JUNE 2, 2006
satingout
eatingout
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lUStiOUt 53
eatingout
Busch’s ecc^Qtric upbringing as a suburban New
York kid blessed with movie-obsessed parents and
his own Auntie Marne; his practically forensic
study of camp movie goddesses like Joan Crawford
and Bette Davis; and his early struggles to create a
ragtag theater company of drag queens, muscle
boys and fag hags, enacting hothouse melodramas
like Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Pardon My
Inquisition and Theodore, She-Bitch of Byzantium.
Watching the generous footage of these
works sampled in The Lady in Question, it’s easy
to see where Busch’s ideas came from, but the
road wasn’t easy. He had a near-death experience
with a ruptured aorta, and the company lost
Come see us at the North American Organic
Brewers Fest at the World Forestry Center
on June 10, 2006!
members to AIDS. (Busch describes how one of
The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch is a
valentine to the well-known New York writer
and actor.
his actresses insisted on finishing the show
despite being gravely ill and was taken by ambu­
lance from the theater to the hospital. Footage of
stake and what these women are losing on a daily
her performing that night is particularly poignant.)
basis. That they are as brave as they are in trying to
But the successes trumped the tragedies as
build a community based on who they are—the
Busch won acclaim for his often hilarious, nuanced
film shows a secret lesbian wedding sequence com­
incarnations of the strong, stylish, long-suffering
plete with crying, simpatico relatives—is near
woman who veers from the straight and narrow but
miraculous. Keep Not Silent deserved the Israeli
eventually redeems herself. Most recently he’s
Oscar it won for Best Documentary.
starred in his play The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, in
Art: Nicole Rawlins
its second year of a successful Broadway run. As his
n a happier note we come to The Lady in Question
O
other vocation as a writer suggests, the Busch seen
Is Charles Busch. Busch is a well-known New
here is highly articulate, and quite endearing, in
York writer and actor whose gender-bending camp,
discussing his life and work, supported by a loving
based on old Hollywood divas, lit up Broadway, off-
network of friends, family, lovers and fans that
off-Broadway and movies. This documentary (pre­
includes Rosie O’Donnell, Boy George, Kathleen
BUT SMALL PATIO HAS EXPANDED!
WE BROKE DOWN THE FENCE
AND^AVE QUADRUPLED OUR PATIO SIZE!!
miering 9 p.m. June 19) is a valentine to the star of
Turner, Jason Priestley and other queer and queer­
COME AND CHECK IT OUT.
Die, Mommie, Die! and Psycho Beach Party, an amus­
friendly icons.
Weekdays 4:30 • Saturday & Sunday Brunch 9-2, Dinner 5:30 • Closed Tuesday
ing and upbeat mix of facts, interviews, rare footage
from his stage work, fake movie trailers and even a
G ary M orris edits and publishes Bright Lights
vignette of a nonexistent silent film in which he’s an
Film Journal, located online at
overwrought “lady” in distress. We learn about
www. brightlightsfilm. com.
Pink Fink
man until his arrest and
ne of the more distressing
exposure.
The lethal combination
episodes in queer history
occurred
in
1960,
when
of a sn<x)py post office, an
three professors at Smith
aggressively
College—close friends and
police captain and the pro­
gay—were harassed, humili­
fessors’ naive assumption
ated, tried, firet^and more or
that living quietly, under the
less destroyed when their
radar, would save them con­
sexual
was
spired to ruin these men.
revealed. The case is laid out
When the police learned
in The Great Pink Scare, an
that
orientation
Arvin
homophobic
was getting
dis­
“obscene material”—actual­
appointingly short at less
ly, tame physique magazines
excellent
PATIO WEATHER IS UPON US!
WILD ABANDON, KNOWN FOR ITS CHARMING,
(though
than 60 minutes) documen­
tary that links the event to
A witch hunt targets three gay college
professors in The Great Pink Scare.
the anti-communist witch
like Tomorrow's Man— in
the mail, he was arrested
and,
apparently
without
hunts of the McCarthy era. Fortunately, two of the
hesitation, ratted out his friends. Dorius and
trio were alive at the time of filming, and much of
Spofford were rounded up and sent to trial.
the story is told through their vivid, still bitter rem­
Despite wide support by an appalled faculty,
iniscences, along with those of other professors and
Dorius and Spofford were fired, and Arvin, who
students who were there at the time.
seemed to view his arrest as deserved punishment
».-------------- - -------- -
AAA
. .....
Newton Arvin, 60, had just won the National
for being queer, was allowed to retire at half-salary.
Book Award. Joel Dorius, 41, was a loved and
Arvin (who had a long affair with Truman Capote)
respected English professor. Ned Spofford, 29, was
died in 1963, followed by Dorius in February 2006.
a well-regarded classics teacher. Unlike their het­
The Great Pink Scare (premiering 11 p.m. June 6
erosexual counterparts, none showed the slightest
on OPB) clearly sketches the multiple dark forces at
romantic interest in his students, preferring deep
work in this perilous time for gay people. But it’s
friendships with each other and trysts with men
most impassive as a character portrait of two incred­
outside Smith.
ible men who devoted their lives to teaching others
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ities but were different in other ways. Dorius delight- •
Arvin’s brutal betrayal, as recounted here, remains a
ed in engaging with his students; Arvin was brilliant
shocking event and an object lesson in the many
but emotionally remote—and, as it tumeil out, a tor­
ways the closet has victimized those who live in it.
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Ml I
As the film shows, they shared intellectual qual­
tured closet case. Spofford was a well-adjusted gay
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