Florida Agenda

Robert Darrow’s official title is “New Internet Sales,” but you will typically find him in Lipton Toyota’s newly-remodeled showroom, located at 1700 West Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. “One of the things that impressed me when I started is that 80 percent of all Toyotas sold in the past 20 years are still on the road. I think that speaks volumes about the quality of this worldwide brand. And Lipton is one of the top five Toyota dealers in the United States,” says Darrow. “There is a reason that Toyota is number one,” Darrow explains. “The Camry is number one in the U.S., and the Corolla is number one worldwide, with over 4 million units per year.”

Closer to home, Darrow says, “One thing that I have to say about Lipton Toyota is they are reaching out to the LGBT community, and they are sensitive to our issues.”

In addition, “Toyota has a special nationwide program called ‘Celebrating Volunteers,’ which has a goal of maintaining our natural, cultural, and historical sites. All of the teams at every location across the country are encouraged to participate.”

The master salesman, and Chicago native, says that his odyssey from the Land of Lincoln to the Land of Lipton wasn’t a straight line. “I had a solid career in real estate in Chicago, and then, of course, the market collapsed,” he recalls. “My partner, Steve, had an offer on South Beach—he’s a property manager for a 700-unit complex—and we both loved to be near the ocean.” (This may help explain his Facebook-posted motto: “I’d rather be sailing.”)

“We were tired of cold and snow, and so we located a home, and packed up last April 11—and here we are,” he adds. “I first took a position with Keller-Williams real estate in Fort Lauderdale, and then one day I received a phone call from a head hunter. I took a drive to Lipton Toyota, and I was taken around the entire facility. I was very impressed, and when they made me an offer, I accepted. ‘Sales’ is ‘sales,’” says Darrow, “whether you are selling cars, appliances, or whatever. If you have a passion for sales, you can sell ice to Native Alaskans, it just doesn’t matter,” he offers, while noting that the sales cycle in car sales is much quicker than it is in real estate.

The car answer man has some suggestions for people considering a new—or “preloved”— automobile purchase. “Come out Tuesday through Thursday, because those are less busy days, and you will get much more individual attention. Treat the salesperson as a source of information—we have so many specialized programs to help people get into a car and drive away,” he offers.

Robert Darrow

Like the cars he sells, Darrow comes fully loaded with great advice on leasing and buying, and invites you to take advantage of his expertise and experience. To set an appointment, call Robert Darrow at Lipton Toyota at 954-446-9001, and tell him you read about him in Agenda Newspaper.

By GREGG SHAPIRO

Queer singer/songwriter Nona Hendryx has had the kind of career longevity (and variety) of which many musicians can only dream or hope to achieve. Best known as one-third of the groundbreaking soul/rock trio LaBelle—who rocketed to fame with their massive hit “Lady Marmalade,” and performed with the prolific Laura Nyro—the uncompromising Hendryx has had an unconventional solo career, daring to go in musical directions (which included performing with Bill Laswell’s Material, and providing backup vocals for David Byrne’s Talking Heads) that few others would ever consider. Her latest album, “Mutatis Mutandis” (Righteous Babe), was released last month. Hendryx spoke with Florida Agenda’s Gregg Shapiro.

 FA: Of the nine songs that you wrote or co-wrote on “Mutatis Mutandis,” were any of them written or conceived of during the LaBelle reunion period, and 2008’s “Back to Now”?

NH: Those songs came out of me over a period of time since 9/11. I’ve written many songs since then, but these are a group of songs that live together—the most recent being “Mad As Hell.” I was in the process of writing three additional songs that I didn’t really have time to complete, which will become another project.

FA: With songs such as “Tea Party,” and “The Ballad of Rush Limbaugh,” and “Mad As Hell,” not to mention your cover of “Strange Fruit,” would it be fair to say that “Mutatis Mutandis” is one of your most political recordings?

NH: Yes, I would say it’s the most, as a set of songs. We were always [political] as LaBelle, and within my solo career, there’ve been social statements, some political, but more dealing with social thoughts and feelings and expressions. This is much more pointedly political.

FA: You make reference to the Second Amendment, and the right to bear arms, in “Tea Party.” The tragedy in Aurora, Colorado [is] another example of senseless gun violence. What are your thoughts?

NH: Only how sad it is. This has been an ongoing problem, and I think we can look to European countries, and learn a strong lesson about gun control. We are just more prone to that type of violence because of how we have accepted weaponry, since the birth of our country. I parallel that with the desire to legislate a woman’s body. One gives birth, one gives life. One takes life. And you want to legislate one, but not the other. I don’t understand it. My brain can’t compute that.

FA: Grammy-winning lesbian jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington performs on the song “Let’s Give Love A Try,” and you can be heard singing on Carrington’s rendition of your song “Transformation,” on her “Mosaic Project” album. What did it mean to have that song covered by another performer?

NH: It’s not the first time. It’s the same, but different. Terri is really talented, and she has this great ability to take something like “Transformation,” which is a funkpop groove, written by me and Carole Pope and Kevin Staples, two Canadians [of the band Rough Trade]. And she gave it another life, in terms of the horn and piano parts. I think it’s beautiful. I really love it.

FA: Amidst all the anger and frustration on the disc, love offers hope on songs such as “Let’s Give Love A Try,” and “When Love Goes to War.” Do you think love stands a chance in these times?

NH: [Laughing] Love always stands a chance. They say, “perennial as the grass, it will bloom.” As long as there are young and old hearts, people who’ve been jaded or crushed or hurt by life’s experiences, that is the thing that powers our getting up every day and walking through the pain and the difficulties that are part of the human experience.

FA: Nine of the 10 songs on the disc are original compositions. Why did you choose to cover “Strange Fruit?”

NH: I’ve been moved by that song for I don’t know how many years. I found it difficult to get to, to interpret—to feel that I could actually do it justice in any way. It was so owned by Billie Holiday. It had to do with that time when there were noose hangings in different places in America—in the South and in the Northeast. It brought back that vivid image. [In 1998, Matthew Shepard] was left hanging on a fence, he was killed. And [with] the rise of the Tea Party and other things, it just felt like that kind of thing could happen again. It felt so palpable that that kind of energy was on the rise in America. I went into my studio one day and made my version of the song, to try and get out of me feelings that came up.

FA: Do you have a Broadway musical in you?

NH: [Laughs] I have a musical, but it may not be Broadway. It’s based on my “Skin Diver” album. I’ve been working on that with Charles Randolph- Wright, who is at the moment preparing the Broadway musical of “The Berry Gordy Story.” Charles and I have been working together for quite some time. We worked on plays with music called “Blue” and “Oak and Ivy,” that were performed at Arena Stage [in Washington D.C.]. We’ve done quite a few things together. And “Skin Diver” has been our long awaited baby that we’re birthing [laughs].

FA: When your tour does come to town, what can your fans and friends expect?

NH: High energy, [and a] funky, rocking performance, where your head is nourished, and your soul is nourished, and your booty is shaking.

By Gregg Shapiro

“Magic Hour” (Casablanca), Scissor Sisters’ fourth studio album, has all the necessary ingredients to cast a spell on their devoted fans, and to earn them plenty of new ones. Album opener “Baby Come Home” has a comfortable familiarity, and even a touch of classic Prince. The galloping “Only The Horses” is a perfect summer single, the kind of Tea Dance anthem that is sure to fill dance-floors. The irresistible “Let’s Have A Kiki” and “Keep Your Shoes On” broaden both the horizons of Scissor Sisters and their followers.

The Agenda’s Gregg Shapiro spoke this month with front-man Jake Shears.

FLORIDA AGENDA: I’d like to begin by talking about the cover art on “Magic Hour,” which is reminiscent of the album covers that British design team Hipgnosis did for Pink Floyd and others.

Scissor Sisters covered Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” on the self-titled debut: Would it be safe to say that there is a connection?

Jake Shears: It’s definitely not a coincidence. Hipgnosis was always a huge influence for what we were doing.

There’s been a running theme on all of our sleeves. The link is there’s always something happening in the middle and there’s somebody turning away from you. The fact that we changed it from a person to an animal was another thing. We like our covers to have a subtle mystery, and the color and mood that go along with it. “Night Work” was no exception. It’s totally influenced by Hipgnosis. It’s also a reference to the fact that we’re still—fortunately or unfortunately—an album band.

FA: “Magic Hour” is being released domestically on Casablanca, a record label known for its association with the seminal days of disco music. Is this significant to you and Scissor Sisters?X

JS: [Laughs] We’re happy to have a label in America that wants to put us out at all! It’s super exciting to put it out on Casablanca, just because of the history. I’m happy that they revived the imprint, it is super cool. And I like our label-mates.

FA: Scissor Sisters is considered a New York band, but it sounds like California has found its way in on songs such as “San Luis Obispo” and “Year of Living Dangerously,” which includes mention of the “freeway,” something that conjures Los Angeles. Is Southern California competing with New York for your attention?

JS: I had some really amazing times in Southern California this last year, and made some great friends. I love being in L.A. I also spent some time in San Francisco last year with the musical “Tales of the City.” I have a hard time calling myself a New Yorker anymore. I live out of a suitcase, and will continue to live out of a suitcase for quite a while. I have a house down in Tennessee now. I have a house in London now. I’m a bit all over the place [laughs].

FA: Drugs make a number of appearances throughout “Magic Hour”—in songs such as “Baby Come Home,” “Keep Your Shoes On,” “Inevitable,” and “Shady Love.” Is this cause for alarm?

JS: [Laughs] It depends on who you’re asking, and about whom. No, drugs have always been a theme through the lyrics that I write. I think they’re ever present in our lives, whether it’s alcohol, or pot, or club drugs, or antidepressants, or Ambien, or whatever. Everybody’s on something, and they affect all of us in different ways. They can ruin lives, they can save lives. In American culture, especially, they’re omnipresent. Substances and chemicals are everyplace, whether it’s espresso or crystal meth, it’s everywhere.

FA: “Let’s Have a Kiki” is the kind of song that makes you smile and dance at the same time. Is the voice mail message that opens the song real or was it scripted for the song?

JS: It’s all improv. We wanted to create a setting, to set up a story for where you would have, or why anyone would have a kiki, or what would make you feel like having a kiki. Somebody’s having a bad night, but it’s all going to be better when you go with your friends. We wanted to give it the setting before the song kicked in. It was important for us to set that place, and that answering machine monologue was the device that we used to do it.

FA: “Baby Come Home” and “Self Control” are songs that reflect relationship uncertainty, while “Best In Me” is a wonderful example of musical domestic bliss. Do you prefer writing and performing songs about healthy or unhealthy relationships?

JS: It’s a lot harder to write something uplifting than it is to write something melancholic. It’s really hard to write something uplifting about subject matter that’s really a bummer. That’s my favorite thing. To write happy-sounding songs about things which aren’t necessarily that. I like writing happysounding songs about relationships and situations that are necessarily something to get happy about.

FA: This year has seen the loss of a number of important musical icons, including dance music legends Donna Summer, Whitney Houston, and Robin Gibb. Do you have any thoughts or comments?

JS: I think when stuff like that happens, it makes me reflect on what an artist has brought to the culture, to pop culture, to the world, and how they’ve influenced and inspired people. It’s a great moment to reflect on that, and honor those people for what they’ve done in their lifetimes. It also reminds me of everyone’s mortality. When it all comes down to it, Whitney Houston was just a person—as are all of us, as are any of the biggest legends around, who will live and die. We’re all just people, nobody’s superhuman, nobody’s immortal. It constantly reminds me, especially with Whitney’s death in particular, that we’re all just people. There are some that do incredible work, and it’s great to honor the work that they’ve done when something like that happens. But it definitely just makes me think of mortality, and the fact nobody lives forever—but the music can.

FA: Scissor Sisters is known for amazing live shows. What can fans can expect from the ‘Magic Hour’ Tour?

JS: It’s so exciting, because we get to throw out a lot of songs that we played for 10 years! There are going to be some songs that people will not hear (laughs) that they might expect to, which is thrilling for the band (laughs).

Having four albums now- It’s like, “Oh my God, we don’t have to play this song anymore!” It feels like a brand new show, because we have brought in album tracks from previous albums that haven’t been heard in a long time. Likewise, there are songs that have been heard throughout our tours over the last 10 years that we have not taken out of the show and replaced with really amazing stuff off of ‘Magic Hour’. The set list is wicked – It’s really cool! It’s a fun show and I know the band has been having a blast playing these songs.

Your favorite virtue?
Authenticity.

Your favorite qualities in a person?
A great smile.

Your chief characteristic?
Determination.

Your favorite occupation?
Librarian.

Your idea of happiness?
Being with my partner and daughter at Disney.

Your idea of misery?
Cloudy days.

If not yourself, who would you be?
“Be yourself everyone else is
taken…”

Where would you like to live?
On the water…in the Keys… somewhere between mile marker 68 and 46. (Yes, even my daydreams are organized and direct.)

Your favorite color?
Purple.

Your favorite authors?
Fran Lebowitz, Betty Friedan, Julia Child.

Your favorite heroes (male or female) in fiction?
Nancy Drew, Mickey Mouse, Belle.

Your heroes in real life?
Hillary Clinton, Jane Jacobs, Margaret Sanger, Walt Disney.

What characters in history do you most dislike?
Those who follow instead of lead.

Your favorite food and drink?
Cheese and Pinot Noir

What do you hate the most?
Disorganization.

What reform do you admire the most?
The 19th Amendment.

The natural talent you would like to be gifted with?
Carry a tune.

How do you wish to die?
A grandmother

What is your present state of mind?
Lucid.

For what fault are you the most intolerant?
Apathy.

Your personal motto?
“Live the life you imagined.”

Heidi Shafran is the Community Development Director for the
City of Wilton Manors, a position she has held since March 2011.
Prior to that, she was the Community Planning Director for the
Seminole Tribe of Florida, from 2004 to 2011.

By Dale Madison

When was the last time you heard a Realtor tell you, “It’s an amazing time in the real estate market”?

Dale Russell— the man behind the Dale Russell Realty Network and the “face” of the Five Points intersection billboard— is “bullish” about local real estate, noting that lower inventory around town translates to increased sales.

“It’s the first time in 18 months that there has been a real decrease in inventory, and the first time prices have started to increase,” he notes. “Today, prices are up seven to 11% in Wilton Manors.”

Russell cites the Wilton Station condos as an example of the Law of Supply and Demand, and the evidence of its presence in South Florida’s gay village. He says prices there average $289,000, a jump from previous listing rates, and that just six units are currently available, compared with a year ago when 30 to 40 units were listed. Russell points to this and other markers that indicate a turnaround in the market.

Russell offers L’Hermitage on the beach as an example. The luxury oceanfront condo is now 10 years old, and very stable in terms of residents, with nothing available for sale, an almost unheard-of situation.

He also points to growth in neighboring Miami-Dade County.

“There are over 50,000 units currently under construction there,” Russell notes. “In that market, a group of investors got together and pooled their resources, and are making a huge difference there.”

Closer to home, Russell says that a lot of new growth in Wilton Manors comes from commercial ventures, with new restaurants, bars, and shops opening up along the Drive and Dixie Highway, and that rental prices are once again spiking, another indicator of economic recovery.

He also points to government programs for those with an eye on the real estate market.

“Currently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are offering special incentives for buyers. They understand that they have to step up help restore confidence,” Russell says. Russell—the past President of The Pride Center at Equality Park and, with his business and life partner, Jan Carpenter, an active participant in local charitable activities and service organizations—was instrumental in helping The Pride Center obtain their new location on North Dixie Highway. Although he brokered the deal on the real estate side, Russell and his network refused to accept a commission for the transaction, donating their profit instead to help with The Pride Center’s renovations.

Russell said that it’s important to take what one hears about the real estate market in its proper context.

“You can’t listen to CNN or many of the local newscasts, because they are still talking ‘doom and gloom,’” he advises. “You really need to go online and look at what’s going on with the local markets. Get your facts and figures. Last year there were 11.1 million visitors to Greater Fort Lauderdale, and that exposure is huge, because so many of those people fall in love with the weather and the community, and they translate into potential buyers.”

During the 19th and early-20th Centuries, intellectuals and community leaders shared their ideas and thoughts in the form of a parlor game that spoke, truthfully, about the innermost them. This week, we speak CANDIDLY with former mayor of Broward County and current candidate for Broward County Commission, Ken Keechl:

Your favorite virtue.
Compassion.
Your favorite quality in a person.
Sincerity.
Your chief characteristic.
Loyalty.
Something you appreciate most in your friends.
Their support.
Your main fault.
I don’t have enough patience.
Your favorite occupation.
Being an elected official.
Your idea of happiness.
Spending time with my spouse, Ted,
and our two dogs, Tasha and Missy.

Your idea of misery.
Listening to right wing nuts argue
against marriage equality.
If not yourself, you would be:
My dogs: they have a great life.
Your favorite food and drink.
Cheese and wine, say no more!
Your ideal place to live.
I love Broward County. I wouldn’t
want to live anywhere else.
Your favorite color.
Blue.
Your favorite author(s).
David McCullough.
Your heroes in real life.
My mom and my dad.
Your favorite food and drink.
Chicken wings and white wine (but
not at the same time)
Your favorite names.
“Kenny.” That’s what my mom always
called me.
Something you hate.
Intolerance and bigotry.
The reform you admire the most.
The slow but steady progress being
made to reform America’s marriage
and adoption laws to be inclusive of
the gay and lesbian community.

During the 19th and early-20th centuries, intellectuals and community leaders shared their ideas and thoughts in the form of a parlor game that spoke, truthfully, about the innermost them. This week, we speak CANDIDLY with former Fort Lauderdale vice mayor, Dean Trantalis, Esq., who is a practicing attorney in Wilton Manors:

Your Favorite Virtue. Honesty.

Your Favorite Qualities In a Person. Loyalty.

Your Chief Characteristic. Willing to make a decision.

What You Appreciate Most In Your Friends. Their humor.

Your Main Fault. Laughing at dumb jokes.

Your Favorite Occupation. Political engagement.

Your Idea of Happiness. No Aggravation.

Your Idea of Misery. Dealing with aggravating people.

A Person You Would Be, If Not Yourself. Someone smarter.

A Place You’d Like to Live. I’m fine right where I am.

Your Favorite Color. Chinese Yellow.

Authors You Love. [Leo] Tolstoy; [Christopher]  Hitchens.

Your Heroes in Fiction. There are no heroes, just heroic efforts.

Your Heroes in Reality. Those who try to succeed on behalf of others despite all odds!

Historical Figures You Dislike. Destructive people.

Favorite Names You’ve Heard. “De Luxe” and “Carte Blanche.”

That Thing You Hate the Most. Hate.

A Reform You Admire. Equality for LGBT persons.

A Food and Beverage You Like. Watermelon. And I’m addicted to Diet Coke®.

A Talent You Should Have. Clairvoyance.

How You Wish To Die. Old and at peace.

Your Present State of Mind. Young and Restless.

The Fault You Can Least Tolerate. Violation of trust.

Your Motto. No matter how convincing it sounds, there’s always another side.

(Full Disclosure: I have had the pleasure of singing a “duet” of the Frank Sinatra classic “All the Way” with Philip Alexander, whose true “gift” in my estimation is the generosity of spirit and craft with which he makes his performing partners sound so damned good! But I digress…)

By Cliff Dunn

Philip Alexander is a familiar face to South Florida’s LGBT community. Whether he is jogging on Fort Lauderdale Beach prior to a personal training session, or shaking the rafters during local open-mic and karaoke nights in the Gayborhood, the 6’5” Alexander is a ubiquitous presence with a signature smile, style, and voice that are very much his own. MARK Magazine

Editor Cliff Dunn spoke with Alexander about his Gospel music roots and why the artist loves to be in love.

MARK Magazine: Trace the path that your music has taken, personally and career-wise.

Philip Alexander: I was singing before I could speak. I believe it’s something I was born to do–THE ONLY THING I was born to do. I sang gospel growing up, [laughs] with a little Whitney Houston and Anita Baker mixed in for good measure. I was very sheltered as a young kid. My mother is very religious, so my music selection was very limited to artists in the Gospel scene. It wasn’t until I was 10, when I moved to Turkey with my father, that I learned about “secular” music. The first artists I was exposed to were Tevin Campbell and the girl group “Xscape.” After traveling all over Europe, we moved to Guam. That’s when I fell in love with Brian McKnight and basically most love ballads. We moved back to the U.S. for my last year and a half of high school, to Panama City, Florida. It was there that I came out of the closet, and the artist that helped me do that was Celine Dion. During that time, I sang every song she made.

MM: Who would you not like your style to be confused with?

PA: You know, I don’t really know or care who people confuse or compare me to. [Laughs] I think it’s kind of hard to mistake me once I hit the stage: I’m a 6’5” “Blatino” with blond hair. At this point in my career, I think to be compared to an artist who has already made a name is an honor.

MM: This is a year of great change in the music industry, some of it quite sad, including the loss of Whitney Houston and Etta James. But great change brings great opportunity, as well. What do you think 2012 holds for you professionally?

PA: Along with my team—my manager, Brian Ferber and my agent, Corri Boyd—I believe that 2012 has already been a BIG year for me. I’ve been approached by Broadway producers, I sang with Brian McKnight’s music director, and I am in talks with a big R&B producer. It all seems like a lot of “hurry up and wait” right now, but it will undoubtedly bare some fruit.

MM: From where do you find your “artist’s voice?”

PA: It comes from a deep desire to fall–and stay–in love. My close friends would say, “Philip falls in love every three weeks.” But actually I don’t. I want my music to make people feel real, raw emotion. I think that we are seriously deprived of genuine emotion today. Everyone has a guard or wall up of some kind. And this defensive layer displays illusions of emotions, until we find out whether or not the object of our attraction is true. The problem is that by the time we relax and let our guard down, it’s too late. So when I sing, it’s my raw emotion, my true desire that you hear. I put myself in that “what if” place. “What if” I didn’t have my guard up all of the time? “What if” my true love was sitting right before my eyes? “What if” everyone listening was falling in love with someone right now? This is where my artist’s voice comes from.

MM: Where would you like people to see Philip Alexander’s career in five years?

PA: Five years from now I’d like to be touring. I plan to start opening up for major artists within the next couple of years, so five years from now I want it all!

During the 19th and early-20th Centuries, intellectuals and community leaders shared their ideas and thoughts in the form of a parlor game that spoke, truthfully, about the innermost them. This week, we speak CANDIDLY with Rainbow Business Coalition (RBC) chair and Island City Health and Fitness managing director Reece Darham:

Your favorite qualities in  a person.

Honesty! I really appreciate it when one says what’s actually on one’s mind. No mincing of words, just plain old, in-your-face-here-it-is: the truth. It does tend to get me in trouble from time-to-time, though.

Your chief characteristic.

I’m a matter-of-fact kind of person who likes to cut the crap and get down to the issues at hand. I love to problem solve (and make people happy, too).
What you appreciate most in your friends.

My closest friends are my family, and just like with family, I know there is mutual loyalty, respect, compassion, and “Come-to-Jesus” moments that we all need to experience in life.

Your main fault.

Where do I begin? I guess I could learn to use my mouth better–wait! (Don’t get ahead of yourself.) I mean that I have the remarkable ability to insert my own foot into my mouth  on a regular basis. I need to learn  to just shut up at times, or at least  be gentler with my words.

Your idea of happiness.

Being on safari surrounded by a herd of 200+ elephants, knowing that any moment I could be toast. That exhilaration and angst is incredibly humbling and spiritual; it impacts my soul!

Your idea of misery.

Petty gossip. I find it’s the miserable people who have the most of it, and they love to share it! Uurgg!

Another person you would be if not yourself.

Either of my parents. They are incredible people (and they have a fabulous son).

Somewhere you’d like to live.

As much as I love Fort Lauderdale, there is a piece of me that yearns for Africa. I’ll always keep a home there, and would like to go back to living at least three months a year in Cape Town. Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika!

Your heroes in real life.

Take Aung San Suu Kyi, for example: what an incredible inspiration for leading his people to democracy in Myanmar even though under house arrest for so many years. Another true hero is Nelson Mandela, who  led a nation through such turmoil and political and social change without letting the country spin into civil unrest. These precious people are heroes.

Your favorite food and drink.

Cheese and wine, say no more!

Your favorite names.

Poops, Boobee, and Darhling! LOL! I seem to use them often…unless I don’t remember your name, and then there’s a good chance I’ll call you “Trouble.” (“Hey, Trouble, how’s it going?” Sound familiar?)

The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with.

I really wish I could sing!

How you wish to die.

Quickly and painlessly. And I want my ashes spread over the Timbavati (in Limpopo province, South Africa).
Present state of mind.

Here!

A fault you can’t tolerate.

Lying! Don’t freakin’ lie to me–just don’t! I’ll call you out on it every  time. Fortunately, the truth always comes out in the end, so why bother lying? I told you my mouth gets me into trouble.

Your personal motto.

We all make mistakes. Geez, I make them every day! But, it’s not about the mistake: it’s about what we do to correct it!

The South Florida Funny Man Talks Past, Present and Future

By Alex Vaughn

Michael Martini has had a varied and interesting career. Having always called South Florida home, the comedian and actor always has the issues of the community close to his heart. He is gearing up to emcee Hellrotika, Save Dade’s charity Halloween party. The Florida Agenda sat down with Michael to find out a little bit more about the man who is using comedy to get the issues out there!

Please tell Agenda Readers more about Hellrotika.

It’s the biggest Halloween event in South Florida! SAVE Dade presents their 17th Annual Halloween Extravaganza. There will be amazing music by renowned DJ’s, top shelf liquor, costume contest, celebrity appearances, special performances and over 1,000 of Miami’s spookiest partygoers!

The event will be held in a new venue this year, The Sabal Palm Plaza and Terrace at Jungle Island.

Are you excited about it?

Yes and very honored that Save Dade asked me to be emcee this year. I love the charity. It was created in 1993 to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals in Miami-Dade County from discrimination based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. SAVE Dade, and its education arm SAVE Foundation, help raise awareness about rights and protections for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Tell us a bit about Michael Martini?

Well, I have always called Miami home. Born a long, long time ago at Mount Sinai hospital. I grew up in North Miami Beach and attended NMB senior high until I went away to college at Emerson College in Boston where I studied theatre and was in the Emerson Comedy club with fellow actors Mario Cantone, Dennis Leary and Anthony Clark. I had the first Gay and Lesbian Talk show called “the Michael Martini Hour” on WPBR back a few years ago and this enabled me to use my talents and help educate about our issues here in South Florida.

How did you start out?

My career literally happened by “ACCIDENT.” Ever since I was a little boy in pigtails and high heels, I always wanted to be an actor and comedian. Yet, after attending college, I was thrust into the business world. I had several high profile jobs including marketing director for Hallmark Cards, international marketing director for UNICEF and VP of marketing for Intel Corp. Back in 1999, I stumbled upon an audition in NYC for an Off- Broadway show called “Down under Darling.” I lined up with several hundred actors and to my surprise I was cast to play three roles and this lit my fire even more. But I was a slave to “Corporate America.” All that changed on a rainy December night in 2002. I was hit by a drunk driver and subsequently had to have a hip replacement and many years of physical therapy. This made me unable to perform my function at INTEL, but enabled me to pursue my dream of comedy and acting. So, as I said, my career happened by accident!

You have been away for a while, what brought you back?

I took a 4 month hiatus and have been travelling and touring. It was a well needed rest and I came back to host and MC the greatest party on earth!

What do you enjoy most about performing?

I love the connection with the audience. Each venue is different. I love live comedy clubs and Broadway stages because it is an immediate connection. Doing TV and movies is a different ballgame. I recently started doing TV, with roles on “The Glades” and “Burn Notice.”

What inspires you?

Making a difference really inspires me. When I was marketing director for UNICEF, I was inspired by the bravery of humans in the midst of war, crisis and famine. I am inspired by young gay Americans who brave discrimination and bullying and come out anyway. Thanks to my faith, I am able to take my gift of comedy and humor and use my public status to bring attention to LGBT issues and help make a difference when I can. I hope at the end, I have helped create change and inspired people. Comedy has a way of helping people understand our differences. For instance, I always ask a straight man in the audience how long he has been straight and does he think it’s a phase he’s going through and if his parents know. I ask why he made that choice. They always say it’s a stupid question, and I remind them I am asked that daily.

How is preparation for Hellrotika going?

The committee is working hard this year and this event is going to be off the charts! This year, we will have many choreographed numbers, four amazing DJ’s and of course an incredible costume contest hosted by me. Its’ all for a good cause, and I think it’s one of the best events all year.

Where would you really like to go in the future?

It’s really easy for me to connect the dots of my career going backwards, but more difficult going forward. I would like to continue doing comedy clubs and really have enjoyed TV and love my singing back in the 90s.

My dream is to have my own sitcom and also have a charity that helps people who are HIV positive to get access to medication.

Are there any disadvantages to working within the community?

Sometimes casting directors know of my work in the LGBT community and they only see me as playing a “gay role.” But the benefits of working towards equal protection and creating awareness of our issues outweighs that.

When you look back over your career here, what’s the highlight?

I have to say back in the 90s singing with Cyndi Lauper at Carnegie Hall was amazing. I have enjoyed many facets of my career, from opening the first Lips restaurant in NYC, to my radio show. I actually think that was the highlight, because it brought attention to our issues.

Now, what’s the biggest cringe moment?

I HAVE HAD A FEW. I was in a dinner theatre production of “Anne Frank” and it was so bad when the Nazis came in, the audience screamed, “She’s in the attic.” (He is joking!) I have had people come on stage and do all sorts of crazy things. When people heckle, it kinda makes my show in actuality.

What effect has social networking had on your popularity?

Social networking is the most amazing tool for both actors and the special interests we have. We can reach a mass audience and let them know what’s going on, where we are performing, and how they can help out with our causes.

So what’s next for Michael Martini?

God only knows. I’m booked for “Hellrotika” and am auditioning again for the many TV shows that are here in South Florida. I am also in negotiations with Lips for a possible return. Of course, I am waiting for a call from my agent about that sitcom!

Hellrotika, Seed of the Beast, will be held at at Jungle Island at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132.
Advanced VIP and general admission are available at www.Hellrotika.com. Doors open at 8 p.m.