By all accounts, this is one of the most challenging and strenuous times of year. As the holidays fade into distant memory and the pace of our professional lives increases to a potentially uncomfortable level, “stress” is the name of the game in mid- and late January. Add to this equation the race to file our tax returns and horribly bitter weather, and it becomes a very tough time to get motivated, let alone remain optimistic.
With the odds stacked against us, what’s the best way to stay upbeat? The answer is simple: laughter! Filling our social lives with comedic entertainment and humorous events will help everyone weather the winter storm with smiles intact. Thankfully, many of the region’s LGBT bars, organizations and performers have planned a variety of upcoming events guaranteed to bring on the LOLs. Whether you’re a fan of slapstick comedy, over-the-top camp, one-liners or sarcastic stories, you’ll have no trouble finding something to suit your fancy in the next two weeks. Here’s a selection to get you started.
On Jan. 16, drag superstar Joey Josephs will headline “Joey and His Girls” at Congregation Beth Ahavah at Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., to benefit the Bikur Holim Fund. Josephs is known for his hysterical impersonations of entertainment icons, including Judy Garland and Connie Francis. During the evening, fellow performers Les Harrison, “Katrina” Banks and Precious Caliente will join Josephs on stage for a series of campy, sidesplitting numbers. Tickets for this event will go fast, so call (215) 923-2003 today to make your reservation. E-mail [email protected] with questions about the event or to learn more about the beneficiary’s charitable mission.
Starting promptly at 10 p.m. Jan. 17, Brittany Lynn and her drag mafia will host the DVD-release party for Kathy Griffin’s most recent standup spectacular, “She’ll Cut a Bitch,” at Woody’s Bar, 202 S. 13th St. If you had the opportunity to catch this performance on Bravo last month, you know Griffin’s at her celebrity-slicing best, taking shots at everyone from the Jonas Brothers to Kanye West. Lynn will supply her own brand of standup magic, and DJ Carl Michaels is set to spin your favorite pop and dance hits all evening. Visit www.woodysbar.com for more information.
Gay Bingo has long been one of our community’s most popular and fun charity events. The next installment will be 7-9 p.m. Jan. 23 at The Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. Join an all-star cast of local drag personalities, the Bingo Verifying Divas (BVDs), for this month’s Golden Globes-themed event — complete with a red carpet, paparazzi and tabloids. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from this event are distributed to AIDSFund’s 30 partner organizations. Tickets to Gay Bingo typically sell out early, so make sure to get yours to www.aidsfundphilly.org today. Floor seating is $25 per ticket and balcony is $20.
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to catch Dame Edna perform on Broadway at a stop on one of her national tours or during her television specials, you know that she’s one of the world’s most hysterical personalities. On Jan. 23, you should strongly consider taking a trip to the DuPont Theatre, 1007 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del., to catch Dame Edna’s critically acclaimed “First Last Tour.” Sponsored by the Philadelphia LGBT Community Meetup Group, this show is guaranteed to have you rolling in the aisles. For show details and ticketing information, visit www.duponttheatre.com.
As you make arrangements for the special comedy events listed above, don’t forget about Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show, 1509 South St., every Thursday from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Hosted by Miss Lisa Lisa, this is Philadelphia’s longest-running drag show and features a rotation of incredibly funny, over-the-top performers.
That’s it for this week, but I hope my suggestions will lift your spirits and get you smiling over the next couple of weeks. If I missed any humorous events or performances that have you giddy with anticipation, please e-mail the information to [email protected] and I’ll post it on Nightlifegay.com.
’Til next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer!