Sunglasses at Midnight
Russell Link presents a show that focuses on gay themes and issues
Contact Russell via email. He would love your feedback.
2/17/09 Cole Porter #5
This episode continues with JUBILEE and then focuses on BORN TO DANCE, Porter's first Hollywood movie. CD's featured are: COLE SINGS PORTER, Koch 3-7171-2H1
COLE PORTER, American Songbook Series A22405
BOBBY, NOEL & COLE, Atlantic 7 82062
BORN TO DANCE, Rhino RHM2 7778
Books featured: COLE PORTER, William McBrien, Alfred A. Knopf, 1998
COLE PORTER, Charles Schwarz, Dial Press, 1977
to listen (59:53) or click here
1/20/10 Cole Porter Number Four
Robert Kimball's and Stephen Citron's about Cole, mentioned in previous programs, were referred to. Songs from the following CD's were played:
Night and Day, Thomas Hampson sings Cole Porter, EMI7 54203 2
Steve Ross, Close, Stolen Moments, 1016/7
Ben Bagley's Cole Porter Volumes II, IV, and V, Painted Smiles 125, 117, and 122
to listen (55:27) or click here
11/25/09 Part three of Russell's excursion through the songs of Cole Porter.
The shows NYMPH ERRANT and ANYTHING GOES are discussed and songs from these shows are played, using recordings of some of the original artists who introduced these songs, such as Ethel Merman, Gertrude Lawrence and Elizabeth Welch. The following CDs are referred to
Stars of the 30's sing Cole Porter, Pro-Arte CDD 548
Nymph Errant, EMI CDC 7 54079 2
Anything Goes, EMI CDC 7 49848 2
Anything Goes, RCA 7769 2 RC
to listen (59:45) or click here
10/29/09 Cole Porter Number 2
Continuing a musical biography of Porter, Russ Link uses the following books and CDs: The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter, Edited by Robert Kimball
Ring Bells! Sing Songs!, by Stanley Green
Broadway Musicals of 1930, OC6241
Cole Porter Revisited, Vol. IV, PSCD 117
Disc One 1916-1929, A33714
to listen (56:37) or click here
9/23/09 Cole Porter's lyrics
Tonight's show starts a series shows about Porter's career on the Broadway stage. Using Robert Kimball's wonderful collection of Porter's lyrics, Russ recites the words of some truly amusing songs from Porter's earliest shows. Kimball's book was published in 1983 by Alfred Knopf. Ben Bagley's great musical theatre collection on Painted Smiles is also referenced.
to listen (59:15) or click here
8/20/09 Sunglasses at Midnight host Russ Link invited guests Jim Estep and Doug Levy to read some poems of gay poets. Poems read can be found in A Day for a Lay: a century of gay poetry, edited by Gavin Dillard, 1999
The Collected Poems of Tennessee Williams, New Directions Book, 2002
The Complete Poems of Hart Crane, Edited by Marc Simon, Liveright, 2001
The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter, Edited by Robert Kimball, Alfred Knopf, 1983
to listen (59:15) or click here
7/29/09 Noel Coward and especially the Niagara on the Lake,Canada, production of his Tonight at 8:30. Contact www.shawfest.com for informationon the productions this summer, 2009. Telephone number is 1 800 511 7429.
Three CDs were referred to:
The Noel Coward Album MDK 473253
The Noel Coward Songbook EMI 7243 5 573742 7
Visitors from AbroadMET811CD
Two books were also referred to:
Noel and Cole: The Sophisticates, Oxford, 1992
File on Coward, Methuen1987
to listen (59:15) or click here
6/24/09 A Recollection of Stonewall, June 1969
For this episode, Russell Link plays selections from concerts by The Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, Vocalis, The Windy City Gay Chorus, and The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C. Russell discusses the accomplishments of the last 40 years, as well as hopes for the future, especially concerning marriage.
to listen (58:05) or click here
5/27/09 Russ Link interviews Kitty Lambert about Gay Marriage.
Several newspaper articles were referenced in this conversation: Frank Rich's Sunday opinion in the Week in Review,
also several articles in the Buffalo News were discussed: http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/674748.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/678203.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/everybodyscolumn/story/683938.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/everybodyscolumn/story/681388.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/everybodyscolumn/story/681383.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/everybodyscolumn/story/681386.html
.to listen (59:38) or click here
4/19/09
This month's conversation is with Linda and Bob Drajem, retired Buffalo teachers, and their son, Christopher and his husband, Patrick, who live in Seattle, Washington, with their two adopted children. Linda wrote an article, published last January in The Buffalo News, which inspired this program; click here to read the article.
to listen (59:38) or click here
2/11/09 Progressive Christian Thoughts Of Homosexuality
The Reverend Doctor Barbara Hulsing, minister of the Good Shepherd Community Of Faith of South Buffalo, and Brian Rotach, pastor of the Seneca Street United Methodist Church in Buffalo, discuss with Russell Link their thoughts regarding the church and homosexuality. Referenced are the gay and lesbian leadership smart brief and the human rights campaign
to listen (59:59) or click here
1/21/2009 Pride Center, Buffalo, New York
Russell Link interviews Bryan Whitley-Grassi, Executive Director of the Buffalo, New York Pride Center. The conversation covers the mission and activities of the Center, as well as other aspects of Buffalo's Gay Community.
to listen (59:47) or click here
12/3/08 Hope Is Not Just For the Holidays
Russell Link converses with Father Armand Kreft, Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, at Linwood Avenue and North Street, in Buffalo, New York. This program is a continuation of the discussion with Barbara Wagner, Artistic Director of the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, concerning the upcoming concerts of the Chorus. Referred to on the program was the website of Father Kreft's church. We also talked with Dr. D of Photography whose website is www.AuthenticMoments.com.
to listen (52:11) or click here
11/2908 Hope for the Holidays
Russell Link interviews Barbara Wagner, Artistic Director of the Buffalo Gay Men's
Chorus about the upcoming Holiday Concert, "Hope for the Holidays." The concerts will take place December 12, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo; December 13th at Trinity Episcopal Church, both at 8PM; and on December 14th at Hamburg United Methodist Church, at 4 PM. Tickets are available from any chorus member and through the BGMC website.
to listen (55:54) or click here
10/1/08 Saving our Lives
Russell Link interviews Madeline Davis (716-631-7670) on collecting and preserving GLBT history in Western New York. Also referenced in this show are outhistory.org
to listen or click here
8/13/08 A Gay Youth Link in Buffalo, NY
Russell Link interviews the Gay and Lesbian Youth Services Director, Marvin Henchbarger and Latisha Jones, GLYS alumna and Youth Factotum. You can reference current LGBT issues both social and political and the Gay and Lesbian Smart Brief. Also referenced was novelist Augusten Burroughs and the Empire State Pride Agenda LGBT Health and Human Services Network.
to listen or click here
6/5/08 The Patterson Era Commences
Russell and this week's guest, Kitty Lambert discuss an article from the Op-Ed page of The Buffalo News "Out of step with modern religion" by Leonard Pitts, NY Governor, David Patterson's announcement that state agencies must recognize same sex marriages legally performed elsewhere and the lawsuit challenging that. Websites referenced: Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, Western New York Politics, The Gay & Lesbian Leadership, Empire State Pride Agenda.
to listen or click here
4/17/08 The David Dance
Russell and this week's guest, Don Scime reference Michael S. Sherry's book GAY ARTISTS IN MODERN AMERICAN CULTURE: An Imagined Conspiracy. Don has written a play called THE DAVID DANCE which is soon to be made into a movie, Oklahoma legislator Sally Kern's comments that "the homosexual agenda is just destroying this nation" and poses a bigger threat to the U.S. than terrorism or Islam, The book THE TRANSCENDED CHRISTIAN by Daniel Helmeniak. Also mentioned is a booklet about Sexual Orientation and Youth which can be downloaded from the American Psychological Association.
to listen or click here
2/20/08 OUTspoken for dignity
Russell and this week's guest, Kitty Lambert discuss a local high school basketball coach (Michelle Stiles) who was dismissed because of an allegation that she was gay and making advances toward her students. (Click for article) Also discussed is a 14 year old boy who is accused of a hate crime murder. (Click for article). School bullying and violence and their causes. Referenced websites include OUTspoken for Marriage , the movie "Get Real", The Gay and Lesbian alliance against defamation. This show's phone guest is Andrew Randazzo, a teenager who is active in The OUTspoken for dignity movement.
to listen or click here
1/30/08 Aids in Communities of Color
Russell's guests this week are John Morgan former executive director of the Men of Color Health Awareness Project and Paula Alcala Rosner of Group Ministries in Buffalo, NY.
Also referenced in this show are the Human Rights Campaign and a NY Times article "Gay Muslims Pack a Dance Floor of Their Own"
to listen or click here
12/19/07 The Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus
Join Russell and this week's guest, Barbara Wagner, Music Director of the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus. The BGMC is scheduled to receive an award from the Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County this year. Here is the website for the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus which includes information on their upcoming concerts. Referenced on the show is Alex Ross's book & blog The rest is noise,
to listen or click here
11/22/07 Being Thankful
Russell and this week's guest, Jim Estep focus on those things we are thankful for. Also referenced are The Human Rights Campaign, Rupert Brooke's poem "The Great Lover", Herman Hesse's "three levels on which we live", South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu criticising the Anglican Church and its leadership for its attitudes towards homosexuality, Elliott Spitzer Vowing to Push for Gay Marriage. Listeners, click here for your feedback.
to listen or click here
10/24/07 Stonewall Democrats
Russell interviews Michael James and Jeffrey Tooke of the Stonewall Democrats , a grassroots force for social change within the Democratic party. Members do the hard work of calling voters, putting together campaign mailings, going door-to-door for fair-minded candidates and having tough conversations with Democratic party officials. Also covered are the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (HR 3685 and HR 2015). Which are meant to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
to listen or click here
09/19/07 The most feared man in Washington, DC
Russell and this week's guest, Mike Rogers discuss Mike's endeavors to out conservative politicians like Senator Larry Craig. Visit Mike's website. Referenced in the show are James E. McGreevey' article in the Washington Post, former representative Mark Foley, a recent Doonesbury cartoon, and the website PageOneQ,
to listen or click here
08/15/07 Gay Marriage and civil equality
Russell and this week's guest, Kitty Lambert discuss all the issues involving gay marriage. Referenced on this show are Empire State Pride Agenda, The Visible Vote website, The New York Civil Liberties Union,
to listen or click here
07/18/07 The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy
Russell and this week's guest, Jim Estep discuss both the historical and current US military policy on gays. They compare it to the militaries of other countries that have no gay bans. Fred Kuhr's article "Gays in the ranks: Who cares" is referenced.
Also, incorporated into the disscussion is Holly Near's Song "I ain't afraid" and Steve Estes' book "Ask & Tell: Gay and Lesbian Veterans Speak Out", The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the Service Academy Gay and Lesbian Alumni Network, USNA Out, Joe Steffan's book "Honor Bound: A Gay American Fights for the Right to Serve His Country"
to listen or click here