ryan) was feeling empty. They’ve drifted so far apart that the only cement keeping them together is a shared love for their teenage daughter Lauren (Mackenzie Davis). Megan keeps herself busy and distracted. Sophie’s music teacher Keith begins to broods because Sophie never practices piano. He and his family grow puzzled and concerned by her aversion to playing music but Keith has also become woozy over Sophie’s beauty.
One day Sophie surprises Keith in class by sitting at the piano. It’s a beautiful scene where Sophie slowly lifts her hands. She then launches into playing Chopin. Keith is transfixed by her skill. The electrical charge that ensues is almost too painful to watch as their ill-fated connection sizzles.

Breathe In

The actress has continued to hone her craft since then. Jones nailed it as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in “On the Basis of Sex,” released on Christmas. This film illustrates how and why the U.S. Supreme Court Justice has earned her nickname: Notorius RGB (check out the 2018 documentary “RBG” starring RBG).

On The Basis of Sex

1
Before I screened “Breathe In,” I loved Jones in “Hysteria.” Since then, I was wowed by her role in “The Theory of Everything.”

Hysteria

The Theory of Everything

“Breathe In” is a beautiful film, directed by Drake Doremus. I walked in for the exclusive interview and Jones looked even more stunning in person. But more importantly than her looks, she was warm, kind, open, and smiled a lot.

Dorri Olds: How was it working with Guy Pearce?
Felicity Jones: Fantastic.! I’ve always admired his work I think he always chooses really interesting directors. He’s always about the acting. He’d never done a film where he was improvising before and I could see him relishing the challenge. He’s an actor who always pushing himself. He really loved the process of making it.
Was there a lot of improvisation?
Yeah, a lot. Some things were scripted but most of it was how we made “Like Crazy.” We had an outline and then there’d be thoughts about a character and what happens in the scene and then we’d bring dialogue in on the day.
How did you become involved with film?
This was really unusual, it never usually happens, Drake asked me to do it because we had worked together on “Like Crazy” and he had this idea. In many ways this film is like a twin to “Like Crazy.” He said, “Do you want to come back and see what we can do this time?” So, that was quite nice that I didn’t have to audition. Auditions are really, really frightening. After a while you get used to them but they can be really quite intimidating.
What type of research and preparation did you do for this role?
I felt like Sophie was a very troubled young woman. There was a play called “Master Builder” by Henrik Ibsen and there is a character in that called Hilda and she was a real inspiration. I felt like she was a good foundation for understanding Sophie. There was a French film, “Le Casse” that had a similar kind of thriller mood. With any part you look at other films. There is a fairytale quality to Sophie. She was coming into a family that was heightened by her and her presence. I think that the main thing to me is the back-story for both Anna and Sophie. What was she like? What was her house like? What did her parents do? Having a really sure understanding of the character’s background is so important.
After playing beside Hugh Dancy in the light comedy, “Hysteria,” is it strange to see him playing such a dark character in “Hannibal”?
I think that’s what we always want as actors, to be able to move between different characters and take on different personalities. For me, that’s part of the joy of doing it and I imagine he loves that too.
Do you have a favorite role?
I did a play called, “The Chalk Garden,” which is an amazing play by Enid Bagnon. I played a 16-year-old who was obsessed with fire, a pyromaniac. She was a very troubled young girl and I absolutely loved the play. I was with two fantastic British actresses.
Did you ever forget your line?
Sometimes you do and you panic and look to the audience and hope for the best. That’s why it’s so brilliant to do it. You literally freeze onstage and think, ‘Why the hell am I doing this to myself?’ But it’s really exciting as well.
What’s it like watching yourself on film?
Less fun than being onstage. It’s an odd experience. I think we humans tend to be quite critical of ourselves and it can be a hard process. You watch yourself and think, ‘I could’ve done that differently.’
Did you always know you were beautiful growing up?
[Laughs] Oh, that’s a nice compliment! I guess I don’t think in those terms. I try not to think too much about what how you’re perceived on the outside. That’s not good.
Have you ever had any bad experiences with fans?
Do you know what? I’ve been really lucky. I have really nice fans. They come up and they’re always really, really respectful and I’ve never had any aggression. They’ve always been really polite and nice.
Do you Facebook and Twitter?
No, I don’t.
Do you have staff that does that for you?
No, I don’t. It’s not something I engage in. I like to see other people doing it but no, it’s not really my thing.
Do you have a favorite movie you’ve done — “Like Crazy,” “Hysteria,” “The Invisible Woman”?
I like doing them all. My focus is always the character. That’s always my way into something and I try not to patronize the character depending on when they lived. I feel like as human beings we all have the same emotions, feelings we’ve had for hundreds of years. The forces upon us are slightly different. I love period dramas as well as more contemporary films. I grew up watching “Howard’s End” and “Room with a View,” so I do like doing period work but the hook is always the character and the director.
Was Ralph Fiennes a controlling director in “The Invisible Woman”? Did you have to stick to the script?
It was a very different process from “Like Crazy” and “Breath In.” He was always just wanting to explore and he pushed me. It was always just about trying to get to something truthful about that about my character.
What’s next for you?
I have a film coming out late this year called “Theory of Everything,” which James Marsh directed. It’s about Stephen Hawking and Jane Hawking and their relationship, first meeting and falling in love and then Stephen being diagnosed with motor neuron disease, and it spans their meeting when they were in their early 20s to when they split up in their 40s. Also “True Story” with Jonah Hill and James Franco and I was in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”
“Breathe In” opens in New York City on March 28, 2014. It is available now On Demand. Rated R. 98 minutes.
Trailer:

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Enclave Reading Series ‘FRAYED IN NEW YORK’ at Actor Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming

dorriolds — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 23:37:26 +0000

Jason Napoli Brooks. ©DorriOlds

Enclave Reading series on Saturday night was standing room only. Held at Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming in Manhattan’s East Village, the joint was full of hot bodies and talent. As I looked around, it gave me a feeling “down there.” Okay, so I just shamelessly lifted that phrase from Joan Jett, which fits the Enclave’s theme—FRAYED IN NEW YORK—with a focus on the 70s, 80s and 90s. It’s a time I remember oh so well.

The Enclave Opener

“I was so fucking depressed last night,” emcee Brooks said, referring to another hell week with the GOP’s spoiled toddler. Not The Orange Swamp Thing, the other entitled white baby in a suit, Brett Kavanaugh, the sobbing, blubbering, self-pitying Supreme Court nominee.

Brooks got huge laughs with a funny bit about the Unabomber, and talked about the night before the Enclave reading.

“Friday night…I decided to drown my tears and indulge myself in a twink…the magic of an iPhone app is this guy shows up, 22, cute as fuck, and, you know, huge. He had a reckless quality which I find attractive in a twink.”

Unfortunately, the young hottie ruined the action in the middle of it by calling out, Daddy!

“Being called Daddy during sex,” said Brooks, “is the gay equivalent of finding a fly in your soup at a fancy restaurant. You go from, this is gonna be good, right? — to what the fuck?”

I laughed so hard I nearly choked on my seltzer.

Frayed in New York

Jeremiah Moss, the man behind the award-winning blog and book, VANISHING NEW YORK read about what’s gone. It was apt for me. As I’d ambled past Tompkins Square Park on the way to the club, the recurring stab of sadness got me in the gut. My native Manhattan looks nothing like it did and often feels like an empty town filled with ghosts

In the 80s, whenever I was hit with an emergency need for drugs at 3am, it was that park that beckoned, luring me toward Alphabet City. It was a suicide mission back then. Being an ex-junkie, though, it’s not surprising that my wasted ideas always made perfect sense. The coils of my head kick off a Pavlov’s dog-inspired rush of endorphins that leaves me drooling at memories from years of debauchery.

Moss at the Mic

Moss at the mic lamented his arrival to what he refers to as the end of New York City: 1993. He was 22 then. Moss read, “I was Harold and New York, my Maude.” He openly admits his bias and lack of objectivity in his signature prose. Self-deprecating words inspired laughs from the audience but the biggest howl came when he quoted reviewers: “The New York Times called me a curmudgeon with a penchant for apocalyptic bombast” and “The Daily News dubbed me a fetishist for filth.”

Lara IS Sharp

DO THE HUSTLE is Lara B. Sharp’s memoir-in progress. It’s about being raised in New York City’s foster care system and her exploits as a crustie and grifter. She chose a chapter that is set in 1984 and appropriately titled Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. “A crustie,” Sharp explained, “is a homeless runaway, living on the streets of downtown Manhattan.”

Sharp as a Whipped Crustie

The author opens by telling the audience a little background info.

“I was 14 years old and I ran away from foster care. I’m just kind of living in Washington Square Park because that was a done thing then…My mom was an alcoholic and a drug addict…but [she was] awesome because she taught me everything I needed to know. She taught me how to lie, cheat, and steal.”

In addition to writing, Sharp has performed in a number of theater productions, including Penny Arcade’s original production of the Sex and Censorship Show, BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE! Sharp’s author reading was a performance piece because she’s charismatic and naturally theatrical.

She nailed the accents for the scene’s two characters. One voice is Sharp at age 14. The other is “Gay Cher.” He is her new kinda-sorta mentor who tells the young Sharp that he can easily make her look 18 if she steals beauty products from Duane Reade. The motivation behind wanting to look older, was practical. She wanted to find a job.

Sharp reads in Gay Cher’s midwestern accent: “I’m the most beautiful, half-Mexican faggot boy ever to escape Kansas. I looked like a fat old milk cow, but not no more. And, honey, I can fix you up. I mean, you’re a mess. But, I have talents. No offense but your white eyelashes are disgusting.”

Huge laughs from the crowd.

Then, narrating in her younger self’s voice: “He scratches his left arm making the needle sores bleed. He rubs the blood into his stone wash cut-offs…. He yanks my scrunchie and runs his dirty fingernails through my long blonde hair, pulling at the matted sections.”

I quit drinking, drugging and smoking, but I can’t get enough of Sharp’s writing. Saturday night’s performance proved that I’m addicted to her prose.

Barb Morrison

I chatted with Barb Morrison. Yes, THE Barb Morrison—recording artist, hit songwriter, platinum and gold records producer. Morrison has played with Blondie, The Runaways, Johnny Thunders and plenty more biggies. Morrison’s pronoun is they. They told me they grew up in the East Village and Chelsea after arriving here at 17. They came to the city after a childhood in Albany.

“Did you runaway?” I asked (spontaneously) because I had. At 15, I moved into the Hotel Earle on Waverly (now, Washington Square Hotel). It was only one block from the park I’d fallen in love with. I found it romantic that Joan Baez sang about Bob Dylan smiling out of the window of that crummy hotel over Washington Square.

“Yeah, I ran away many times,” Morrison said. They laughed. “I disappeared into the city. You’ll hear all about it when I read.”

Reading from a memoir-in-progress, Morrison talked about being a squatter and a musician on her way up and joining a band called The Loveless. “I tried out a few bands but none of them fit the way this gang of misfit rebels fit me…. I wanted to get in bar brawls with my guys and wake up the next morning not knowing which bruise was for what reason.”

The band had their first show at the underground Lismar Lounge. “You had to enter through one of those gates in the sidewalk that went down into a basement. Most of the bands on the Lower East Side couldn’t play worth shit and we actually had some good songs, so we instantly gained a following the night of our first gig. I remember pushing our amps up First Avenue after that show. Someone rode past in a cab and yelled “LUHHHHHVVVV LESSSSSSSSSS!” at us. We were too broke to take a cab but we felt like the most famous rockstars on the planet that night.”

Christopher Stoddard

Author Christopher Stoddard read from his new book (AT NIGHT ONLY). His words were about the universal feeling of yearning for an ex to come back and convincing yourself that just by wanting it, you can make it so. Max, his dog, is also an important character in the chapter.

“I’m wondering what he’s doing right now….He didn’t text from Montreal to let me know he landed safely—like he did when we were still in a relationship.” Then he describes pulling out his iPhone to contact his ex. The foreshadowing makes it clear that is always a bad, bad, bad idea. Stoddard’s voice is easy to listen to and, yes, his was one of the hot bodies I had referred to in my second sentence of this recap.

Pedro J. Rosado, Jr., actor, dancer and stage manager. He stage-managed Penny Arcade’s BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE! at Performance Space New York. He can be seen in Joan Moossy’s MISS MOOSSY’S NEIGHBORHOOD MYSTERIES on YouTube singing “It’s Important to be Friendly.”

Alissa Brianna

Despite a packed room, Alissa Brianna, the solo bartender for the evening, breezed through the night and looked calm and poised amidst the madness. She banged out those drinks—which I was told were fantastique!

Also in Attendance:

Elizabeth Wurtzel, celebrated author of PROZAC NATION and BITCH: IN PRAISE OF DIFFICULT WOMEN
(the lyrics are awesome!)
He may be a middle-aged white heterosexual man/But he’s friendly/He’s not an ageist, sexist, racist, homophobic pig/He’s friendly.
Be like him/ Be friendly.

© Lara B. Sharp. All rights reserved. Here’s an exclusive photo of Sharp, with her mother, at a sidewalk cafe (across from Club Cumming) in 1988—the year Sharp turned 18. She told me, “I was no longer a criminal. I was a legal adult! Free at last.” At the time, Sharp worked at the Cat Club for manager Don Hill (before he opened Don Hill’s).

Lauren Pine, downtown debutante and horse lover, as in horse trainer and horseback rider, not to be confused with old slang for heroin. Glad we cleared that up. Pine, Morrison and Sharp are alumnae of the Don Hill’s Thursday night Squeezebox Parties and have known each other for 30 years.

Melody Jane, danced in Penny Arcade‘s 2018 BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE! at Performance Space New York

Elizabeth Collins, writer and comedian (RAISED BY GAYS AND TURNED OUT OK!)

Clayre Saxon Morrison, British fashion stylist and photographer

Steve Zehentner, stage designer and sound designer who has collaborated with theater artist, writer and performer Penny Arcade for 30 years. One of their collaborations was the Lower East Side Biography Project. If you’ve never experienced it, I recommend clicking on that link.

Gavin Van Vlack, guitar, bass and vocals and member of the bands Canonized and Burn

Liza Béar, artist, photographer, writer, filmmaker

Albie Mitchell, well-known downtown photographer who documented the East Village for over 40 years, and worked for the Village Voice and for the original production of Penny Arcade’s BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE! at PS122 and the Village Gate.

Jenny Gorman, practicing fine art and photography in New York City and the Hamptons for over 25 years.

Cid Scantlebury artist and musician. Cid was an original Bitch from the Don Hill’s ‘ladies metal’ night of that name, a Loser’s Lounge singer, and she sings at F*Bomb NYC shows several times a year.

Sean Harris, artist, whose works in paper collage and mixed media can be viewed on Instagram @seansheengram.

AUTHOR BIOS

JEREMIAH MOSS, creator of the award-winning blog Vanishing New York, is the pen name of Griffin Hansbury. His writing on the city has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Daily News, and online for The New Yorker and The Paris Review. As Hansbury, he is the author of THE NOSTALGIST a novel, and works as a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City

LARA B. SHARP‘s writing has appeared in various print and online publications, including Longreads and Teen Vogue. A native New Yorker, she has also written for and performed in a number of national and international theatre productions and live storytelling events in New York City, London, and Philadelphia. She was an original member of Penny Arcade’s BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE! in the early 90s and toured with Penny Arcade. Sharp earned her BA from Smith College, where she was an Ada Comstock fellow, and is working on a memoir about her childhood in the New York foster care system.

BARB MORRISON is a musician and producer who uses music as a platform of advocacy for the transgender community. A regular performer at The Ritz and CBGB’s, they were the saxophonist, guitarist and singer for the bands Gutterboy and Itchy Trigger Finger, which were signed to Mecury Records and toured with Lollapalooza in 1999. Barb has co-written and produced songs for artists such as Blondie, Rufus Wainwright, LP, and Franz Ferdinand. They also wrote the scores for films, including The Safety of Objects (2000), which starred Glenn Close. Their writing has appeared in various publications, such as the New York Times and The Good Men Project. Currently, they are at work on their memoir.

CHRISTOPHER STODDARD’s new novel At Night Only from Itna Press released this June, which has been praised by The Paris Review, Kirkus, Slate, Lambda Literary, and authors Edmund White and Gary Indiana. Featured in OUT Magazine’s “Tastemakers” issue in 2015 for his contributions to literature and publishing, he’s written two other novels: Limiters (Itna Press, 2014), and White, Christian (Spuyten Duyvil, 2010). He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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To learn more about The Enclave Reading Series, visit theenclavereadingseries.tumblr.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

For more info on events at Club Cumming, visit clubcummingnyc.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Dorri Olds is an award-winning freelance writer whose work has appeared in book anthologies, and publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Woman’s Day, Time Out New York, The Fix, The Forward, Yahoo, and Tablet. Visit her YouTube channel and see other works she’s done for Honeysuckle here.

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