OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

Sarah Schmidt, Chair of LPAC (Lesbian Political Action Committee), talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the group founded in July of 2012 by committed activists and donors to positively influence the current political and social landscape in this country. LPAC’s agenda is to give lesbians a real and meaningful seat at the political table. During the 2012 election LPAC raised over $700,000 to support candidates that supported our LGBT issues. We talked to Sarah about how LPAC is making a true impact for lesbians in politics and give us her spin on our LGBT civil rights.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Schmidt stated, “I grew up in a really awesome supportive family. When I came out to them in my early twenties there were very few ruffled feathers. I enjoyed an enormous amount of support from everyone from my parents to my siblings, to my great uncles and my grandma. I realized early on that this was a unique situation; I mean this was the 1990’s and Ellen Degeneres had just come out on her show and Melissa Etheridge was just on 20/20. I realized my life was pretty easy and things were pretty smooth for me compared to a lot of people that I knew and a lot of stories I was reading. I felt I really needed to do something from the very beginning; I felt like I kind of had to use that support. If I had all these people who had my back I felt an obligation to do something more significant with my time and energy and resources to advocate for people who didn’t have the same experience. It was really Kate Kendell who helped me engage more significantly politically and talked to me about how my political work could impact my overall goals and she helped me get involved with the Gill Action Fund. I’ve gotten very involved with the Illinois Unites for Marriage Coalition, our whole marriage equality push here where I live in Chicago; I’ve devoted a lot of my time and resources to that. But I would say that LPAC is really the first thing that I’ve done that has required as much time from me on the equality spectrum and certainly the most visible thing I’ve done to date.”

Sarah Schmidt is the Founder and Principal of Sarah Schmidt Consulting LLC and is also actively involved in her family’s third generation business, U.S. Venture, Inc., where she serves on the Board of Directors. LPAC supports candidates who champion a range of issues that impact lesbians and their families which include: ending discriminatory treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and their families; supporting sexual and reproductive freedom and women’s access to quality healthcare and furthering social, racial and economic justice for all Americans. Its supporters include Billie Jean King, Jane Lynch, Laura Ricketts, Alix Ritchie and was conceptualized by Urvashi Vaid.
For More Info: teamlpac.com

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Comedian/actress Margaret Cho talks about her current stand-up comedy show entitled MOTHER with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Her show takes on sex, queer politics, drugs, guns, identity and proving time and time again, boundaries uncrossed are meaningless. According to Margaret MOTHER offers up an untraditional look at motherhood and how we look at maternal figures and strong women in queer culture. Cho stated, “I think that if you’re queer, if you’re a woman of color and if you do comedy it’s like your voice is very important. Your existence is political and so I think it’s a really great thing and what I’ve always tried to accomplish and now that I’m older it’s even more important.” We talked to Margaret about her current tour and give us her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Cho added, “Well I’m bisexual and so I’m definitely involved and also it’s about my upbringing, my childhood and my upbringing within the queer political community in San Francisco. It was a big deal for me and had a great impact on me. It’s something that is in my heart and in my history and in my life and it always will be.” Cho also addressed her reaction to the US Supreme Court finally ruling that Proposition 8 and DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional as well as discussing her strong commitment to end the epidemic of LGBT teen bullying suicides.

 Margaret is touring MOTHER in various U.S. markets as well as in Europe and Australia. Her fabulous supporting role on Lifetime Network TV show “Drop Dead Diva” just finished its 5th season. She’ll be appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on November 19th and she has teamed with her opening act from her MOTHER tour, comedian Jim Short, for a brand new podcast show called “Monsters of Talk.” Cho will be appearing at The Wilbur in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday November 6th at 8P. 
For MOTHER Tour Info & Tix: margaretcho.com

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Producer Curtis Shaw talks about his new documentary “TWO: The Story of Roman and Nyro” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The film documents Shaw’s 12-year journey with his husband legendary songwriter Desmond Child and the extraordinary story how they connected with Angela Whittaker who would carry their twin sons Roman and Nyro into the world. “TWO” started out as Angela’s video diary from pre-conception through the boys’ first 10 years and developed into over 300 hours of footage. The project was then handed over to director Heather Winters and editor Lennon Nersesian who crafted it into a full-length feature film that tells a personal and powerful story of love and what makes a modern family. We talked to Curtis about this must-see documentary and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shaw stated, “Desmond and I have always been supporters of the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and the Family Equality Council. I think that our choice to live here in Nashville says quite a bit of where our hearts are. We’re doing more to change hearts and minds in the trenches of the Midwest and the South than we would ever do on the sidelines of soccer games in Santa Monica California and New York City. Desmond wrote a song "Livin' La Vida Loca" and so we always say we live La Vida Loca which is true but you know we’re just living our lives and we have activists’ hearts and it’s been our way to be able to live our lives in the moment without interference from much publicity or anything from the outside because Nashville isn’t that kind of community. But with every connection, our parenting community at school, on the soccer field with families from different spectrums in the South you know we’re changing hearts and minds.”

Curtis met his life partner Desmond Child in the Spring of 1989 and they married in New York celebrating 24 years together in 2013. Grammy-winning songwriter producer Desmond Child has written and produced over 70 Top 40 singles with 300 million albums sold worldwide. In 2008 Child was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. After playing the film festival circuit “TWO: The Story Of Roman and Nyro”, which marks Curtis first film production, opened at the Laemmle Music Hall in Los Angeles on October 18, 2013.

For More Info: twothedocumentary.com

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Multi-faceted entertainer Michael Feinstein talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Michael is the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook” and is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. Michael will be headlining the London Festival of Cabaret on November 4th at The Palace Theatre where he will be performing his acclaimed show “Michael Feinstein & Friends” joined by special guests Elaine Paige and Julian Ovenden for an evening of great music, lyrics and performance. We talked to Michael about his upcoming show in London and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Feinstein stated, “One of the things in my life has been the evolution I’ve gone through in my perception about LGBT rights. I guess it happens to everybody but for me I have been less on a soapbox and more just living my life as openly and freely as I can. So when I come in contact with people whom I have differing points of view the gentle approach of them seeing me with my husband Terrence in a social situation is sometimes more powerful than anything else. Like I was invited to the younger Bush White House on Valentine’s Day a few years ago to perform and everyone was saying ‘how can you do that?’ Well, my agreement was that I would only go to the White House if I could bring my life partner because we weren’t married then and we would be treated as a couple and we were. We were introduced together, we were treated as a couple and we were with on Valentine’s Day almost all the Bush family’s close friends and that to me was a very powerful statement. The thing that was interesting for me is that I had to hold in check my own emotions about some of the people who were there whom I had perceived as being those who threatened my own freedom and yet I connected with them on a human level. It was very freeing for me and in a certain way was freeing for them and I think that’s one of the things that has led us toward more marriage equality.”

 Michael Feinstein was named Principal Pops Conductor of the Pasadena Pops succeeding Marvin Hamlisch. This year he also released a new CD, Change Of Heart: The Songs of Andre Previn, (Concord) in collaboration with legendary composer-conductor-pianist Andre Previn, with an album celebrating Previn’s repertoire from his catalog of pop songs that have most commonly been featured in motion pictures. When his Manhattan nightclub Feinstein’s at Loews Regency that presented the top talents of pop and jazz from 1999 - 2012 closed in December of 2012 due to a year-long complete renovation of the Regency Hotel, Michael opened his new nightclub Feinstein’s at the Nikko in San Francisco’s Nikko Hotel in May of 2013. He plans to reopen in New York at a new location in the spring of 2014. He is also currently working on a new musical.
For More Info: michaelfeinstein.com

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Producer JD DiSalvatore talks about the first annual "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" which will be held November 10th from 11A to 6P at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. More than just an expo this event is a celebration of the US Supreme Court Proposition 8 and DOMA rulings that granted marriage rights for legally married gay and lesbian couples. Marriage equality is expected to create a financial boom for the wedding industry in California. A study conducted by The Williams Institute, UCLA estimated that LGBT weddings would generate $290 billion of new spending in California. We talked to JD about her idea for producing the "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" in association with Frontiers Media and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked about how the “Los Angeles Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo” transpired DiSalvatore stated, “We decided that considering how much work we put into obtaining our marriage rights here in California we thought it would be absolutely the thing to do to produce this giant wedding expo. So it’s the opportunity for all the couples who are now ready to get married to come down and check out about fifty vendors that all service weddings; everything from cakes to fashion, to invitations, to dance lessons, to venue and reception locations, to wedding planners sharing tips how to plan your wedding and everything wedding. So hopefully if anyone is overwhelmed with the thought of planning their wedding or they’re really enjoying planning their wedding they can come down and learn a little something and get some tips and get some expo-only discounts and help people plan their wedding.” 

JD Disalvatore’s tremendous contribution to both LGBT Cinema and culture makes her the perfect candidate to produce this event. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from her involvement as an activist for our LGBT community and as an accomplished award-winning filmmaker. Her film credits include “Eating Out 2”, “A Marine Story”, “Gay Propaganda”, “Elena Undone” and “Shelter” for which she won the GLAAD Media Award for best feature film in limited release in 2009. Tickets for the "Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Wedding Expo" are $25 for VIP, which includes a complimentary gift bag and a bar hosted by Premiere Events or general admission at $10.
For More Info & Tix: frontiersla.com/weddingexpo

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Author Joel Derfner talks about his new memoir “Lawfully Wedded Husband: How My Gay Marriage Will Save the American Family” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. In his memoir Derfner chronicles his path to marrying his longtime partner. Joel reflects on his insecurities, draws upon his family history and most importantly addresses American politics surrounding marriage equality. Derfner had to plan two weddings, one in a state in which his marriage was legal and one in which his family and friends could easily congregate to celebrate the occasion. His observations about the implications of this are infused with the perfect mix of serious scholarship, self-effacing humor and humility. We talked to Joel about his new book and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Derfner stated, “I would say that my personal commitment isn’t so much to LGBT civil rights but to the rights of all disenfranchised. Right now in America we’re one group that’s under attack but there’s a lot of other groups who are also under attack, women, the poor and people of color in respect to sexuality. Harvey Milk said when he won his seat as San Francisco Supervisor, ‘Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up. And if you help elect to the central committee and other offices more gay people, that gives a green light to all who feel disenfranchised, a green light to move forward. It means hope to a nation that has given up, because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone. So if there is a message I have to give, it is that if I've found one overriding thing about my personal election; it's the fact that if a gay person can be elected, it's a green light and you have to give people hope.’ So I guess my commitment to LGBT civil rights is to make sure the us’es realize we’re all in the fight together and victory for one group is victory for all. We have to fight not for ourselves but for each other.”

Joel Derfner is from South Carolina where his great-grandmother had an affair with George Gershwin. After leaving the South he got a B.A. in linguistics from Harvard. Realizing that linguistics was not his forte he moved to New York and earned an M.F.A. in musical theater from the Tisch School of the Arts. He has written numerous books and musicals scores for productions, produced in London, New York and various cities. In 2010 Joel co-starred in Sundance Channel’s reality soap “Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys” as the nervous groom on his way to the altar by his inexplicably single friend Sarah. The season finale showed his wedding in Iowa, which was the first legal wedding of a same gender couple in America on television.
For More Info: joelderfner.com

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Rev Richard Emmanuel talks about Pope Francis’ comment that the Catholic Church is ‘obsessed’ with gays, abortion and birth control with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Emmanuel is the founder of The Church an experimental religious organization in East Gloucester, Massachusetts dedicated to raising individual and collective consciousness by increasing personal spiritual awareness. Richard’s journey began with an epiphany while attending The Catholic University of America where through comparative religious studies Richard withdrew from the dogma of Roman Catholicism and Judeo/Christian belief. We talked to Richard about this, Russia’s anti gay laws, the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Emmanuel stated, “This issue is a civil rights issue. It’s not about whether you’re gay, lesbian, transgender or black, white or Hindu or whatever religion. It’s always about humanity’s respect for one another. We are all one and that is why we can get ourselves into trouble when we become obsessed about our position and that we don’t see it as a human condition. I mean this idea of straights are normal because they’re in the majority, well, the numbers don’t mean anything. It’s one way of oppressiveness of one majority group oppressing a minority group and this has nothing to do with anything but a person’s rights. Humanity has evolved to this stage in which our rights as people are being challenged on a number of levels. Where are we taking this IT industry? Where is this information technology taking us? And this social networking, is it going to liberate us or force us into new constraints or a new tyranny of technology? I’m amazed at the number of people walking around not even in real space, texting on their smart phones. They’re not in the real world. I find this very disturbing.”

Currently Emmanuel is advocating for future public understanding of religious scientific, and social beliefs. His work is a “visual experience” and explores new forms of social language, belief structures, symbols and icons of our society and the transformation of cultural perception. He continues to find great inspiration in the history of human storytelling and applies this knowledge in advanced imaging for the ever-expanding “Information Age.”
For More Info: thechurch.org

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Filmmaker Michele Josue talks about her new documentary MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. This October will mark fifteen years since Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered in Laramie, Wyoming just because he was gay. MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE explores the human side of Shepard. Josue, as a close friend of Matt, travels to pivotal locations in Shepard’s life, interviewing other friends and family members and gaining insight into the beautiful life and devastating loss of Matthew Shepard. The film will have its coast-to-coast world premieres on October 4th at both the Mill Valley Film Festival in California and the Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C. We talked to Michele about her must-see documentary that delivers a personal insight to Matt Shepard and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked as a heterosexual woman what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Josue stated, “I think gay or straight, I think that everyone should have a commitment to LGBT civil rights. You know gay rights are human rights and the struggle affects all of us. For me it’s really important to stand up for my gay family members, my gay friends, Matt and all the Matt Shepards out there. To fight for their rights to be acknowledged as equal members of society, deserving of every equality that everyone else has. I believe we all have a tremendous responsibility and obligation to each other as human beings to stand up for each other. So I feel strongly about our film about Matt. It’s a shame that our story can only aid the education process of those who still don’t believe in equal rights for everyone. So through the film I’m trying to do my part for LGBT equality.”

Filmmaker Michele Josue was born to Filipino immigrant parents and raised in suburban Maryland. She met Matt Shepard while they were attending The American School in Switzerland. This marks the fifteenth anniversary since Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, tortured and tethered to a fence left to die. Never regaining consciousness Matthew succumbed to the severe injuries from the attack and died on October 12, 1998. In 2009 President Obama signed the LGBT inclusive Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE is currently playing the film festival circuit.

For Info & Schedule: mattshepardisafriendofmine.com

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RightOutTV's Marlee Walchuk talks about the third annual RightOutTV Music and Video Awards for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex artists with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The 2013 RightOutTV Music and Video Awards team is accepting submissions worldwide for songs and videos to be evaluated by a prestigious panel of 37 entertainment industry judges. Openly queer singer/songwriters from around the globe may submit songs and music videos in a variety of Indie-friendly categories. New this year for the competition include a “Best Non-English Video” category in an effort to expand the global reach and “The Best Comedy Video” category is open to Drag Artists. Also added are submissions for episodes of web series from LGBT writers and creators as well as LIVE and produced music videos. We talked to Marlee about the evolving RightOutTV Music and Video Awards as well as her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Walchuk stated, “Well we start with being as open as possible, and I say ‘we’ as meaning my wife and I, about our sexuality always and everywhere, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us or other people. Sometimes as simple as introducing each other as my wife has a profound effect on people becoming use to us being around and accepting us. A good deal of our song lyrics deal with LGBT issues and we never hide the fact that we’re singing woman to woman. And because we enjoy a full range of LGBT rights in Canada we do tend to focus on how we can help other countries. We are really incredibly concerned with how the LGBT people in Russia are being persecuted right now. It’s shocking that this can happen in this time of history with no one of real power stepping in to help. We went to a ‘Love Russia, Hate Homophobia’ rally in downtown Vancouver and it was so moving to hear a letter written by an LGBT brother in Russia. I mean we just have no idea sitting in our safe communities what these people are going through. We were encouraged to email our officials about how we feel they need to step-up and take a stand and for Natalie and me that’s something that we’re currently doing. We’re just trying to get our opinion heard by as many people as possible that can actually do something about this.”

Canadian Marlee Walchuk and Aussie Tully Callender launched the RightOutTV Music and Video Awards in 2011. Walchuk and Callender of the music duo Sugarbeach launched the awards after realizing that in their own music career winning awards and nominations helped their profile more than any venue they’ve played or anyone they’ve played with. The submission fee is $15 and the deadline for submissions is Sept 24, 2013. Nominees will be announced Oct 10, 2013 and the popular “Fan Fave” voting, the only public voted award, begins Sept 30, 2013.
For Info & Submissions: rightouttvawards.com

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Director Nicole Conn talks about her new film project “She Walks in Beauty” based on her bestselling 2001 novel with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. The story is about two women on two continents across two eras addressing love, lust and betrayal. Conn has teamed up with Executive Producer Elaine Sturgess to launch a search for a new movie star to be featured in the film. The brainchild of Elaine Sturgess, the iConn Casting Quest offers the chance for anyone, whether they have any acting experience or not, to apply for the opportunity to attend a casting session for the new movie. Nicole stated, “We are literally opening the casting process up to anyone worldwide who believes they have the talent to make it on the big screen. It doesn’t matter even if they have no acting experience at all, we’ll consider anyone as long as they can tell us a bit about who they are and why they think they have what it takes to feature in “She Walks in Beauty.” We talked to Conn about her ambitious global movie star talent search and our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT equality Nicole stated, “The LGBT equality issue for me is sort of a double edge sword. From a civil rights issue we should have all the rights that anybody has, we’re humans and it’s a human rights issue. One of my feelings is that the more equally we become the more invisible we’ve become on some levels because our community is primarily connected by only one thing, the fact that we love the same sex but we don’t pull the same traditions, social backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, any of those things. So there’s the one piece that binds us together and so I sometimes worry about when we are mainstreamed we lose ourselves as we have seen has happened in the past twenty years. There were bookstores, newspapers, there were magazines, coffee houses that were all dedicated to our community so you knew where to find our community. Now in the time of the internet I think it’s very difficult to find our community and so from that stand point it’s sort of a bittersweet passage. However I believe the time has come to merge LGBT with the rest of the universe especially in terms of our storytelling, our books, all of our films, you know we want our own library yet our library speaks to everybody. Our stories are human stories; they transcend LGBT and so it’s a very dicey question because the fact once mainstreamed we sort of disappear.”

Since Nicole Conn released her landmark lesbian-themed movie “Claire of the Moon” in 1992 her films have included “Cynara”, “Elena Undone” and last year’s “A Perfect Ending” now the best selling lesbian movie of all time. The first iConn Casting Quest live event will take place in Brighton, UK in January 2014 where applicants will have the opportunity to read opposite well known actresses, including the lead from “A Perfect Ending” Barbara Niven. Further events will follow in the US. Currently Nicole is directing Jen Foster’s new music video “She” that addresses marriage equality.
For Info & Applications: shewalksinbeautymovie.com

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