Self-professed Italian Jersey boy Tony Ardolino is our reigning Mr. Gay World USA, and was just named runner-up for the international title. If you were as big a fan of the Miss America Pageant as some of us were growing up, this has all the right twists to earn him the Dazzler of the Day. While there’s no literal crown that comes with being a Dazzler, it’s all the honor I can bestow upon someone who is representing our country on the world stage. We need more feel-good moments like this.
Good morning gorgeous indeed! Surviving on top of the entertainment world for decades is a matter of superhuman accomplishment – to end up thriving on top of it is the stuff of goddesses. Enter Mary J. Blige, who easily earns this Dazzler of the Day honor for a career of fabulous, defiant, empowering work. She’s been a pop culture pillar since the early 90’s, and is currently on her ‘Good Morning Gorgeous’ tour in support of her latest album of the same name. A gorgeous work in the gorgeous career of a gorgeous woman. Check out her website here for upcoming tour dates.
Body positivity within the LGBTQ+ community can too often feel like an oxymoron, and that’s always infuriated me. Of all people, we should know what it’s like to be unfairly and unjustly ostracized or judged, yet we do that to ourselves on a daily basis, establishing socially-constructed hierarchies among ourselves as soon as we are given the chance. We would do better to celebrate each other and lift our fellow human beings up rather than comparing or judging. Remember, comparison is the thief of joy.
To that greater end, Chris Conde brings a welcome breath of confident and justified self-assurance to our world, boldly and bravely defying the boxes in which society would contain and limit us. Check out his glorious EP ‘Conde Digital’ available here and bombastic lead track ‘Year of the Queer’. We will not be kept silent, and when the music goes this hard, why would anyone want us to be? Conde rightfully earns this Dazzler of the Day for unapologetically being nothing but himself, and sometimes there’s nothing braver than that.
Canadian composer and performer Zoë Keating has pushed the possibilities of the sounds a string instrument can make, and the kind of musical masterpieces that can be produced with a wondrous alchemy of classical instrumentation and cutting-edge technological techniques. Visit her marvelous website here, and make special note of some upcoming performances scheduled for November. Her magical musical prowess earns her this Dazzler of the Day honor. (Bonus points for fearless hair magnificence.)
“Remember the love” ~ a simple but powerful mantra that has informed the life of David Bagnardi ~ is a way of living that Bagnardi espouses and shares on a daily basis. Through his joyous and ebullient drag queen persona Frieda Munchon, Bagnardi is a showgirl above all else – and performing has been the lifeblood that has kept him going. He recently stepped down from over a decade of hosting trivia at Rocks, and has plans to retire the beloved Frieda in spring of next year – so catch any and all of her appearances as they come up. Frieda has been one of my favorite drag queens (along with Hazel, Whiskey Sour, Amanda Love and Chi Chi Ray Colby way back in the day) and we’ve been watching her thrill Albany for the past two decades. There’s no one braver or more courageous than a drag queen, and Bagnardi exemplifies that, while spreading a message of love and acceptance. For all of the above, Bagnardi more than deserves this Dazzler of the Day crowning.
A staunch and valiant advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, Mufseen Miah also knows how to make a scintillating podcast come to life, as evidenced by his ‘Queer Talk’ series which is currently in its third season. More importantly, he has been giving a face and voice to the Muslim LGBTQ+ community, navigating what can often be a difficult intersectional crux of identity with hopeful and engaging idealism. To be brave and to celebrate one’s authentic self is the primary component of the Dazzler of the Day, and Miah easily earns his first crowning. Visit his website here for a more comprehensive collection of his many accomplishments and projects.
With his upcoming show at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on October 28, this Dazzler of the Day crowning for Richard Marx comes at a most opportune moment. (It appears the Troy Music Hall is getting all the great shows this season.) As for Marx, he’s been thrilling listeners since the 80’s, and a couple of his songs have formed some very lovely memories for those of us who came into our own then. More excitingly, Marx is still very much at the top of his musical game, and the release of his latest album ‘Songwriter’ is a welcome reminder as to what he does best (his amazing Twitter feed is perhaps a close second). Check out his website here for more of his brilliance.
I’ve been a not-so-secret Meghan Trainor fan for years. She’s got a new album coming out the same day as Taylor Swift, and Trainor has never been one to shy away from a challenge. When her songs are this catchy and fun there’s enough room for more than one musical impresaria in our midst. Trainor has been delighting fans for her entire career with an uncanny knack at crafting pop songs that feel both warmly nostalgic and surprisingly prescient. When there’s a message and meaning behind the music, that makes it all the more glorious. Her latest single, ‘Don’t I Make It Look Easy’ warns of the dangers of social media, but does so in such a sweet and aurally-pleasing manner that it does indeed go down easy. Currently I’m all about the next single about to drop, ‘Made You Look’ which is all the rage on Tik Tok. For making us all look, and listen, she easily earns this Dazzler of the Day. (Be sure to watch for ‘Takin’ It Back’, her new album out October 21.)
There is nothing I could possibly write that would live up to the wonder and majesty that is Meryl Streep as Dazzler of the Day, so… that’s all.
Actor, singer and writer Sam Perwin is one of those triple-plus-threats who somehow manage to insinuate themselves into any role, then drag the audience around in mesmerized amazement. A graduate of Harvard (in Literature no less), Perwin also studied voice at Manhattan School of Music. Currently slaying as John Wilkes Booth in the Playhouse Stage Co. production of Stephen Sondheim‘s ‘Assassins’ at the Cohoes Music Hall, he earns his first Dazzler of the Day crowning for all of the above. Check out his charming website here for further evidence of his brilliance.
Hometown heroes are not as common as we’d like to believe, but Amsterdam, New York, in addition to being the hometown of yours truly, is also the hometown to television producer extraordinaire Woody Woodbeck, who recently celebrated producing his 10th Bravo series, which is way more than needed to merit this Dazzler of the Day crowning. I’ve known Woody since his days on Fly 92 (our local radio station) and watched him fly through the years with happy pride. To see someone who started off in the Home of the Rams go forth and take the world by storm was a marvelous, and rare, event. The second season of his ‘What’s up Woody?” podcast is coming out soon, which feels like a full-circle moment for those of us who listened to him all those years ago on the radio.
Mastermind and executor behind Lords of Sound and Lesser Things, Joseph Abramo is once again crowned Dazzler of the Day, thanks in no small part to the tantalizing hints of the genius to come this Friday, October 14. That’s the date of ‘Samsara’ – a musical multi-media phantasmagoria (see the trailer below) that Abramo is performing at J. Louis von der Mehden Recital Hall at the University of Connecticut starting at 8 PM. This event will also be live-streamed at https://www.kaltura.com/index.php/ext… and https://www.twitch.tv/los_alt.
As Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut, Abramo has been published in countless texts, all of them well above and beyond my brain level, but I’ve been lucky enough to connect with him on a more basic plane, that of a friend who can appreciate the various calls of an artist. On my last few trips to visit his wife Melissa and their two amazing kids, I’ve been able to get a glimpse of the mad musical genius that comprises Abramo’s artistic world, and it’s always exhilarating. Witness the two excerpts below.
What he has in store for the recital this Friday is anyone’s guess, but it looks to be his usual groundbreaking stuff – an amalgamation of music and images where gorgeous melodies reckon with modern-day technology, and the push and pull of darkness seeks out redemption or damnation, and the only way out is to go through each pulsating beat, letting it reverberate through the body and mind. Watching Abramo at work is like seeing a wizard at the height of his powers – it’s raw, wild, occasionally unnerving, and absolutely mesmerizing of sight and sound. Check out his recital this Friday if you get a chance.
Taking the easy way out would be granting this Dazzler of the Day to Jamie Lee Curtis simply because it’s Halloween season and there’s a new Halloween movie out. That would also deny the remarkable power and talent that Curtis has exemplified these past few decades. (I’ve been smitten since her scene-stealing romp in ‘True Lies’.) But even that falls by the wayside when I think of the real reason she is so dazzling: she knows who she is, failings and all, and she simply doesn’t give a fuck anymore. That is the greatest inspiration for any of us still scared to genuinely confront who we are at any given time – and it’s dazzling and mesmerizing and worthy of all the accolades that are coming to her.
Back when I was managing the Romaine Brooks Gallery at the Capital Pride Center, I met a young volunteer named Lauren Ford who had just started working at the center. She would join us for the 1st Friday art events and we would share stories. A few weeks ago, I was attending the inaugural LGBTQ+ Convening by the Governor’s office, and Lauren was one of the presenters at the session I was in. It was a happy moment seeing someone I met so many years ago doing so well, and I’m honored to name her as the Dazzler of the Day. Here’s a bit more about her:
Lauren Ford is a Licensed Master Social Worker and the External Contracts Training Manager for the Sydney Albert Training and Research Institute (SATRI) within Northern Rivers Family of Services. As a Training Manager, Lauren coordinates, designs, and delivers professional development and continuing education curriculum for nonprofits, schools, healthcare organizations, and government agencies. Lauren pairs her background in psychotherapy and case management with her training in adult learning theory and curriculum design to build interactive courses that reflect evidence-based mental health approaches and techniques. With over a decade of experience as a mental health professional, Lauren has developed a wide and dynamic skillset through experiences working with local community centers, large nonprofits and statewide advocacy organizations. Her areas of expertise include trauma-informed care and resiliency building, verbal de-escalation, affirming care for LGBTQ people and families, and public welfare policy.
Lauren earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work at the University at Albany. In 2012, Lauren joined the Big Brother’s Big Sister’s program and has enjoyed a 10 year long friendship with her “little brother.” She was a 2014 fellow with the Capital District chapter of the New Leaders Council and went on to serve on the chapter’s board in roles such as Selections and Alumni Chair for 6 years. Since 2018, she has also served as a mentor for the Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Accelerator (ENLA) program through the Institute of Nonprofit Leadership Development at the University at Albany. Currently, Lauren lives in the city of Albany with her partner and enjoys going to the movies – especially super hero and horror films, exploring museums and nature, and volunteering as a cake baker for “Jazzy Sun Birthday’s” a program that supports children and families experiencing homelessness served by St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
Rufus Wainwright blew the beautiful proverbial roof off the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall last night, and while the performance alone would have been enough to earn this Dazzler of the Day, decades of a spectacular career are proof that he’s been dazzling us all along. Accompanying himself alternately on piano and guitar, Wainwright was somehow able to go from the most delicate ballad (‘Poses’ and Hallelujah’) to the most rollicking anthem (‘Pretty Afternoon’) along with some operatic grandeur thrown in for good measure (yes, he’s written a couple of operas). He explained how during his Robe Recitals and Quarantunes sessions (which, judging from audience reaction, seemed to have earned him a bunch of new fans) he found a way to take even his most bombastic and grandiose songs and perform them in a smaller but no less magnificent manner. That one man alone could make such a glorious ruckus is truly a testament to his talent and power.
The set list spanned most of his career, and returned to several classic favorites such as ‘Beauty Mark’ and ‘Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk’ – the latter taking on a world-weary wisdom and resignation, particularly in the way he solemnly drew out its ending. A majestically dark ‘Early Morning Madness’ was another highlight, as was a haunting encore of ‘Going to a Town’ which gains more resonance and meaning with each troubling, passing day.
With banter that was typically witty and sparkling (he had an encounter with the current King of England that sounded like a hilarious doozy) Wainwright remained the consummate show-man, able to enthrall with each musical story. It was an evening where one of America’s greatest living artists was at the top of his game, performing such pretty things in such a pretty place, and reminding us all of the power an artist, and a remarkable human being, can wield in our crazy world.
{Check out his website here for upcoming tour dates.}
