'Fire Island' Stars on Gay Rom-Coms and Not Sugaratg the Story - Variety

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• FIRE ISLAND IS A TRIP TO GAY HEAVEN—OR IS IT HELL?COMEDIAN JOEL KIM BOOSTER AND SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’S BOWEN YANG LEAD A JANE ATEN-SPIRED QUEER ROM.BY RICHARD LAWSONJUNE 2, 2022PHOTO BY JEONG PARK. COURTY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEMY LAST TRIP TO FIRE ISLAND WAS 2019, A BUGGY, GHT WEEK DURG WHICH I FELT WOEFULLY ALIENATED OM MY HOEMAT (BY MY OWN DOG, NOT THEIRS) AND ALTOGETHER LONELY AND OLD AND GROSS AND TIRED. SUCH IS THE PERIL OF GOG TO A PLACE LIKE THAT—A GAY RETREAT THAT PROMIS THE FORTS AND EXCEMENTS OF FAIAR PANY, BUT ALSO HOLDS THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRE JAGS OF SELF-DOUBT. AT THE END OF MY TIME THERE, I GOT ON THE FERRY BACK TO LONG ISLAND AND CID I’D FALLY HAD ENOUGH. I HAD TRIED TO MAKE FIRE ISLAND WORK FOR ME, BUT I’D FAILED, TIME AND TIME AGA.IT’S A LOT EASIER TO RETURN THERE VIRTUAL FORM, NONTG AN IA OF THE PLACE OM A DIGAL DISTANCE RATHER THAN EXPERIENCG THE REAL, VODKA-SOAKED THG. WHICH IS JT WHAT THE NEW HULU FILM FIRE ISLAND (JUNE 3) OFFERS TO BOTH FIRE ISLAND VETERAN AND VIRG. DIRECTED BY ANDREW AHN AND WRTEN BY JOEL KIM BOOSTER, WHO ALSO STARS, FIRE ISLAND IS A ROMANTIC EDY OF MANNERS BASED ON JANE ATEN’S PRI AND PREJUDICE. GIVEN THE STRICT AND VEXG HIERARCHI OF FIRE ISLAND, KIM BOOSTER’S CHOICE OF TEMPLATE IS AN APT ONE. ALL OF ATEN’S Y AND PRICKLY SOCIAL MANVERG EASILY MAPS ONTO THE PARTICULAR GAY ESYSTEM PICTED THE FILM—TERPTED, OF URSE, BY VERY MORN BURSTS OF SEX AND DGS. THE GREATT ASSET OF FIRE ISLAND IS THE ISLAND SELF. MUCH OF THE FILM WAS SHOT ON LOTN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL OF LAST YEAR, WHICH GIV THE FILM A CCIAL SPECIFICY. THOSE OF WHO’VE BEEN TO THE ISLAND BEFORE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, MAY MORE POTENTLY REGNIZE THE STRANGE SIGNIFINCE OF SEEG, SAY, THE ICE PALACE LOOMG LARGE A GLOSSY, BUZZED-ABOUT MOVIE RELEASED ON A STREAMG PLATFORM OWNED BY DISNEY. BUT EVEN IF THE PLAC MEAN LTLE OR NOTHG TO A VIEWER, I’D THK THEY’LL STILL FEEL THE ENVELOPG PULL OF THE FILM’S GRANULAR TEXTURE, THE KEEN SENSE OF PLACE THAT SO MANY MOVI—FILMED ON ATLANTA SOUND STAG OR CANADIAN CI DRSED UP TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHG ELSE—SEEM TO LACK THE DAYS.AHN BATH THIS TH, SCRAGGLY LE OF SAND ACHG HU. HE AND CEMATOGRAPHER FELIPE VARA REY HAVE PTURED THE ROSY HAZE OF MAGIL SUMMER, KISSED BY WARM SUN AND FLECKED WH TWILIGHT DARKNS. (THE FILM’S WOOZY, INSTAGRAM-FILTER LOOK IS PERHAPS REMISCENT OF THE SHORT-LIVED GAY HBO SERI LOOKG—THOUGH I REALIZE THAT PARISON MAY READ AS NEGATIVE TO SOME. I MEAN A GOOD WAY.) AHN HAS SET A LOVELY STAGE FOR BUDDG ROMANCE AND FOR THE DULL PANGS OF VATN MALAISE. FIRE ISLAND PRENTS A WORLD BOTH SPRIGHTLY AND SOMBER, BEFTG OF THIS PARTY MEC WHERE EVEN A QUIET AFTERNOON BY THE POOL RRI WH AN ANX CH. KIM BOOSTER PLAYS NOAH, A HANDSOME, BED-HOPPG NURSE WHO IS MAKG AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO FIRE ISLAND WH HIS ART IENDS. HOWIE (BOWEN YANG) IS VISG OM SAN FRANCIS, WHERE HE HAS MPED TO FOR A JOB TECH. ZANY SIKICKS KEEGAN (TOMáS MATOS), LE (MATT ROGERS), AND MAX (TORIAN MILLER) HAVE MA THEIR WAY OUT OM THE CY, READY TO WHOOP UP AND OFFER CUTTG MENTARY. THE CHARACTERS ARE, AS THEY MIGHT BE A NOVEL, TAILED FOR BY NOAH’S NARRATN, WHICH ALSO GIV THE UNIATED A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE LAY OF THE LAND—A B OF PROBABLY NECSARY EXPOSN GIVEN THAT FIRE ISLAND IS NOT AN ACCSIBLE PLACE FOR MOST PEOPLE, GEOGRAPHILLY AND FANCIALLY. MONEY IS ONE OF THE FILM’S PERSISTENT NCERNS. THE BOYS’ HOST, EARTHY-KOOKY LBIAN ER (MARGARET CHO), WILL HAVE TO SELL HER BELOVED HOE AFTER LOSG MOST OF HER MONEY BY VTG QUIBI. (A FUNNY EVOTN OF THE DOOMED STREAMER THAT WAS ONCE MEANT TO BE THE HOME OF A TV SERI THAT LATER BEME THIS FILM.) THAT PUTS THE IENDS STARK NTRAST TO THE RICH GUYS ON THE OCEANONT SI OF THE ISLAND, SNOOTY MCLE GODS WHO ARE, THE FILM POTEDLY REGNIZ, ALMOST UNIFORMLY WHE. AS ASIAN MEN ON AN ISLAND—AND WH A BROAR MUNY—THAT IS OFTEN NOXLY PREJUDICED AGAST THEM, NOAH AND HOWIE MT NTEND WH BEG OSTRACIZED A PLACE THAT IS, OSTENSIBLY, SUPPOSED TO BE A WELG HAVEN. THE PA AND TRATN OF THAT IS SPOKEN ALOUD THE FILM, BUT KIM BOOSTER ALSO LETS HOVER QUIETLY, BUT SISTENTLY, THE SUBTEXT OF MANY OTHER LOAD NVERSATNS. FIRE ISLAND IS NOT MEANT TO BE A PANACEA FOR THIS PROBLEM— IS, AFTER ALL, NOT NOAH AND HOWIE’S, NOR AHN’S AND KIM BOOSTER’S, PROBLEM TO SOLVE. THE FILM IS STEAD A NARRATIVE ABOUT PEOPLE NAVIGATG A DIFFICULT REALY, TRYG TO WRTLE A GOOD, FULFILLG TIME OUT OF A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT SOMETIM SEEMS TERMED TO PRIVE THEM OF THAT. THAT SERNS IS TERTG DIALOGUE, IF NOT ALWAYS PERFECT BALANCE, WH THE FILM’S BAWDIER, RNCHIER DIMENSNS. MOST POPULARSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISRUTH HANDLER: SEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM AND THE ORIG OF BARBIEBY ANTHONY BREZNINTHERE ARE ALSO TENSNS WH HOWIE AND NOAH’S IENDSHIP TO BE ALT WH. HOWIE IS SECURE ABOUT HIS BODY AND HIS NERDY AWKWARDNS, SO UN-REFLECTED NOAH’S RIPPLED AME AND SEX-HAPPY JOIE VIVRE. WE GET THE IMPRSN THAT NOAH’S GROOVE IS A LTLE B NEW—ONCE, MAYBE, HOWIE SAW THEM MORE AS PEERS. THAT SAD DYNAMIC, ONE THAT MANY GAY MEN (AND OTHER PEOPLE, OF URSE) WILL FD ALL TOO RELATABLE, IS SHARPLY ADDRSED THE FILM. THOUGH, I WISH THAT FIRE ISLAND SPENT EVEN MORE TIME VTIGATG THE AILG MECHANICS OF THIS VAL IENDSHIP. THE MOMENTS OF NFSN AND ARGUMENT ARE WHEN FIRE ISLAND FEELS MOST PERSONAL, MOST TIMATE. BUT BEFORE LONG, ALAS, THE BS, AND BYNS, OF THE FILM’S PLOT MT BE ATTEND TO. LOVE TERTS POP UP AT TEA DANC, AS THEY’RE WONT TO DO. FOR NOAH THERE IS THE FILM’S MR. DARCY, WILL (CONRAD RIMORA), A STERN AND HUNKY LAWYER WHOSE CHILLY REACTN TO NOAH’S VERVE DO, OF URSE, MASK A DAWNG ATTRACTN. FOR HOWIE THERE IS THE BABY-FACED CHARLIE (JAM SCULLY), WHOSE MEAN-GIRL IENDS AND OBNOX EX-BOYIEND NTUALLY THWART HIS FLIRTATNS WH HOWIE. SATISFYG NCLNS TO THE ROMANTIC TRAVAILS ARE REACHED BY THE END, AS THEY MT BE, WHILE ALONG THE WAY THERE IS SOME TRIGUE WH A SOLICO INSTAGAY, DEX (ZANE PHILLIPS), WHO’S UP TO NO GOOD, AND A FEW PS FOR HIGH-EDY ANTICS OM KEEGAN AND LE. THOSE MANY MOVG PARTS ARE JUGGLED WELL ENOUGH BY AHN AND KIM BOOSTER—THOUGH, THROUGHOUT THE FILM THEY SEEM UNCERTA IF THEY WANT THIS TO BE A PROBG SOCIAL EDY OR A GALS-ON-VAY LARK. IT N BE BOTH, SURELY, BUT FIRE ISLAND HAS TROUBLE BLENDG THOSE HALV TO A HIVE WHOLE. THAT SAID, ’S MENDABLE THAT THE FILM SO ANKLY, SO AIRILY, PICTS THE ISLAND’S RNAL DULGENC. MAYBE ALL OF THAT STG SOMEWHAT DISRDANTLY ALONGSI THE MHIER, GENTLER STUFF IS A WORTHY APPROXIMATN OF WHAT IS TO BE ON FIRE ISLAND: HORNED UP AND MELANCHOLY, ADDLED BY BOTH CHEMILS AND RELENTLS HEAV OF EMOTN. IN THAT ASPECT, FIRE ISLAND GETS JT ABOUT RIGHT—M THE MOSQUO.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)RICHARD LAWSON
• THE VERY GAY HISTORY OF FIRE ISLAND
• A GAY GUI TO PROPER BEHAVR PROVCETOWN AND FIRE ISLANDALSO: CALV KLE’S LIFE PROVIS FODR FOR A NEW GAY {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY MICHAEL MTOJULY 2, 2018/12:51 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:4000PX;WIDTH:5835PX;} NI DE PASQUALE PHOTOGRAPHYSG MAN ENJOYG SUN AT SEA. FAVIGNANA, SICILY.BY MICHAEL MTOJULY 2, 2018 / 12:51 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"A GAY GUI TO PROPER BEHAVR PROVCETOWN AND FIRE ISLAND","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-07-02T16:51:08.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-07-02T16:51:08.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL MTO","KEYWORDS":"TRAVEL","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I’M AMAZED WHENEVER A GAY TELLS ME HE HASN’T BEEN TO EHER FIRE ISLAND OR PROVCETOWN, THE QUTSENTIAL EAST COAST RORTS FOR ALL KDS OF QUEER FUN THE SUN. I FEEL THEIR GAY RD SHOULD BE REVOKED IF THEY DON’T TRY THE HEDONISM HAVENS AT LEAST ONCE—AND IF THEY DON’T RETURN FOR A SEND VIS, THEY SHOULD BE PUBLICLY SHAMED, PILLORIED, AND STRIPPED OF THEIR GYM MEMBERSHIP. NOT THAT LERALLY “ANYTHG GO” EHER PARADISE—THERE ARE WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE, SE YOU DO FD YOURSELF THERE. AND SO, HERE’S MY HANDY GUI TO JT HOW TO BEHAVE AT THE TWO MARVELO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}1. LEAVE YOUR BIG CY WO BEHD AND PREPARE TO RELAX AND/OR HAVE A GOOD TIME. DON’T LOOK AT YOUR PHONE, UNLS HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH, YOU KNOW, RELAXG AND/OR HAVG A GOOD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}2. GET READY TO DROP YOUR WALL, SAY “HELLO” A LOT, AND ACTUALLY BE IENDLY. ON THE PLANKS OF FIRE ISLAND, MOST PEOPLE THAT PASS YOU WILL GIVE YOU A WARM GREETG AS YOU MMAGE THROUGH YOUR BRA TO FIGURE IF YOU EVER TRICKED WH THEM. P-TOWN IS ALSO AN EXCEEDGLY PERSONABLE PLACE, ONE WHERE A DIVERSY OF PEOPLE ARE ALL TOO HAPPY TO SE AND CHAT WH YOU THE STREET. ONCE YOU GET OVER THE SHOCK OF , YOU’LL GIVE AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}3. WHEN FIRE ISLAND, GET TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GROVE VERS THE P. THE P IS FOR MCLE QUEENS AND OTHER PARTY BOYS WHO WANT TO LAY OUT THE SUN, TILLATE THEMSELV, AND GO TO LOW AND HIGH TEAS. (THE MOTTO THERE IS, “WE GO LOW! WE GO HIGH!”) IN THE NEIGHBORG CHERRY GROVE—WHICH YOU N WALK OR TAKE A SPEEDBOAT TO—THERE ARE DANIEL NARDIC’S ROLLICKG FRIDAY NIGHT UNRWEAR PARTI AT THE ICE PALACE, BUT GENERAL, THE MOOD IS MORE MIXED (WH LBIANS AND STRAIGHT PEOPLE THROWN ) AND MORE HONKY TONK AND WELG THAN THE P.AN AERIAL VIEW TAKEN OM FLIGHT BETWEEN PARIS AND NEW YORK CY SHOWG THE GEOGRAPHY OF JON BEACH AND THE BARRIER ISLANDS ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AN AERIAL VIEW OF JON BEACH AND FIRE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I’VE BEEN KNOWN TO VIS BOTH PLAC, NNG BACK AND FORTH THROUGH “THE MEAT RACK” LIKE A MANIAC, BUT IF I HAD TO PICK ONE, I’M FELY A GROVE QUEEN. AS FOR THE MEAT RACK, ED TO BE A HAVEN FOR WILD, ANONYMO SEX AND PADDLG THE WOODS, BUT NOT ANYMORE. STICK TO YOUR PHONE. OR BETTER YET, STAY AT THE BELVERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}4. ENJOY THE FABULO FOOD. PROVCETOWN IS KNOWN FOR S AMAZG SEAFOOD (AND OTHER) RTRANTS, WHICH YOU N ENUNTER BY SIMPLY STTTG UP AND DOWN THE MA THOROUGHFARE, COMMERCIAL STREET, AND BEYOND. (AROUND TOWN, CANTEEN, LOBSTER POT, AND THE RED INN ARE AMONG THE POPULAR PLAC TO EAT.) BUT YOU N ALSO FD SOME WONRFUL DIV BY THE DOCK, WHERE YOU N GET FOOTLONGS AND ALL THE TRIMMGS FOR A LIGHTFULLY LOW PRICE. RTRANTS THE P ARE OVERPRICED, BUT SOME GUYS FD SOCIABLE TO GET A BURGER AT THE BLUE WHALE, BETWEEN ALL THE PARTYG. BUT I GENERALLY STICK WH THE PANTRY, A WONRFUL GROCERY STORE WH A LI UNTER, WHICH IS A FUN MEETG GROUND FOR QUEENS ROUNDG UP THEIR DNER MEN. THE GROVE HAS SOME NICE EATERI (LIKE TOP OF THE BAY AND ISLAND BREEZE), BUT MY FAVORE IS CHERRY GROVE PIZZA & RISTORANTE, AN UNASSUMG HANGOUT WHICH SERV YUMMY PIZZA, PASTA, AND SSAGE DISH, WH SOME ALL TOO PERFECT OUTDOOR SEATG TO ENJOY AT. THE GROVE IS ALSO THE HOME OF SWEET LICKS, THE BT ICE CREAM PLACE FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}5. GO TO DRAG SHOWS, NATURALLY. THE ICE PALACE CHERRY GROVE HAS POOLSI DRAG SHOWS, AND OTHER BO (LIKE CHERRY’S ON THE BAY) FEATURE REGULAR DRAG PERFORMANC TO GET A RISE OUT OF ALL THE DRKERS AND SCHMOOZERS. AND PROMOTER BRANDON VOSS IS DOG A DRAG PERFORMANCE SERI AT THE PAVILN—EVERYONE OM SHARON NEEDL TO ASIA O’HARA. AND ON JULY 4, THERE’S THE ANNUAL INVASN, WHEREBY A BOATLOAD OF FABULOLY DONE UP QUEENS EMBARKS OM THE GROVE TO THE P, EACH ONE GETTG A SPECIAL MC ANNOUNCEMENT AS SHE HS DRY LAND. THE EVENT IS A PLAYFUL YET PROUD RPONSE TO THE AWFUL TIME 1976 WHEN A DRAG QUEEN WAS NIED ADMISSN TO A P RTRANT. (CAN YOU EVEN IMAGE? TODAY, THEY’D PROBABLY BEG THEM TO PERFORM AT BNCH.) IN PROVCETOWN, DRAG IS PLAYED OUT MORE OF A BARET SETTG, AT PLAC LIKE CROWN & ANCHOR AND THE PILGRIM HOE. EHER WAY, THE DRAG QUEENS ARE TIRELSLY ENTERTAG AND A HUGE PART OF THE SUMMER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}6. RENT A BIKE. NO, NOT FIRE ISLAND, WHERE THERE ARE JT WOON PLANKS AND NO STREETS, BUT PROVCETOWN, WHERE THE RENTALS ARE CHEAP AND AFFORD YOU THE CHANCE TO SEE THE NEARBY SPLENDOR OF TRE, BEACH, AND GRANUR. SOME OF THE BT KNOWN RENTAL SPOTS ARE THE BIKE SHACK, PROVCETOWN BIKE RENTALS, ARNOLD’S RENT-A-BIKE, PTOWN BIK, AND GALE FORCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}7. FD OUT ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS HAPPENG, LIKE THE FIRE ISLAND DANCE FTIVAL AND THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL. THAT N HELP FOC A TRIP, RATHER THAN JT HEADG OUT FOR AIMLS GOOD TIM. P-TOWN ALSO HOSTS SPECIAL WEEKS, LIKE BEAR WEEK, WOMENS WEEK, AND FAY WEEK, ALL OF WHICH ATTRACT SWARMS OF REVELERS. GO FOR ALL THREE!PL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAGPROVINCETOWN, MA - JUNE 22: (L-R) JOHN WATERS TERVIEWS HARMONY KORE, RECIPIENT OF THE FILMMAKER ON THE EDGE AWARD, AT THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATN ON JUNE 22, 2013 PROVCETOWN, MASSACHETTS. (PHOTO BY PL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN WATERS AT THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}8. WEAR WHATEVER YOU LIKE, AS LONG AS ’S ACPANIED BY LOTS OF SUNBLOCK AND MANY NDOMS. AND RELAX AND HAVE FUN!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EAST SI {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT TO DO BACK MY HOMELAND OF NEW YORK CY? GO TO NCERTS AT THE 92ND STREET Y! LAST WEEK, THEY FEATURED CHA RIVERA, THE BROADWAY LEGEND WHO ALWAYS SERV A MASTER CLASS TALENT AND CHARISMA. THIS TIME WAS NO DIFFERENT AS CHA TORE TO HS OM HER CLASSICS LIKE WT SI STORY, BYE BYE BIRDIE, THE RK, KISS OF THE SPIR WOMAN, AND THE VIS. FOR GOOD MEASURE, THERE WAS ALSO A NUMBER OM THE MORE OBSCURE MIL SEVENTH HEAVEN (CHA PLAYED ALL THREE PROSTUT A DTY LLED “CALE, COLLETTE, FIFI”) AND ALSO A DRAMATILLY LATG "CAROEL” OM JACQU BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVG IN PARIS.WALTER MCBRI/WIREIMAGENEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: CHA RIVERA ATTENDS THE 72ND ANNUAL TONY AWARDS AT RAD CY MIC HALL ON JUNE 10, 2018 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY WALTER MCBRI/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHA JOKED ABOUT GETTG OLR, SAYG THAT HER LEG KICKS ED TO GO UP TO HER HEAD, BUT NOW THEY JT GO A FEW CH—THOUGH SHE TELLS DANCERS TO MAKE THE MOVE “CLEAN” AND THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS. AND THANKG SONGWRERS JOHN KANR AND FRED EBB, WHO WERE STMENTAL TO HER REER, CHA SAID THAT WHOUT THEM AND THEIR SUCCSFUL SHOWS, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’D LOOK LIKE, BUT I WOULDN’T LOOK LIKE THIS!” BT OF ALL, SHE CLIMAXED WH A SLHERY “NOWADAYS” (KEEPG AS A DUET BY DOG A BABY-VOICED GWEN VERDON IMPRSN) AND SHE KILLED WH HER SIGNATURE CHIGO SONG, “ALL THAT JAZZ.” WHEN SHE SANG, “OH, I LOVE MY LIFE AND ALL THAT JAZZ,” YOU BELIEVED —AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOTHG COM BETWEEN HIM AND HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2011, WHEN SIGNER CALV KLE THREW A BIG PARTY TO CELEBRATE HIS LOVE FOR YOUNG NICK GBER, I SAID WAS EMBARRASSG SCE THIS CLEARLY WASN’T TE LOVE: IT WAS A NVENIENT ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN A NUBILE HOTTIE (WH SOME LIGHT RNCH HIS PAST) AND A VERY RICH DADDY. THE HOOKUP WAS FE, I JT DIDN’T THK SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ON SUCH A GRAND SLE AS THE LOVE STORY OF THE CENTURY. AND SURE ENOUGH, ALL END BADLY, WH KLE REPORTEDLY HAVG GBER TRAILED BY A PRIVATE TECTIVE.BRIAN KILLIAN/WIREIMAGENEW YORK - OCTOBER 28: CALV KLE (L) AND NICHOLAS GBER ATTEND THE 27TH ANNUAL NIGHT OF STARS AT CIPRIANI, WALL STREET ON OCTOBER 28, 2010 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY BRIAN KILLIAN/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CALV KLE AND NICK GBER AT THE 27TH ANNUAL NIGHT OF STARS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WELL, I FEEL LIKE PLAYWRIGHT JOSHUA HARMON (BAD JEWS, SIGNIFINT OTHER) MAY HAVE OBSERVED MY MENTS BEE HIS NEW EDY, SKTIGHT, DRAWS HEAVILY ON THE CALV AND NICK THG AND CRICISMS OF , WHOUT NAMG NAM—THOUGH PARALLELS ARE QUE OBV ANYWAY. JACK WETHERALL IS ELLT, A JEWISH FASHN SIGNER WHO’S NOT DIRECTLY VOLVED HIS PANY ANYMORE, BUT WHO’S HAPPY WH (IF OVERLY POSSSIVE OF) A 20-YEAR-OLD OKLAHOMA-BRED STUD NAMED TREY (WILL BRTA) TRAIPSG AROUND THE HOE A JOCKSTRAP AND PROFSG HIS LOVE. IN ELLT’S DGHTER JODI (IDA MENZEL), A NEEDY NROTIC WHOSE HBAND JT LEFT HER FOR A 24-YEAR OLD WOMAN, SO SHE’S EXTRA HORRIFIED TO LEARN OF HER DAD’S CURRENT SUATN (THOUGH HE’S HAD YOUNG BOYIENDS BEFORE— FACT, ONE OF THEM IS NOW ONE OF HIS SERVANTS, AND THAT’S NOT THE ONLY SUNSET BOULEVARD–LIKE TOUCH THIS TR GAY PLAY).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN TREY PROCLAIMS THAT HE AND ELLT ARE “PARTNERS,” JODI AND HER GAY SON BENJAM (ELI GELB) ARE REPULSED, THOUGH ELLT FEELS ALL RELATNSHIPS ARE BASED ON SOME KD OF GIVE AND TAKE, SO WHY NOT THIS ONE? AND AT 70, ELLT JT DON’T RE WHAT PEOPLE THK ANYMORE, EVEN IF JODI NOT SO LOVGLY RMS HIM THAT EVERYONE IS LGHG THEIR HEADS OFF BEHD HIS BACK. AS FOR TREY, HE’S ADORG THE LAVISH LIFTYLE HE’S STEPPED TO AND SEEMS TO HAVE SOME GENUE AFFECTN FOR ELLT, THOUGH HE’S TOO SIMPLE TO GRASP THAT HE’S BASILLY A GLORIFIED HTLER. (HARMON HAS THE CHARACTER BLURTG THE WORD “BYZANTE” AT ONE POT, AND I WISH HE’D MA MORE OF THAT POTENTIAL. MIGHT THE GUY BE SMARTER THAN HE SEEMS OR IS HE JT SOME KD OF SCULPTED SPONGE?){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ELT’S BIRTHDAY PARTY BE AN Y OF BOTOX AGE, THE THEME OF OBSSIVE LTG AFTER YOUTH AND “HOTNS” BE MORE PREVALENT, ALONG WH THE NANT IA THAT ERASG ONE’S HISTORY—AND FACIAL L—IS A BAD IA. (JODI PULLS OUT A FAY ALBUM FULL OF MEMORI AT ONE POT, AND THERE ARE ALSO REFERENC TO THEIR ANCTORS’ VARYG FAT THE HOLOT). HARMON’S WRG IS FUNNY AND OBSERVANT AND THE ST IS GAME (I PECIALLY LIKED MENZEL AND WETHERALL), EACH ONE CLIMBG OR SCENDG THE LONG STAIRWAY AMG WAYS SPECIFIC TO THEIR CHARACTERS, BUT ELLT LIVERS AN UNNECSARILY LONG MONOLOGUE ABOUT HIS CRAVGS, SPELLG OUT WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, AND BY THE END, I FELT THE EVENG HAD BEEN AS FLEETG AS A CALV KLE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• “SOMETHG SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AND GAY”: YOUR FIRST LOOK AT FIRE ISLAND
• NON-GAY FIRE ISLAND. QUIET BEACH AND PLAC WHERE TO STAY - NEW YORK CY FOM
• A GAY GUI TO FIRE ISLAND
• CHEAP GAY VATN TO FIRE ISLAND? - FIRE ISLAND FOM
• ‘FIRE ISLAND’: MEET THE POWER TR BEHD THE SUMMER’S SWEETT, FUNNIT GAY ROM-COM
• ‘FIRE ISLAND’ STARS ON THE SRCY OF GAY ROM-COMS AND NOT SUGARATG THE STORY
• GAY FIRE ISLAND

FIRE ISLAND IS A TRIP TO GAY HEAVEN—OR IS IT HELL?COMEDIAN JOEL KIM BOOSTER AND SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’S BOWEN YANG LEAD A JANE ATEN-SPIRED QUEER ROM.BY RICHARD LAWSONJUNE 2, 2022PHOTO BY JEONG PARK. COURTY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEMY LAST TRIP TO FIRE ISLAND WAS 2019, A BUGGY, GHT WEEK DURG WHICH I FELT WOEFULLY ALIENATED OM MY HOEMAT (BY MY OWN DOG, NOT THEIRS) AND ALTOGETHER LONELY AND OLD AND GROSS AND TIRED. SUCH IS THE PERIL OF GOG TO A PLACE LIKE THAT—A GAY RETREAT THAT PROMIS THE FORTS AND EXCEMENTS OF FAIAR PANY, BUT ALSO HOLDS THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRE JAGS OF SELF-DOUBT. AT THE END OF MY TIME THERE, I GOT ON THE FERRY BACK TO LONG ISLAND AND CID I’D FALLY HAD ENOUGH. I HAD TRIED TO MAKE FIRE ISLAND WORK FOR ME, BUT I’D FAILED, TIME AND TIME AGA.IT’S A LOT EASIER TO RETURN THERE VIRTUAL FORM, NONTG AN IA OF THE PLACE OM A DIGAL DISTANCE RATHER THAN EXPERIENCG THE REAL, VODKA-SOAKED THG. WHICH IS JT WHAT THE NEW HULU FILM FIRE ISLAND (JUNE 3) OFFERS TO BOTH FIRE ISLAND VETERAN AND VIRG. DIRECTED BY ANDREW AHN AND WRTEN BY JOEL KIM BOOSTER, WHO ALSO STARS, FIRE ISLAND IS A ROMANTIC EDY OF MANNERS BASED ON JANE ATEN’S PRI AND PREJUDICE. GIVEN THE STRICT AND VEXG HIERARCHI OF FIRE ISLAND, KIM BOOSTER’S CHOICE OF TEMPLATE IS AN APT ONE. ALL OF ATEN’S Y AND PRICKLY SOCIAL MANVERG EASILY MAPS ONTO THE PARTICULAR GAY ESYSTEM PICTED THE FILM—TERPTED, OF URSE, BY VERY MORN BURSTS OF SEX AND DGS. THE GREATT ASSET OF FIRE ISLAND IS THE ISLAND SELF. MUCH OF THE FILM WAS SHOT ON LOTN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL OF LAST YEAR, WHICH GIV THE FILM A CCIAL SPECIFICY. THOSE OF WHO’VE BEEN TO THE ISLAND BEFORE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, MAY MORE POTENTLY REGNIZE THE STRANGE SIGNIFINCE OF SEEG, SAY, THE ICE PALACE LOOMG LARGE A GLOSSY, BUZZED-ABOUT MOVIE RELEASED ON A STREAMG PLATFORM OWNED BY DISNEY. BUT EVEN IF THE PLAC MEAN LTLE OR NOTHG TO A VIEWER, I’D THK THEY’LL STILL FEEL THE ENVELOPG PULL OF THE FILM’S GRANULAR TEXTURE, THE KEEN SENSE OF PLACE THAT SO MANY MOVI—FILMED ON ATLANTA SOUND STAG OR CANADIAN CI DRSED UP TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHG ELSE—SEEM TO LACK THE DAYS.AHN BATH THIS TH, SCRAGGLY LE OF SAND ACHG HU. HE AND CEMATOGRAPHER FELIPE VARA REY HAVE PTURED THE ROSY HAZE OF MAGIL SUMMER, KISSED BY WARM SUN AND FLECKED WH TWILIGHT DARKNS. (THE FILM’S WOOZY, INSTAGRAM-FILTER LOOK IS PERHAPS REMISCENT OF THE SHORT-LIVED GAY HBO SERI LOOKG—THOUGH I REALIZE THAT PARISON MAY READ AS NEGATIVE TO SOME. I MEAN A GOOD WAY.) AHN HAS SET A LOVELY STAGE FOR BUDDG ROMANCE AND FOR THE DULL PANGS OF VATN MALAISE. FIRE ISLAND PRENTS A WORLD BOTH SPRIGHTLY AND SOMBER, BEFTG OF THIS PARTY MEC WHERE EVEN A QUIET AFTERNOON BY THE POOL RRI WH AN ANX CH. KIM BOOSTER PLAYS NOAH, A HANDSOME, BED-HOPPG NURSE WHO IS MAKG AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO FIRE ISLAND WH HIS ART IENDS. HOWIE (BOWEN YANG) IS VISG OM SAN FRANCIS, WHERE HE HAS MPED TO FOR A JOB TECH. ZANY SIKICKS KEEGAN (TOMáS MATOS), LE (MATT ROGERS), AND MAX (TORIAN MILLER) HAVE MA THEIR WAY OUT OM THE CY, READY TO WHOOP UP AND OFFER CUTTG MENTARY. THE CHARACTERS ARE, AS THEY MIGHT BE A NOVEL, TAILED FOR BY NOAH’S NARRATN, WHICH ALSO GIV THE UNIATED A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE LAY OF THE LAND—A B OF PROBABLY NECSARY EXPOSN GIVEN THAT FIRE ISLAND IS NOT AN ACCSIBLE PLACE FOR MOST PEOPLE, GEOGRAPHILLY AND FANCIALLY. MONEY IS ONE OF THE FILM’S PERSISTENT NCERNS. THE BOYS’ HOST, EARTHY-KOOKY LBIAN ER (MARGARET CHO), WILL HAVE TO SELL HER BELOVED HOE AFTER LOSG MOST OF HER MONEY BY VTG QUIBI. (A FUNNY EVOTN OF THE DOOMED STREAMER THAT WAS ONCE MEANT TO BE THE HOME OF A TV SERI THAT LATER BEME THIS FILM.) THAT PUTS THE IENDS STARK NTRAST TO THE RICH GUYS ON THE OCEANONT SI OF THE ISLAND, SNOOTY MCLE GODS WHO ARE, THE FILM POTEDLY REGNIZ, ALMOST UNIFORMLY WHE. AS ASIAN MEN ON AN ISLAND—AND WH A BROAR MUNY—THAT IS OFTEN NOXLY PREJUDICED AGAST THEM, NOAH AND HOWIE MT NTEND WH BEG OSTRACIZED A PLACE THAT IS, OSTENSIBLY, SUPPOSED TO BE A WELG HAVEN. THE PA AND TRATN OF THAT IS SPOKEN ALOUD THE FILM, BUT KIM BOOSTER ALSO LETS HOVER QUIETLY, BUT SISTENTLY, THE SUBTEXT OF MANY OTHER LOAD NVERSATNS. FIRE ISLAND IS NOT MEANT TO BE A PANACEA FOR THIS PROBLEM— IS, AFTER ALL, NOT NOAH AND HOWIE’S, NOR AHN’S AND KIM BOOSTER’S, PROBLEM TO SOLVE. THE FILM IS STEAD A NARRATIVE ABOUT PEOPLE NAVIGATG A DIFFICULT REALY, TRYG TO WRTLE A GOOD, FULFILLG TIME OUT OF A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT SOMETIM SEEMS TERMED TO PRIVE THEM OF THAT. THAT SERNS IS TERTG DIALOGUE, IF NOT ALWAYS PERFECT BALANCE, WH THE FILM’S BAWDIER, RNCHIER DIMENSNS. MOST POPULARSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISRUTH HANDLER: SEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM AND THE ORIG OF BARBIEBY ANTHONY BREZNINTHERE ARE ALSO TENSNS WH HOWIE AND NOAH’S IENDSHIP TO BE ALT WH. HOWIE IS SECURE ABOUT HIS BODY AND HIS NERDY AWKWARDNS, SO UN-REFLECTED NOAH’S RIPPLED AME AND SEX-HAPPY JOIE VIVRE. WE GET THE IMPRSN THAT NOAH’S GROOVE IS A LTLE B NEW—ONCE, MAYBE, HOWIE SAW THEM MORE AS PEERS. THAT SAD DYNAMIC, ONE THAT MANY GAY MEN (AND OTHER PEOPLE, OF URSE) WILL FD ALL TOO RELATABLE, IS SHARPLY ADDRSED THE FILM. THOUGH, I WISH THAT FIRE ISLAND SPENT EVEN MORE TIME VTIGATG THE AILG MECHANICS OF THIS VAL IENDSHIP. THE MOMENTS OF NFSN AND ARGUMENT ARE WHEN FIRE ISLAND FEELS MOST PERSONAL, MOST TIMATE. BUT BEFORE LONG, ALAS, THE BS, AND BYNS, OF THE FILM’S PLOT MT BE ATTEND TO. LOVE TERTS POP UP AT TEA DANC, AS THEY’RE WONT TO DO. FOR NOAH THERE IS THE FILM’S MR. DARCY, WILL (CONRAD RIMORA), A STERN AND HUNKY LAWYER WHOSE CHILLY REACTN TO NOAH’S VERVE DO, OF URSE, MASK A DAWNG ATTRACTN. FOR HOWIE THERE IS THE BABY-FACED CHARLIE (JAM SCULLY), WHOSE MEAN-GIRL IENDS AND OBNOX EX-BOYIEND NTUALLY THWART HIS FLIRTATNS WH HOWIE. SATISFYG NCLNS TO THE ROMANTIC TRAVAILS ARE REACHED BY THE END, AS THEY MT BE, WHILE ALONG THE WAY THERE IS SOME TRIGUE WH A SOLICO INSTAGAY, DEX (ZANE PHILLIPS), WHO’S UP TO NO GOOD, AND A FEW PS FOR HIGH-EDY ANTICS OM KEEGAN AND LE. THOSE MANY MOVG PARTS ARE JUGGLED WELL ENOUGH BY AHN AND KIM BOOSTER—THOUGH, THROUGHOUT THE FILM THEY SEEM UNCERTA IF THEY WANT THIS TO BE A PROBG SOCIAL EDY OR A GALS-ON-VAY LARK. IT N BE BOTH, SURELY, BUT FIRE ISLAND HAS TROUBLE BLENDG THOSE HALV TO A HIVE WHOLE. THAT SAID, ’S MENDABLE THAT THE FILM SO ANKLY, SO AIRILY, PICTS THE ISLAND’S RNAL DULGENC. MAYBE ALL OF THAT STG SOMEWHAT DISRDANTLY ALONGSI THE MHIER, GENTLER STUFF IS A WORTHY APPROXIMATN OF WHAT IS TO BE ON FIRE ISLAND: HORNED UP AND MELANCHOLY, ADDLED BY BOTH CHEMILS AND RELENTLS HEAV OF EMOTN. IN THAT ASPECT, FIRE ISLAND GETS JT ABOUT RIGHT—M THE MOSQUO.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)RICHARD LAWSON

Such is the peril of gog to a place like that—a gay retreat that promis the forts and excements of faiar pany, but also holds the potential for dire jags of self-doubt. All of Aten’s y and prickly social manverg easily maps onto the particular gay esystem picted the film—terpted, of urse, by very morn bursts of sex and dgs. (The film’s woozy, Instagram-filter look is perhaps remiscent of the short-lived gay HBO seri Lookg—though I realize that parison may read as negative to some.

THE VERY GAY HISTORY OF FIRE ISLAND

How did one particular summer settlement on Fire Island bee a ‘safe haven’ for gay men and lbians almost nety years ago, s before the uprisg at Stonewall Inn? It is the se of one of the olst gay and lbian muni the Uned Stat, suated wh two neighborg hamlets — Cherry Grove and the Fire Island P.

Durg the 1930s actors, wrers and craftspeople om the New York theatril world began headg to Cherry Grove, s remote and stic quali allowg for gay and lbians to exprs themselv eely — far away om a world that rejected and persecuted them. And they are joed by Parker Sargent, a documentary filmmaker and one of the curators of Safe Haven: Gay Life 1950s Cherry Grove, a new exhibn at the New-York Historil Society, highlightg photography om the llectn of the Cherry Grove Archiv Collectn.

A GAY GUI TO PROPER BEHAVR PROVCETOWN AND FIRE ISLANDALSO: CALV KLE’S LIFE PROVIS FODR FOR A NEW GAY {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY MICHAEL MTOJULY 2, 2018/12:51 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:4000PX;WIDTH:5835PX;} NI DE PASQUALE PHOTOGRAPHYSG MAN ENJOYG SUN AT SEA. FAVIGNANA, SICILY.BY MICHAEL MTOJULY 2, 2018 / 12:51 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"A GAY GUI TO PROPER BEHAVR PROVCETOWN AND FIRE ISLAND","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-07-02T16:51:08.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-07-02T16:51:08.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL MTO","KEYWORDS":"TRAVEL","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I’M AMAZED WHENEVER A GAY TELLS ME HE HASN’T BEEN TO EHER FIRE ISLAND OR PROVCETOWN, THE QUTSENTIAL EAST COAST RORTS FOR ALL KDS OF QUEER FUN THE SUN. I FEEL THEIR GAY RD SHOULD BE REVOKED IF THEY DON’T TRY THE HEDONISM HAVENS AT LEAST ONCE—AND IF THEY DON’T RETURN FOR A SEND VIS, THEY SHOULD BE PUBLICLY SHAMED, PILLORIED, AND STRIPPED OF THEIR GYM MEMBERSHIP. NOT THAT LERALLY “ANYTHG GO” EHER PARADISE—THERE ARE WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE, SE YOU DO FD YOURSELF THERE. AND SO, HERE’S MY HANDY GUI TO JT HOW TO BEHAVE AT THE TWO MARVELO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}1. LEAVE YOUR BIG CY WO BEHD AND PREPARE TO RELAX AND/OR HAVE A GOOD TIME. DON’T LOOK AT YOUR PHONE, UNLS HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH, YOU KNOW, RELAXG AND/OR HAVG A GOOD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}2. GET READY TO DROP YOUR WALL, SAY “HELLO” A LOT, AND ACTUALLY BE IENDLY. ON THE PLANKS OF FIRE ISLAND, MOST PEOPLE THAT PASS YOU WILL GIVE YOU A WARM GREETG AS YOU MMAGE THROUGH YOUR BRA TO FIGURE IF YOU EVER TRICKED WH THEM. P-TOWN IS ALSO AN EXCEEDGLY PERSONABLE PLACE, ONE WHERE A DIVERSY OF PEOPLE ARE ALL TOO HAPPY TO SE AND CHAT WH YOU THE STREET. ONCE YOU GET OVER THE SHOCK OF , YOU’LL GIVE AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}3. WHEN FIRE ISLAND, GET TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GROVE VERS THE P. THE P IS FOR MCLE QUEENS AND OTHER PARTY BOYS WHO WANT TO LAY OUT THE SUN, TILLATE THEMSELV, AND GO TO LOW AND HIGH TEAS. (THE MOTTO THERE IS, “WE GO LOW! WE GO HIGH!”) IN THE NEIGHBORG CHERRY GROVE—WHICH YOU N WALK OR TAKE A SPEEDBOAT TO—THERE ARE DANIEL NARDIC’S ROLLICKG FRIDAY NIGHT UNRWEAR PARTI AT THE ICE PALACE, BUT GENERAL, THE MOOD IS MORE MIXED (WH LBIANS AND STRAIGHT PEOPLE THROWN ) AND MORE HONKY TONK AND WELG THAN THE P.AN AERIAL VIEW TAKEN OM FLIGHT BETWEEN PARIS AND NEW YORK CY SHOWG THE GEOGRAPHY OF JON BEACH AND THE BARRIER ISLANDS ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AN AERIAL VIEW OF JON BEACH AND FIRE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I’VE BEEN KNOWN TO VIS BOTH PLAC, NNG BACK AND FORTH THROUGH “THE MEAT RACK” LIKE A MANIAC, BUT IF I HAD TO PICK ONE, I’M FELY A GROVE QUEEN. AS FOR THE MEAT RACK, ED TO BE A HAVEN FOR WILD, ANONYMO SEX AND PADDLG THE WOODS, BUT NOT ANYMORE. STICK TO YOUR PHONE. OR BETTER YET, STAY AT THE BELVERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}4. ENJOY THE FABULO FOOD. PROVCETOWN IS KNOWN FOR S AMAZG SEAFOOD (AND OTHER) RTRANTS, WHICH YOU N ENUNTER BY SIMPLY STTTG UP AND DOWN THE MA THOROUGHFARE, COMMERCIAL STREET, AND BEYOND. (AROUND TOWN, CANTEEN, LOBSTER POT, AND THE RED INN ARE AMONG THE POPULAR PLAC TO EAT.) BUT YOU N ALSO FD SOME WONRFUL DIV BY THE DOCK, WHERE YOU N GET FOOTLONGS AND ALL THE TRIMMGS FOR A LIGHTFULLY LOW PRICE. RTRANTS THE P ARE OVERPRICED, BUT SOME GUYS FD SOCIABLE TO GET A BURGER AT THE BLUE WHALE, BETWEEN ALL THE PARTYG. BUT I GENERALLY STICK WH THE PANTRY, A WONRFUL GROCERY STORE WH A LI UNTER, WHICH IS A FUN MEETG GROUND FOR QUEENS ROUNDG UP THEIR DNER MEN. THE GROVE HAS SOME NICE EATERI (LIKE TOP OF THE BAY AND ISLAND BREEZE), BUT MY FAVORE IS CHERRY GROVE PIZZA & RISTORANTE, AN UNASSUMG HANGOUT WHICH SERV YUMMY PIZZA, PASTA, AND SSAGE DISH, WH SOME ALL TOO PERFECT OUTDOOR SEATG TO ENJOY AT. THE GROVE IS ALSO THE HOME OF SWEET LICKS, THE BT ICE CREAM PLACE FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}5. GO TO DRAG SHOWS, NATURALLY. THE ICE PALACE CHERRY GROVE HAS POOLSI DRAG SHOWS, AND OTHER BO (LIKE CHERRY’S ON THE BAY) FEATURE REGULAR DRAG PERFORMANC TO GET A RISE OUT OF ALL THE DRKERS AND SCHMOOZERS. AND PROMOTER BRANDON VOSS IS DOG A DRAG PERFORMANCE SERI AT THE PAVILN—EVERYONE OM SHARON NEEDL TO ASIA O’HARA. AND ON JULY 4, THERE’S THE ANNUAL INVASN, WHEREBY A BOATLOAD OF FABULOLY DONE UP QUEENS EMBARKS OM THE GROVE TO THE P, EACH ONE GETTG A SPECIAL MC ANNOUNCEMENT AS SHE HS DRY LAND. THE EVENT IS A PLAYFUL YET PROUD RPONSE TO THE AWFUL TIME 1976 WHEN A DRAG QUEEN WAS NIED ADMISSN TO A P RTRANT. (CAN YOU EVEN IMAGE? TODAY, THEY’D PROBABLY BEG THEM TO PERFORM AT BNCH.) IN PROVCETOWN, DRAG IS PLAYED OUT MORE OF A BARET SETTG, AT PLAC LIKE CROWN & ANCHOR AND THE PILGRIM HOE. EHER WAY, THE DRAG QUEENS ARE TIRELSLY ENTERTAG AND A HUGE PART OF THE SUMMER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}6. RENT A BIKE. NO, NOT FIRE ISLAND, WHERE THERE ARE JT WOON PLANKS AND NO STREETS, BUT PROVCETOWN, WHERE THE RENTALS ARE CHEAP AND AFFORD YOU THE CHANCE TO SEE THE NEARBY SPLENDOR OF TRE, BEACH, AND GRANUR. SOME OF THE BT KNOWN RENTAL SPOTS ARE THE BIKE SHACK, PROVCETOWN BIKE RENTALS, ARNOLD’S RENT-A-BIKE, PTOWN BIK, AND GALE FORCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}7. FD OUT ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS HAPPENG, LIKE THE FIRE ISLAND DANCE FTIVAL AND THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL. THAT N HELP FOC A TRIP, RATHER THAN JT HEADG OUT FOR AIMLS GOOD TIM. P-TOWN ALSO HOSTS SPECIAL WEEKS, LIKE BEAR WEEK, WOMENS WEEK, AND FAY WEEK, ALL OF WHICH ATTRACT SWARMS OF REVELERS. GO FOR ALL THREE!PL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAGPROVINCETOWN, MA - JUNE 22: (L-R) JOHN WATERS TERVIEWS HARMONY KORE, RECIPIENT OF THE FILMMAKER ON THE EDGE AWARD, AT THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATN ON JUNE 22, 2013 PROVCETOWN, MASSACHETTS. (PHOTO BY PL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JOHN WATERS AT THE PROVCETOWN INTERNATNAL FILM FTIVAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}8. WEAR WHATEVER YOU LIKE, AS LONG AS ’S ACPANIED BY LOTS OF SUNBLOCK AND MANY NDOMS. AND RELAX AND HAVE FUN!{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EAST SI {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT TO DO BACK MY HOMELAND OF NEW YORK CY? GO TO NCERTS AT THE 92ND STREET Y! LAST WEEK, THEY FEATURED CHA RIVERA, THE BROADWAY LEGEND WHO ALWAYS SERV A MASTER CLASS TALENT AND CHARISMA. THIS TIME WAS NO DIFFERENT AS CHA TORE TO HS OM HER CLASSICS LIKE WT SI STORY, BYE BYE BIRDIE, THE RK, KISS OF THE SPIR WOMAN, AND THE VIS. FOR GOOD MEASURE, THERE WAS ALSO A NUMBER OM THE MORE OBSCURE MIL SEVENTH HEAVEN (CHA PLAYED ALL THREE PROSTUT A DTY LLED “CALE, COLLETTE, FIFI”) AND ALSO A DRAMATILLY LATG "CAROEL” OM JACQU BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVG IN PARIS.WALTER MCBRI/WIREIMAGENEW YORK, NY - JUNE 10: CHA RIVERA ATTENDS THE 72ND ANNUAL TONY AWARDS AT RAD CY MIC HALL ON JUNE 10, 2018 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY WALTER MCBRI/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHA JOKED ABOUT GETTG OLR, SAYG THAT HER LEG KICKS ED TO GO UP TO HER HEAD, BUT NOW THEY JT GO A FEW CH—THOUGH SHE TELLS DANCERS TO MAKE THE MOVE “CLEAN” AND THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS. AND THANKG SONGWRERS JOHN KANR AND FRED EBB, WHO WERE STMENTAL TO HER REER, CHA SAID THAT WHOUT THEM AND THEIR SUCCSFUL SHOWS, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’D LOOK LIKE, BUT I WOULDN’T LOOK LIKE THIS!” BT OF ALL, SHE CLIMAXED WH A SLHERY “NOWADAYS” (KEEPG AS A DUET BY DOG A BABY-VOICED GWEN VERDON IMPRSN) AND SHE KILLED WH HER SIGNATURE CHIGO SONG, “ALL THAT JAZZ.” WHEN SHE SANG, “OH, I LOVE MY LIFE AND ALL THAT JAZZ,” YOU BELIEVED —AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOTHG COM BETWEEN HIM AND HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2011, WHEN SIGNER CALV KLE THREW A BIG PARTY TO CELEBRATE HIS LOVE FOR YOUNG NICK GBER, I SAID WAS EMBARRASSG SCE THIS CLEARLY WASN’T TE LOVE: IT WAS A NVENIENT ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN A NUBILE HOTTIE (WH SOME LIGHT RNCH HIS PAST) AND A VERY RICH DADDY. THE HOOKUP WAS FE, I JT DIDN’T THK SHOULD BE CELEBRATED ON SUCH A GRAND SLE AS THE LOVE STORY OF THE CENTURY. AND SURE ENOUGH, ALL END BADLY, WH KLE REPORTEDLY HAVG GBER TRAILED BY A PRIVATE TECTIVE.BRIAN KILLIAN/WIREIMAGENEW YORK - OCTOBER 28: CALV KLE (L) AND NICHOLAS GBER ATTEND THE 27TH ANNUAL NIGHT OF STARS AT CIPRIANI, WALL STREET ON OCTOBER 28, 2010 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY BRIAN KILLIAN/WIREIMAGE){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CALV KLE AND NICK GBER AT THE 27TH ANNUAL NIGHT OF STARS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WELL, I FEEL LIKE PLAYWRIGHT JOSHUA HARMON (BAD JEWS, SIGNIFINT OTHER) MAY HAVE OBSERVED MY MENTS BEE HIS NEW EDY, SKTIGHT, DRAWS HEAVILY ON THE CALV AND NICK THG AND CRICISMS OF , WHOUT NAMG NAM—THOUGH PARALLELS ARE QUE OBV ANYWAY. JACK WETHERALL IS ELLT, A JEWISH FASHN SIGNER WHO’S NOT DIRECTLY VOLVED HIS PANY ANYMORE, BUT WHO’S HAPPY WH (IF OVERLY POSSSIVE OF) A 20-YEAR-OLD OKLAHOMA-BRED STUD NAMED TREY (WILL BRTA) TRAIPSG AROUND THE HOE A JOCKSTRAP AND PROFSG HIS LOVE. IN ELLT’S DGHTER JODI (IDA MENZEL), A NEEDY NROTIC WHOSE HBAND JT LEFT HER FOR A 24-YEAR OLD WOMAN, SO SHE’S EXTRA HORRIFIED TO LEARN OF HER DAD’S CURRENT SUATN (THOUGH HE’S HAD YOUNG BOYIENDS BEFORE— FACT, ONE OF THEM IS NOW ONE OF HIS SERVANTS, AND THAT’S NOT THE ONLY SUNSET BOULEVARD–LIKE TOUCH THIS TR GAY PLAY).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN TREY PROCLAIMS THAT HE AND ELLT ARE “PARTNERS,” JODI AND HER GAY SON BENJAM (ELI GELB) ARE REPULSED, THOUGH ELLT FEELS ALL RELATNSHIPS ARE BASED ON SOME KD OF GIVE AND TAKE, SO WHY NOT THIS ONE? AND AT 70, ELLT JT DON’T RE WHAT PEOPLE THK ANYMORE, EVEN IF JODI NOT SO LOVGLY RMS HIM THAT EVERYONE IS LGHG THEIR HEADS OFF BEHD HIS BACK. AS FOR TREY, HE’S ADORG THE LAVISH LIFTYLE HE’S STEPPED TO AND SEEMS TO HAVE SOME GENUE AFFECTN FOR ELLT, THOUGH HE’S TOO SIMPLE TO GRASP THAT HE’S BASILLY A GLORIFIED HTLER. (HARMON HAS THE CHARACTER BLURTG THE WORD “BYZANTE” AT ONE POT, AND I WISH HE’D MA MORE OF THAT POTENTIAL. MIGHT THE GUY BE SMARTER THAN HE SEEMS OR IS HE JT SOME KD OF SCULPTED SPONGE?){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ELT’S BIRTHDAY PARTY BE AN Y OF BOTOX AGE, THE THEME OF OBSSIVE LTG AFTER YOUTH AND “HOTNS” BE MORE PREVALENT, ALONG WH THE NANT IA THAT ERASG ONE’S HISTORY—AND FACIAL L—IS A BAD IA. (JODI PULLS OUT A FAY ALBUM FULL OF MEMORI AT ONE POT, AND THERE ARE ALSO REFERENC TO THEIR ANCTORS’ VARYG FAT THE HOLOT). HARMON’S WRG IS FUNNY AND OBSERVANT AND THE ST IS GAME (I PECIALLY LIKED MENZEL AND WETHERALL), EACH ONE CLIMBG OR SCENDG THE LONG STAIRWAY AMG WAYS SPECIFIC TO THEIR CHARACTERS, BUT ELLT LIVERS AN UNNECSARILY LONG MONOLOGUE ABOUT HIS CRAVGS, SPELLG OUT WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, AND BY THE END, I FELT THE EVENG HAD BEEN AS FLEETG AS A CALV KLE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Listen Now: The Very Gay History of Fire Island.

Go see the show Safe/Haven: Gay Life 1950s Cherry Grove at the New-York Historil Society. I’m amazed whenever a gay tells me he hasn’t been to eher Fire Island or Provcetown, the qutsential East Coast rorts for all kds of queer fun the sun.

I feel their gay rd should be revoked if they don’t try the hedonism havens at least once—and if they don’t return for a send vis, they should be publicly shamed, pilloried, and stripped of their gym membership. In Ellt’s dghter Jodi (Ida Menzel), a needy nrotic whose hband jt left her for a 24-year old woman, so she’s extra horrified to learn of her dad’s current suatn (though he’s had young boyiends before— fact, one of them is now one of his servants, and that’s not the only Sunset Boulevard–like touch this tr gay play) Trey proclaims that he and Ellt are “partners, ” Jodi and her gay son Benjam (Eli Gelb) are repulsed, though Ellt feels all relatnships are based on some kd of give and take, so why not this one?

“SOMETHG SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AND GAY”: YOUR FIRST LOOK AT FIRE ISLAND

From Osr Wil’s vis to the island 1882, to the steady velopment of Cherry Grove as “Ameri's First Gay and Lbian Town, ” Fire Island has long been a home and haven to LGBTQ visors and rints alike. Long before the Stonewall Rts set the movement for Gay Liberatn to motn, Fire Island provid an important enclave to rints and visors at a time when almost everythg about livg openly as a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, or queer (LGBTQ) person was illegal the Uned Stat. The Cherry Grove Communy Hoe is exceptnally signifint for the enormo role played shapg what gradually evolved to Ameri's First Gay and Lbian Town.

As anizatns, the Cherry Grove Property Owners Associatn and Cherry Grove Arts Projects profoundly fluenced the muny's velopment, facilatg the gradual social acceptance, self-affirmatn, and tegratn of s gay and lbian rints to Cherry Grove's erng affairs and civic life. This tegratn of LGBTQ rints to daily life and events at s muny hoe afford Cherry Grove a sgular stat; beme the one of the first and, for many years, the only gay and lbian fluenced geography the Uned Stat. Its metamorphosis played out agast turbulent social and polil upheavals -- our natn's rponse to the pre- and early days of the homosexual liberatn movement.

The 1969 uprisg at the Stonewall Inn, which is largely creded as the turng pot the gay civil rights movement, has been documented by numero scholars. We’re all head to the same place: Fire P—a queer hamlet on the larger Fire Island, though the nam n be ed terchangeably—is a gay mec. “We ma somethg really, really special and unique and gay, ” Fire Island star and scribe Joel Kim Booster tells me over the phone, about six months after that ferry ri.

NON-GAY FIRE ISLAND. QUIET BEACH AND PLAC WHERE TO STAY - NEW YORK CY FOM

This is what gay men do all the time. ”In a world where queer ntent typilly skews toward the treacly (thk Love, Simon), or the tragic (thk The Power of the Dog), makg a story about gay love for a major movie stud is self somethg of a radil act. (Though not too radil: Billy Eichner’s gay rom- Bros, which also featur an all-queer prcipal st, hs theaters this September.

’” Booster shelved the ia for years, only for to reemerge an say he wrote for a now funct blog about his nnectn to Aten as a gay man. Was there a gay Amber Alert we all somehow missed? ”“Sometim if you’re gay, you don’t thk you n be classist or racist, ” Cho tells me between tak.

A GAY GUI TO FIRE ISLAND

”Or, as Booster puts : “What happens when gay men are put together on an island and there are no straight people to opprs ? ”“There is this ia that ’s only for whe mcle gays, ” Booster says, of the P—or for gay men wh money. Fire Island is the exceptn to the le of our liv, the same way that a gay romantic edy wh four Asian Amerin stars is an exceptn to the le of Hollywood.

CHEAP GAY VATN TO FIRE ISLAND? - FIRE ISLAND FOM

”“I want people—pecially gay men, pecially queer people—to walk away om the movie happy that they’re gay, ” Booster says. “I thk that there are so many movi about the gay experience that are ght wh people who are unsure if they’re happy beg gay or stgglg wh g out…. New Rom-Com ‘Fire Island’ Introduc Hulu Audienc to a Historic LGBTQ DtatnIs Fire Island a gay muny?

But Fire Island, the namake and settg of the new film, is a real-life place wh a thrivg gay muny. ”Article ntu below advertisementIn fact, Cherry Grove beme known as “Ameri’s First Gay and Lbian Town, ” the NPS says, and NBC News adds that jos Provcetown, Mass., and Sgatuck-Douglas, Mich., as one of the few pre-Stonewall LGBTQ go on: “Long before the Stonewall Rts set the movement for Gay Liberatn to motn, Fire Island provid an important enclave to rints and visors at a time when almost everythg about livg openly as a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, or queer person was illegal the Uned Stat. ”For terr shots, however, set signers recreated Fire Island’s Ice Palace gay bar and Paviln nightclub.

Non-gay fire island.

‘FIRE ISLAND’: MEET THE POWER TR BEHD THE SUMMER’S SWEETT, FUNNIT GAY ROM-COM

I thought Fire Island would be a great optn but I'm not clear what the quieter non-gay muni are. Re: Non-gay fire island. Most are the gay muni.

‘FIRE ISLAND’ STARS ON THE SRCY OF GAY ROM-COMS AND NOT SUGARATG THE STORY

Fire Island is referenced a lot popular culture, for example the Fire Island TV seri and a new gay Pri and Prejudice adaptatn set on Fire Island. The optns below should give you spiratn on where to start when you vis Fire Bars and Clubs Fire IslandThere are plenty of gay bars and nightclubs Fire Island to satisfy your cursy. The gay scene is two ma areas, the hamlets of Cherry Grove and The Fire Island P.

GAY FIRE ISLAND

It is a wateront gay bar, and plays host to a number of events. There are plenty of daily events which you n fd out about Fire Island P are also rich wh gay nightlife. Loted here is the inic gay bar The Blue Whale.

It also has a large dance floor and rotatg DJs, to keep you groovg the night hotels Fire IslandFire Island's populary wh the LGBTQ+ muny as a statn means that, by extensn all of the hotels are gay-iendly at the mimum. This mak easier when choosg a hotel here, as you don't have to worry too much about the of the hotels the area are gay-owned and n, providg a tailored stay by hosts that unrstand the needs of an LGBTQ+ Dune Pot Gut Hoe is a gay-owned hotel loted the party hot spot, Cherry Grove. The Veian style, clothg-optnal hotel is perfect if you're lookg for an exclively gay stay.

Cherry Grove, which was regnized as a Natnal Historic Landmark 2015, was one of the first plac the untry where was safe to be openly gay. Throughout Fire Island, you’ll fd gay-owned and operated rtrants, bars and hotels.