Fire Island Will Never Be The Same Again!

Beginning this Friday, Fire Island Black Out returns to Cherry Grove for the eighth awesome year. This time, the beach will sizzle with hot new events, the incomparable Bump & Dip Dance/Pool Party, and many notables from the LGBT community! FIBO 2010 kicks off on Friday with a grand Cocktail Reception at the Hilton Garden Inn of Ronkonkoma, Long Island. Then it's off to Sunny Cherry Grove, Fire Island, for the first of two Days At The Beach.



You'll stop first at the FIBO Hospitality Tent, for your official admission bracelet, and you can even get a temporary, but stylish FIBO tattoo! There's a Beach volleyball tournament from 2-4 PM, with VERY cool prizes for the winning six-person team. At 4, look for GAY-lebrity and creator of the Christopher Street TV series, Dwight Allen O'Neal as he scours the beach for the most fabulous and ornate tent setup! The Tent-Judging contest is fierce, so do your tent up right and win the prize!



It wouldn't be a day at the beach without a good book, so FIBO didn't just bring books, their authors will be there, too! The Writers Panel will melt the Ice Palace beginning at 4:30. Hosted by me, Nathan James, the Panel brings together some of today's finest gay authors: Delvon Johnson, Taylor Siluwe, and J. Omarr. Join us for a provocative discussion about our work, the issues we explore in our books, and how they relate to you, and of course, we'll be signing all of our books for YOU!




After the Writers' Panel at 6:30, the incomparable ButtaFly Soul hosts the FIBO Poetry Slam and Spoken word Contest, featuring FIBO's own Dani. The audience picks the winners, so register to perform, and show us what you've got! Then , it's time to get your dancing and diving on at the Pool Party, beginning at 9, when DJ Calvin gets things pumping. But wait--there's more! Gospel and R&B sensation Tonex will do a "coming out" performance you won't soon forget!



On Sunday, when you wake up, get your grub on at the Hilton Garden with a "real" breakfast--all you can eat--for about $12, then head back to the beach for a relaxing Sunday by the waves. FIBO will conclude with a Sunset party, TBA. I'll be waiting for you in Cherry Grove!

The MTA Long Island Rail Road offers special one-day getaway packages to Cherry Grove from NYC's Penn Station. This includes round-trip train, taxi, and ferry fare. Click here for more details.

Don't Miss: Fire Island Black Out/EMBRACE Writers Panel, August 14!

The Ice Palace on Fire Island will melt, when the Fire Island Black Out/EMBRACE TV Writers Panel comes to Cherry Grove on Saturday, August 14th! Nathan joins acclaimed gay authors Delvon Johnson, Taylor Siluwe, and J. Omarr in a deep, provocative event that will leave you spellbound! We'll discuss our books and the important issues facing us which they explore. Of course, we'll also be selling and signing our books, the hottest reads in gay lit today! It all begins at 5 PM, only at FIBO! See you on the beach.

Between The Prides: Meet Authors Delvon Johnson and J. Omarr At Chi Chiz!

My good friends and fellow authors Delvon Johnson, writer of the critically-acclaimed novel, Love Yourself First, and J. Omarr, author of Masai and Justus, are coming to famous gay hangout Chi Chiz for a "Meet The Authors" book signing this Saturday.




After you've visited Harlem Pride, come down to the Village to meet Delvon and the cast of Love Yourself First: The Series, currently being developed for TV on the EMBRACE Network. Love Yourself First has enjoyed excellent reviews, and there are sequels on the way. It's Pride Week in NYC, and a visit to see Delvon and J. Omarr at Chi-Chiz is part of the rainbow of fun! The signing begins at 3 PM, this Saturday, June 26th. Chi-Chiz is on Greenwich Village's notorious Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Hudson. The PATH train stops right next door, or take a (1) train to Christopher Street. Fabulous!

CyberSex: The Play Comes To Broadway's Producers' Club July 10

CyberSex, a unique conceptual theatrical experience, will be showcased in a one-night only presentation at Broadway's Producers' Club. Directed by Jason Duvall Hunter and Bill Johnson, from Hunter's script, associate produced by Nathan James, and choroegraphed by FranCisco Vegas, this provocative stage play stars Harmonica Sunbeam, the irrepressible DJ Baker, and Alton Alburo. In Cyberspace, you can be anyone you want, except yourself! Tickets go on sale soon, stay tuned.

CineMatiQ Magazine Launches!

Here's a fresh new look at LGBT film and television, at a time when exciting new developments are occurring in these fields. CineMatiQ Magazine has officially launched with the Summer Online Preview Issue, featuring in-depth articles and interviews with LGBT luminaries such as filmmaker Rodney Evans, Roger Omeus, director of Finding Me: Truth, and DJ Baker, host of the upcoming late-night TV talk show Da Doo-Dirty Show LIVE. There's also an article by me, about gay marriage and the silver screen. Edited and published by Queer Black Cinema's Angel Brown, CineMatiQ is sure to be the go-to journal of all things on the big and small LGBT screens!

WATCH: 3LWTV's Lonnell Williams Visits The EMBRACE Family!

3LWTV's Lonnell Williams came to Brooklyn one rainy Sunday to meet and interview the EMBRACE TV Family. Watch the video and discover some of the people and programs of the new LGBT network, coming to cable TV on October 10!

EMBRACE Our Place!

A brand-new cable television network for and about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersexed (LGBTQQI) community is coming this fall, and things will never be the same! EMBRACE TV will feature all-original programming, a wide range of shows for everyone from ages 16-60, and will show our community to America, and the world, as we really are. Created by CEO Seanmichael Rodgers, the new network will launch all across the United States on October 10. Among the 26 shows in the starting lineup are Queendom, starring RuPaul's Drag Race winner BeBe Zahara Benet, DeMarco Majors' Living Your Truth On EMBRACE (LYTE), the late-night version of DJ Baker's popular Da Doo-Dirty Show, and the first-ever LGBT political roundup on television, EMBRACE Politics with Will & Nate (EPWN), which I host with Wilfredo Florentino.



Since late in December, the EMBRACE TV Family has been working extra-hard to make the new network the place on television for LGBTs and their allies. More than just a network, CEO Rodgers envisions EMBRACE as a community resource, in a time when the LGBT community faces profound life issues, ranging from coming out, to marriage, to HIV/AIDS, and serving in our country's armed forces, just to name a few. Long foreclosed from meaningful participation in contemporary American media, the LGBT community now has a new voice and face on TV. It's EMBRACE...Our Place!

TOMORROW: See Screening Of Marriage Equality Film At LGBT Center

Tomorow night, at NYC's LGBT Center, you can enjoy the advance screening of a groundbreaking new film about same-sex marriage. Entitled For Faith, For Love, Forever, the film focuses on the progress (or lack thereof) in marriage-equality legislation before, during, and after the 2008 Presidential election. Directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Nefertiti Strong, and narrated by Rodney Chester, who played Alex Kirby on the unforgettable LOGO TV series Noah's Arc, the film takes a close look at how politics, homophobia, the church, and the LGBT community at large have all shaped the struggle for same-sex marriage.



The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion on Marriage Equality And The Black Church, moderated by Rodney Chester. The entire event is a collaborative effort between director Strong, FACES NY, and entertainment mogul Rick Pelzer. It begins at 6:30 PM in the Kaplan Auditorium 101 at the LGBT Center, 208 W. 13th Street in NYC. A donation of $10 is requested. Take a 1,2,3,or F train to 14th Street.

Ford At Stonewall Dems: 'Like A Deer In The Headlights'

Update: Harold Ford, Jr., has announced he's not running for senate after all. I wonder why...read below about his Sarah Palin moment at last week's Stonewall Democrats meeting, and draw your own conclusions:

Former Tennesee Rep. Harold Ford, Jr.(D-Tenn.), seeking to run this fall for Secretary Of state Hillary Clinton's old U.S. Senate seat, (currently held by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Hudson), addressed the Stonewall Democrats last night. Ford, long known for his anti-gay voting record and policies, came to the NYC LGBT Center to attempt to gain support for his Senate run, and tell us how he'd "changed his mind" on key issues relevant to the LGBT community. It didn't go as planned for the Congressman at all.

Ford was asked questions on a wide range of topics, including one from gay Army Lt. Dan Choi, who remarked that electing the homophobic Ford "would be asking him to fire [LGBT rights supporter] Gillibrand, the same way the Army tried to fire me [as a gay soldier]". Ford admitted he was "wrong" to believe that gay marriage was "equitable" with civil unions, but during his sometimes rambling remarks (he lectured us on his wife's decision-making which brought him to New York), he did not state clear positions on key issues like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), or Don't Ask/Don't Tell (DADT). The audience was, at times, boisterous and vocal in its disapproval of Ford and his transparent attempt to win support from the approximately 250 people in the hall. Cries of "Liar!" and "Snake-Oil Ford!" could be heard throughout Ford's address.



Stonewall Democrats President Joe Hagelmann moderated the question-and-anser portion of the meeting, in which audience members gave him written questions for Ford to answer. Ford stumbled through queries on his voting record and poor HRC ratings on gay reights, and frequently said things like "you may not choose to vote for me". Yup. The final straw that broke the camel's back (and brought the house down, as Stonewall Dem VP Yetta Kurland later said to me), was my question to Rep. Ford. I asked him if he agreed with the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, a landmark ruling which said that "sodomy laws" making homosexuality illegal were unconstitutional. I felt that question on a key moment in the LGBT rights struggle was important, because Supreme Court justices are nominated by the President, but confirmed by the Senate. As a Senator, Ford might have to consider a Supreme Court nominee or two, and his thinking on Lawrence would be a good indicator of what kind of jurist he might (or might not) approve. Ford's response to my question? "Tell me what that decision is...I don't know that decision."



In the above video, the final segment of the meeting, (see the entire meeting's video here) watch beginning around 3:00, when Hagelmann reads my question to Ford. Ford has his "deer in the headlights" moment, then tells Hagelmann he doesn't know that decision. I'm the guy in the red shirt and ponytail, center screen, who jumps up, stunned, and calls Ford out on his ignorance as the audience gasps at this astonishing "Sarah Palin/Bush Doctrine" (as NCR's blog put it) display by Ford. After Corey Johnson from gay blog Towleroad explained the decision to Ford, Hagelmann tried to move to the next question (after I called Ford out AGAIN, my arm outstretched to drive my point home) but the audience had seen enough. Ford was hustled off the stage as pandemonium ensued, culminating in some fool running up to the front of the room and shooting off a "party popper".

After the political theater was over, I was interviewed by New York 1 News and several other media, about my question and Ford's dumbstruck response. (The NY1 footage aired last night on Inside City Hall, and yes, I missed it, too.) As I have jusat been picked up, along with my co-host Wilfredo Florentino, for a new political program on the EMBRACE TV Network, this dramatic exchange between me and Ford was a good start to my tenure with the network. It's not every day you get to catch a Congressman unprepared and tongue-tied. I daresay Rep. Ford will not be getting any LGBT votes--if he even decides to run after last night's fiasco. The truck has hit the deer.

(Photos: Advocate.com, New Civil Rights Movement)
(Video, David Badash)

Nathan James At SPEAK YOUR MYNE!

Last night, I performed selections from my books, Muscle Worshipers (featuring my short story Enchanted Morning, and The Devil's Details. Hosted by the incomparable Renair Amin, it was "All Erotica Night", and Billie's Black Restaurant was packed! I always love performing at Billie's, because the staff are welcoming, the food is excellent, and it's a place where they accept you as you are! The audiences there always show me much love, and it's a privilege to come up to 119th Street and join other wonderful, talented people in putting on a show that rocks the house.



(Apologies for the low light!)



Renair and co-hostess Essence Woodard kept things popping all night long! There were so many fantastic artists on stage, and I do believe last night's show was among the best Renair has ever put on. We celebrated Billie's Black bartender Malik Baldwin's birthday, and re-affirmed our lives and loves as proud LGBT artists. Big ups to Pmyner for making it all happen!

Famous And Fabulous: Delvon Johnson's B-Day Bash At Escuelita's

This Valentine's day, join all the famous and fabulous people who will grace Escuelita's for Love Yourself First author Delvon Johnson's 32nd Birthday Bash! Hosted by the incomparable Harmonica Sunbeam and featuring the Bleu Magazine Hotboyz, this is a party you won't soon forget. Escuelita's is located at 301 W. 39th Street between 8th and 9th Aves. in Midtown Manhattan. Beautiful people should plan to arrive beginning at 9 PM, take A,C,or E trains to 42 St/PABT. You can RSVP via Facebook here! Dress with class and style. Admission to Escuelita's is $10, but you can get in free by signing up for daily text messages from the club. See you there!

Nathan Reads "Thickness" LIVE at Double Pride Panic!

This is video of my live reading of my novella Thickness, from the Zane/Lee Hayes anthology Flesh To Flesh. Lee is developing this anthology into Flesh To Flesh: The Series. Enjoy this little glimpse into the "unapologetically raw" look at the lives and loves of gay men of color!

"Finding Me: Truth" Coming This Summer

Last spring, I joined several friends in participating as extras for the making of director Roger Omeus' movie, Finding Me: Truth. This is the sequel to Finding Me, the 2008 coming-of-age picture that introduces characters Faybien Allen, his friends and lover. In Finding Me: Truth, the story picks up once again, with the return of Faybien, Greg, Amera, and a few new faces as well. The continuing story is a welcome follow-on to the original movie, and it was a moving experience to see director (also writer and producer) Omeus and the cast working so hard to create a movie for and about our community. The Truth cast includes such fine actors as Ray Martell-Moore, Eric Joppy, Maurice Murrell, and Bry'Nt, and my day with them at Pier 59 Studios was a fascinating experience. Joining me in supporting the film as extras were DJ Baker of Da Doo-Dirty Show, NYC Socialites promoter Eric Parker, Maurice Runea Show host Maurice Runea, and model Corey Holder. Below, check out the movie trailer for the upcoming release of Finding Me: Truth this summer!



See you on the silver screen!

Hardy, Clay, Dean Pay Tribute To E. Lynn Harris

Gay-literature pioneer and acclaimed author E. Lynn Harris passed away last summer at age 54 of undiagnosed heart disease. Harris, who wrote groundbreaking novels which opened up the modern gay-literature genre, is widely considered to be an American literary icon. His sudden death shocked us all, as a genuine human treasure was removed from within our midst. Everette Lynn Harris was my own great literary influence, who encouraged me and befriended me, and made it possible for me to write and get published, when I had my own doubts about being able to do so. He often recalled his own difficulties in getting his very first book, Invisible Life, published in a time when American publishers shunned "gay-lit". He originally self-published that first book as a result, selling copies out of his car trunk, until someone noticed its stellar quality and persuaded publishers to take another look.



So began Harris' literary career, which spanned fifteen novels, eleven of which made the New York Times bestseller list. Now, in tribute to his life and career, three noted black gay authors, James Earl Hardy, Stanley Bennett Clay, and Terrance Dean have composed Visible Lives, three stories in homage to the gay-lit giant. It is fitting and proper that E. Lynn Harris be paid respect with a book written by his contemporaries, and all of us who write gay literature today are certainly indebted to Harris for opening the doors for us. Each of Visible Lives' three authors is accomplished in their own right as a wordsmith of the gay genre. James Earl Hardy is the author of the unforgettable B-Boy Blues series, Stanley Bennet Clay has given us In Search Of Pretty Young Black Men and Looker, and Terrance Dean penned the tell-all of gay life in L.A.'s music industry, Hiding In Hip Hop. These distinguished authors have created a fine salute to E. Lynn Harris, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy when it releases in May. You can pre-order one here.

"Paparazzi" Party Highlights O'Neal Appeal

After the Christmas/New Year's partying is done, and you've had a full week to recover, you can come out to the first mega-fabulous party of 2010, Paparazzi: The Dwight Allen O'Neal Birthday Experience, at NYC's swank and fashionable Madame X Lounge in Mahattean's NoHo section. The over-the-top gathering headlines actor, model, producer, and Christopher Street TV series creator Dwight Allen O'Neal, who's celebrating his 26th birthday with a talk-of-the-town bash. To chase away the January chill, fashionistas Nico and Adrian will be premiering their new underwear collection during Paparazzi, and the guest list for this event reads like a who's who of the gay entertainment community!



There will be a customary gala Red Carpet, sponsored by The FUTURE, a multimedia experience for and about the LGBT community of color. This star-studded prelude will be hosted by pop-culture blogger Skorpion, who always dishes the latest from the celebrity universe. The evening's music will be powered by Likwuid (Queen Of The Queendom) Stylez and DJ Raydar Ellis of the hip-hop sensation Rebel Starr. Lynne Rene of Royalty Media Group, one of the many Paparazzi sponsors, has announced in a Press Release yesterday, that "this event will be the buzz of Page Six!"

The festivities begin at 7 PM in the unforgettable Madame X Lounge, 94 W. Houston Street, NYC, on Saturday, January 9th. It will be covered by plenty of media including BBOP of the World Pridecast, who will be covering Paparazzi LIVE! Don't miss your chance to hobnob with the "socialites, superstars, galebrities, and who's who", just one week from this Saturday! Take a A,B,C,D,E or F train to west 4th, or 1 train to Houston Street. Your "Inner tabloid" wants to go. Really, it does.

Come To The LIVE Doo-Dirty Show Broadcast Benefitting C2EA, Dec.19!

New York City's incomparable Billie's Black Restaurant is hosting a live benefit broadcast of DJ Baker's Da Doo-Dirty Show to support the Campaign To End AIDS. This star-studded event is sure to chase away winter's chill as I join DJ and a veritable who's who gathering of luminaries from the LGBT community. The Campaign To End AIDS is working hard every day to prevent the preventable and bring the modern-day plague of HIV/AIDS to a close forever. As the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) reports, the epidemic is devastating minorities--gay, straight, male and female alike--at a rate previously unknown in the modern world. The crisis is worsening, and the time to act is now. You can purchase your tickets to this fabulous event here, and make a difference in a struggle that affects us all. See you there on December 19th. Billie's Black is located at 271 W.119th Street, take a B or C train to 116th Street. The shows begin at 7 and 9 PM.

Nathan, Delvon And DJ Critique The OMA's!

The 2009 Out Music Awards were a blast, but true to form, DJ Baker's Da Doo-Dirty Show was ready with a critique of the evening's goings-on. There was drama, variety, and tea to be dished, and I sat down with DJ Baker and fellow author Delvon Johnson to critique the night when the LGBT stars came out to shine. Here's a special video presentation of Da Doo-Dirty Show. Enjoy!

Da Doo-Dirty Show Critiques 2009 Out Music Awards (I) from Nathan James on Vimeo.

Da Doo-Dirty Show Critiques 2009 Out Music Awards (II) from Nathan James on Vimeo.

Da Doo-Dirty Show Critiques 2009 Out Music Awards (III) from Nathan James on Vimeo.

An Evening With Nathan James

Nathan James Live At GMHC from Nathan James on Vimeo.

Reading from my novel The Devil's Details (Worldwide Publications, 2009) and engaging the audience in a lively discussion on its merits and the book's relevance to the issues facing the LGBT community today. I had a blast, and the GMHC staff worked hard to make An Evening With Nathan James a great success!

TONIGHT: The Out Music Awards!

Tonight, the LGBT Recording Academy hosts the annual Out Music Awards, honoring achievements by gay and lesbian entertainers and musicians over the past year. Held at NYC's legendary Webster Hall and hosted by Rodney Chester ("Alex" of Noah's Arc fame) and political humorist Kate Clinton. Out Music Executive director Diedra Meredith (Deepa Soul) says, "It is my hope to create an equivalent presence in the music industry for these amazing artists and performers through the OUTMusic Awards. I've been waiting all my life for this moment to arrive!" With LGBT cable network LOGO set to televise the gala ceremony, and a star-studded ensemble of awardees and presenters, the Out Music awards is one of gay New York's not-to-be-missed events. Kicking everything off, super-hot Shirts And Skins star DeMarco Majors and comedienne Julie Goldman are hosting the Pre-Show festivities. Look for a whole galaxy of stars tonight, including Kevin Aviance, R & B singer Nhojj, unforgettable rapper Baron, the incomparable San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (the oldest and largest in the world), and perennial LGBT favorite Deborah Harry.



Among the many notable presenters are Da Doo-Dirty Show host DJ Baker, actor, singer, and Christopher Street TV creator Dwight O'Neal, World Pridecast host BBOP, performance artist Lee Soulja, and accomplished comedian and actor Reginald L. Barnes.



The OMA's are the way we in the LGBT community recognize the works of our own great musicians, singers, and entertainers. Nothing else in today's entertainment industry is quite like it, and its organizers deserve every praise for pulling this together each year. Following decades of persecution in which LGBT artists could perform publicly but express their sexuality only in private, the day is now here when our stars can not only be out and proud, but our appreciation of their music can be properly shown to the world. In the long history of the gay-rights struggle, these artists have given our journey a soundtrack, and tonight, we can thank them for setting our lives to harmony and rhythm.



Webster Hall is located at 125 E. 11th Street in Manhattan, and can be reached by taking a 4,5,6,L,N,Q,R, or W train to Union Square. The festivities begin with the Red Carpet at 5 PM, a Pre-show at 7, and the Awards at 8. An Afterparty will be held at the RF Lounge, in the Village at 531 Hudson Street, immediately following the show. Tickets may be purchased at the Webster Hall Box Office. See you there!

The MTA's Electric Christmas Train

Every year in December, MTA New York City Transit, the agency which operates NYC's buses and subways, brings out their own electric train set for the holidays. It's the special Holiday Nostalgia Train, of fully restored subway cars from the 1930s, when the city-owned IND system began running. The old cars hearken back to another era, with their wicker seats, open ceiling fans, and incandescent lighting. It was a time before high-tech, when everything was done manually. Subway operation was a much more rugged business then. No automated train announcements, software, or computer-controlled navigation. These cars ran in the NYC subway until the 1970s, and were the last Pre-WWII trains purchased by the city.



These were the original subway cars which inspired legendary composer Billy Strayhorn to write jazz great Duke Ellington's theme song, Take The 'A' Train. Their usual assignment in those early years was on the famous train of that name, and they spent decades on that route and service. The Holiday Train will run every Sunday this month along the "V" Line (The Sixth Avenue local), between Second avenue in Manhattan and Queens Plaza. The schedule is as follows:

Departs Second Avenue at: 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM
Departs Queens Plaza at: 10:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:45 PM, 3:15 PM and 4:45 PM

So come on out and catch the Train To Chrismas Past! You might even meet me along the way.