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Sunday, October 17, 2004

I CARRY ON

i'm so very thankful for all the people who've bought my album. we've done very well, in spite of having little support at radio, and virtually no national TV exposure. once a week, i get an email saying "why don't you do ELLEN or REGIS & KELLY?". well, i usually don't respond to those emails because the answer to that question involves many different layers, including how show business works and the history of openly gay, black men who dress in drag in popular culture. bottom line, all the national shows passed on having me on to promote my new album (with much gratitude, i will appear on LIFE & STYLE on october 22). am i disappointed? yeah, a little, especially after i read that MASE (the bible thumping rapper) was scheduled to appear on ELLEN last week. does she owe me anything just because she's queer? absolutely not.

doing what i do for a living has never been easy. i've had to fight countless battles in this game that the public has no idea ever happened. the biggest challenge has always been other people's judgment of men who use femininity as a palette. that was the focal point of the NYU conference i attended last week on the legendary singer SYLVESTER. it's fucked up how history remembers the contributions made by people of color, even worst for gay people of color. we must tell our own story for the generations that follow.

US WEEKLY said they didn't have interest in reviewing my album, but would i consider joining there line-up for FASHION POLICE. no, thank you. that's like telling a black person that they're not welcome at the all-white party, unless they clear the table and wash the dishes. the message is: my only importance is how i can compliment their straight life...i.e. QUEER EYE... yet, we're all subjected to every riveting twist and turn of JESSICA SIMPSON'S fascinating life.

none of this is new or unexpected. in fact, it all makes me even more proud of the achievements i've made thus far. don't get it twisted... i will press on.

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Posted by Ru on Sunday, October 17, 2004 at Sunday, October 17, 2004 | Permalink

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