JS»128 AUGUST 7 2009
WU/W JU S TO U T COM
PERSO N ALITIES
Voted Willamette WeeKs TOP 100
Breakfast & Lunch
H a p p y H o u r D a ily
(and all day at the bar top)
Dig It at the Left
Coast Eisteddfod
with Welsh Super
Celeb Chris Needs
Sunday Brunch
Kids Menu
Free Ice Cream Socials
(Saturdays in August, 2 4pm)
www.bellyrestaurant.com
503.249.9764
NE Fremont
8c
5 3 7 SE Ash Street - Porticine
(
503 ) 230-0463
MLK I PDX
503-620-5262
Life's A
Friendly Garden..
www.broadwayrose.com
DtB FtNNtu A uditorium * 9 0 0 0 SW D urham R d • T igard
the British Empire personally from Queen
Elizabeth o f England for charity work, in
cluding his organization, the Chris Needs
Hospital Appeal, which raises money for
diabetes research.
You might ask, and rightly so: Who is this
man? And what is this allure he speaks of?
“I ask myself that question every single
By RYAN J. PR A D O
day,” says Needs. “When I started the pro
“They call me the Welsh Elton John,” ex gram, I didn’t know what to do, because
plains Chris Needs, speaking via cell phone
there were so many late shows, so many
in his native Wales just an hour before his radio stations. It was by pure accident that
world-renowned BBC Radio Wales pro I thought I’d try and create a commu
gram, The Friendly Garden , is to air. “But I’ve nity. I called it— and don’t ask me why— the
Friendly Garden.”
got more hair.”
It’s true that while Needs remains in
Portland has its chance to bask in the
almost total anonymity within the pop-cul buzz o f Needs at the Left Coast Eisteddfod,
a Welsh-American performing
ture sphere o f most Ameri
cans, he has certainly assumed
arts festival, running August
the spirit o f a rocket man,
21-22 at the Crystal Ballroom.
especially if you place a finger
This will be Needs’ first visit to
outside the pulse o f the States.
Portland, and he has taken the
Needs was unapologetically
time to study up on our fair
described to me within the
city.
last few weeks as “the gay icon
“I’m really upset I’m going
o f the U.K.” and “immensely
to miss the Miss White Trash
famous.” Clearly I was miss
Pageant,” admits Needs. “I
ing out on something.
wanted to see that more than
Th e W elsh Elton John,
In Wales— and in most
anything. I’ve read all about
Chris Needs
other countries— Needs is
your mayor and everything.”
one o f the most famous celebrities on BBC
Needs even went on fellow BB C Radio
Radio. His nightly program reaches about 8 Wales presenter Roy Noble’s show on July
million listeners worldwide. His community 30, expressing his desire to invite and meet
club, “The Chris Needs Friendly Garden with Mayor Sam Adams.
Association,” boasts a global membership o f
But none o f this explains why Needs is
over 50,000, making it one of the largest fan
such an icon, such an immensely famous
clubs in the world.
character. Welsh society is a very liberal
populace with regard to the gay, lesbian,
As if those lofty numbers weren’t cause
enough to raise an eyebrow, Needs is also an bisexual and trans community. The fact that
accomplished actor, stand-up comic, musi Needs’ show airs 10 p.m .-l a.m. Wales’ time
cian (he played keyboard for Bonnie Tyler (eight hours ahead o f Pacific Standard Time)
and has recorded several albums), writer (his has made his program operate on both ends
autobiography Like It Is was the number o f the entertainment spectrum. Callers are
one bestseller in Wales for seven months in encouraged to phone in to discuss problems,
2007), and philanthropist. H e’s even been seek advice, gripe, etc., while Needs plays
awarded a Membership o f the Order of an eclectic array o f local and not-so-local
10 Y e a r A n n i v e r s a r y B a s h
S a tu r d a y A u g u st
15 t h 6 p m
—
9 PM
IO liears, IO Wines, 10% ojf all wine purchases.
$ IO
adm ission includes wine tasting, liv e m usic by Carlyle,
tasty appetizers and cupcakes by Cupcake Jo n e s.
P ortland tastin g ro o m h o u rs: H am — 6 p m ; N ew bcrg tastin g ro o m h ou s: 12 (n o o n ) — 7 pm .
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LOCATED AT 4510 SE 23” A V L PORTLAND, OR 97202
5 0 3 - 2 3 4 - 3 7 9 0 | www.Mpchlcksdowlne.com
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- ■ A lto