(Jesse on the Brink) Happy 'Straya Day!

 by Jesse Archer

The long weekend was meant to be all wet - and began with a biathlon at Boy Charlton pool. My swim club buddy Drew and I SURVIVED. This easy breezy biathlon is fast becoming a weekly habit.

After that, the weekend raced quickly downhill!

Hit a pool party at my former CEOs, and caught up with loads of friends including gorgeous Andrea.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Poppers are Dead; Long Live Poppers!

by Jesse Archer

Get a whiff of my latest essay in the Advocate. It's on one of my favorite topics - POPPERS. As some in the comments note, this is shocking. Appalling. We should be writing essays on gay child rearing! Thank you for proving my point.

(JESSE on the BRINK) What a FEAST!

by Jesse Archer
 
 "Life's a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are STARVING to death!" is Auntie Mame's most famous quote and her credo. Auntie Mame (one of my all time favorite films) is based on a bestselling book by Patrick Dennis, pseudonym Edward Everett "Pat" Tanner III. I just finished reading his biography, a very good one, UNCLE MAME.

Tanner was fun-loving and vastly entertaining (both in person and in print) married to a wonderful companion, Louise, and had two children. He essentially sheperded camp humor to the mainstream and was the first author to have 3 books on the bestseller list - at the same time.

Yet with the advent of 60s counterculture, what he did best - incisively skewer the snobbery of high society - quite suddenly was quaint and fell out of fashion. He attempted to become an arts dealer, and then - as he was a snob in his own right - found a final career as a butler. He excelled in this role, and ultimately butlered for Ray Kroc, owner of McDonalds, who never knew his clever and reliable servant was actually the famous former millionaire author of Auntie Mame.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Best of 2012!

In 2012, we  were thrilled that one our my Faves, Jesse Archer officially joined our team and is able to write his adventures. Here are  his Top 5 posts , according to our Readers (Based on Page Views.) 

5. Gay Pride Parade New York 2012 (6/27)

4. Fire Island Invasion 2012 (7/25)

3. Sexualising the Sea Cucumber! (4/25)

2. The Man Burns in 350 Days! (9/19)

(Best of 2012) the TOP 5 Columns on OUTscene!

In 2012, OUTview and OUTscene went back to its Roots and brought more columns from different Views and different parts of the world, so Here are our Top 5 COLUMNS, according to our Readers (Based on Page Views.)

5. INTO THE LIGHT

4. JESSE on the BRINK

3. MK SCOTT

2. MOVIE FREAK

(JESSE on the BRINK) Holiday Gift Ideas?

by Jesse Archer

Stuff your stocking with summer fun! Buy a DVD or download of my Fire Island comedy Half-Share for 20% off. With purchase this month, you'll be making a donation to help homeless youth in NYC.

 

Edge magazine writes, "What really makes Half-Share soar over the pabulum that substitutes for entertainment these days are the details... that, and the sweetness that lies just below the tartness."

(JESSE on the BRINK) the Queen of King's Cross!

by Jesse Archer

Here is Gemma. She is always cracked out in the middle of King's Cross, speaking nonsensically, mostly about being an indigenous supermodel and always sporting a revolutionary outfit for the day.

This is the first time I've seen Gemma dressed as a boy. You can't really tell, but she's got a turban under the hat and a sweater for a skirt. The necklaces are amazing and that pile of books? She is not reading them. They are complementary props. Gemma knows how to pull together and rock a look.

On this day, she was very subdued. Not the usual strutting and whirling about, off her rocker babbling to fellow down n' outs in this plaza. People always try to take surreptitious photos from afar, but if you go up and ask Gemma is happy to strike a pose.  There are a lot of characters in the Cross, but none quite so special. Even the hookers don't appear to have a story. But I'd love to know Gemma's.

(JESSE on the BRINK) Homecoming of The Undoubted Queen!

by Jesse Archer

I just spent five days in Napier, New Zealand - home of art deco, a devastating 1931 earthquake, and my friend Peter Cross.

Peter was a performer and writer (he is an Executive Producer on my film Violet Tendencies, and his short Shopping is now hot on the festival circuit), who had often written of growing up in Napier on his blog. After Peter passed away this past july of cancer, his long-time partner Richard was tasked with bringing him home, and asked me last minute if I would join him on the trip. Not sure if I was asked to be company or comedy...but we had a very memorable journey together. 

(JESSE on the BRINK) Up and Close with Mitcham!

by Jesse Archer 

It's not every day you get to meet a gold medal Olympian! Australian gold medalist diver Matthew Mitcham had a signing this week for his autobiography "Twists and Turns". He admitted that at 24, he's far too young to have written an autobiography which is why "I fluffed it out with so many photos!" Not that anyone minds...

Not only rare to have met a gold medal Olympian, but an openly gay one at that... is rarely seen in elite sports. I gave Johnny Weir a big kiss for that and also got to thank Matthew Mitcham for his authenticity and openness... qualities which sadly put athletes like him at risk of losing endorsements.
I asked him how in big competitions he is able to shut out the massive media and pressure. He said it was easy to stay focused and calm nerves. "It's fun," he said. "You get to be a showpony!"

Mitcham was super articulate and held court... fielding questions like a pro. Here's wishing him well on book sales, his diving career, and a future an on-camera career where he will be allowed to make a splash!