Many people have referred to me as a brat over the years, and I’ve always taken it with a grain of pride, especially as I think of this Dazzler of the Day, who goes by ‘Da Brat’ and has made a Grammy-nominated career out of it. Born and raised in Chicago, Shawntae Harris has worked with such luminaries as Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim, Angie Martinez and Mariah Carey. Lately she’s been appearing on ‘The Rap Game’ and ‘Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta’.
One of my all-time favorite people of Albany, Jim Larson handily earns his first Dazzler of the Day crowning thanks to years of community-based efforts at making our world a better place. He’s one of those inspirational forces who takes such joy in helping others that you want to be better whenever you’re around him. He’s the guy who started the Albany Santa Speedo Sprint (and likely inspired countless Speedo sprints which quickly followed in other cities). Helmed by Larson and the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, the event has raised thousands of dollars for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS Program at Albany Medical Center. I can’t explain the excitement I felt when he recently posted the poster and date for this year’s return (December 4, 2021!) – not just for the Speedo peeks, but for the chance to once again see what Jim does best: inspire, entertain, and conjure pure joy.
With an epic new compilation just released in time for the end of Pride Month, the musical magnificence that is Bright Light Bright Light has been named Dazzler of the Day. The new collection of songs – 24 in all! – is entitled ‘So Gay. So Dramatic.’ And that’s about all that needs to be said. Already a Hunk of the Day here, this is the next step in pop world domination.
Heralded as the first active NFL Player to come out as gay, Carl Nassib earns his first Dazzler of the Day for that always-courageous act of being true to oneself, especially in a profession that has never felt very embracing of difference. That may be changing, and if this first step will help other football players making similar difficult choices, then so much the better. (But always keep this in mind too.)
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! You get to be the Dazzler of the Day, because no one exemplifies what a great father is better than you. Your example, your work ethic, and your unyielding support for your family was one of my first brushes of what real love was. Thank you for all that you’ve given to us – the laughter, the entertainment, the discipline, and most especially the love and compassion you showed the world. I love you – see you later today!
Widely-known as the ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’, Opal Lee is honored as the Dazzler of the Day for her 94 years of wonderful work on this planet. She was present when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth a federal holiday, saying, “I am so delighted to know that suddenly we’ve got a Juneteenth. It’s not a Texas thing or a Black thing. It’s an American thing.” Read more about her activism and how it all began here.
A hilariously brilliant writer, comedian, actress and producer, Quinta Brunson first came to my delighted attention during her Instagram series ‘Girl Who Has Never Been On A Nice Date’. The thought of her happy shock at the movie refreshment stand will always make me laugh. She’s got a new book out that goes a little deeper, ‘She Memes Well’, and it’s a breath of fresh air from a new generation. Anyone who can make me laugh and think a little deeper about things deserves to be a Dazzler of the Day.
Continuing our celebration of Pride Month, Andrea Jenkins is our Dazzler of the Day, thanks to their impressive quest on bettering the world through art, activism, and politics. Andrea’s website offers a more detailed glimpse into their powerful, current, and ongoing legacy:
Andrea Jenkins is a poet, writer and multimedia visual and performance artist, author of two chapbooks, “tributaries: poems celebrating black history” and “Pieces of A Scream”.In 2011 Andrea was named a Bush Fellow, and received the Many Voices Fellowship at the Playwrights’ Center and The Cultural Community Leadership Institute Fellowship through Intermedia Arts. Most recently she was published …in the anthology Gender Outlaws II: The Next Generation. She has been a part of the local poetry community for several years, earning awards, fellowships and commissions during that time, including the 2002 Loft Literary Center Mentorship Series Award.She is a Senior Policy Aide to the 8th Ward City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden and serves on the boards of OutFront Minnesota, Forecast Public Art, and SMARTS.She has one beautiful daughter, Nia, and two equally beautiful granddaughters, Aniyah and Kennedy. Andrea co-curates Intermedia Arts’ Queer Voices Reading Series with John Medeiros, one of the longest running LGBT reading series in the country.In 2010, she was awarded the Naked Stages Grant from The Jerome Foundation and Pillsbury House Theater and the Verve Grant for Spoken Word from The Jerome Foundation and Intermedia Arts. She is a 2008 Givens Foundation Black Writers Fellow, 2005 Napa Valley Writers Conference scholarship winner, 2002 Loft Mentor Series Fellow and a four-time Cave Canem Regional Fellow. She has studied with many notable poets and writers, including Amiri Baraka, Alexs Pate, J.Otis Powell!, Elizabeth Alexander, Cornelius Eady, Wang Ping, Harryette Mullen, Mary Jo Bang, Nikky Finney, Natasha Tretheway, Major Jackson, E. Ethelbert Miller, Haki Madhubuti, Deborah Keenan, Patricia Kirkpatrick, and Tyehimba Jess.
“Art serves many purposes; it can heal, educate, entertain, and challenge. Art is a tool for speaking out because it has the ability to transform people. I try to use my art to give agency and dignity to Transgender people and Black people all over the world.” Andrea JenkinsAndrea Jenkins is an out Transgender poet, writer, visual artist, and community activist. She holds a Bachelors of Art degree in Human Services and Interpersonal Communications from Metropolitan State University, a Masters of Science in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University, and a Masters of Fine Art in Creative Writing from Hamline University.
Her work has appeared several journals and local newspapers, including most recently, Gender Outlaws: The Next Genderation, edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman, Pear Press, 2010. She has two chapbooks, “tributaries: poems celebrating black history”, and “Pieces of A Scream”, Purple Lioness Productions.
Active in the local, national and international arts scene, Andrea has performed at HousingWorks Bookstore in New York City, and at Toronto Pride in Toronto, Canada. In the Twin Cities you’ve likely seen her at the Loft Literary Center, The Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theater, Pillsbury House Theater, Intermedia Arts, The Center for Independent Artist, Intermedia Arts, Patrick’s Cabaret, The Black Dog Cafe, Metropolitan State University, Macalester College, University of Minnesota, and several other venues too numerous to name.
As a visual artist Andrea has exhibited in group shows at:
-Pillsbury House, Obsidian Arts, “Balls”, September 2010
-Rau & Barber Studios, Kingfield Neighborhood Association, “Thinking Outside The Box”, February, 2010
-Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Curator, Roslye Ultan “Recycling Art”, May 2010
-Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MAEP), THE FOOT IN THE DOOR SHOW’, February, 2010
-Soap Factory, “Soul on Ice: Fifty African American Minnesota Artists”, 2008,
-Andrea serves on several non-profit boards including Forecast Public Arts, SMARTS, Outfront Minnesota, and The Metropolitan State Alumni Board. She co-curates the Queer Voices Reading Series with John Medeiros at Intermedia Arts and works for the 8th Ward City Councilmember, Elizabeth Glidden.
-In 2009 she was the winner the “Power of One Award”, by P-Fund LGBT Community Foundation
-Intermedia Arts named her a “Changemaker”, and Twin Cities Black Pride awarded her the Social Justice and Advocacy Award in 2010.
Second only to the anticipation I felt regarding ‘Cruella’ (more on that later) is the anticipation and excitement I feel about the movie version of ‘In the Heights’ – and some of that glee is due to this Dazzler of the Day, Anthony Ramos. An alum of ‘Hamilton‘, Ramos has also been featured here as a previous Hunk of the Day. Now he is once more set to take the world by storm in what looks to be the movie event of the summer.
Shattering history and making a strong play for the GOAT, Simone Biles just won her 7th American all-around title in gymnastics, setting her up for a fierce Olympics run, and easily securing her debut as Dazzler of the Day. Theres something awe-inspiring about seeing an athlete at the height of her power and prowess, stalking the vault, balance beam, pommel horse, and more with the grace and formidable focus that makes her the absolute best at what she does.
The third Red Sox player in a row to be crowned Dazzler of the Day, this is J.D. Martinez, in honor of our upcoming return to Fenway Park. Martinez is a designated hitter (I’ve never even been a designated driver) and three-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. He’s currently in the midst of a five-year $110 million contract with the Red Sox.
Joining Xander Bogaerts in a Red Sox run of sparkle, Rafael Devers hits his way to his first Dazzler of the Day crowning. Signed by the Red Sox as a 16-year-old (no idea how that works) Devers was considered to be the best left-handed hitter in the world. No comment on what wondrous things I was getting up to at the age of 16, but it wasn’t a $1.5 million deal. Congrats to Devers on that, and this latest honor.
Gearing up for our BroSox Adventure this weekend, this post marks the debut of Xander Bogaerts as Dazzler of the Day, as my pal Skip recommends him as our first pick of the season for such an honor. Bogaerts goes by a few nicknames – ‘X-man’ or ‘Bogie’ (‘Bogey’) – and has been honored with the Silver Slugger Award several times.
It’s amazing what a little fringe and a Lady Gaga cover can do for a person: witness the miraculous alchemy of Orville Peck’s cover of ‘Born This Way’ just in the nick of time for Pride Month. Peck earns their first Dazzler of the Day with their unique brand of country sparkle and creamy-smooth country vocal prowess.
His celebratory ‘Boys Who Like Boys’ song just got a fun fan treatment as seen below, and just in time for Pride month. Even better, Eli Lieb has a formidable career as an openly-gay artist, trailblazing the way for many burgeoning acts in his wake. He’s been a Hunk of the Day here previously, and now he gets to add Dazzler of the Day to his already-sparkling curriculum vitae.
