The Trailer for Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer Prequel is a Beautiful VHS Ad

June 23, 2015, 7:30 am

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Practically everything about Netflix's upcoming Wet Hot American Summer prequel series is ridiculous and almost impossible to believe -- somehow, a large portion of the original cast came back to play even younger versions of themselves. Now, the first trailer for the series is here, confirming that it will be even more insane and than we might have expected. Presented as an old VHS-quality commercial for Camp Firewood narrated by H. Jon Benjamin (who gets to say the word "archery"), the trailer gives us a peek at some of the absurd activities at the camp -- most notably street dancing -- but not much about what the characters were up to at this point in their insane lives, other than a quick insert of what appears to be a porno. Good work, team -- we're excited to get to know you when First Day of Camp premieres July 31.

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Updated: Did You Guess It? OG Maco Just Outed Himself as a Meninist

June 23, 2015, 8:01 am

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Oh, OG Maco, we had such high hopes for you. But it looks like the leftfield, "don't give a fuck attitude" we lauded you for previously has actually become your downfall -- seeing as how you've just outed yourself as a secret Men's Rights Activist via Twitter.

You want to talk about "entitlement"? What about the entitlement that comes from you thinking you can buy us with what...a $200 breakfast? No. Woman. Owes. You. Anything. For. Buying. Her. A. Damn. Continental. Spread. 

In fact, it doesn't matter if you flew her to Paris for a luxury viennoiserie spread, cause what happens if she isn't feeling you? BITCH, YOU GUESSED IT: You aren't owed shit. After all, she's ostensibly a rational human being with free will, the right to choose and all that other great stuff that comes with having a vagina in the 21st century.

Kind of ironic too, coming from a dude who also tweeted in the same hour:

Yes, that's right: Dates are an emotional/informational exploration! It's what helps you determine whether the person you're sharing a fruit platter with is maybe worthy of you. And typically it takes you "1-3 dates" to figure out whether this dude's okay or an asshole. It's not determined by how fat your wallet is/what kind of material goods you get this person on your own volition, but by how cool you are as a person and how much she digs you.

Beware of anyone (Vine-infamous, Migos-affiliate or not) who tries to guilt you into doing anything you're uncomfortable with, especially if they use an antiquated, Victorian-era courting protocol as justification. Be fair, not foolish: Just go Dutch on this shit and be done with it.

UPDATE:

OG Maco responded to our post with the following. We've reached out to his publicist for an interview:

"There Is No Line": Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome and the Next-Level Insanity of Another Period

June 23, 2015, 8:30 am

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There's a lot of screaming. By the end of the pilot for Another Period, after you've watched incest, excessive consumption of cocaine wine and Helen Keller getting punched in the face, the teaser for the next episode consists of a long, unbroken montage of blueblood twits losing their shit. Such is the combustive force you get when you combine present-day reality TV with Edwardian decadence and class-obsession.

Creators and stars Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, who preside over a blazing cast that includes Christina Hendricks, three alumni of The State and a heartbreaking Armen Weitzman, spoke with us last week about the research -- both historical and Bravo-based -- behind the madness.

Why 1902?

Riki: 1902 was the year that cameras were invented -- like, motion picture cameras became usable. So it's the first year you could have technically had the show for real. Like, it wouldn't actually happen...

Natasha: 1902 is pretty much the beginning of this decade-long golden era in the Gilded Age where there was no income tax and basically people were living like rappers. I think they started to introduce income tax in 1912, 1915. And then everything changed. So we wanted to make sure that we had time to stay in this decade when we do subsequent seasons.

Did you go into it knowing something about this period? Or were you just starting with that Downton-meets-Kardashians idea?

Natasha: I read this book about the Gilded Age, and the woman who wrote the book kept saying that 90 percent of the wealth in all of America was in Newport, Rhode Island, at this time period. And she said you could still see all the houses there. I've always been sort of obsessed with class, and I just took a trip there one weekend by myself and explored the houses and listened to the stories of the people. I couldn't believe how these people were living. And so I told Riki about it and we both ended up going there and we did the tours and it was pretty great. People would have, like, 30 indoor servants and 40 outdoor servants. And they would just ship these people over from Ireland and for pennies. They would get their homes erected in Florence, built by whoever was the most famous architect in all of Europe, and they would collapse it, ship it over on a boat, and then reconstruct it in Newport. Nothing was enough for them. 

So Natasha, when the wheels started turning on this project, what made you think you wanted Riki as your collaborator?

Natasha: We pretty much came up with the idea together. One night we were having a glass of wine, trying to brainstorm. And I had this idea for this kind of modern reality show about the stupidest people in the world -- but it took place in modern times. I also had this idea for something that was a little more dramatic that took place in 1902. Riki was like, "Why don't we combine them and do a fake reality show about the stupidest people in 1902?" And then it just sort of started to write itself.

Riki: It was hard to do a reality show about people who were dumber than people who are already on reality shows. Like, it's hard to exaggerate a modern-day reality show. 

Are you guys avid viewers of any reality shows?

Riki: I think we've become more so because it's great research. I watch all of the Housewives shows. We kind of check everything out to see if anything inspires us. 

That sounds like it's more for research than something you're actually obsessed with.

Riki: Oh! I'm lying. I watch those because I think they're awesome and hilarious. I watch those purely for pleasure and did so before we thought of this idea. But, other shows we watch for research... Natasha does not watch the Kardashians for pleasure. That's just me.

Armen Weitzman as Garfield

I wanted to ask you about a thread in the second episode, where the servant Garfield gets "ravished" by an upper-class lady.

Riki: It was probably inspired by the rape scene on Downton. That definitely was a dropping-off point.

Natasha: As women, we're always looking at the ways to ask, "What is the female side of everything?" And also, you know, we really did create these characters who would've done something like that. Like, I don't not believe it. 

Riki: Yeah. And in this case the ravishing is not about gender; it's about class. She can do whatever she wants because she has higher status than him and he has no say. He seemed like the one male servant who she could do that to. He seems like a vulnerable sort of guy. 

Natasha: Yes, not many actors can pull that off but Armen did a great job. I forgot that's the second episode [laughs].

Was there any trouble getting that joke through?

Natasha: Oddly, no. Comedy Central was so accommodating and they were so down with whatever. We had the best executives: they really got it.

And you even have a scene with the two main husbands talking about whether it's appropriate to laugh about it...

Riki: And then David Wain goes, "There is no line." And that's basically the theme for our entire show.

Jason Ritter as Frederick Bellacourt

Elsewhere in that episode, Jason Ritter has this little rant, like, "I don't do anything! I don't work!" and that seemed like a very familiar trope for a lot of Victorian novels and culture around that time.

Riki: We talk about that constantly. We're like, "How do we make this funny? Oh! He should tell the servant how bad his life is while the servant is washing his balls."

Natasha: We definitely live in a servant-less society. Back then, the servants had servants. The idea that people now are just supposed to do everything themselves is a bit absurd. The idea that a single man is supposed to clean his own house, make his own food, go to work full-time. Things just didn't used to be like that.

It's a ludicrous time we live in.

Natasha: It's a servant-less society. I can't take it! 

Was there anything else about the period that really surprised you?

Natasha: Money-wise, America was inventing itself. It was still trying to find its identity. It was pulling from England a little bit. Grocery stores hadn't been invented. Women couldn't vote. Everything was just being developed as our show is happening. And capitalism -- that was basically being invented at this exact time period. Like maybe America could've gone socialist. People didn't quite know the direction yet. 

Riki: Yeah. There were no antitrust laws. It was a free-for-all.

Natasha: But the thing that I love most is just seeing how people could live in this free-for-all because there was no income tax. Now we're living in a time where people have figured out how to legally break the law enough to not pay income tax. So basically, we're right back to where we started. 

Last question: Natasha, is the dog on the show your dog? 

Natasha: [laughs] Do I have too many pictures of my dog on Instagram? Am I in a "crazy" category?

Riki: I mean, you have to do at least one picture with all of her wigs. 

Natasha: There's one woman in America who makes dog wigs and she's M.I.A. But yes. Her name's Mayor Cutie and she is my real dog. She's one of three. She's the only one I truly love, and she's extremely photogenic and just does what we tell her. So we kept writing parts for her.

Another Period premieres tonight on Comedy Central.

Natasha Leggero as Lillian Bellacourt and Riki Lindhome as Beatrice Bellacourt

Out and Proud: Meet Country Music's LGBT Avant-Garde

June 23, 2015, 9:00 am

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Artwork by Portis Wasp

"I'm crying in a damn @McDonalds restroom in VA Thx to you both, @TyHerndoncom and @BillyGilman." That was LeAnn Rimes tweeting about the courage of two of her country music colleagues, both of whom publicly came out of the closet last year.

But let's back up a bit. The first major country star to speak openly about being gay was Chely Wright, who came out in 2010. A 44-year-old native of Kansas City, Missouri, who rose to prominence in the late '90s with a slew of sassy, pop-influenced singles, Wright tells me about her years in the closet in a calm voice that belies her agitation: "I can't overstate how debilitating it was... that fear that I was going to be outed." Her turning point came in 2006, when a breakup with a woman she loved almost caused her to end her own life with a 9-millimeter handgun. It was then that she decided to unburden herself of her secret.

Billy Gilman, 27 years old and originally from Westerly, Rhode Island, was only 11 when he landed on the Billboard country music charts with his hit "One Voice." Gay rumors abounded for years and prevented Nashville execs from booking him. As he speaks, his confident tone wavers only when he recalls the threat of getting outed: after a reporter snapped photos of Gilman and his boyfriend attending a local festival together, he decided that he needed to share his personal truth before a media outlet did so for him.

Ty Herndon, 53, who was nominated for a Grammy in 2010 for his album Journey On, lived in terror of being shunned by the industry -- and by the Christian community in his hometown of Butler, Alabama. "Being a young kid and hearing that you're going to burn in hell for who you are was a pretty bad thing for a young fellow to hear," he says. Herndon strived to pass for straight, struggling through two marriages to women who kept his secret, and fell into drug and alcohol addiction. "I was in such pain," he says. "My family and friends had known I was gay for a long time, and it was time for the fans to know."

Having all graced the Grand Ole Opry and beyond, Wright, Herndon and Gilman needed to come out in a public way. In May 2010, Wright made country music history when she revealed her story in the pages of People Magazine. (She later told the Today show, "I feel as if it's my birthday.") She continued to speak about her journey in her memoir Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer and the documentary Wish Me Away.

Herndon and Gilman spoke publicly about their sexual orientation just last year -- on the same day, coincidentally. On November 20, Herndon spoke with People.com and Entertainment Tonight; he told the former, "I'm an out, proud and happy gay man... I'm looking forward to living the rest of my life authentically." Gilman made his announcement in a simple YouTube video. Though he confesses he's not well versed in social media, Gilman liked the immediacy and intimacy of speaking directly to his fans via YouTube. "I can honestly say I'm scared to death," he says in the five-and-a-half-minute clip. "But it was time for me to be honest." (Gilman also gives a nod to Herndon in the video for his "courageous effort" earlier that day.)

The three artists have received mixed responses from the Nashville industry and their fans. Wright, the trailblazer, took much of the heat. In 2011, she told the lesbian blog Autostraddle, "My life has been threatened. I get nasty letters every day." She tells me that the reaction comes as no surprise in America's homophobic climate: "Half of the nation is not OK with equal rights for people like me. Why would anyone think that country music would fare better than the nation?" At the same time, she says, "The positive side of coming out in country music, or any type of traditionally conservative genre, is that you get a chance to move the needle."

Of course, there's more to this part of the story than bigots and trolls. Gilman has received hundreds of thank-you emails from fans who remain in the closet. Herndon has been moved to tears by the fans who've drawn strength from his example. He says, "Two days after I came out, this 17-year-old kid brought his parents to see my show, and he said, 'After you came out, I came out to my parents. I want to be a country artist.'"

With the growing support for marriage equality, there's hope that the country -- as well as country music -- will expand its acceptance of gays and lesbians. As for the fate of LGBTQ country music stars, Wright paraphrases a telling note from a fan: "I thought that I wasn't for equality. I guess you've made me change my mind a little bit."

Premiere: Big Dipper Is The Little Merbear In New Video, "Vibin'"

June 23, 2015, 9:45 am

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Fulfilling our childhood fantasy, bear rapper Big Dipper channels The Little Mermaid in his new music video, "Vibin," dressed as Ariel (or Hairiel) before growing his legs and falling in love at the beach. The Tobin Del Cuore-directed clip is a departure from BD's more aggressive "Bob N Weave" video with Byrell the Great, stocked with hunky, shirtless sailors, campy choreography and a barely-there sequin speedo. Never one to shy from sexual innuendos (because why should he) "Vibin" takes place on "Merbear Isle," just off the shore of "Skankland" and "Hidden Taint," surrounded entirely by "Seaman's Abyss."

"This is my 'Starships' moment," says the Chicago-bred, NY-based rapper, referring to Nicki Minaj's sun-soaked 2012 smash single. While the track shines with BD's tongue-in-cheek queer humor, it's definitely a power pop moment, designed for Top 40 radio play -- or in the very least, incessant looping during this year's pride parades. 

"Vibin" is the first single off BD's newly-released EP, Extra Good, a five-track effort that's far more sugary than anything he's done in the past. "I wanted to see if I could get away with making songs that could be in a 'Sunny Delight' commercial," he explains. "It's sort of the opposite of what I've been doing lyrically in the past -- more metaphors and less actual dick in mouth shit." Dive into the Paper premiere of "Vibin," above.

We'll Soon Learn the Fate of One of Keith Haring's Most Important Works

June 23, 2015, 11:30 am

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[Photo via]

With July 4th just around the corner, The CityKids Foundation is announcing the fate of Keith Haring's iconic American mural, "CityKids Speak on Liberty." Not only is it one of Keith's most patriotic works, but it is also the largest. The six-story piece depicting the Statue of Liberty first debuted in Battery Park on July 4th, 1986, celebrating the statue's 100th birthday. Since then, it has been exhibited all over the world from Milan to Paris. However, now after more than two decades, the work is finally returning to its home in New York, commemorating both the 25th anniversary of Haring's passing and the 30th anniversary of The City Kids Foundation. The press conference announcing the ultimate fate of Haring's work will take place tomorrow at the NOMO SOHO Hotel and will feature a special message from artist Kenny Scharf and and performance by Steven Prescod, star of the one man show, Brooklyn Boy.

Tinashe Debuts an Intoxicating New Video for "Cold Sweat"

June 23, 2015, 12:04 pm

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Incredibly alluring with her haunting voice and distant attitude, the inimitable Tinashe has just released an intimate Stephen Garnett-directed visual for the (undeniably hot) single "Cold Sweat." 

Fresh off of last year's heavy-hitting Aquarius, this oozer of a track is accompanied by a warped Tinashe, who ripples between distortions and different faces. Balanced by her disaffected croon and sparse production, it's definitely a slow-burner to soak in. Enjoy.

Photographer Andi Galdi Vinko Captures the Strange Surreality of the Everyday

June 24, 2015, 5:00 am

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"I really like grotesque forms, compositions, and situations...I think weird and surreal adds to reality," London-based, Hungarian photographer Andi Galdi Vinko told us back in April. The young artist's work often features striking compositions of friends, acquaintances or strangers interacting with themselves, other people or props in ways that feel simultaneously familiar and slightly disconcerting. (See: the father with his son atop his shoulders whose back muscles underneath his child's bottom create the illusion of one "extended butt crack.") It's an aesthetic that has drawn comparisons to Galdi Vinko's self-professed favorite director, Harmony Korine, and one that's encapsulated by the name of her first London solo show, Paradisco. Speaking to VICE UK, she explained that the name combines the Hungarian slang word "para" ("Fear is just fear, but 'para' is when you're scared of things in a weird way") with disco, creating a portmanteau that also nods to "the Italian word 'paradiso,' which is paradise...the two words combined allude to this elusive paradise." Folks in London have one more week to see her work in person at Stour Space in Hackney Wick before Paradisco closes on June 29th and for all others, you can take a look at a collection of Galdi Vinko's photos from the exhibit, below.

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

From Andi Galdi Vinko, Paradisco Exhibition, 2015

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We Talk to the Stars of "Eden" About Fictionalizing the French House Experience

June 24, 2015, 5:40 am

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photo courtesy of CG Cinéma

Mistakenly thought of as a "film about Daft Punk,"Mia Hansen-Løve's critically-acclaimed Eden just uses the infamous duo as celeb-bait. Sure there's a few soundtrack nods and a humorous scene where they're denied entrance to a club, but the core of the film really lies in the story of Paul -- the fictionalized version of Hansen-Løve's brother Sven played by Félix de Givry. Chronicling the slow, mind-numbing burn of a mildly-successful arts career peppered by trysts, tears and plenty of blow, we got the chance to chat with both Sven and Félix about what it was like working together, balancing fact and fiction, and bridging the gap between genres and generations. 

What was it like when you guys first met? What's your relationship like now? 

Félix de Givry: Actually the first time we met, it was kind of funny because he had stopped DJing for a while, and he was DJing for this production company for the release of a film. It was the first time I met him and you could see he was so unhappy behind the decks. So that's the first time I saw him. Then I guess I spent more time with Mia than with Sven, but we spent a lot of time actually watching footage, pictures. He gave me the comic book. So it's this kind of stuff, more technical things. Then [there's] Mia, who's more about the character. I'd say Sven was more about the background than the character. 

Sven Hanson-Løve: A lot of just talking, not only about the film but of many things. It was interesting because Félix comes from a younger generation, and doing the film with him was a way also to approach a young generation, to make a link. He comes from a background that is not too different from mine, so we share some things about that. So it was an interesting thing to 

Sven, you co-wrote the script, right? I think Mia mentioned previously that the film is decidedly "uncool." Why did you want to approach and retell your story in that way?

SHL: Right. I think we wanted--especially Mia--to tell a story in a different way, not the usual way. Especially when you [think] of the club DJ scene, you have all those clichés that you can expect. And Mia--of course, it's our scene, it's adorable, all these [clichés], so she wanted to do something different, something that brings a new perspective about something that people don't know that much. Her approach was a more realistic, naturalistic approach, try[ing] to be a more authentic perceiver. If you are really true about the DJ world, you can speak about the good side, but also the bad side when you tell the truth. Don't emphasize or romanticize the drugs, and just be honest about it. 

Talk to me a little about adapting your life for the screen. How exactly did you guys toe the line between fictionalizing and keeping faithful to your experiences? 

SHL: I think it was a natural way. She started by interviewing me and asked many, many questions about the past, so I can give her inside anecdotes, stories. Then she started to write, but that all came rising naturally, in an organic way, simple way. Then we realized everything was mixed up, the fiction--something that she invented--with the real things. Of course there are things I know that are real and [that she] didn't invent, but some things I don't know, so it's a big mix-up. 

Tell me a little about what the French rave scene was like back in the day. Would you say the movie is an accurate recreation of what you experienced in your heydey?

SHL: Yeah, yeah, because she was so careful about being precise, about details and everything, that I got the feeling it reflected really well what it was. All the people who were part of that scene and who spent a lot of time in those parties back in the day, they were impressed by the fact that we captured rather well the way it was. But it has a lot to do with the care of the details. 

Yeah, the details were really impressive. I noticed that you guys made a really big effort to keep a lot of the history of house music itself intact with things like the Arnold Jarvis cameo and inclusion of seminal Trax Records songs. Did you think it would be a problem for people who weren't really familiar with house music at all? Because it's a lot to sort of throw at the layperson. 

SHL: Yeah, it was something--we tried to explain a bit what it was, to have also an approach that is like [educational], to try to explain in a way what it is, because we knew that the film was surely going to be screened everywhere, and people know nothing about that music. On the other hand, we couldn't be too much like teachers. We had to find the right balance between explain[ing] things to people who know nothing about it and [those who do]. I guess [for] people who know nothing [it] could be a little complicated toward the end. But actually, mainly people know about it right now--the DJ scene, the club scene--because it's so large. It's mainstream culture right now, almost. So many people know what we are talking about. 

Was it sort of intimidating for you [Félix] to be acting with Sven watching you the entire time?

FD: No, because he was never putting pressure. I always felt like I was the character and that I was very free to play around and do whatever I want. It's mostly Mia who was more [directorial], who really knows what she wants. From Sven's perspective I could play around with it, but from Mia's perspective there was less space. She had a clear idea of what she wanted. 

Were you a big house fan before? 

FD: I was really into electronic music, yes. I'm very young, and the film enabled me to explore details that you don't find normally on the Internet or that [aren't] really documented. It gave me the opportunity to go to the root of what it was, because the feeling I discovered in the film is that the first people who actually did this movement were so few--like a group of people going to raves and always meeting in these shops. So having access to these people and talking to them about this era was amazing. 

On that note, what was it like bridging the generational gap? Do you think you guys did that successfully, and was it difficult to integrate both of your [Sven's and Félix's] perspectives?

FD: It's like a reverse, you know? I'm 20, he's 40, so for me it's easy to do a 20-year-old character. We both put our original perspective and mixed in a big blender, somehow. 

A lot of people want to know as well is what your relationship to Daft Punk is like now. Do you guys still keep in touch? Is that how you financed the soundtrack? Cause you guys have some real heavy-hitters in there for an indie production. 

SHL: I'm still friends with them. Not as I was in the past, because I was friends with them when we were all very young, and before they were [so famous]. Then I kind of more or less lost touch with them, but right now I'm still friends with them. I went to Thomas's birthday, and they have been so nice with us, for helping us with the film in many different ways. 

They helped with the music licensing? 

SHL: Yeah, they helped us first of all because they agreed that we do the film. Then they helped us, because they gave us songs for a rather cheap price -- the right of their music, the three songs that we used in the film. That really helped us to do the whole soundtrack. Because of that, it really opened some doors. And they helped us also with the script: they gave us some comments, critiques, and suggestions. We have a very good relationship with them and see them sometimes.

Eden is playing in theaters now.

Finally: Rihanna's Getting Her Own Fashion Line

June 24, 2015, 6:00 am

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Temporary tats are great and all, but if you're looking to take your obsession with our favorite Bad Gal to the next level, today is your day: The singer now has a forthcoming clothing clothing line called...$CHOOL KIlls.

According to initial reports, $CHOOL KIlls was registered as a New York LLC last month and will start by selling leather goods before moving onto clothing. And while we don't have much more than that, a source said that Rihanna "will continue to release singles and albums, but she's had plans in place to expand in other areas like fashion, for a good few years now." Yeah, that's right. If you missed out on her River Island collection with Adam Selman, here's your second chance.

Dare we hope for some mid-range see-thru garms? Affordable Canadian tuxedo two-pieces? A pool of Met Gala-inspired realness? Only time will tell...

h/ti-D

A/S/L: Exploring Web 1.0 with Tavi Gevinson

June 24, 2015, 6:15 am

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The internet has been part of our lives for long enough that a generation of writers and artists has come of age with it, and used it as a tool to construct their creative and professional identities. But that also means that they grew up alongside an internet that today's teens would find foreign and scary, during the days when MySpace was the biggest social network, AIM buddy profiles were important social statements, and having your own GeoCities page was a big deal. Our column, A/S/L, asks the people who are best at the internet to tell us about their personal Web 1.0.

Photo by Victor Skrebneski

This week, we talk to Tavi Gevinson, who by this point is the rare person who may need little-to-no introduction. First as a fashion blogger under the title Style Rookie (which now functions as her personal site), then as the founder of Rookie, a thriving, influential online magazine for teen girls, Gevinson has had one of the most successful (and public) careers of anyone raised on the internet -- and she's moved, at least in part, offline with several other projects, including acting on Broadway. Considering that that Style Rookie started taking off when she was 12, an age when most other people are struggling through middle school, her early experiences with the internet seem inextricable from the direction her life has taken. Here's A/S/L. 

What was the first internet service you made an account for? Was there a specific reason you made it? (i.e. I made my first AOL account so I could sign up for Neopets) 

My dad got my sisters and mom and me all matching Comcast email addresses, I think in an attempt to like, understand the impending 2000s. I was probably conditioned to believe inane facts about myself were riveting to other people through those "this is my personality!!!" email chains. 

Did that translate at all into the decision to start Style Rookie? 

The solipsism (or just writerly muscle?) that may have developed through those survey chains as well as a series of "All About Me" books designed for young girls of the early 2000s (one of mine was Lip Smackers-branded) probably carried over to my blog.

What was your first screen name?

TaviToons7 because my friend's mom called me that. 7 was my lucky number and therefore my identity. I also feel I should tell you that I shared a Neopets account with two boys from our synagogue and that our username was jewsrule3. Isn't that the worst thing you have ever heard? I was still keeping up my own account because EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF and my password was a misspelling of Good Charlotte because I was like, "Favorite band, favorite band...the boys, with the song!"



I was really into decorating the shops because customizing the design of your page was the most attractive quality, to me, of Myspace, which I wasn't allowed to have. My cool Rayanne-ish friends did, and were friends on it with all of their older, middle school-aged siblings and their friends and boyfriends. I asked my dad if it was OK to get a Xanga and he said no but I made it anyway and kept it up for maybe a weekend. 

What was your most profound AIM away message (or rough equivalent)? 

When I took up guitar in 6th grade I proudly added every new song I learned in a different color font. I remember "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson, "Bubbly" by Colbie Callait, and, because I didn't have context for anything, the one that Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara sing in A Mighty Wind.

How has your relationship with the concept of online private spaces changed over time? Has that manifested itself in independent, personal sites? 

I kept a diary throughout high school because I didn't want to need feedback on everything I wrote, and I think that makes the writing you publish publicly stronger, because you already have the outlet to spill your guts, and then you shape it into something that expresses an idea larger than you, that could actually make sense outside of your head. I don't think I ever kept a private blog, though. That would have defeated the point. It was good to know my own handwriting. 

Who were the first people you thought were big deals on the internet, and did you ever interact with them IRL? 

Fashion bloggers like Susie Bubble and Rumi Neely! Yes, it was like, mind-blowing.

Chart the history of your life in websites, by listing the most important site to you each year you've been online. How did each of those help facilitate your understanding of how taste functions and is created online?

How daunting! So there were pet sites like Neopets and Webkinz (which required buying stuffed animals IRL which were pretty expensive and so when you got into that instead of Neopets you went on a bit of a Fergie's "Glamorous" journey). Simultaneously, dress-up ones like Stardolls/Paperdoll Heaven (I think they merged?) and Dollz, which had a tank top with the Playboy logo on it that I always thought it was cute until I found out what it meant and was mortified. Disney Channel had some pretty good games and every now and then I'll meander over to the Kim Possible page and give A Sitch in Time another whirl. I was very into the games on sites for IRL dolls like Polly Pocket, MyScene, Barbie, Bratz, and DivaStarz. PUT A "Z" ON IT AND I'M THERE.

What's the strongest relationship you've ever formed with someone you hadn't met IRL? Did it change if/when you met?

By now, the vast majority of people in my life and most of my closest friends are people I met somehow through "work," which started with my blog, then became other online stuff like Rookie or writing, and then offline stuff like acting.

When you were first online, did you ever create alternate identities online?

My friend and I kept a Xanga for like an inside joke character we created who was essentially a Napoleon Dynamite ripoff. (Answering this whole interview has been a form of time travel so thank you.)

What's the most important thing you've learned from the internet?

I believe blogging was most formative for me in what it must have done to my brain to discover most of the art that became important to me and pick apart why I gravitated towards it... that stuff is my DNA now. And trying to translate it into outfits and writing and internalize it all and build this constellation of stuff that I felt had taught me how to live? It goes beyond imagining how my life would've turned out without the publicness or opportunities; I would experience the world differently and be a completely different person. I think it's fascinating and I'm thankful for every bit of information I've processed. It deepened my ability to feel connected to other people's work -- which is like, the most blessedly wonderful thing about being human -- and all of it factors into my own.

Do you wish you had spent less time online when you were younger? Do you wish you spent less time on the internet now?

No and no. I probably shouldn't have stayed up on Tumblr till 5 AM but I was like, reading old profiles of elusive figures in fashion. Or maybe I've just forgotten all the shitty stuff I wasted time on. Now since being online is part of my job, I don't really like to spend extra time on it. It'd be like staying in the office after hours.

Scenes From the Coach Summer Party on the High Line

June 24, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Adam Scott On Small Penises, Male Bisexuality and His New Movie The Overnight

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Tourists to New York usually fall in love with the High Line, the former elevated train track converted into an urban park perched about the streets of Manhattan's far west side and thanks to Coach and the Friends of the High Line locals, have a good excuse to spend the evening up there for the yearly Summer Party. Each June, the fashion house gathers a parade of stylish folks who wear flower headdresses, play carnival games, get their caricature done and generally marvel at the gorgeous views of New Jersey (and, no, that's not meant to be ironic). Even summer showers this year didn’t stop the party train -- they even cooled things off for the revelers. Take a look at photos from the night, below.

Chloe Grace Moretz, Kate Bosworth and Suki Waterhouse

Kiernan Shipka and Dylan Penn

Chloe Norgaard and Freeka Tet

Chloe Grace Moretz and Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers

Susie Lau

Thelma Golden

Victor Luis, Diane von Furstenberg and Stuart Vevers

Adam Scott On Small Penises, Male Bisexuality and His New Movie The Overnight

June 24, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: See Big Sean Give Us 2-for-1 with "All Your Fault" and "I Know"

≪ Previous: Scenes From the Coach Summer Party on the High Line

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Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling in The Overnight

From the douchey husband in Step Brothers to the perfect husband on Parks and Recreation to the neurotic husband on Tell Me You Love Me, Adam Scott has gotten plenty of opportunities to show off his range as an actor in the past few years. But in his new film The Overnight, which he co-produced along with his wife Naomi, Scott shows off a completely different side of himself. Scott fans have never seen him play a character this insecure and emotionally open before... and he's also pretty much naked in it.

Directed and scripted by newcomer Patrick Brice and co-produced by the Duplass Brothers, the raunchy Sundance hit stars Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling as young parents that struggle to make friends after moving to Los Angeles. After agreeing to a dinner party at the ultra-confident Jason Schwartzman's house, Scott is elated to make a new friend...and then things take a turn. You've perhaps already heard that there's a scene where Scott and Schwartzman dance around wearing prosthetic penises (Scott's fake one is a micro, Schwartzman gets to have the "goddamn horse cock."), but there's more to this modern Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice than fake dicks, as The Overnight explores the nature of modern masculinity and the difficulty of adult friendship and life after children in a smart, insightful and hilariously blue way.

I met with Scott at New York's Bowery Hotel to discuss selecting the right fake penis, life after Parks and Recreation and whether there will ever be any more Party Down. (The only thing he felt comfortable saying on record is that the outlook is not currently great.) He was charming and thoughtful throughout the conversation, but got especially animated (as did the teenager sitting next to us) when the conversation turned to Game of Thrones, so spoiler alert for the five people out there who haven't heard about that character who probably didn't really die in the season finale.


What attracted you to the project?

It explored the idea of male friendship in a new way, and I'm kind of fascinated by it. And also, it really freaked me out. Guys like Jason's character tend to freak me out a little bit. Like, super friendly, lots of compliments and a little touchy, so that freaked me out, and the nudity and stuff freaked me out, so I just figured, if I'm having this strong reaction, maybe it's something that would be healthy to do. And I just thought it was very funny, and my wife and I were looking to do a feature for our company and Mark (Duplass) brought us this script, and we could do it for a small amount of money. All the pieces seemed to fit.

It's also a really relatable thing. You can be very happy in your love life, have a good job, but if you're in a town where you don't know people or if you're out of college and don't know how to meet friends, it can feel very lonely anyways.

Yeah, It's tricky. I was just saying to someone that the only ways I meet people now are through work or through my kids.  I don't go out to bars anymore, just because I just don't have the time, and the reason work is the way to meet someone is that's where I spend all my time. Maintaining a friendship outside of work or my kids is almost impossible. So I can't imagine moving to a place where I didn't know anyone. I don't know how I would meet anyone.

So, there's a long history of actors turning down roles because they would be embarrassed or think they wouldn't look cool. But not only did you go for a role where you're playing a man with a small penis, you made it happen. You produced it.

When we said "yeah, let's do this," you know, making a movie is so hard, and it never happens, I sort of thought "this'll never happen," but my wife is very tenacious and aggressive, and she made it happen and so it was like "oh shit, so I actually have to do this stuff. This is going to be hard." And I'm so glad that we did, because it was a rewarding experience, and I think it turned out well, and it's nice to be able to go out and promote something and be like, really one hundred percent happy and really mean it when you're telling people they should see it. I could've played the other role, I guess. I just really connected to this role.

Obviously, you were wearing a prosthetic and everything, but you were still fairly naked in the film. Were you nervous at all during those scenes?

Super nervous, Jason and I were both super nervous, but then once we got those things on, we were weirdly comfortable. Because it looks like a real penis, and you're not wearing anything else, so for all intents and purposes everybody sees exactly what you would look like naked. But there's this psychological barrier, because it's not your penis. So we were far more comfortable than we thought we would be. We were hanging out on set. It just looked like two naked dudes, but we're not really naked -- it was very strange. And once you get in the pool - we were in the pool for a while and you get really water-logged -- it was actually kind of freeing, similar to how the character feels afterwards. I was far less self-conscious than I thought I would be.

How did you go about figuring out which one would look good on camera, what was that process like?

There was an e-mail chain somewhere between my wife, Duplass, and Patrick the director, and the guy who makes the prosthetics, trying to figure out which one is appropriate for the large one, and then we'd hold a photo up to it for scale. I remember at one point, they're like "here's the small one," and Duplass and I were both like, "Really, is that what people think is small? Okay, uh, maybe we should go smaller." At one point it was like, "Do we go micro micro penis or is that too extreme?" And then there was a dick that was so big it was just ridiculous.  So we had to find a happy medium and, I think there's something interesting that the dick my character has is not a micro thing, it's more about how he feels about it, than anything.

Was your wife on set during like the sex scenes?

We had this whole conversation before we started shooting. "Taylor and I have this intimate scene. You should not be on set for that. The orgy, of course, you won't be there." But then we started making the movie, and everybody was having such a good time and we were all such fast friends that by the time that stuff rolled around, no one cared, and you realize, we're all grown-ups and professionals, who gives a shit? So it was all totally fine. 

Do you read Dan Savage at all?

Dan Savage?

Yeah, the sex columnist.

No.

He talks a lot about how like male bisexuality, on the spectrum of human sexuality, is often denigrated or ignored, but it's very common for men to be curious about other men in a way. And sometimes it is subtext in films, but here it's front and center.

It's so true, like there are so many quote unquote, I don't want to say "bromance" but, there are a lot of movies that I've seen in the past 15 years where it's like the next scene would've been them making out.

Yeah, I agree.

And these two guys, you know, I don't want to spoil anything because it's such a great moment when it unfolds in the movie, but I love that Patrick had the guts to go there.

Like, I Love You, Man... at the end of it, it's like, Paul Rudd and Jason Siegel should just marry each other.

Maybe that's the sequel.

How does it feel to be done with Parks and Recreation? Is it scary to not have that paycheck and constant exposure, or nice to have more time to explore things?

I never took that show for granted. I don't think any of us did. We all talked a lot, through the whole five years I was there anyway, about how lucky we all were to be on a show that's actually good, and on a network, and we were all really into it, so for it to end was tricky emotionally, because we all felt like it was the right time to end story-wise, and it was still good, so why not end when the show is still working, but at the same time you're saying goodbye to your friends and to a job, so yeah, it is scary, but it's exciting. I want to keep doing television. I don't know if I want to find a comedy to do or something else, I'm just sort of taking it slow and patrolling around for something.

Are you looking to produce any more projects?

Well, we have a couple shows in development at Universal, one that's at NBC. Joe Mande's writing it. It's about the green rush in Colorado. It's called Buds. We're very, very busy with stuff.

Now, I know the Parks and Recreation writers often based characters on their actors' real lives. Your character was a big Game of Thrones fan. Are you?

Yeah.

Did you see the finale?

Yeah!

Do you think Jon Snow is dead?

I don't know. I tend to think no, just because I think he's touched, I think he's a little too special, I think when he killed that white walker and the leader of the white walkers took note and was clearly impressed, there's something special happening there. So I think there's something inside that guy that he can't die. What do you think?

It's A Song of Ice and Fire right? So it has to be him versus Khaleesi at the end.

Is Ice and Fire the next book?

No, the book series is actually called A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones is like one title in the series. Plus there's like a sorceress, right there.

(A teenager sitting next to us) Did you watch the episode?

Yeah.

Teenager: Did you see when he dies?

There's a sorceress right there who can raise the dead. He'll be fine. He'll be fine.

Wait wait -- who can raise the dead?

Uh, the fire priestess. Melisandre.

She can raise the dead?

Yeah. Or I think the Lord of Light can.

The actor said "I'm dead."

Oh that's just tricking the audience. If he was done, he would've shaved, he would've gotten a haircut.

Do you think he can come back as a white walker, maybe?

I hope not, but maybe. But I do not think he's dead.

No, I don't think he is either.

But I bring this up because one complaint people have in this show is there's a lot of female nudity and not much male nudity.

Uh-huh.

As a person who has now more or less done it, why do you think it's so scary for actors or producers to want to go there?

Because it's uncomfortable, you know? I don't blame people for not wanting to do it. It would've been a whole different thing if I didn't have the prosthesis on there. It's uncomfortable doing sex scenes, it's uncomfortable for good reason. I think Game of Thrones should keep doing what it's doing, unapologetically being the show it is.

So what's your next project going to be?

You know, I haven't had a break in -- my wife and I figured out -- I haven't had a significant break in... (long pause).... four years.

Really?

I've just been going nonstop for a while, so I'm just gonna stop and relax. I feel like the show ending, it's maybe time to sort of reassess and just really figure out what I wanna do.
 
What do you think you're going to do on your break?

We're gonna go to the beach. We rented a little house, and my kids and my wife and I are gonna go there for ten days. They're eight and six. And I think they're gonna be happy that I'm taking a break, too.

So you can really relate to the stressed out parent thing that you're playing in the movie.

Yeah, for sure. I think it's an interesting thing about the movie, you put down your roots, you feel like you have to be a rock for these other people in your family, and so you stop changing, because you feel like, "okay, now I'm this, the die has been cast. This is who I am," and you forget that you can change. You can evolve still. I think the characters in the movie discover that.

See Big Sean Give Us 2-for-1 with "All Your Fault" and "I Know"

June 24, 2015, 7:45 am

≫ Next: Singer / Social Star Troye Sivan Talks Growing Up & Coming Out in the YouTube Age

≪ Previous: Adam Scott On Small Penises, Male Bisexuality and His New Movie The Overnight

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Big Sean is on a roll. As if you weren't still reeling from last week's drop of his heartwarming "One Man Can Change the World" video, today he's offered us up two more visual gems from his Dark Sky Paradise release -- this time in full color.

"All Your Fault" comes through with a little Street Fighter-esque verse-battling between Sean and Kanye (who also throws down some current event protest realness) in a nightclub. And it's, er, G.O.O.D. After all, how can you go wrong when you pair an irresistible hook with a guest from God himself?

"I Know," on the other hand, features the radiant Jhené Aiko as Old Sean's geriatric love interest. Heavily made up, the duo romance each other over slow dances and stolen glances, for a heartwarming narrative that ends with a grand escape to the dive bar of their dreams and a "turn back time" moment. 

Now this is the kind of two-for-one deal I can get behind.

Singer / Social Star Troye Sivan Talks Growing Up & Coming Out in the YouTube Age

June 24, 2015, 7:50 am

≫ Next: Coach's New Campaign Stars Celebrity Dogs

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Troye Sivan isn't your average 20-year-old. While most of his peers are busying themselves with end-of-term cramming or summer planning, this South African expat is splitting his time between Perth and Los Angeles and working on his first full-length record, having kicked off the year walking in a Saint Laurent show. A new breed of pop star who came up in the early days of YouTube, where he went on to cultivate a following of 3 million-plus, Sivan slowed down long enough to stop by the PAPER office back in May. We talked about everything from his collaboration with crossover EDM titan Zedd to his work promoting organizations that make growing up gay -- a subject he's intimately familiar with -- a little bit easier.

It's a busy time for you! Zedd just announced that you'd be guesting on his upcoming LP alongside Selena Gomez and Echosmith. How did that come about?

Apparently Zedd has been a fan for quite some time -- I wasn't sure if I should believe it or it was just something my management told me, but apparently it was very legit. I went to him and recorded one song that didn't really feel right. I left and I felt so devastated, like, "Fuck, I just blew a Zedd feature!" And then a couple weeks later he told me he had another song and I went in, and from the word "go" it felt so right. I love the song now.

You have over 3 million YouTube subscribers, and with the Zedd feature and your own album in the works, you're going to expand your audience even further. Are you ever scared to mess up in front of so many people?

I don't know if I just haven't messed up monumentally enough. I'm pretty sure when I do it will all come crashing down on me and I'll freak out. [laughs] I mean, I've seen what the Internet is capable of, and it's terrifying: when things go wrong, things can really really go wrong, so it's something i'm aware of and preparing myself for. It's probably going to happen one day, because I do live so much of my life online and I obviously make mistakes. I think the most you can do is just try your best to be a good person as much as you can.

What does that mean to you?

So much of that is just about educating yourself. I'm lucky in that, being LGBT, I had to. I joined Tumblr, which is very focused on social justice, and you learn about certain social issues and the ways to address them. You can't be ignorant online because you will get torn apart -- and probably for good reason, because everyone should be educating themselves about what's going on in the world. Being a member of the Tumblr community and LGBT community online opened my eyes to what's going on right now and how I can make sure, when I speak about issues I'm passionate about, I'm educated and don't come off as an asshole -- and if I do, it's about educating myself more and apologizing properly.

What resources did you find beyond Tumblr? You came out when you were 16?

Fifteen, actually. It was mostly YouTube and gay teen forums. I had a bunch of anonymous accounts. I was already making YouTube videos, and although I didn't have as many subscribers as I do now, I was still terrified of getting outed. So there was a lot of incognito windows and stuff like that.

You're pretty actively involved in social causes as well. Can you talk about which ones interest you specifically and why?

As of late, LGBT issues are probably the number one thing I'm passionate about; obviously it's very close to my heart. I'm really excited about Minus 18, an organization for LGBT youth in Australia. They host events like a same-sex formal, so you can take the person you actually want to take to the formal, rather than someone your school says you have to take. I used to go on their Facebook page and stalk the photos of the events and just wish that I could go and meet other young people. There's a really awkward time for LGBT people, where you're too young to venture out without getting a lift from your parents, and then you can't get into a club. I didn't meet any gay people until I was 15 or 16. I just consider myself lucky to have had the Internet to turn to. I've also done some stuff with my local hospital in Perth -- the oncology ward at the local children's hospital. I wrote a song based on John Green's book The Fault In Our Stars, and put that out. That's what actually got me signed to my record label. I did the music video at the hospital and sold the song and all the proceeds have gone to the them, so that's something else I'm really happy to have been able to do. 

Your parents are pretty supportive then since coming out? 

Yeah, I think they've been super supportive. 

You were out to your parents before you came out on YouTube?

I came out to my parents when I was 15. and I think I came out on YouTube when I was just about to turn 18. They were completely fine with it. I think deep down inside they had always thought and just never brought it up, but I couldn't have asked for a better reaction and a better family. I'm so lucky in that way.

With things speeding up for you in your music career, do you see yourself slowing down from creating as much content on YouTube?

The YouTube posts slowed down a lot this year because I've been traveling so much, and I'm not OK with that. So when I was in Perth this last trip home, I bulk-filmed a bunch of videos. It's something I want to get better at balancing. Music is probably my top priority right now, but nurturing and speaking to and communicating with the audience that I've grown so close with is something that's going to be forever important to me.

So it is a conversation to you -- you don't see it as just generating content?

I don't think I'd ever tweet if I didn't get replies. Then what's the point, you know? I'll tweet something and then just be on my phone for the next 15 minutes scrolling through, laughing. [My followers] are funny. They have this amazing sense of humor that we share. It's a conversation, but it's entertainment for me. 

How do you filter that conversation? It seems like it could get overwhelming really fast.

It is exhausting sometimes. You've got to have boundaries. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night and check my phone and then go back to sleep, and then wake up in the morning and it's the first thing that I check, and that's not OK! I want to start sleeping with my phone on the other side of the room so that I can't do that. Also it's definitely made me quite guarded, being on the Internet as much as I am. I'm very aware of how quickly things can change. You have to be careful that you don't give absolutely everything, and try as hard as you can not to respond to the negativity. Sometimes I crack and it all it does is foster more negativity because people see they can get a reaction out of you. 

Are there relationships you're able to foster offline?

I don't think I have a relationship that's solely offline. Probably not. I'm lucky enough now that my audience is big enough that if I go out and about I get recognized. So even if you go out with someone in private, you're probably going to have a photo posted of you on Twitter or Tumblr or something. And that's fine, it's all cool, but it's just something that I've had to adjust to a little bit.

What does that look like to you as a 19-year-old? How do you hang out, how do you date?

Um. [laughs; long pause]

You don't have to answer that second part.

It's cool. It's just about accepting that it's going to happen and letting it happen. I think at some point if it ever got like really really bad, I would say, "Just come over and let's watch a movie at my house instead of going out." But it's not at that point. My viewers are so respectful a lot of the time, if they see that I'm, like, eating they won't come up. They're good people and we have a relationship that's built on mutual respect.

Do you think you're missing out?

Not really. I just do it all anyway. It's never stopped me from going out. The thing about YouTube is it's still quite a niche thing. You can go to a YouTube convention where there's 15,000 people coming from all over the world to meet their favorite YouTuber, and then if you're going to go out you make it all very strategic and secure. But in daily life it's not to where it's an issue at all.

What was it like working with Hedi Slimane?

I still can't believe it. Hedi was actually a fan of the music and contacted my management and asked if he could photograph me. We had a lunch meeting, and the next day we had a very casual walk and took some photos. It was my first entry into the fashion world, which is a place I really want to explore more. I used to secretly watch America's Next Top Model -- I didn't want my family to see me watching it because I didn't want them to think I was gay -- so I don't think I let myself enjoy stuff like that when I was younger. Now I'm starting to learn as much as I can. And what a way to enter the fashion world -- to be helped by Hedi Slimane!

So what does that bring us up to -- YouTube personality, musician, actor and now model?

[laughs] I wouldn't say "model." I'm really in love with what I do. I don't do anything that I don't enjoy doing. I love making YouTube videos and making music and making films. So to be honest, I don't really mind where my time is split; it's just a matter of where my focus is.

Beyond the Zedd release, what are some things you're working on?

I'm finishing my debut album right now. I think it's good? I hope it's good! I'm still learning every single day. I care so deeply about all these songs, and I can't wait to share these moments in my life that I've put to song with the world. I think it's just going to be bigger and better than before.

---

Coach's New Campaign Stars Celebrity Dogs

June 24, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Scenes from Westgay's Penultimate Bash Ft. a Performance By Azealia Banks

≪ Previous: Singer / Social Star Troye Sivan Talks Growing Up & Coming Out in the YouTube Age

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This week, Coach kicked off their new global campaign, "Coach Pups," with Lady Gaga's French bulldog, Miss Asia Kinney. The campaign, which was shot by Steven Meisel, art directed by Fabien Baron and styled by Karl Templer, will feature a number of celebrity canines sporting the new fall collection. Here, Miesel captured Miss Asia modeling the Edie and the Rucksack bags. Keep your eyes peeled for more famous pups making their modeling debuts in days to come.

Image courtesy of Coach

Scenes from Westgay's Penultimate Bash Ft. a Performance By Azealia Banks

June 24, 2015, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Watch the Trailer for a New Documentary About the Life of Jeremy Scott

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Back in April we were bummed to hear that Westway was closing for good in July and now that the time is near, it's only fitting that the former strip club along the West Side Highway would go off with a bang (or two, pun intended). One of the club's most popular parties -- Westgay -- held their penultimate rager last night (they'll have one final twirl under the glittery bust disco ball during PRIDE Weekend on Sunday) featuring a special live performance by Azealia Banks. As always, the looks were major and pretty NSFW. Take a peek at photos by Andrew Tess, below.

Azealia Banks

Azealia Banks

Greg Krelenstein

Frankie Sharp

Azealia Banks

Azealia Banks

Watch the Trailer for a New Documentary About the Life of Jeremy Scott

June 24, 2015, 10:30 am

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Jeremy Scott is the subject of a new documentary that looks at the designer's rise from small-town kid growing up in Kansas City to success in the fashion industry with his namesake line and recent creative direction for Moschino. Directed by Vlad Yudin's, Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer, features interviews with some of Scott's family members and famous friends and fans like A$AP Rocky (who praises Scott for having "changed his life"), Katy Perry, Rita Ora and Miley Cyrus. The first trailer came out today and the doc itself will be released in the midst of fashion month on September 18th.

10 Gay Club Legends Who Lit Up NYC Nightlife

June 24, 2015, 10:55 am

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Happy Pride, everyone. To add to our bountiful cup, I'm going to tell you about 10 LGBT people who lit up the NYC night with their wonderful antics and delectable iconoclasm. Some of them are still with us. The rest will never leave us.

KIKI MASON
Pittsburgh-born Kiki (born Curtis) was a flamingly fun guy who became galvanized by the AIDS crisis, especially when he developed AIDS himself. He persuasively chronicled his experiences for Poz magazine and died, feisty to the last minute, at 36 in 1996. Kiki brightened many a club with his wit and fury.

Derek Neen, center.

DEREK NEEN
In 2009, I named Kiki's friend Derek the best doorman in town for his smooth work at Beige on Tuesdays and Splash on Saturdays. (He had also become legendary for doing the Roxy door.) As Derek told me at the time, running a good door "requires patience, an open mind, and a firm hand." He had all of that -- and then some -- and people were shocked and saddened when he committed suicide in his native Canada last year.


JOHN SEX
A glittery parody of a Vegas lounge singer, John (born John McLaughlin in Long Island) sported a shellacked hair horn and sequin-y jackets and delightfully sang "Hustle With The Muscle," backed by his drag queen-y (but female) Bodacious TaTas. The sight of John sharing a photo op with the Barnum and Bailey "unicorn" at the club Area was one of the most surreally memorable visions of that era as the two creatures playfully butted heads for the cameras. John died of AIDS-related causes in 1990.

ROLLERENA
In the 1970s, a man in a gown, cubist eyeglasses, and a magic wand glided around on skates through the ultimate disco, Studio 54. No one knew why, but everyone said, "Wow!" I hate the word "iconic," but this was truly one of those kinds of images, and in my mind's eye, he's still rolling and swirling.

Kotchever, right.

EVA KOTCHEVER
In the 1920s, a pioneer named Eva ran a feminist speakeasy downstairs at 129-MacDougal Street. A Jewish lesbian who had fled Poland, Eva hosted poetry readings, discussions, and performances at the club, primarily for those of the female gender. The sign on the door said it all: "Men are admitted, but not welcome." That sign should be everywhere.


DEAN JOHNSON
In the 1980s, Dean (and his band, the Weenies) brought humor and spunk to a nightlife scene that craved it. Just another 6' 6" bald man in a dress singing "Fuck Union Carbide," he served riotously rageful rap songs at his weekly night at the World club called Rock and Roll Fag Bar, which defiantly injected sex and sexuality back into clubbing. Dean died of an overdose in 2007, but the whole thing was deemed mysterious and in need of further investigation.

Photo by Nan Goldin

COOKIE MUELLER
Born in a Baltimore suburb, Cookie rocked the John Waters oeuvre as a campy actress and she also sparkled as a sexy, funny writer who helped paved the way for more mainstream stuff like Sex and the City. The bi icon sadly died of AIDS in 1989.


INTERNATIONAL CHRYSIS
Chrysis was a knockout beauty who was sort of a saucier, trans version of Cyd Charisse, full of glamour and high kicks. A member of the Hot Peaches theater troupe, she performed shows like Jesus Chrysis Superstar in the clubs and had a small role in the 1990 movie Q&A. She died that same year, reportedly due to problems caused by hormones.


BRUCE JOPE AND FRANCIS TOOHEY
These two campy queens did an '80s magazine called Hit Parade, which started in Boston in '78 and grew like a gay fungus. The mag had large pages that were filled with colorful chatter, gossip, interviews, travel reports, and photos from then-hot clubs like the Red Parrot and Interferon. They let me do virtually all of the above for them, and I adored sharing my innermost attempts at witticisms with their readers. It was all so glam, back when gay was a lot more fringe-y and different. And Bruce and Francis were gay-married even before gay marriage. Francis sadly passed away just last week, so please check out Bruce on Facebook and send him your love. Meanwhile, I'm sending you all mine. Let's make this Pride week extra prideful.

The Coolest Person in the Room: DeSe

June 25, 2015, 4:30 am

≫ Next: Following Up on Feminism and Meninism with OG Maco

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In our new column, "The Coolest Person In the Room," we're asking our favorite nightlife pros (hosts, DJs, door people, promoters, bar/club owners, club kids, bartenders, socialites) to tell us about who they think is the one party person whose look is always on point, whose energy is contagious, and whose scene is worth checking out -- basically, that person at the club who they've got their eye on and think we all should know. In each installment, the previous "coolest person in the room" will pass the baton and nominate someone else. 

Last week we featured Jake Levy and she's been kind enough to nominate our next 'Coolest Person in the Room,' DeSe.

Who is DeSe? 

DeSe is one of NYC's best DJs, hosts, and an all around fashion star. She can be seen playing mixes or hosting at top parties like Holy Mountain, Westgay, and Club Shade. You can always spot DeSe quite easily -- her long, Kardashian-esque hair, perfectly beat face and regal style usually give her away pretty easily. And if you can't make it to the club, follow her on Instagram.

Why do you love DeSe? 

She is consistently reinventing the rules and aesthetic of #GLAM, always teaching her audience that no matter who you are or where you are, you can always discover some #GLAM in you. She makes everyone feel beautiful! 

What makes her unique to nightlife? 

What other DJ in NYC is playing Bollywood mixes of "Promiscuous," or female-only covers of trap songs, or turns up to the club in BURNT HELMUT LANG (and thus inventing #scorched #glam)? Nobody else but DeSe. She is the queen! And while royalty isn't new, her reign is. 

When was the first time you met DeSe? 

We met like a year ago in California, hanging out with some friends on Venice Beach, but the first time we really got to hang out was a few months ago. We had run into each other at Beacon's Closet, and she helped me pick out the most amazing silk gown. We met up later that night, bought a bottle of tequila, and hopped to a bunch of different art parties. Obviously it was super fun. 

What is your favorite memory of DeSe? 

One time our friend Chicken let DeSe [make-up] his face before a party. There is an amazing before and after of it on Instagram. He looked like a chimney sweep. It was very Mary Poppins.