Less than a year later, with a couple more songs and music videos under his belt, Grand launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his debut album. Grand’s goal, to raise more than $80,000 in one month was met, and exceeded, in one day, when he raised almost $120,000. Now that the fundraising period has ended, Grand’s effort has become the number 3 most-funded music project in Kickstarter history, raising $326,000. Such a feat speaks volumes about his talent and his devoted fan-base, known affectionately as the GrandFam. Grand, who was one of the Out 100 in 2013 and is still as down-to-earth as they come, took a break from his busy day to answer a few questions for us in the spring of 2014.

Florida Agenda: Steve, we first spoke to each other in July 2013, around the time that your “All-American Boy” music video had reached a million views on YouTube and you were getting some national media attention. When you look back at the past eight months, what is the one thing that stands out as the most memorable for you?

It’s so hard to say just one. There’ve been so many incredible things that have happened. For one, the continued support of my fans, who I love so much. When I was on my little tour they came out in droves. It was so incredible to meet them at each and every show. I remember a specific show in San Diego that I did. It was at Urban Mo’s and we packed the place. Everyone brought such great energy to the room and there was so much love in the room and this outpouring of support. It felt like a little family. It’s been so great to meet people like that and hear the stories that they’ve shared with me and watching the fan-base grow every single day. I started my Facebook page when my video when up on July 2 (2013) and the day after my birthday (a couple of days ago), it passed over 100,000 “Likes.” The GrandFam, as I love to call them and they love to call themselves, has grown so much. It’s not the number that matters to me, it’s that they’re still the most incredible, loving fans. They’re so positive and supporting of each other. That’s something I’ve been so blessed to witness. Not only are they there to support the music, but they’re there because they care about each other.

Even though you had been working hard at your craft for a number of years, you became a kind of overnight sensation. Do you think you were prepared for all the attention and scrutiny you received?

It’s something you can’t prepare for. You can think about it all you want and study it from the outside to a degree, and that might help. But, no, I certainly didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect this to the degree that it’s happened. I take it day by day. I stay focused on all I have to be grateful for, which is really a lot. I get to pursue my dream. I get to wake up every day and do something that I love. For that, I feel so blessed, so humbled. For that, I also feel that honoring the relationship that I have formed with my fans is the most sacred thing to me.

In the course of these past few months, did you get to meet people and go places that you hadn’t previously?

I have met some incredible people. Very early on I met Edie Windsor, not too long after the repeal of DOMA. It was amazing. She is a hero and an inspiration to me. At the Out 100 Awards, which I was also a part of last winter, I played there and she spoke. She received the big award and her speech was so moving. She spoke about how before the AIDS crisis, gay men and lesbians were kind of separate; they segregated themselves. But she remarked on the bittersweetness of them coming together, and the fact that it took a crisis to bring them together. I thought there was something beautiful about the way she talked about a community coming together to fight a bigger battle. I’ve also met Mariah Carey and Elton John. I did a show with Lance Bass. He’s an extremely sweet guy. Elton has been my musical hero since I was a little kid. As a big piano rock fan, it was so exciting – he’s my musical hero and I got to meet him before a show and give him a hug. He knew who I was and he said he was keeping an eye on me. That was really exciting. I’ve been so many places that I’ve never been before. I didn’t do a lot of traveling growing up with my family. I went very few places. Even after that, when I was in college I didn’t have the money, and after college I certainly didn’t have the money [laughs]. Struggling as a singer/songwriter and playing at churches just to get through the week. It’s been incredible to be able to go to all of these places all over the country and play and have people show up. People who have been moved by my story or are interested in hearing me live. There’s always so much love and support. It’s something I don’t ever take for granted when I get before an audience.

Were you offered any work outside of music, such as on TV in Glee or in a movie musical?

Yes, there have been some offers relating to film and people doing their own small or big budget projects. People have asked me if I want to act, but right now I just want to focus on my music. My fans know that. You can only take on so much and right now with me launching this Kickstarter (campaign) and new music video. I’m in California and I stepped outside of the studio to do this interview with you, Gregg. You can only stay focused on so many things at once. I’m working hard every day. We really have to get this (album) out for the fans by late May. It’s going to be difficult to do that, but I am determined. Of course, the quality has to come first. I’m doing everything I can to make that this album comes out in a timely manner.

Fan-funded albums, such as the one you are raising funds for through a Kickstarter campaign, are all the rage. Why did you decide to go that route?

I wanted my fans to be my label. They’ve given me so much support and love. They’ve amazed me every single time with each song I’ve released. I promised them, from day one when I first started doing these interviews, that I would keep my music and message as pure as possible. I don’t want anything getting in the way of that. I’m staying independent for that reason. It’s meaningful for them to be a part of seeing this album come to fruition and being a part of the reason that this album is come to be, through their support and generosity. I think that’s special for them.

Last August, at an event in which you performed in Chicago in advance of your Northalsted Market Days appearance, your family, including your parents and grandmother, were present. What do they think of your meteoric rise?

They’re having a great time with it. They’re so happy for me and so proud of me. It’s a beautiful thing. This life has been such a journey in so many ways. One of them is watching my parents do a 180 in many ways in life. Faith and religion was all tied with what it meant to be a good person. It was part of their culture and where they came from. What they were taught to believe from their faith was that homosexuality was a sin. They can’t help that that was the environment in which they grew up, that that was their world. But, because of me, it’s a testament to a parents’ love that because of their own son, they were able to reexamine these beliefs that they had held for so long. They’re in midlife and I don’t think people appreciate how difficult it is for people at that point in their lives to totally reevaluate their value system. That’s a really big deal. That’s why I say it’s a testament to the power of a parent’s love. That has been one of the most special things about all of this for me.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask if you are currently single or if you have a boyfriend?

I’m married to my career. That’s all I’ll say.

Florida Agenda: The autobiographical nature of Have I Got a Girl For You is immediately obvious when the main character is named Josh. Was it always your plan to call the character Josh or had you considered other names?

Josh Mesnik: Yeah, it never even occurred to me to call him anything else. The show is my story and I don’t pretend that it’s not. Although there have been a few elements that needed to be fictionalized. The relationship story is a conglomerate of a couple different things; that’s probably the one that has become the most fictionalized…

…that’s interesting.

I know, right? Out of all of the things that are in the show, the average relationship is what is fictionalized [laughs]? Really terrible, I know. But the original intention was to tell my story and not to hide it.

Josh is, in fact, also called Christian and Moishe – names that both negate and accentuate his heritage.

Culturally, I identify as Jewish. I’m from a mixed marriage, but I was raised Jewish. A lot of my humor is a tip of the hat to the Borscht Belt humor with, hopefully, a new twist. That’s always been part of my vernacular and how I function. The Christian name comes along because everyone has a double name in the agency.

I’m glad you mentioned the humor in Have I Got a Girl For You because it’s delightful, combining camp and smut with the greatest of ease. Who are some of your other comedy influences?

As far as playwrights go, Nicky Silver and (Christopher) Durang are my biggest influences. Aaron Sorkin’s a big influence of mine. I like the way that his dialogue flies. Don’t get me wrong – I just named three massive playwrights that have trickled down (on me) slightly. I like to write in a naturalistic pattern. There are also very strong rhythms to Sorkin’s style and I try to write that way as well. I try to write where, on the page, the actor can get a sense of hearing it. That’s what I’ve been told. That comes from my background, starting as a performer and having a good ear. Dialogue, for me, is the easy part. Structure is another thing.

I was surprised by the way the escorts were portrayed as being racist.

All real.

Did that surprise you the first time you heard it?

Yes. That’s why that scene is there. To say that every single one (was), no, but a lot of the girls had a good amount of inherent racism. We screened our clients, but a lot of the times I didn’t know what they looked like. We dealt with all businessmen and for me, a businessman is a businessman. There were people of any sort of race that I wasn’t going to book who don’t sound like they’re up to the standards of the agency, but that had nothing to do with race.

Sobriety and recovery plays a large role in Have I Got a Girl For You.

I’ve been sober for nine years. I originally came down to Florida to get sober. I didn’t know that I could. I had no intention to be sober for as long as I am. It just worked out that way with a lot of hard work. It was the best thing I ever did in my life, but I also like to say that I wouldn’t have done it unless I absolutely had to. My life had gotten out of control. Drugs and alcohol had taken over. I definitely saw the fatal aspect of the disease. I was going to die from this if I didn’t do something about it. I was blessed with being able to find the right help and find the right program that helped me.

Have I Got a Girl For You has a South Florida setting.

It took place down here so it was always going to be down here, no matter where it’s performed. There’s really only one joke that is locally specific – the one about Wilton Manors – that would probably be tweaked outside of here. Even as the South Florida view outside of the country works, it works as a setting. Especially when you say it’s an escort agency set in Boca Raton – that’s got national recognition, no matter where it’s playing. It’s really great that it’s having its premiere full-production down here and it’s a local sort of thing. We’re very excited and there are a lot of prospects on the piece. That’s definitely helped us on the press perspective as well.

Island City Stage was recently awarded six Carbonell Awards, as well as a sizable grant from the John C. Graves Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward. What does it mean to you to be affiliated with such an honored theater company?

It means a lot. Michael Leeds, the co-artistic director with Andy Rogow, had directed me quite a few years ago. That’s where I originally met Michael. When all of this was happening with the show and the workshop production at the Fringe Festival – it’s a great opportunity, but it’s not a full-production – he had heard about it and asked for a script. When he read it he loved the writing and the story. Michael has been there since day 12, maybe not day one [laughs], so his support and belief throughout the whole process has been tremendous.

Have I Got a Girl For You runs through April 27 at Island City Stage. For tickets and additional information, visit islandcitystage.org.

While there’s no real way to tell who’s struggling on the inside, we thankfully have support groups in place to help aid those in need. The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention saves lives regularly, and has since started their “Solutions Unlimited Now” program, which is targeted towards the LGBT community, teens, seniors, and others. We had to the opportunity to speak to Howard Cohen regarding the two groups and their impact on the gay community.

Can you tell readers a little bit about the suicide prevention group?

The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention (FISP) was founded in 1991 by five families who all lost a 24 year old child by suicide. The Executive Director, Jackie Rosen, and her husband, Harry Rosen, Chairman of the Board are one of those original families. They lost their son Mitchell Rosen by suicide in 1986 and have been working hard ever since to help Prevent Suicide. FISP has become a tremendous support to the Broward County community by providing suicide prevention educational programs, support for survivors of suicide, phone support, and offering “The Solutions Unlimited Now” – SUN Program for LGBT, Teens, College Students, Seniors, Spinal Cord Injured Adults, and mothers recovered from addiction. FISP’s vision is to HELP STOP SUICIDE by offering help to all those who suffer or are contemplating suicide and to all those who are effected by the suicide of a loved one, by providing the alternatives of hope, support, and resources to all.

How can those in need reach someone?

You can call the office line 954-384-0344 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255) to speak to a live person.

How can those who might want to help get involved? 

Please go to our website fisponline.org and review our services and see what interests you, or call the office at 954-384-0344 and speak to our staff about getting involved.

You guys hold group meet-ups as well, yes?

Our latest SUN group called “The Rainbow Club” is currently meeting at the Fusion office at 2304 NE 7th Avenue in Wilton Manors. We are still looking for new members. The group consists of gay men from the age of 45-65. The group officially started on March 18th and runs 10 weeks until May 20, 2014, Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5pm.

Can you tell readers more about the SUN group?

The SUN group provides a structured group counseling model which consists of a Problem Solving program to particular groups at no cost to the member. This ten step ten week program is facilitated by myself, a licensed mental health professional, in confidential groups of eight to ten participants.

What’s the goal for the Rainbow Club?

Our hope with the Rainbow Club is to provide a safe place to discuss personal challenges about “fitting in” into the gay culture of the Wilton Manors/Oakland Park and to brainstorm possible solutions to reduce stress and avoid depression and the possibility of suicidal thinking.

For more information on FISP, visit fisponline.org, or call 954-384-0344. 

Florida Agenda: For the uninitiated, Joan, would you please say something about how you came up with the moniker Joan As Police Woman?

Joan As Police Woman: I’ve been making music my whole life, but I didn’t start writing music until later, after I had had a lot of experience playing violin and being a session player. I began writing songs and playing under my given name. It would say “Joan Wasser solo.” People thought that I was playing solo violin shows because no one knew that I was writing songs. I was looking for a name that was not my given name. At the time, I was blonde and I was wearing some sort of ridiculous, three-piece, polyester, `70s, pale blue pantsuit. My friend Reuben saw me on the street and he said, “Joan, you are channeling Angie (Dickinson) in Police Woman.” Police Woman was a cop show that ran from 1974 to 1978. The moniker stuck. That was it. That’s been my name since 2003.

What’s the difference, if any, between the music made by Joan As Police Woman and the music made by Joan Wasser?

It’s all the same. I wanted a moniker for the music I released as my songs. Also, I think it’s fun to have a band name. It also has humor. Joan Wasser is not very funny. Joan As Police Woman is bordering on ridiculous, which I like in my life.

We recently interviewed Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini and we talked about the role that collaboration plays in his process. Joan, as an artist known for being able to play well with others, how does collaboration figure into Joan As Police Woman?

I love collaborating [laughs] with people. That’s how I came up in music. I studied classically. When I was a teenager, I was playing in orchestras. There, you were collaborating with a lot of people. I know it’s reading music off a page, but you’re all watching the conductor to know when to come in at the same time. It’s a very unifying experience with a lot of people. Then I went to college for classical music and I did a lot of chamber music. That’s just like being in a band. I love experiencing other people’s processes and how they relate to music and other musicians and how they get what they want from musicians. How they like to create textures and how they do it. It’s like going to the school of that artist. People have different ways of doing things. Hopefully, people also like to hear what other people have to say and are open and hear how other people have made sounds or feelings happen in the song. I’ve always loved doing that. I think it’s contributed to my own music; the experiences I’ve had in diverse situations collaborating with others.

R&B has always been a presence in Joan As Police Woman’s music, but on the new record The Classic, the soul vibe has more of a vintage feel, which can be heard in the 21st century hip-hop doo-wop of the title cut. What inspired the retro direction?

I have to tell you honestly that I don’t have some grand plan before I go in to make a record. Each record is representative of the time between the last record and this record. It’s not like, “I’m going to make this retro sounding…” No, it’s just the songs that have happened since the last record. I think on this record I made a decision to edit myself less in terms of the voices in my head saying, “You’re allowed to do this. You’re not allowed to do this.” It’s just me holding myself back, deciding what’s okay and what’s not. I made a decision to try my best to listen to those voices, to kick those voices out. I think that allowed the influence of the music that I really love the most, which is Motown and soul music, to really come out of me.

In “Witness,” you sing about taking something “as gospel sure as the day.” A “crown of thorns” is mentioned in “Shame” and you make use of the word “holy” in both “Good Together” and “Holy City.” Did you have a religious experience in the process of writing the songs for the record?

I can say yes, absolutely, if we define religious experience as the ability to allow my mind to sort of leave my body. I do not subscribe to any organized religion. I still love religion. I’m not saying I love how it’s affected our culture; it’s a very, interesting, fascinating, expansive topic and how it’s affected our culture and the way we think. I do often feel spirituality through creating music. It’s there all the time. I also love religious wording. There’s no better way to create drama than to get over-the-top religious wording into your songs. And guess what, I like drama [laughs].

Are you saying you are a drama queen?

I am not! I used to be a lot more into drama. I’m really not a drama queen anymore. But I do like creating drama in my songs.

The “Holy City” video takes viewers on a tour of the mid-20th century. What can you tell me about the concept for the video?

It was created by a woman named Alex de Campi. She said that when she heard the song it reminded her, like you said, of `60s, `70s soul stuff. Therefore she wanted to references `60s and `70s television show. In there are Soul Train, I Love Lucy, the country one is sort of like…

Hee Haw?

Exactly! Thank you! And The Tonight Show with the amazing (drag king) Murray Hill playing Johnny Carson.

Over the course of your music career, as a queer musician, how would you things have changed for out performers?

It’s hard for me to say because all I have is my experience. In my experience, there was nobody on the scene before Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons). Certainly, there were people similar. But Antony educated a lot of people about the trans community and what it means to be trans and what it can look like. That’s an incredible thing that’s happened in my lifetime. I feel like, in general, a wider range of people are just getting used to the fact that queerness is everywhere. It’s not scary. It’s just what it is. That’s clear because of all the passing of gay marriage and the support, in general, for gay marriage. I feel like there’s much more support than not. Whether people are open about it in your community, it’s there.

The story of three porn-stars – the seasoned Ray (Empire Stage Executive Director David R. Gordon), the enthusiastic Ricky (Ryan Mahannah) and the reluctant (and straight) Jack (Craig Moody) – as well as the men behind the scenes (director Keith Dougherty as Arthur and Larry Buzzeo as Jaime), Making Porn is alternately hilarious and hot (especially when Jack is in various states of undress). As it turns out, some of the best comedy occurs when the sole female character, Jack’s seemingly naïve wife Linda (Jennifer Zabalo) appears onstage. Her transformation alone is worth the price of admission.

Florida Agenda: David, you divide your time between NYC and Fort Lauderdale. How does that work out?

David R. Gordon: The most difficult part about dividing my time between New York and Florida is probably being away from my wife and my dog for extended periods of time. The other difficult part about it is the housing situation, because I don’t own my own place down here.

What was the impetus for founding Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale?

It all started back in the `90s and 2000′s. I was working in New York with a husband and wife team, Kevin Thompson and Garet Scott. She was a playwright and he was a director. Actually, now what they do is produce audio books. Back then they were producing theater in New York; very funny comedies. She was writing plays and I was playing the lead in most of her plays that she wrote. Some of the shows were Bongo Fever, A Town Called Shame, Down Down Down 30 Seconds to Hell, and they were a lot of fun. We got to know each other very well. She wrote a play called Roll With The Punches which was produced twice in New York. I I suggested we take the show to Fort Lauderdale. I’d find a theater, we’ll bring the cast down and have a good time for a couple weeks there. We ended up producing the play back in 2009 at the old Rising Action Theater on Oakland Park Boulevard.

How long have you been an actor and what are some of the favorite roles you have played?

I have been an actor for roughly 25 years. I have done lots of theater, lots of TV commercials, some soap operas and even some film. Some of my favorite roles include, Judd in Oklahoma, Frank in Body Awareness, Chance Cox in Bongo Fever, and I am also really enjoying playing the role of Ray Tanner in Making Porn.

I’m glad you mentioned Making Porn, a play in which you have performed in the past, and in which you presently appear. Please say something about the play, your connection to it and why you have remounted it, so to speak.

Making Porn is a play that I have performed in many times over the past 20 years. When I originally got involved with Making Porn I was playing the role of Jack Hawk, now I am playing the role of Ray Tanner. Making Porn is the first play that I chose to produce at Empire Stage four years ago. It was actually five years ago that I purchased the rights to Making Porn for the entire South Florida area from the playwright Ronnie Larsen for a term of 5 years. This term is up in April of this year. This is the reason why I decided to remount the play.

As one might expect, Making Porn “contains male nudity” as the poster and program state. What’s it like for you to appear naked onstage?

Like most things in life, it is something that you get used to the more you do it. I remember back in 1996 when I was first doing Making Porn, I was so nervous about knowing my lines that the nudity wasn’t even a concern.

Is it difficult to find actors who are willing to appear naked onstage?

It is not difficult to find actors who are willing to appear naked on stage, but it is difficult to find good actors who are willing to appear naked on stage.

The play also features simulations of gay sex, something that, depending on the part, can be an aspect of an actor’s job. In a show such as Making Porn, do you think it matters if the actors are gay or straight?

I don’t think it matters at all whether an actor is gay or straight as long as the actor is believable in his role. I am a straight married man, but I am also an actor. So, sometimes I choose to play roles and portray people on stage who are very different from who I am in real life, such as Ray Tanner in Making Porn. The trick is to make the audience believe that you are actually that person who you are portraying on stage. As long as you are able to do that it doesn’t really matter who you are in real life.

Making Porn is, first and foremost, a comedy. But it also takes a serious turn, due to the time period in which it is set (the mid-1980s), and deals with the subject of AIDS. With HBO’s production of “The Normal Heart” set to premiere this spring, how effective do you think theater and film and other mediums are at remind audiences that the AIDS crisis is far from over?

I don’t know much about HBO’s “The Normal Heart.” But one thing I do know is that it seems that society doesn’t really take the AIDS crisis as seriously as it did back in the 1980s and 1990s. You would almost think that AIDS has been cured, but as we all know it has not and should still be taken very seriously.

Making Porn has been playing to sold-out houses and has been extended through March 23. What does that mean to you?

Making Porn has been playing to sold-out houses for four weeks now. I am very grateful for the support that this production has received from the local community. One thing that it tells me is that there is still, and probably always will be, a market for this type of show.

Have you started thinking about what the next Empire Stage production will be?

I am fortunate enough over the past few years to have become friends with performer and playwright Jamie Morris. Jamie is the writer of plays such as Mommie Queerest, The Facts Of Life: The Lost Episode, and The Silence Of The Clams. All three of these hilarious plays have been produced by Empire stage over the past three years. I am happy to announce that our next Empire Stage production will be Jamie’s latest masterpiece, Redesigning Women, this summer.

Making Porn is showing until March 23rd. For tickets and more information, visit empirestage.com

Florida Agenda: In recent years, on albums such as “1969″ and “Get Happy,” and now “Dream A Little Dream,” Pink Martini expanded its scope through collaboration. Can you please say something about how you see collaboration fitting in with Pink Martini’s recipe?

Thomas Lauderdale: The band has always been about collaboration from the beginning. For me, I never thought that I would be in a band, let alone lead one. The reason I chose not to go off to music school or conservatory was because I felt like the people who were going to conservatory will really narrow thinking and completely isolated in a practice room and not be able to relate to other people. I wanted to go to a liberal arts college and get a broad education. What I learned in college was how to throw a party more than anything else. I was kind of like the cruise director of the Harvard campus for four years. When I started the band what I really liked about the aspect of it was bringing more people on the stage which made the whole experience more festive and fun.

The von Trapps can be heard on “Get Happy” and, to a greater extent, on “Dream A Little Dream.” How did the collaboration with the von Trapps come about?

Two years ago I was scoring music for the annual Christmas tree lighting in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland (Oregon). I’m on the board for the Oregon Symphony and they called up and said, “We’ve got the von Trapps, the great-grandchildren of Maria and Georg and they are going to be playing with the Symphony tomorrow night. Do you mind if they come on stage during the Christmas tree lighting and perform a song or two?” I, who love The Sound of Music so much, was in heaven. When I met them, they were totally incredible. Beautiful young people who had been homeschooled in Montana and they’ve been traveling and touring and performing for 10 years and had this incredible rapport and this incredible unified sound. Plus there’s the extraordinary history which is indicated by the name von Trapp. I totally fell in love.

Did you happen to see the NBC production of The Sound of Music with Carrie Underwood as Maria?

No. I’m sure it was hideous. It’s such a terrible idea. It’s like trying to remake Casablanca.

Some of Pink Martini’s upcoming tour dates will feature the von Trapps. What can people expect from the concerts?

It’s going to be a hodgepodge of activity. We’re going to do all the material that comes from the collaboration with the von Trapps. Traveling with the von Trapp’s, they always make things better. I can only imagine that it’s going to be the most fun tour ever.

Finally, shortly before speaking with you, I interviewed Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. In the spirit of future collaborations and color coordination, do you think there might come a time when Pink Martini might collaborate with, say, the Indigo Girls or P!nk?

Sure! Absolutely! Why not? I think it’s possible to work with anybody. I like collaborating with people who are entirely different. The message of Pink Martini is one of empathy and compassion and finding ways of bringing people who are very different together and unite them through music; which is also the message of the von Trapp’s. Growing up in Indiana, my parents would entertain and I would go to sleep upstairs listening to the sound of laughter drifting upstairs. It was very calm in and comforting. I think that’s what I’m trying to duplicate in every aspect of my life.

But kids, both performers and fans, eventually grow up. Tiffany has continued to record throughout the `80s, `90s and 21st century. She even found time to start a family. Also known for being a loud and proud supporter of the LGBT community, Tiffany has regularly performed at Pride fests over the years. I spoke with Tiffany about her career, past and present, in preparation for her Pride Fort Lauderdale performance on Sat. March 1 .

Florida Agenda: As one of the reigning pop teen queens of the 1980s, and a music industry survivor, what do you think of the evolution of the genre, personified by Britney, Christina, Lindsay and, more recently, Miley?

Tiffany: Back when I was performing, there was so much you couldn’t do. It was hard to make that transition from young teenager to full adult without everybody panicking. I think we’ve gotten better but I don’t think we’ll ever really gotten over the hump of, “I just have to do it.” Unfortunately I think there is a shock factor. Taylor Swift has probably done it a little bit better as far as keeping that innocence a little bit. Maybe it’s just totally in the pop culture. I’m a big fan of the people you mentioned. I’m pro-artist. We’re very eccentric and we have to have our little niche cut out to we have to be different. Today, especially in pop, there is that shock factor; the videos and the way they dress and all of that. But I think they’re doing it very well [laughs]. As long as it’s just your art and not your entire life. It still scares me when I see people partying too hard and being around the wrong influences and the possibility of getting into something that would take you away from what you are meant to do. That makes me sad. I don’t think it’s just an age thing. It’s something that’s an industry thing. You can fall into those potholes very easily because everything is excessive.

Another phenomenon in which you participated is the TV talent, as in the case of your 1985 appearance on Star Search. What do you think about the current crop of programs, such as American Idol and The Voice?

I’m a big fan of The Voice. American Idol kind of lost me, especially the auditions. My son loved American Idol and he got a kick out of watching people being crapped on technically. As an artist and someone who knows how sensitive (singers can be) and that’s your dream…not everybody is meant to be on stage. Not everybody is meant to have a record deal. But I try not to kibosh their dreams entirely. With shows such as American Idol you’re going to have to have a tough skin. If you want to get into the music industry you’re going to have be able to take the yeses and the nos and the praise and the rejections. That’s really what it is. But that hasn’t stopped people from signing up, but I find it really hard to watch. (On the other hand) I love the mentoring on The Voice. I love watching these other artists because they’ve lived it, they have a lot to say. I don’t think you really get into that world too much where you see people mentor others, not treating people as competitors, but giving honest advice and nurturing talent. I love that about that show.

American Idol champ Carrie Underwood recently played Maria in a recent TV remounting of The Sound of Music. Is there a Broadway musical in which you would like to star either onstage or in a TV version?

There are definitely some things I would love to do. That’s part of my bucket list. Doing some Broadway stuff is definitely something I would like to tap into. A musical about my life has been suggested, including my songs and my story. I’m very interested in listening to what that is about. That’s kind of in the works now. We’ll see how that goes.

In that musical, would you be playing you or would someone else to playing you?

I hope at the end I’d be playing me. That’s the fun of it all. I don’t know if I could play me at 14 [laughs].

You have become a veteran of reality TV, most recently competing on and making it to the final four on Food Network’s Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. What was that experience like for you?

It was awesome and manic and stressful. I wanted to do my best. I love to cook and I’m a big fan of Rachael and Guy. And I was playing from my charity. It’s a trip to have the cameras in your face. You’re working in the kitchen that you don’t really know and things are missing. There’s a whole back story to reality TV. It’s TV, at the end of the day. But for me, the hardest thing was getting used to that clock. I was constantly running out of time. I felt like I should’ve done better. You’re out of your element and you’re wondering what it is they got on tape. When it doesn’t go well, you’re like, “I need a glass of wine” [laughs.

One of your fellow competitors, Judy Gold, will also be performing at Pride Fort Lauderdale. Do you have any funny stories you’d like to share about Judy from her time on Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off?

First of all, she’s just lovely. She’s always on, from the minute she wakes up to the time she goes to bed, you just can tell. I love her jokes, I love her sarcasm. I’d love to go see her show. I’m looking forward to seeing her again. It’s weird, because once you work with someone, it opens that door. She’s someone I’m excited about having that relationship with.

As I mentioned, you will be performing at Pride Fort Lauderdale. When did you first become aware of a gay following for your career?

There have been a few different times. Maybe when I was 18 -- through my makeup artist. I learned a lot from him, from hair and makeup to how to be a person in the public eye. It was a gay man who taught me you can still be nice to have to bring it up a notch. I came from a modest household. I wasn’t raised with celebrities. My manager would have died if he heard that advice [laughs]. But he was right. When you’re in the public eye, especially as a woman, hopefully you don’t become a super diva. But there’s a fine line and hopefully you are your best and a notch above.

You live in Nashville and your latest CD is a country record. What can you tell me about it?

That’s my roots. (Most) people don’t know I started in country music. I came to Nashville and I was 10 years old to get a record contract. I wanted to do something as a thank you to all the people who’ve been listening to me, embraced my talent and help me develop it. The one thing I learned from country music that I will always cherish is that you’re never bigger than your fans. They are your lifeline and I love that. I learned to work with people and to hear people. That’s how the mall tour came about. That made sense to me. I’m a shopaholic first of all [laughs]. But it also made sense because it was about people and getting to know people. I love my fans and I love meeting new people. I’m here for them and whatever the event is; this is my life.

What else makes “The Rose Tattoo” special?

It definitely shows my songwriting capabilities. Nashville is big in country music but it’s not exclusive to country. I also want to move on to other projects such as my singer-songwriter album which is mostly a ballad album. Hopefully it will answer the question that people have, “Can she really sing?” [Laughs] Hopefully this album will prove that.

I think you answered that question when you would break into song on Rachael Vs. Guy. Do you have any fond memories from the past that you’d like to share with readers?

I met Michael Jackson at the Forum. I had just knocked his album out of number one (on the charts). When I heard he was in concert I wanted to go. We got to go backstage and I thought, “Oh, I don’t know how this is going to go down.” He wanted to have a conversation with me. He was so polite and so wonderful. He just wanted to get to know me. We took a picture, which I will always cherish.

 Tiffany performs on Sat. March 1 at Holiday Park as part of Pride Fort Lauderdale, sponsored by Pride South Florida. For tickets and additional information, visit pridesouthflorida.org

How old were you when you discovered you could make people laugh?

I don’t know the exact date. I was funny as a kid; probably in grammar school, imitating my teachers, making a lot of trouble.

You were the class clown?

I was. I won class clown in seventh grade. Although I was very unpopular. The year I won class clown I was in shock. It was my first major award and it was really incredible.

When did you know you wanted to make people laugh as your profession?

I was in college (at Rutgers). (In the dorm) we had Secret Santa and you would get a note under your door with an assignment. When you complete the assignment you get your present from your Secret Santa. You don’t find out who your secret Santa is until the party. I got a note one morning from my Secret Santa saying that I have to do 10 minutes of standup comedy and use everyone who lives on the floor as material. I took it really seriously. I took time off from class. I performed that night. It was like God had spoken to me. I performed in a lounge. Every night someone had to do something ridiculous for Secret Santa. Mine was this comedy show and I did it. It was like nothing I had ever done in my life.

Was that because of the response you got?

Yes, the reaction. But the whole process of actually taking this thing and honing it into…people are funny at parties, but to sit down and write material and have to be funny on the spot. It was an amazing process, but it was also the reaction. There’s nothing like it!

I’m glad you mentioned writing because as someone who writes and performs – do you have a preference for one over the other? For instance, do you prefer writing material for others?

No! I want to perform. Me me me me me me me me me me me me me me.

It’s good that you mentioned that as well because comedians such as Julia Sweeney and you have performed one-person shows in which the line between stand-up and monologue is blurred. Do you have a personal preference for stand-up versus one-person show?

My one-person shows are more like plays. I wrote them with a playwright and they’re structured as a play. It’s not just me doing a monologue or anything like that. I’ve loved both of the one-person shows that I’ve done and I’ve loved that process. It takes years and years; as does a great standup act, of course. They are so different, but I must say I do prefer performing in a theater. You get to a certain age where people getting their checks, or hearing a blender go off and having hecklers, it gets old and tired after a while.

You get a different kind of audience in a theater.

I’ve always said that in comedy clubs you have to get their attention and keep it. In the theater you already have their attention. They are so vastly different. But they paid a lot of money in the theater, they’re not drinking, there comfortably seated — if you’re not my height, you’re comfortably seated. It’s a theater, it’s a stage. There’s something about a stage. But then again, I love doing standup. I love going to the clubs and being able to say whatever I want and trying out new material and being organic and being able to roll with an audience. But it can be a struggle. It’s not as controlled as a theater. In a comedy club, you don’t know who went on before you, a lot of the time, and what they were talking about, or how hard it was for people to get to the club. It’s a whole different atmosphere.

Speaking of different worlds, at the time we are speaking, you are a competitor on the current season of Rachael Vs. Guy, and you previously competed on Chopped. What do you like about food competition shows?

I love to cook. It’s sort of like improvisation. On those shows you’re thinking on your feet. It’s like standup, there’s a lot of pressure; you only have a certain amount of time. It’s sort of solitary. I love to cook and I love to eat and I thought, “You know what? I can do this!”

On Rachael Vs. Guy you were raising money for ALS. Is our mutual friend, gay comedian and writer Bob Smith, the motivating factor behind choosing that charity?

Yes it is. Bob’s been one of my best friends forever. Looking at him – he always has a smile on his face. He is the bravest…I’m so proud to know him and call him my friend. The fact that he can’t get into any kind of clinical study at all or get any meds that haven’t been approved yet because he’s had the disease too long is really wrong. Why wouldn’t they take someone like him who can still walk? He can’t talk and that’s the thing I miss most. We email every day, but I miss hearing his voice. I miss talking to him. He still has the best attitude. He’s amazing.

Are there any other competition shows on which you would want to compete?

I’d never last on Survivor. I’d be like, “My knee hurts. I need some food. Where’s the blow dryer?” So that’s not happening. I hate traveling, so I’m not going on Amazing Race. I would need extra legroom seats. Dancing With the Stars? I just had a knee replacement and the other one needs to be replaced. I’m now going into an off-Broadway show and I can’t even do the turn-around steps.

That’s right, you are doing Seth Rudetsky’s show.

Yes.

There are actual dance steps in the show?

For me, they are dance steps. For everyone else they’re nothing. More me it’s like the f**king ballet. For everyone else, it’s turn and clap.

As a New Jersey native, what do you think about the Chris Christie bridge scandal and all of the other mishegas being revealed about him?

I think this is my favorite question! Does the word schadenfreude ring a bell? All I have to say is that I inducted (the writer) Judy Blume into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Governor Chris Christie and his wife Pat. Let me tell you something, I’m all for a plainspoken, tell it like it is kind of guy, because I’m from New Jersey and I went to high school with all those kinds of bullyish guys. I’ve done all this work for marriage equality through Garden State Equality for years. They’re out there pounding the pavement, grassroots begging and pleading, doing everything they can to pass marriage equality in New Jersey and it passes! That fat fuck vetoes it! It had passed and he vetoes it; all for his own personal gain. To take human rights away from people in your own state that you love so much, you love the people. Tell them that they’re not as equal, their relationships and their families aren’t as equal and don’t deserve the same rights because you have aspirations to become President? That was it. I was done with him.

The fact is that the tide is turning more rapidly than he can keep up, so he’s lost out in many ways.

The thing is, if he believed that, if he was an idiot like Paul Ryan who’s like, “No, you can’t have an abortion. Life begins when you look in each other’s eyes,” if he was that fanatical…but he’s not! His wife’s brother is gay. He’s our age. He knows gay people. He’s not anti-gay. One of his cronies is gay. It’s all for his own benefit, self-gain. He thinks he can do the same shit he did in high school in politics. Even Tony Soprano would cover his tracks better than these people did.

You are performing at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale with Bruce Vilanch for South Florida Pride. Have you and Bruce ever performed together before?

Yes! We’ve done a few shows together. I love him!

What can people expect from your show?

Hilarity! What do you think? It’s me doing standup and Bruce doing standup and telling amazing, inside Hollywood stories. It’s great! It’s a really fun show.

Gregg Shapiro: How long have you been in the bar business?

Mark Hunter: I’ve been in the bar business a little over 31 years. We opened in [the] Chicago [suburb of Elk Grove Village] in 1982. We just recently sold it in September 2013.

How did you get started in the bar business?

I was a professional ballroom dancer, competitor at one time. I really loved doing it, but I really wasn’t loving it. I decided one night after being at (the bar) Charlie’s Angels (in the Chicago suburb of Niles), “I’m going to open a gay bar! [laughs].”

Charlie’s Angels would occasionally do a cabaret night. Did you do something similar at the original Hunters or was it strictly a dance club?

Hunters was basically a dance club. We did do cabaret from time to time. We did have a piano player during Happy Hour. Amy Armstrong came out and did a couple of shows. Honey West would come out and do shows.

What do you like best about being in that line of work

That’s a hard question. I really don’t know. I just loved it all.

For instance, are you a night person and it works well with your schedule?

Absolutely! When I was ballroom dancing, when I was teaching, I was working from two in the afternoon to 10 at night; which were perfect hours to go out and party all night long. I didn’t have to get to work until two in the afternoon [laughs].

In what year did you open Hunters in Palm Springs and why did you decide to open a bar there?

We opened in 1998. I was enjoying the bar business so much that I really wanted to open another one. I wanted to make sure that it was in a warm location; a warmer than Chicago location. We scouted out several cities. We scouted out Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego; some of the warmer areas. There was the most potential in Palm Springs at the time.

What was involved in the recent decision to sell the Hunters location in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village?

It was just time. I’ve been living here (in Wilton Manors) for eight years and my commute to work was killing me [laughs].

What was it about Wilton Manors that made you want to open a Hunters location here?

I love the dynamics of Wilton Drive. I love how it has so much to offer. I was hoping that we can offer something new and different. Add to the experience on the drive.

Wilton Manors is a popular spot with people from Chicago, for both vacation and relocation. Since you have been in Wilton Manors, have you run into any old friends and/or customers from the Hunters location up north?

Absolutely. Just this last weekend we had four of Hunters Chicago’s very good customers down here all the same time [laughs].

Did they all plan to be here at the same time or were they here separately?

They were here separately. They know each other. The week before there was another one, a very good customer that was in from Chicago.

With locations in Palm Springs and Wilton Manors, how did you decide to make Wilton Manors you home?

I love Palm Springs very much but I just feel at home here in South Florida.

Do you think it’s because, having grown up in Chicago with its lakefront and beaches, that that was the draw?

Yes, there is water here, and I’m a Pisces. I’ve got to have the water nearby.

Do you have plans to open more Hunters locations in other cities?

[Laughs] You just never know.

The Paleo foods that they serve contain no gluten, processed ingredients, or dairy – purely wholesome meats, fish and vegetables. Their naturally low Glycemic Index recipes help regulate insulin levels, which not only reduces body fat, but gives high energy levels as well.

We recently sat down with owner Jack Atwell of 954Fit Meals (and Moments In Time Catering) to discuss the benefits of his recipes and the extreme convenience of his meals delivered daily. (Atwell will also bring his knowledge of clean eating to the Brian Neal Fitness & Health Foundation via new healthy-eating classes.)

Where did you get your start for 954Fit Meals?

We started out by cooking for a CrossFit group, who introduced us to the Paleo diet. I’m not a 100% purist when it comes to the diet. I think there’s room to add to what’s already there, so we like to call ourselves ‘Paleo-Driven.’

What’s your philosophy on food?

Processed foods are poisoning us. My belief is if it doesn’t come from the ground or it doesn’t have a mother, we shouldn’t be eating it. We don’t use wheat or dairy. We also replace dairy with coconut milk or almond milk whenever the recipe calls for it. The one dairy item that we use instead of cream, is greek yogurt.

Why gluten-free?

When you cut grains out of your diet, it does amazing things for your body. Your energy level, your physical appearance…I’m sure you’ve heard of the term wheat belly? That’s from gluten. When you take that out, it goes away.

Do people miss the wheat and grains in the recipes?

Most of [my clients] don’t even understand what they’re eating half of the time. I tell them, but it doesn’t seem to matter – they just enjoy it!

Whats the pricing like for the meals?

If you break it down, it’s $30 a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can’t eat out for under $30 a day, unless you’re poisoning yourself with fast food.

Are your clients just too busy to prepare meals at home?

They don’t really need somebody to do it for them, but most people will not do it at home. If you’re working all day and you have to go home and saute vegetables and kale, you’re not going to do that. You’re going to go grab something in a box and heat it up.

Jack Atwell will be teaching healthy-eating classes for the Brian Neal Fitness & Health Foundation in order to reinforce the idea of bringing healthy habits home, especially for those living with life-threatening conditions. For more information on 954Fit Meals, visit 954fitmeals.com, or call 954-263-0768 to sign up today.