Last week, we crossed a bridge and went through a tunnel to see a little show.  A final little show at The Square Cafe which serves delicious waffles and hummus.  Not that I would suggest them as a combination.  The hummus comes with veggies, not pita which greatly saddened the Correspondents. 

So this was a special little show because it was the final edition.  We must note further sadness at losing a performance venue that is both smoke free and hummus friendly.  Without pita.

The show was hosted by a recent acquaintance, Gab Bonesso, and someone named Neil Rosenblat from SOA. I  don't know what SOA is b/c during the introductions I was distracted by ordering some decaf.  But he seems like a genial enough fellow and he was cute in a sort of blond sensitive guy kind of way.  He actually looked like Riley from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  But I digress ...

So Gab did her stand-up thing and was a riot.  She was WAAAYYY more edgy than the first time I saw her.  Ledcat thought she was dead on.  I admit I had my politically correct sensibilities in a little knot.  I mean it was definitely funny, but she nailed me and that was a little "bleaahhhh" but in a good way.  I kept thinking "I can't laugh at this" even while I did. 

So that was a nice little journey down Liberal Guilt Trip lane.  :-)

Next up was Bill Eberle, aspiring folk singer and poet.  He was a pretty fierce guy.  I admit that at first I thought "oh here's another white guy poeting about being one with the minorities"  What a dismissive bitch was I!  Because mere moments later, he did this excellent piece talking to the other white guys who think they are one with the minorities ....second time I was on the hot seat that night.  He sang my favorite line of the night:  "You are a creature of God, but they are the ones who are heaven sent."  (I might be paraphrasing b/c I was scrambling to find a pen without spilling my coffee).  So I really liked him.  He was accessible and sweet and fierce.  And he said he was a feminist.  He should do more poety b/c he was very good and he said it was his first time.

Then, the funny guy got on.  Jason Kirsch.  Waiter, actor and aspiring comedian.  Oh my God, he was funny and never once did I feel guilty for laughing.  He covered the whole angst of growing up gay where you mix up He-Man with My Little Pony.   In my favorite riff of the night, he was talking about white women buying babies from China and the annoying bourgeoisie moms in Target.  So with you there brother. 

And that proves how much of a hypocrite I am  ... I can laugh without compunction at the foibles of suburban yuppie moms and homosexuals, but not deaf people or people with developmental disabilities.  Because they are special and I am a PC idiot.  LOL. <NOTE:  I came back to delete this twice because I feel guilty even writing about feeling guilty about laughing at this ...>

Last up was local singer-songwriter Autumn Ayers.  I'm going to let Ledcat do this review to give Autumn due justice b/c I am a music no-nothing and Ledcat has 14,000 cd's or something like that.  I can tell you that I really liked her singing and she's very charming.  She reminds me of the big girls who used to babysit me back in the 70's ... like she could be the cool sister on the show "Family" with Kristy McNichol that I used to love.  Which is kind of a weird sensation because I am probably 10 years older than her.  But you know what I mean ....This apparently is the paragraph of endless prepositional phrases. 

Go visit Autum's myspace page to hear a few songs from her album.  Her song "Drunk Again" is especially moving. 

So that's the end of the Variety Show.  It was nice and I would go again if it existed.  What I really liked (beyond the lack of smoke) was how supportive the entertainers were of each other -- they seem like a little family and that translated nicely into the performances.  We may have been the only outsiders there, but you wouldn't have noticed because they even took the time to include us! 

Hopefully, we'll get word of where these various and sundy performers will be performing in the future. 

The Correspondents concur that all of these performers should be at PrideFest next year, gays and gay-friendlies alike.