Hey Everyone...a test for your moral fiber!
Here's a dilema for you....
With all your honor and dignity, what would you do?
This test only has one question, but it's a very important one.
Please don't answer it without giving it some serious thought. By
giving an honest answer you will be able to test where you stand morally.
The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation, where
you will have to make a decision one way or the other.
Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous.
You're in Florida...In Miami, to be exact... There is great chaos going
on around you, caused by a hurricane and severe floods. There are huge
masses of water all over you. You are a CNN photographer and you are in the
middle of this great disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless.
You're trying to shoot very impressive photos. There are houses and
people floating around you, disappearing into the water. Nature is
showing all its destructive power and is ripping everything away with it.
Suddenly you see a man in the water, he is fighting for his life,
trying not to be taken away by the masses of water and mud. You move
closer. Somehow the man looks familiar.
Suddenly you know who it is - it's George W. Bush!
At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take
him away, forever. You have two options. You can save him or you can take
the best photo of your life. So you can save the life of George W. Bush,
or you can shoot a Pulitzer prize winning photo, a unique photo
displaying the death of one of the world's most powerful men.
And here's the question (please give an honest answer):
Would you select color film, or rather go with the simplicity of
classic black and white?
with love from Jamie at 10:40 AM
Hey there,
So evidently, something I'm working on is important enough to be "leaked" to Playbill.com...That's kind of fun. So check it out: SNOOPY!!! In Concert
All else is going really well...The Matthew Shepard Benefit Concert is a lot of fun to work on and I'm certain it's going to be unlike anything you've ever seen before.
I am being interviewed tomorrow by The Gay City News, which I am excited about. My dear friend Jeremy Hooper is one of the greatest publicists I've ever met and he's all of 18 years old.
Hope all is well!
Love, Jamie
with love from Jamie at 8:08 PM
Hey there,
My friend Damon and his friend Cleve really need your help in this VERY important effort. Read all about it in Damon's letter below and PLEASE act on it.
Love,
Jamie
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Hi everyone-
Please take time to read this; it is of extreme importance to me and
Kristin. I'm afraid it's really, really bad news.
Some of you know I'm writing a musical (that Kristin is directing) based on
the life of Cleve Jones, the founder of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Cleve has
become a dear friend of ours over the course of writing the show. His
endless devotion to a sometimes disenfranchised gay and lesbian America is
intoxicating, and he embodies the spirit of Harvey Milk and everything he
stood for. He has devoted his life to the fight against AIDS worldwide,
even as HIV and AIDS-related prevention and attention have become somewhat
of an afterthought. As Harvey Milk's protege, Cleve is an unparalleled
leader of the American Gay and Lesbian Community and the World HIV/AIDS
Community. Cleve brought a broken nation together with the beautiful quilt,
whose powers can only be experienced as opposed to described. It is the
most powerful and time-tested tool we have in the world to fight new
infections...more powerful than the failing government-sponsored prevention
campaigns. More powerful than any potent combination of drugs.
Cleve has been the quilt's spokesman for more than 15 years. Shockingly, he
was just fired by the Names Project Foundation (the owners of the quilt)
because he pushed an ambitious plan to take the quilt on a nationwide,
election-year tour ending in a display on the National Mall in Washington,
D.C., in October. The foundation's directors said they didn't have the money
for the tour and were uncomfortable tying the first display of the quilt in
eight years to a national political campaign. The foundation also
backtracked on its promise to reopen an office for the quilt project in San
Francisco, where the quilt was first sewn in 1987 and where it was kept
until the foundation moved to Georgia in 2001. Also, the organization's
leadership refused to show Cleve financial data to substantiate its claims
that new projects are impossible because the foundation is near
bankruptcy!!!!!
Cleve said that when he pushed ahead with his idea of displaying the
quilt--and helped line up MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN CORPORATE PLEDGES TO
FINANCE IT--the foundation turned down the money and fired him from his
$41,500-a-year job.
Cleve has AIDS. He said that the foundation also suggested it would cut off
his health insurance despite a 1990 promise to provide him insurance for the
rest of his life. Cleve has filed a lawsuit addressing these issues; the
suit asks the court to put the Names Project in receivership so the quilt
can be returned to San Francisco and once again be deployed in the fight
against AIDS.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE AND INSULT TO THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY OF THIS
COUNTRY!!! CLEVE NEEDS YOUR PUBLIC SUPPORT! IN A CRITICAL ELECTION YEAR, THE
MOST POWERFUL TOOL THE WORLD HAS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS MUST BE
DISPLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY! THE NAMES PROJECTED FOUNDATION MUST BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS MISGUIDED ACTIONS!
BE VOCAL! WRITE TO **ANYONE** AND **EVERYONE** - LETTERS TO THE EDITORS OF
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE
ADVOCATE, ANY AND ALL ONLINE PUBLICATIONS!!!!! GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP ON
EVERY LEVEL FROM EVERY PARTY! CLEVE JONES IS AN ACTIVIST AND WE MUST ALL BE
AS WELL.
DO NOT BLOW THIS OFF! THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT! EVERYONE'S RESOURCES ARE
DIFFERENT, SO USE THEM! This letter is being sent to all of our friends,
colleagues and collaborators. All walks of life are getting this - this is
the time to use YOUR resources and do everything that YOU can. Honor the
activism of both Harvey and Cleve. Honor the lives that have ended and
those that have not yet begun. Honor YOUR place in the history of this
movement.
DON'T THINK ABOUT THE TRAGEDY - ACT ON IT!
Love,
Damon & Kristin
with love from Jamie at 1:31 PM
Hey there!
So...Max von Essen's second show was yet another sell-out and his third show on February 1st is close to that too. He really does an incredible job, if you have not seen it yet, check it out. We changed some things around from the first performance that seemed to be very succesful. I asked Max to sing Sondheim's "Being Alive" from Company. It was certainly my favorite moment of Max's onstage ever, and as an observer, perhaps one of my favorite moments onstage in my lifetime.
So...onto the next topic...I am helping to put together a special event on February 19th. It is a Benefit Concert (you could probably die from that shock, eh?) for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Here is all the information:
A broadway concert benefiting the Matthew Shepard Foundation
Thursday, February 19, 2004~ 8:00p.m.
Michele Helberg, Mark Matukewicz and Jamie McGonnigal will present a special one-night-only concert to benefit The Matthew Shepard Foundation. The concert will take place at the Westside Theatre at 407 West 43rd Street, the current home of the long-running off-Broadway hit, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. This is the first major New York theatrical event to benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Laura Benanti (Nine), Hinton Battle (Miss Saigon) , Anne Runolfsson (Victor/Victoria) , Marla Schaffel (Jane Eyre) , Max von Essen (Dance of the Vampires) , Raul Esparza (Taboo) , Kate Shindle (Cabaret), Michael Arden (Big River), Janet Metz (Falsettos), Sriram Ganesan (Bombay Dreams), Andrew Lippa ( Composer ; The Wild Party) Randi Driscoll (whose benefit single "What Matters" has raised over $30,000 for the Matthew Shepard Foundation), , and several other Broadway performers are currently scheduled to appear. In addition to that, cast members from Fame on 42nd Street, I Love You, Your Perfect, Now Change and Naked Boys Singing will all be making appearances. EMBRACE! will be musically directed by I Love You… Musical Director Mat Eisenstein, and directed by Jamie McGonnigal, who was responsible for the recent Children of Eden Concert for World AIDS Day.
The Matthew Shepard Foundation, founded in December 1998 by Dennis and Judy Shepard, was established in memory of their 21-year old son, Matthew, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime. The Foundation carries out Matthew's legacy by supporting educational projects, activities and documentaries that raise awareness of the issues involving discrimination and diversity. The Foundation's goal is to educate and replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.
Hosted by legendary performer/director/writer, Charles Busch , EMBRACE! will feature songs which celebrate diversity, inspiration and hope. All proceeds will benefit The Matthew Shepard Foundation and its upcoming educational programs including the creation and launch of their national youth outreach website and resource project.
Tickets are $50 each and may be ordered online or by calling 212-730-9500 x202. The performance will take place February 19th at 8PM, The Westside Theatre, 407 West 43rd Street (btw 9th and 10th Aves).
PLEASE JOIN US!
Love, Jamie
with love from Jamie at 1:22 PM
Hey there,
Here is an article from the NY Times, please read and forward to anyone you know who may use Crystal Meth - this is VITAL! Thanks!
NYTimes
The Beast in the Bathhouse
By ANDREW JACOBS
Published: January 12, 2004
ALSO AT:
http://www.nytimes.com/
Bob looked haggard but was feeling fabulous. Chewing gum at a manic clip, circling the labyrinthine halls of the West Side Club on a recent Sunday afternoon, he had been awake since Friday, thanks to a glassine pouch of crystalline powder he had tucked beneath the mattress of a room he rented in this Chelsea bathhouse.
The powder, known as methamphetamine, or crystal meth, had helped Bob conquer a half-dozen sex partners during a 35-hour binge. Like many of the men cruising the two-level club lined with closet-size cubicles, Bob, a 37-year-old advertising copywriter, was "tweaking," high on a wildly addictive stimulant that has been sweeping through Manhattan's gay ghettos.
"The stuff is a wonder," he said, taking a pause from his prowling, his scrawny frame wrapped in a white towel. Asked about condoms and the niceties of safe sex, Bob shrugged. "Whatever," he said, turning away.
At the club, there were plenty of condoms for the taking, courtesy of the management, but in conversations with a dozen patrons who acknowledged using crystal, only two men said they were following the rules of engagement in the age of AIDS. "Some guys just throw you out of the room if you pull one out," said one of the men, James, who, like everyone else, would not give his full name. "To them, rubbers are a killjoy."
Health officials say a sharp increase in the number of syphilis cases in the city indicates an increase in unsafe sex, which they fear may lead to a resurgence in H.I.V. transmission.
For now, researchers say, crystal meth use in the city is largely confined to gay white men in Manhattan, although they fear its eventual spread to the wider gay population and beyond.
There are no numbers, however, to show what health care workers say is the growing role that crystal meth is playing in transmitting H.I.V. Although the evidence is anecdotal, health officials say that crystal, which erases inhibitions and spurs sex marathons with multiple partners, is helping to spread the virus.
According to the city's largest private clinic for lesbians and gay men, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, two-thirds of those testing positive for H.I.V. since June acknowledged that crystal meth was a factor in their infection.
Dr. Howard Grossman, one of the city's best-known AIDS specialists, said more than half the men who test positive in his private practice blamed methamphetamine. "This drug is destroying our community," he said. "It just seems to be getting worse and worse, and no one is doing anything about it."
Although the city Department of Health does not track crystal meth use among the newly infected, the city's poison control center received four dozen reports of crystal meth overdoses in 2002 and 2003. In the previous two years, there were none, said the city's health commissioner, Thomas R. Frieden. In another survey, the agency found that H.I.V.-positive men were twice as likely as uninfected men to use methamphetamine; those who use the drug were also less likely than other men to wear condoms during anal intercourse. "We're seeing a general increase in risky sexual behavior, and we're concerned," Dr. Frieden said.
Sometimes called crank, ice or tina, crystal meth is not new. For years, it has been cutting a destructive path through working-class communities in the Midwest and among gay men in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The drug found a toehold in New York dance clubs in the late 1990's and quickly spread among gay men who troll the Web for sex. Most start off snorting crystal, progress to smoking and later inject the drug when tolerance mounts. Even a small amount, about a quarter gram for $60, can propel a user through a weekend devoid of sleep, food and self-preservation.
During his eight-year addiction, Devin, a 38-year-old magazine writer, ended up in the emergency room six times from the effects of dehydration or a perilously rapid heartbeat. He lost five jobs, and four teeth began to rot from neglect and speed-induced jaw grinding. "Food, sleep and H.I.V. medication go out the window," he said. "Crystal takes over your life entirely. You don't really care about anything except the next high."
One figure might reveal how entrenched crystal meth has become in New York: Nearly two dozen 12-step meetings are held each week around the city for those trying to shake the drug. In 2002, there were four Crystal Meth Anonymous meetings each week. In 1999, there were none.
"Just a few years ago, we were worrying about the arrival of crystal meth," said Perry N. Halkitis, a psychologist at New York University. "Well, it's finally here."
He and others say that if past drug trends are any indication, crystal will migrate beyond the province of gay men, just as it has in the heartland, where the drug has become symptomatic of rural decline. "It's just a matter of time," Dr. Halkitis said.
It didn't take long for Jim, a 34-year-old freelance editor, to become acquainted with crystal and AIDS. He believes he was infected during his first encounter with the drug in 1999, at the home of someone he met over the Internet. "The guy offered me some. I didn't really know much about crystal and I did it. I got so high, I was essentially having nonconsensual sex."
A veteran AIDS activist, Jim knows he should have known better. "Once I was diagnosed, I was so embarrassed and ashamed, it fueled my addiction," he said. "I became the beast that eats its own tail."
For four years, Jim handed his life over to meth. What began as a weekend habit quickly became a daily dependence. Old friends were pushed away, jobs went by the wayside, and his credit card debt reached $40,000. He contracted syphilis twice. And coming down was excruciating. "When you're crashing, all you want to do is get high again," he said. "It's single-minded and ugly."
As addiction deepens, crystal meth wreaks havoc on the brain. In advanced cases of addiction, users can become psychotic with effects that mimic schizophrenia, says Dr. Antonio Urbina, a researcher at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center who studies the drug's impact on neurological function. He says the drug can also compromise immune function and interfere with AIDS medications. "If you're H.I.V. positive, crystal is a disaster," Dr. Urbina said.
Despite what experts describe as an emerging crisis, neither public health officials nor private gay organizations in New York have done much to quell crystal meth's spread. San Francisco, by contrast, will spend $425,000 for education and treatment.
Dismayed by the lack of public attention to the problem, one recovering addict has decided to demonize the drug on his own. Peter Staley, a driving force behind the AIDS activist group Act Up, has spent $6,000 of his own money to place provocative ads on phone booths along Eighth Avenue in Chelsea. He said it took two months to persuade Verizon to accept the posters, which shout "Huge Sale, Buy Crystal, Get HIV Free!"
The ads, which began appearing last Wednesday, will remain up until early February. "My goal is to get the drug the reputation it deserves," said Mr. Staley, who has been sober for 13 months. "My fear is that young gay men think it's the latest party drug. I want crystal to get the stigma that heroin has. It is not glamorous, it is not alluring."
Like many other crystal neophytes, Mr. Staley began using the drug to keep him going at all-night dance clubs. "I've tried every drug in the book and never got addicted, but this one grabbed me by the throat the first time I did it," said Mr. Staley, 43, who has been H.I.V. positive since 1985. "I'm a control freak. I mean, I couldn't get addicted to cigarettes, but I couldn't give crystal up."
Drug experts say there is no methadone, no silver bullet, to treat methamphetamine addicts. For this reason, substance abuse counselors are preaching to "just say no" to crystal. It is a message that many gay men do not want to hear.
"When it comes to crystal, there is no moderation," said Dawn Harbatkin, the medical director at Callen-Lorde, which is conducting a pilot study on ways to treat crystal meth addiction. "I don't have any great treatment options right now. This drug really terrifies me, and I think what we're seeing is the tip of the iceberg."
with love from Jamie at 12:24 AM
Hey there,
So here we are...a few weeks into 2004! It's already been pretty exciting. January 5th, I directed my dear friend Max von Essen's sold-out Broadway Spotlight Cabaret at the Ars Nova Theatre. He has since added performances on January 19th (sold out already) and February 1st (Just went on sale at www.smarttix.com).
Last night, I directed the 2004 NIGHTLIFE AWARDS at Town Hall. It was a pretty incredible experience. I got to direct Tammy Grimes, Betty Buckley, F. Murray Abraham, Alan King, Robert Altman, David and Helen Gurley Brown, Annie Ross, Ute Lemper-and about 14 dozen others. I would say the show went off without a hitch, but there were a few hitches-thanks to an incredible stage manager though, a great assistant and some on-our-toes thinking, no one in the audience knew there was ever a problem. The lovely and talented Andrea Marcovicci hosted the evening beautifully and rolled with the punches just as well. - When you have performers coming up to you at 7:50 telling you they have to leave at 8PM and you're a good 45 minutes away from them in the running order, there is only so much you can do...so around 6 times throughout the evening, we needed to re-order the whole show. Nervewracking, but very exciting as well.
A few of the standout performances for me were Jeanne MacDonald, Maureen McGovern and Jenifer Kruskamp. That Maureen McGovern...she's something-I wish someone would discover her.
The evening was ironically followed by the final King Kong Room Cast Party-due to greedy and misdirected ownership, the King Kong Room has decided to embrace the hip-hop crowd instead of the theatre community. A HUGE disappointment, but clearly there is no acounting for taste.
Anywho, a very fun and unforgettable evening...Next up is Snoopy and hopefully a very special Valentine's Day concert at the Ars Nova -- Godwilling.
I hope you are all wonderful!
Love, Jamie
with love from Jamie at 5:39 PM
Dear Friends,
As 2004 approaches, I like to reflect on the things that made 2003 such a memorable year. I think it's exciting to remember all the things I have learned over the past 365 days. So allow me to share with you some of the more important lessons of '03.
-In New York City, it's not the best idea to leave your keys in the door after closing.
-Scottish men must get VERY chilly in the winter.
-I really should learn Spanish if I am to continue living in Washington Heights.
-The Actor's Fund is really great.
-Musicals based on the lives of 70's and 80's pop stars only work if they feature Hollywood stars.
-Musical revivals based on the lives of film directors don't necessarily work when they feature Hollywood stars.
-If I become a TV talk show host, I shouldn't then try to produce musicals based on the lives of 80's pop stars simply because I have the money.
-Just because you WORK for dental insurance, and just because someone tells you that you HAVE dental insurance, doesn't mean that you're going to GET dental insurance.
-Sometimes a porcelain crown is all you really need.
-Going to AMDA doesn't give me the right to sing Jason Robert Brown songs at The King Kong Room.
-If someone at the King Kong Room is singing and their pitch is -- well, let's say "experiencing a little turbulence" -- just look at the mural of King Kong with his open mouth and imagine he's the one singing "And I Am Telling You..." -- It will make for a much more enjoyable experience.
-Just because someone says they're going to call after a wonderful first date, doesn't mean they're not a psychopath with alterior motives, a gun in the back seat, a history of drug abuse, and serious issues with their mother.
-Dreams don't die, they just change.
-If no one's going to die, it's not really an emergency.
-Being calm when other people get upset can be really fun.
-Acting in Porn really isn't all it's cracked up to be.
-Working for nothing is sometimes okay.
-Sometimes all you really need is a cosmo.
-When you really need to cry, all you need to do is watch a movie that you're certain will turn on the waterworks -- sometimes it feels like cheating, but really it's okay.
-My favorite word is grace.
-A friend who makes you laugh can be one of the most valuable things in the world.
-Just because I love someone doesn't mean that their business is mine.
-Sometimes it really is better not to know.
-Tourists should learn how to keep walking.
-Sometimes the train doesn't ever come.
-Just because you love someone doesn't mean you're IN love with them.
-I've learned far too many things from Broadway Musicals.
-When everyone says that it sucks...usually they're right.
-Sometimes a Disney movie is all you need.
-Ellen Degeneres should do more cartoon voice over work.
-Blackouts can be wicked fun.
-Being gay doesn't mean you have to respect yourself, but being human does.
-Sometimes a bottle of wine and a cute friend is all you need.
-Chelsea is funny.
-Julia Murney is unbelievable.
-Weddings can be really fun when you're gay and the groom's Daddy is a preacher.
-Just because someone says he's the President, doesn't mean he knows how to run the country.
-Seven really is on my side.
-Kabuki make-up is really cool, but not if you end up looking like Liza Minnelli on a really bad day.
-You are what you say you are.
-Sometimes if it seems like too big a challenge, it can actually inspire you.
-There's no reason not to have high expectations, unless you're really sure it's gonna suck.
-A rough season on Broadway makes for a really fun year of press.
-Sex with very attractive people can be really boring.
-Sometimes all you really need is a hug.
-Writing a song can be a lot of fun (especially with a great friend and a glass of chardonnay).
-A good comedy song is much harder to find than a nice ballad.
-If your 2-year-old niece feels like she needs to introduce you to her father (your brother), let her.
-Sometimes all you really need is a good bedtime story.
-I love "Family Guy."
-Friends are pretty incredible.
-I can't wait for 2004
Thanks so much for being a part of my life. 2003 has been a pretty incredible year for me and I hope it has been for all of you as well. I wish you happiness, health and most importantly, hope--in the new year.
Much Love,
Jamie
with love from Jamie at 2:53 PM