Dear Governor Scott Walker,

At this point, assessing your level of idiocy is not only logical but also relevant. I usually try not to resort to petty name-calling, for ultimately it undermines my argument and overhadows my main points. However, Scott Walker you are dumb.  When I got wind that you were attempting to pass a budget eliminating the right of collective bargaining for public sector workers, I was confused. First I was confused how someone like you ever got elected to this post and then become confused because someone out there in the universe must have affirmed your radical decision and dutifully told you that it would fix the budget. Here are just a few of the reasons why you are so dumb:

(1) During the Super bowl, producers edited video montages outlining the industrial history of Green bay and Pittsburg - Green bay for meat packing and Pittsburg for their steel factories. Inspirational music played in the background as a narrator outlined the patriotic-ness of these two cities and the power of hard-work and what it may accomplish ... oh and by the way Scott Walker, if you were unaware the Green bay PACKERS won the superbowl. Way to eff that up.

(2) Your plan also calls for the separation of UW-Madison, a Big Ten University - from the rest of the UW-System. The UW-System is comprised of 26 schools - both 2 and 4 year institutions. Removing UW-Madison from the rest of the system would have detrimental effects on the rest of the campuses. The other 25 schools would have to suffer budget cuts, lose the political clout of having UW-Madison as part of the system, and make it more difficult for students to transfer to UW-Madison, thus denying students educational opportunities and experiences.

(3) 14 brave and admirable Democratic Senators have fled the state ... literally fled the state ... in order to prevent quorum and thus delaying the vote on the budget. Known as the "Fab 14", these senators are believed to be hiding out in Illinois. Instead of this serving as a warning to Governor Walker that perhaps he needs to rethink this whole eliminate-the-rights-of-the-individual-thing, he is using every measure he can, to bring the Senators back. His brilliant plan to bring the Senators home; stop the direct deposits of their paycheck thus forcing them to come back to the state should they wish to be paid.

So Mr. Walker, could you do everyone a favor and please remove yourself from office, say "my bad", and then retire to some ridiculously remote countryside vacation home where we don't hear from you for 15 years. At that point, feel free to release a biography of your experiences, entitled, oddly enough, "My Bad: a Tale of Stupidity and Douchebaggery". K thanks.

Love Ginger

P.S. I happen to have a good friend named Scott Walker, so if you could change your name while you are at it, that would be great.

As a former Wisconsin resident and proud Badger alumni, it pains me that I am not there at the moment, but alas, I - along with the rest of the world - can only sit back and watch the situation unfold. For those of you who have not been paying attention to the news, Wisconsin is currently embroiled in a heated political battle over Republican Governor Scott Walker's blatant douchebaggery and his attempt to strip unions - and public sector workers - of their collective bargaining power. Wisconsin has been a pioneer in the pro-labor movement for the past century and Walker's bill to strip workers of their rights is both shocking and unpopular to say the least. Walker is resisting any form of compromise, citing that we are a broke state and therefore have to deal with the consequences for our brokeness - mind you the "tool" states this amidst rumors of him siphoning out money to his campaign contributors. Walker also has his National Guard on standby should the peaceful protesters and their "liberal lies and agenda" need to be subdued.  Here is a Huffington Post articleoutlining the timeline for the past 10 days of this protest - a protest that has drawn thousands from all over the state and region. Apparently, other states are looking to Walker's dumb attempt at totalitarianism to see how it pans out for them, before moving forward. Such was the case with the marriage equality battle that occurred only a few years ago. Hopefully, social equity and justice will prevail from this encounter, instead of conservative and Republican think-tanks scaring the citizens of Wisconsin into believing that eliminating the rights of workers is in their best interest.

So unfortunately I could not be in Wisconsin at the moment to support my fellow protesters - and I have been jonesing for a good protest. However, at our most recent improv show on Saturday I was able to give an impromptu rant about Wisconsin and the sheer idiocy of Scott Walker. Even though it is small, this is my contribution to the on-going protests occurring at the Capital.

So to all my Wisconsin friends and allies, I say thank you for standing up for the rights of the individual and not letting the tyranny of one dominate. As one of our right songs so epically states;

" U-rah-rah! Wisconsin!
Praise to thee we sing
Praise to thee our Alma Mater
U-rah-rah, Wisconsin!"

Check out the video below and make sure to visit The Utility Players website for more hilarious videos and photos.

I saw my friend Jon post this video on facebook and I just about peed my pants. Prop 8 being ruled unconstitutional is stirring a whirlwind of backlash and reactions. Thankfully to balance all the ridiculous stupid shit said by ignorant people, a plethora of parody videos commenting about gay marriage are starting to emerge as they usually do.

It's so ridiculous and at the same time incredibly disheartening. I am a larger than life 'Molicious drag queen and therefore have become accustomed to stares and tactless commentary from random strangers. However, some of the hateful comments I have heard cross the boundaries of simple ignorance or disagreement on family values and has altered into an all out BRAWL. I wrote this comment on an article for the RGJ about the history of marriage and how same sex marriages have existed in cultures around the world. An individual then responded stating that I don't know what I am talking about and that I must be suffering from HIV dementia. I usually have a pretty tough skin but for whatever reason that comment just struck me. The insensitivity of this person's feeling toward an epidemic that has taken millions of lives - straight people, gay people, men, women, of all colors and creeds - is appalling. My hope that soon this will just be another dark chapter in the history of the United States. One that years from now we will look back on with shame for it happening and gratitude that we no longer find ourselves in it. There is a storm that is coming, a cultural backlash is on the horizon, it will just be interesting to see which way the wind blows.

A few days ago, the Utility Players had a BIG GAY COMEDY Show at 5 Star Saloon. As manager, it was my managerial duty to attend the event – also the show was BIG and GAY two of my favorite things in life. Prior to the show, we are moving chairs outside preparing for the show. On one trip out to the car I come across these two guys who looked a little rough around the edges. As I am exiting the club, I both see and hear them pointing at 5 Star going “Is this the gay club? I think this is the gay club” . I did not get but two feet out the door before these guys looked at me and asked if I was gay. First of all, that is none of your damn business. Secondly, I am walking out of 5 Star, with a rainbow scarf fashionably wrapped around my neck and large gaudy Jersey Shore sunglasses on …. queen please … I am gay as the day is long. Lastly, why are you asking, are you planning on asking me out for a date – because if you are not then refer the last two aforementioned POINTS!!!!

Well I say that I am gay and these two guys run away to join the rest of their group while screaming up and down the streets of Reno that “I TALKED TO A GAY, I TALKED TO A GAY”

---> Minor tangent: do not feel the urge to put articles before the word gay. We are not “a gay” or even “the gay” - it is rude and I am sure somewhat grammatically incorrect. End of tangent <---

How do you even respond to this? I have heard a lot of negative and awful things in my days but this wasn't offensive – entirely – mainly just bizarre. HELLO PEOPLE – IT IS 2010 I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IS STILL A RARE INSTANCE TO TALK TO A GAY. I had the idea of charging an admission price the next time I come across this situation – at least make some money off of the whole ordeal. My aunt suggested that I should have laid a big old kiss on him, spat on the ground, and said “ewww not anymore” - I love my aunt. Although it is 2010, underrepresented populations and minority groups still experience prejudice, hate, and fear from majority populations. My queer friends and I are aware of ourselves and others when we are out in public. The people who stare at you in restaurants, the mothers who try to non-awkwardly shield their children from you in the grocery store – TRUE STORY –, or the people that make offensive comments from the safety of their super-ultra-masculine truck all pass judgment and we are aware of it. We can tell ourselves that we do not care but the truth is sometimes it does feel like we are in a zoo:

“To your left you will see the reptile house & on the right you will see the hippos. Now straight ahead we have a rare species known as the Homoerectus Homogaius. Jane Goodall just finished a new novel entitled “Gays in the Mist” which you can all pick up from our gift store”.

I cannot help it if that being who I am requires that I am overly loud and generally say inappropriate things in public – but whatever deal with it. I have no shame about my identities or who I am – it took a long time of searching and struggling to find me and to find Ginger and I am not about to throw that away. Welcome to the 21^st century everyone where every once and awhile you might come across a boy who kissed a boy … and really really enjoyed it :)



So apparently you learn something new every day, and today I learned that January is drag history month. This January marks the second year that this celebration has been done. The month of January is meant  to celebrate and honor the rich and diverse culture of drag as well as highlight significant historical landmarks and relate stories of both kings and queens that have broadened minds and perspectives and fought for justice and civil rights.

I keep going back and forth about my feelings on this. In Madison & Amsterdam, I spent a significant portion of time studying drag queen culture and examining drag queens' - and drag kings - contributions in educating communities about homophobia, racism, HIV/AIDS, voting, etc. Or the contributions that drag queens made to homeless LGBT youth centers.  There is no argument that whether in San Francisco or in New York there is a rich and vibrant history of drag queens outreaching to their communities and trying to improve the environment. Drag queens and drag kings can be rather successful in this regard. Part of who we are as performers rest on the notion of drawing attention and offering yourself up to the public. Once we have our audiences' attention, we can utilize the stage to important messages about health, safety, government through the medium of comedy. However, I would like to see more integration of our communities and not just reserve one month out of the year for it. One really positive thing that I have see happening is some long overdue attention thrown in the drag king direction. Drag kings are often overlooked as entertainers and performers and very little is known about such a community - especially the historical significance of the drag king community.

That being said, I saw that on LOGO's website that they are having a new special with drag queen stand-up comedians. The show, which is set to air on January 25th and 26th, will feature such personalities as Jackie Beat, Miss Coco Peru, Varla Jean Merman, and Ongina. Check out LOGO's website for more info. I was really happy to see this special and see the attempt to expand the idea and perception of who drag queens are and what they are able to do. Although, I am a little sad and jealous to not be part of such a project but it is exciting to know that those spaces and opportunities are starting to be created and I look forward to more specials in the future which will hopefully feature me.