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In celebration of this, our 100th episode of TheOccasionalFag, David b and Brian G. sit down in front of the iSight camera and discuss last week's counter-demonstrations to the passage of Proposition 8 - the anti-gay marriage proposition in California - that took place here in New York City.

Celebrate with us and get to know two gay men who are good friends by watching the video.

Support Gay Marriage or Marriage Equality in New York State by Calling State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. (NYC - 718-991-3161/Albany - 518-415-2511) and respectfully demanding that he support the civil right for all to marry by supporting Malcolm Smith for Democratic Majority Leader.

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What with all the demos going on around the passage of Proposition 8 (the anti-gay marriage Prop in California) you'd think there wouldn't be enough time to throw in a counter demo to an anti-choice prayer vigil in front of a healthcare facility that provides abortions in Brooklyn, but for TheOccasionalFags there's always enough time to stand up for reproductive freedoms.

The video of the No To H8 demos is coming, but the counter demo to the anti-choice HOGPI's was such a pleasure to be at, we've edited and are presenting it first.

Invited by the Brooklyn Pro-choice Network, join the fabulous Church Ladies For Choice of NYC and the incomparable Rude Mechanical Orchestra in front of the Ambulatory Surgery Clinic creating a noise joyful enough (to these ears...) to drown out the anti-choicers and their sad (sad) hymns.

This all just went down yesterday, November the 15th, 2008.  Maybe by watching this video, the spirit will move you and you can join us to demonstrate against the next anti-choice vigil.  We'll keep you posted.

Enjoy

OccasionalFags David b and Brian G. sit down at the family dining room table to discuss upcoming responses to the recent passage of Proposition 8 (the anti-gay marriage proposition) in California.

For those who like to read and don't have the time to listen:

- No on H8 Demonstration outside the Mormon Temple in NYC

- Brooklyn Ambulatory Care anti-prayer vigil Demonstration

- Nationwide No on H8 Demonstration outside City Hall

These images have been rattling about Brian G.'s computer now for all this time and he has finally taken the time to edit some of them together for your enjoyment.

TheOccasionalFags, with friends and family, once again have gone to Lake Compounce Amusement Park to partake in their Halloween Festivities.

Enjoy this video of their evening.

Hey OccasionalFag fans - don't expect too much from this video.  It's just a collection of video images and video recorded thoughts from OccasionalFag Brian G. while he was out helping his friends close down their house for the season; you know, riding the ferry, walking on the beach.

That is to say that, maybe, what pod-casting does best is to present these simple mundane moments (leave the drama to major media), but in piecing these images together, Brian G. couldn't find the internal logic to the edit that he usually susses out of what he is editing.  It is time to post though, so this vidcast is what it is.

A memory to share.

Enjoy...

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Need to get away from it all for a few minutes?

Well here is your solution:  The Big Gay Campfire!

Five relaxing minutes of nothing else but a big pile of burning wood from a clothing-optional gay camping resort in the Northern Pocono Mountains.  Think of it as a video yule log for the gay pod-casting community.

Enjoy!

Listen in as Brian, VJ and David b talk about Brian and David's recent camping adventures at Hillside and The Woods. Other topics that come up:

Winter Rendezvous

Bill Elliot on Broadway

Bill Elliot the movie

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This week we run off to the Circus.

Founded in 1998, Circus Amok is NYC's internationally-acclaimed one-ring FREE traveling circus. They've been bringing wildly fantastical, funny, sharp, glamorous, compelling political circus spectacle to all. Watch now and see part of this years show SUB-PRIME SUBLIME.

As our trip to IKEA finally draws to a close we find our OccasionalFags waiting for David b's shelving units, loading up the rented truck and driving back to Manhattan.

Hej!

Links to the previous Trip To IKEA episodes:

Trip To IKEA part 1
Trip To IKEA part 2
Trip To IKEA part 3
Trip To IKEA part 4

The Recipe:

Put Four Queens in a car and mix liberally over a one week period of time with 14 new (to them) coasters to ride (and get credits on) in four different amusement parks in three different states.

Parks visited:

Knoebels
Holiday World
Indiana Beach
Cedar Point

Stir and enjoy...

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Occasional Fags Brian G. and his partner Mr. Who were invited to The Woods, a gay campground in the Poconos (or as he likes to refer to them - the "Poke-Oh!-Nos"), by friend Jamie L. for it's weekend "Illuminations" presentation: an evening when each campsite decorates it's grounds using lights and luminaries and a dance is held where all are invited to paint their bodies with day glo paints and dance under black lights.

Here is a video of that weekend.

Side Note:  Brian G. uses plural pronouns like "we" and "us" to describe creating and setting up the decorations for the campsite he and Mr. Who stayed at, but it really was the people who invited them that did all the work conceptualizing and creating.  Three cheers for Jamie L.!

Second Side Note: Occasional Fag David b and his partner Leon were also invited but couldn't make it this year.  Next year for sure...

Third Side Note:  The music that this video is set to is from Jerry Springer: The Opera. 

Enjoy!

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Here it is, part two of this year's video of the incredible Fire Island Dance Festival. 

It's kind of a jumble of still and moving images from rehearsals, performances and back stage, but then the Festival itself is such an incredibly jam packed weekend of so much going on if you are working it that, this is, to a great extent, what it feels like.

The dance companies featured this year included:

-Alvin Ailey American Dance Company
-Atlanta Ballet
-Bad Boys of Dance & Jerry Mitchell
-Ballet Hispanico
-Jermaine Browne
-Dance Plus Ballroom
-Vernard J. Gilmore
-Jacoby and Pronk
-Jennifer Muller/The Works
-Parsons Dance
-Jason Samuels Smith
-Ellis Wood Dance

(Note: OccasionalFag Brian G. and Ellis Wood danced together in the same piece back when he was in grad school at UCBerkeley!  And yes it was great to see her again.)

The hosts this year for were Whoopi Goldberg and Caroline Rhea.

Performing at the Leadership Party (which was in video part one) were Felicia Finley and Jose Llana.

Artist Olafur Eliasson has placed 4 waterfalls along the East River around lower Manhattan in collaboration with The Public Art Fund and the City of New York.  Leon and David b saw these waterfalls one Sunday afternoon while aboard the Circle Line.

Brian G. and David b chat.

Call the comment line 206.600.5504.

Well, TheOccasionalFags are back from their summer vacation, rested and ready for another round of Pod-casting.

If you are a regular follower of this Podcast then you may remember that each summer OccasionalFag Brian G. goes out to Fire Island to volunteer his time being a part of the Fire Island Dance Festival.  This summer is no different.  He was there, and when he wasn't actively working (and sometimes when he was...) he had camera in hand to record the event.

The Dance Festival is put on annually by DRA - Dancers Responding to AIDS - to raise monies for AIDS service organizations around the country.  It's also a great show and a great time.

If you have seen the past videos that Brian G. has made of this event, then you know they were at first still photos of the festival that he put to music.  This year, with FLIP camera in hand, there is more sound and movement than stillness, but the music is still all from the festival itself.

If you have enjoyed this video and its' second part about to come, then why not go over to the DRA website and donate a buck or two.  Or better yet, save up and get a share next year out on the island so you can come and see the show.  If you do, say "hi".  Brian G. will be the one sitting stage-left during the shows, a camera or two in hand.  Over on stage right, well, that will be Bill Cunningham.  He'll have a camera as well, but  he won't really know what you're talking about if you say "hi" other than you're being friendly.  Nice to be friendly, though...  May just get you in the New York Times Style section...

Enjoy.

No official podcast this week as we - David b, Leon, Brian G. and Mr. Who - are on vacation.

It is Tuesday morning and we are in Tell City, Indiana.  In just hours we will be at Holiday World riding world famous coasters The Voyage, The Raven and The Legend (ranked number 1, 6 and 11 coasters in the world!) for the very first time.

Over the weekend we had our first coaster experiences of this trip at Knoebels with The Phoenix and The Twister.  Occasional Fag Brian G. was near brought to tears by the incredible air-time racing over the hills on The Phoenix.  Kneobels is great!

Pictures of the trip to be posted on our flickr page (click link in column at right) as we can upload them.  We're having a time trying to find wifi that's not slower than the new Dark Knight coasters at the Six Flags parks.

Coaster love to all!

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Each year OccasionalFag Brian G. volunteers his time to load in Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS "Broadway Bares" Fund-raising Burlesque show.

This is the 18th Broadway Bares and the seventh one Brian has been there to work on.

Sorry kids, no images of hot half naked dancers in this vid.  The web site www.broadwayworld.com usually has some great pictures of the dancers and goings on...  You want more than what I caught on the camera while loading in, go there...

Enjoy!

Brian and David b chat.

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Each year for the past two years TheOccasionalFag.com has brought you a podcast about the Drag March.  It takes place the Friday night before Pride Sunday - a little march from the East Village to the Stonewall Inn in the West Village.

This year we have video!  Or we have what video OccasionalFag Brian G. - in the Drag March as the Evil Queen that she really is - could take whilst marching along...

And what a wonderful Drag March it was this year!  Full of silly chants and bad singing and threatened arrests and, well... you'll see...

The March was originally created by the Church Ladies For Choice, but has since been lovingly taken over by the incredible Radical Faeries of NYC.  Yes, the Ladies still show up, but it's the Faeries who make it happen.  Viva Hucklefaery!

Enjoy!

For more pictures or video of the Drag March, goto:

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Part Deux of the Church Ladies For Choice (a performance activist troop dedicated to the blessed trinity of activist causes: Reproductive Freedoms, Youth AIDS and Condom Education and Queer Rights) performing LIVE at Restaurant Florent.

Enjoy!

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New York City's own CHURCH LADIES FOR CHOICE LIVE and in performance at Restaurant Florent in the meatpacking district!

Restuarant Florent is closing at the end of this month (June).  To commemorate its' many years of fine service to the community five evenings of performance were scheduled based on the five stages of loss set forth by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

The Church Ladies were the first performance on the first evening of performances.  They were in "Denial".

To be presented in two parts (damn the mariboo!), here is their performance for you.

Enjoy!

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What could be nicer than a day spent amongst the coasters of Hersheypark, PA.

Join TheOccasionalFags for this brief video summary of our recent trip and of what coaster heaven would be like should you find it in central Pennsylvania and not on the northern coast of the state of Ohio (that would be "Cedar Point" in Sandusky, OH for all of you who think an ACE member is something you find in a deck of cards).

And yes, sometimes even we think that videos like this are all so travelogue that we should just change our name to TheOccasionalRSVP or maybe even TheOccasionalOlivia, but good lordie, these are roller coasters mary, real roller coasters!

Oh! and oh yes...  The itinerary for what is now being named TheOccasionalFag "Coaster Hysteria Tour: The Four Queen's Leg" is provided below should it turn out you live somewhere near one of the parks we will be visiting in late July and wish to join us there:

Sat. July 26th - Knobels Park, PA
Tues. July 29th - Holidayworld, ID
Wed. July 30th - Indiana Beach, ID
Thurs. & Fri. July 31 & Aug. 1st - Cedar Point, OH
Sat. Aug. 2nd - Kennywood, PA
Sun. Aug 3rd - Lakemont Park, PA

Call the Hotline (206 600-5504) or email us at theoccasionalfag@gmail.com if you think you can join up with us on our week of coastering.

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Recorded on the first Monday and posted for the second Monday, it's a late first Monday podcast.  Brian G. and David b talk about how they played hooky, what they are doing for Pride month and who got some stimulus! 

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While waiting for David b to receive his larger purchased items Brian G. has a DSW Flashback.

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Occasional Fag Brian G. made his way out to the Fire Island Resort Community, The Pines, once again this Spring.

This time, Flip camera in hand, he has made a video.

He wanted it to be a visual "tone poem" of the place, but since his friend Mark, whom he was staying with, had just seen Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway he has decided that it is to be a video "chromalume" (or however you spell it...).

Whatever...  Enjoy!

(Occasional Fag David b is in the process of setting up his new computer making May a month heavy with vids with Brian G.)

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This video is about Occasional Fag Brian G. being part of the stage crew that loaded in the Pope for his 60,000 person mass in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx during his visit to the USA.  It's also about what Mr. G. then went and spent part of his paycheck on.

One thing, though:

After viewing this video, no comments please about lazy stage-hands just standing around in every shot.  Think about it - the only times I could get the video camera out to record in the Stadium were during huge waiting patterns because something big needed to get done before we could progress or for lunch and coffee breaks.  We worked our asses off getting this show up (and since it is a show, it must go on...).  Brian G. earned each and every penny those two days...

That's all.  Enjoy.

Join David b and Brian G as they talk with VJ and David from That Blue Jeans Guy about the 2^nd anniversary of TOF and other things.  At the end of the show we have a Go Go Boy Sonnet form Edmund Miller.

Part three of our never ending adventure in the Scandinavian wilds of North-Eastern New Jersey.

For those of you looking for and expecting our monthly first Monday podcast there is to be a special event first Monday Podcast next week (the second Monday) in honor of our second anniversary of podcasting.

On Friday April 25, the Day of Silence, a vigil was held in honor of Lawrence King and all LGBTQ youth victims and survivors of violence.  Presented here are 2 of the speakers at the vigil, Pauline Park from NYAGRA, and Christen from SAFE HORIZON.

 

Also, watch Adrian Acosta’s video from the vigil.

After taking in  - at the World Trade Center - an early morning of dueling  professional homophobes, the Pope and Fred Phelps, TheOccasionalFags end up at restaurant Florent for Brunch.

Here is their chatter.

Enjoy!

Our trip to IKEA continues as we discover, briefly, what David b is at IKEA to buy, and then ignore him at together.  Not for the entire trip that is, just for this segment.

On with the Show (room...)

It’s a First Monday again. In this one we get a Listener call and talk about a few other podcast. Check them out, “A Walk in the Park� and the soon to launch “Dial H for Homo�.

What is it gay men of the urban Northeast do when they are not working, eating, sleeping, activisting or having sex?  Why, fuck the stereotype, they're redecorating!

And when you have the budget such as the men of this podcast (and most New Yorkers for that matter 'cause we all don't work on Wall Street) that means just one thing - IKEA!

Besides, I don't know about you, but the first representation of a gay couple we ever saw in an advertisement on the tube (television that is, not You Tube) was in an IKEA commercial. 

Think of all that fiber-pressboard!
Think of the meatballs! 
Think of the lingonberries! 

Think of this as TheOccasionalFag doing an IKEA commercial only with real homos, not just actors playing them on TV...

And it's only the first part of a multi-part epic presentation! (Brian G is really enjoying his new Pure Digital Flip camera, isn't he!  A monster has been created!)

Enjoy!

Every year early Springtime one of the greatest roller coasters in the world, Coney Island's Cyclone, reopens to an adoring public.  The first one hundred people in line ride for free.

TheOccasionalFag was there last year with sound and this year with video.

It was cold and slightly rainy, but - along with all the various ACErs and Coney Island USA folks - we got our ride.  Enjoy it with us.

David b was out of town on business during a symposium at the New York City GLBT Center on antibiotic resistant strains of staph or MRSAs and their relation to men who have sex with men.  Brian G. went, Edirol recorder in hand.

Entitled, "Staph, Bath and Beyond," the forum was created to address recent misinformation about the "flesh eating virus" as a sexually transmitted disease.  The evening was divided into two parts, one on MRSA, and the other on Bathhouses and rumors of the city's Department of Health's plan to close commercial sex venues.

We present to you here speakers from the first MRSA section.  More on the  bathhouse section will be posted in the coming weeks.

David b had a birthday.  Many fellow podcasters were invited.  Brian G shot video.

Fellow podcasters decide the following weekend to gather for brunch.  David b suggests dim sum.  Brian G shoots more video.

Edit.  Keep it under eight minutes.  Edit.  Add fun music.  Edit.

This is what you get...

Enjoy!

Featuring

TIm Corrimal & Ron

Chef Mark

Eric the confessing southern boy & Bret

Pinoyboy & Peter

John Ong

Mikeypod

VJ

Birthdays, dim sum and questions, questions, questions - It must be First Monday with TheOccasionalFags.  (First Monday's episodes being those in which we go over what is current or topical in our lives for all to hear)

Enjoy!

This week we talk with Mark Hannay form the Metro New York Health Care For All Campaign about the difference health care plans of the presidential candidates’.

As promised last week, here is the video from our  weekend skiing at Stowe VT with the homos of Winter Rendezvous.  Now you can see all the maple syrup covered cheddar scrambled eggs, icicles, and bank robbers you could possibly want.  Also check out our flickr photo set.  And VJ's flickr photo sets 1, set 2, and set 3.

Got an invitation from our good friend Vj of vjnet.blogspot.com to join him for the Winter Rendezvous gay ski weekend in beautiful Stowe, Vermont. 

Alpine-style Skiing, hearty-styled homos, spa-styling in hot tubs and all the maple syrup covered chedder scrambled eggs one could eat  - needless to say, VJ had us at "hello".

Here is our second installment of of first Monday "FagLife" series recorded at the end of our weekend in Vermont with our good friend VJ.

Enjoy!

(Video of the weekend to come, ASAP).

What with You Tube and video-casts and iPod videos and such, does anyone out there still watch Community Access Television on cable TV?

Apparently, there is an OccasionalFag by the name of David b who lives in upstate Manhattan (Inwood) who does. Thank the stars this is so!  It was just a few weeks back that he discovered the footage on the tube we are presenting here to you now, that being images of the Second Annual Drag March in New York City held 13 years ago back in 1995.

As they were in the March, David b and Brian G. wax nostalgic and provide the necessary commentary so that viewers won't become lost in all the dark imagery.

Enjoy!

Was he inspired by the artistic dictates of his own inner muse, or was it the need to spend yet another hour and a half in the same room as Cheyenne Jackson.

We'll never know, but what we've ended up with is Occasional Fag Brian G's trip to the Barnes and Noble on 60th Street and Broadway for the official release of the Xanadu on Broadway Original Cast Recording.

Now that you're here...  Now that you're near... 

For this episode Sharon Flewitts has a Public service announcement for us.

 

Call our listener comment line 206.600.5504

Happy New Year!

And welcome to a new year of TheOccasionalFag.

Brian G had this idea that some sort of format for the podcast should be set up, and to those ends this is the first of the "Fag Life" first Mondays!  Each first monday of the month the Occasionals will gather and converse about what is going on in life; so, it's not hard news, but it is about the first hand going ons of two contemporary urban Homos in the twenty-first Century.

When Brian G was a child there were two 8-tracks that dominated the stereo during the holiday season: the Andy Williams Christmas Album and the Barbra Streisand Christmas Album.  Fast forward a decade (or two) and at family holiday gatherings all of Brian G's siblings are surprised to find that they have all purchased the Andy Williams Album to remind them of Christmas past; it is only Brian G who has purchased the Barbra Streisand Album.

Keeping that in mind, here is a last minute video holiday treat from TheOccasionalFag.  Just a short little bit of visual love from us to you to keep the season bright and - how shall we say it - "gay"...

If nothing else, as we enter the new new year and this podcast gets closer and closer to finding out what it wants to be, we've noticed that it ultimately has much to do with the wonderful community we are discovering out there through its' creation.  Many blessings to all of you and God(dess) bless us, everyone!

Share with us some holiday spirit on the listener line: 206.600.5504

Brian and David b talk about Christmas past and present.

Call the listener line: 206-600-5504

The world lost a Grand Old Fag on Wednesday December fifth when Bob Kohler passed away.  Join us as we celebrate Bob’s life and political activism at his political funeral, held in the streets of Manhattan on Sunday evening December 9th.

New York Times article about the political funeral.

Village Voice article about the political funeral.

Words to YOU’RE A GRAND OLD FAG:

You’re a grand old fag
You’re a radical fag
On the front lines and kick lines with flair!
You’ve got loads of class,
A real cute ass,
And wit you so gen’rously share.
When the chips are down
You are always around
And we know we have nothing to fear!
We swear we’ll keep our butt holes clean
And our eyes on the grand old queer!