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ALKI BEACH PRIDE Antifascist, pro-human & totally worth the trek
by Daniel Lindsley SGN Staff Writer The sun was out and the music was just as radiant at Alki Beach Pride this year, and though dark clouds loomed across Elliot Bay, they kept a distance that respected this grassroots event’s return to fully in-person programming after two years of being hybrid.
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Photo by Juliana Adams
Starbucks stalling on negotiating contracts, union says Company charges NLRB with rigging pro-union elections
Indie rock and “the joyful Queer revolution” played center stage at Day In Day Out Fest
Photo courtesy of SBWU
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Starbucks Workers United (SBWU), the union leading the massively successful nationwide drive to unionize Starbucks locations, says the company is stonewalling its attempts to bargain contacts in stores that have voted to unionize.
Of the 220 Starbucks stores where workers have chosen SBWU to represent them, only three have had even initial bargaining sessions, the union says. After workers vote to be represented by a union, the newly recognized union must then negotiate a contract with the employer
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Mitski – Photo by Kylin Brown
by Kylin Brown SGN Contributing Writer This weekend, Seattle saw indie rock dreams come true. Between the Space Needle and the International Fountain, Day In Day Out Fest 2022 entranced audiences with three evenings of spectacularly performative and fun-loving sets, with headliners
such as MUNA, Mitski, Mac DeMarco, Japanese Breakfast, and The National. In its sophomore rendition, the festival brought a new sense of self-assuredness to Seattle Center. Our days of Bumbershoot might be over (seriously), but Daydream State has stepped up to take on the challenge of replacing it.
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Publisher Angela Cragin Managing Editor / Acting Editor-in-Chief A.V. Eichenbaum Copy Editor SGN Staff • Richard Isaac Advertising Maggie Bloodstone, Advertising Manager National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Staff Writers Lindsey Anderson • Mike Andrew Sara Michelle Fetters • Daniel Lindsley Contributing Writers Alice Bloch • Maggie Bloodstone Kylin Brown • Sharon Cumberland Carter Hemion • Eve Kucharski Benny Loy • Isabel Mata Paige McGlauflin • Gaysha Starr Social Media Manager SGN Staff Photographers Juliana Adams • Nate Gowdy • SGN Staff Production Mike Pham SGN is published by Angela Cragin. © 2022. All Rights Reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs, or likeness of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. SGN welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your ad. Credit will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
In Loving Memory Of George Bakan
Scott Roger Alpert Cookie Andrews-Hunt James Arnold Ken Campbell Steve Foiles Shaun Knittel James Leland Moore Don Paulson Randy Peters Lee Richeson Shaun Shelton Jim Tully
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In this Issue
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Obituary Remembering Robert Masters December 10, 1934–July 28, 2022 Robert Masters was born in Arizona in 1934 and attended Phoenix Union High School, graduating in 1952. He went on to the University of Arizona, receiving his degree in 1956. Thereafter he worked at the Valley National Bank as a teller. He later moved to Los Angeles and became a CPA, working as a financial officer for Information International and several local hospitals. In 1969, he met his lifelong partner, attorney Larry Siskind, in BJ’s, which he liked to call “a popular Gay watering hole”. They fell in love and bought a house together in the Hol-
lywood Hills. In 1989, he retired and moved to Seattle with Larry, and became active in local Gay organizations and affairs. Bob loved to entertain friends and watch football. But he especially loved to travel with Larry, visiting many countries on six continents and Oceania. These included Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, China, Macau, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, and most of Europe. Bob was a kind, loving and considerate person. He leaves Larry, his partner of 53 years, and many close friends. His loss is very deep. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your favorite local Gay charity.
Courtesy of Friends & Family of Robert Masters
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Bruce Harrell signs four bills protecting reproductive rights in Seattle by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has signed four bills protecting reproductive rights in Seattle. Harrell was joined at the August 15 signing ceremony by City Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Tammy Morales, sponsors of two of the bills. City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, sponsor of the other two measures, was not present. The package of legislation was passed by the Seattle City Council in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision reversing Roe v. Wade and removing federal protections for reproductive rights. “The Supreme Court’s decision is a dangerous and decades-long leap backwards that will lead to significant and harmful consequences for women and all those seeking abortions, with disproportionate impacts falling on women of color. We must use every tool available to safeguard fundamental civil rights of privacy and autonomy,” Harrell said at the signing ceremony. “These bills take necessary action to ensure that Seattle is a city where abortion and reproductive healthcare are available to all who seek it and that we are ready and able to safely serve patients from out of state seeking care here. I want to thank the advocates and providers who have stood firm in their commitment to safe, accessible care.” The measures sponsored by Herbold and Morales are designed to protect the rights of people seeking abortions. CB 120374 adds people who have received or are seeking abortions as a protected class, ensuring their civil rights protections. CB 120376 creates a misdemeanor charge for
Photo courtesy of Seattle City Council
people who encroach on those seeking abortions or gender-affirming care. The bills sponsored by Sawant are more sweeping in their scope, committing Seattle to providing proactive assistance to people seeking abortions, including those from jurisdictions where abortions are illegal. CB 120375 establishes Seattle as a sanctuary city for those seeking abortion care and prevents pursuit by Seattle Police of out-
of-state warrants related to abortions. CB 120366 appropriates $250,000 of city funds to fund expanded access to reproductive healthcare by making an investment in the Northwest Abortion Access Fund. Brenda Lopez, executive director of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, said the new legislation would help people with unsettled immigration status. “When I decided to get an abortion,
I was terrified that my information would be given to Immigration Custom Enforcement and my decision would one day be used against me,” Lopez said. “All immigrants deserve to have autonomy over their bodily choices without fear of persecution. We know what is right for us, and I’m overwhelmed with joy to see our laws in Seattle reflect that.”
before workers can get most of the benefits of union membership. Many employers, faced with a new union, will try to draw out first-contract negotiations, hoping that workers will become disillusioned and quit, allowing the employer to replace them with new, anti-union people. That’s exactly the tactic Starbucks is using, SBWU says, in addition to closing unionized stores and firing union activists. Such tactics, while common, are a violation of federal law. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, known as the Wagner Act, requires — among other things — that both parties in labor negotiations bar-
gain “in good faith.” Good-faith bargaining means that both parties make sincere efforts to reach an agreement, and not draw out negotiations in hopes that the other side will give up in frustration. Starbucks corporate headquarters has not commented on the union’s charges but did issue statements accusing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — the federal agency charged with overseeing union elections — of rigging elections in the workers’ favor. Starbucks has made this claim several times, including an accusation that the election at the company’s flagship Seattle Roastery was improperly conducted by the NLRB. But in its latest statements, Starbucks claims it has evidence from an NLRB employee that the NLRB actively
interfered in a union election in Kansas City in an effort to get SBWU to win. According to a letter from Starbucks sent to the NLRB chair and general counsel, NLRB personnel allegedly “engaged in highly improper, systematic misconduct,” including: • coordinating with the union to arrange voting at NLRB offices instead of Starbucks locations, • leaking real time vote counts to the union, • disenfranchising some Starbucks employees, presumably anti-union ones, • conspiring with the union to cover up their improper conduct, and • conspiring with the union to increase prounion votes. The remedy recommended by Starbucks is to suspend all votes on unioniza-
tion everywhere in the country, pending an investigation. The union charges that this is just one more tactic to stall its union drive and prevent Starbucks workers from exercising their right to form a union. The NLRB said it would not comment on “open cases” and would address Starbucks’ charges through “established channels.” To date the NLRB is processing 286 unfair labor practices complaints related to Starbucks across 28 states — 284 against Starbucks and 2 against Workers United, which represents the individual store unions. Nine complaints were filed in Kansas City, where the company claims officials acted improperly. Two were in Seattle.
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Photos by Juliana Adams
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The setup on day one (Saturday, April 13) was a cluster of booths on the sidewalk and driveway outside Blue Moon Burgers. Looming above them was a two-story boombox with a photo booth and a stage for dancing, mostly occupied by kids busting moves from Fortnite, Disney films, and their imaginations. The balcony on the top was for tie-dye wearers only. Alki Beach Pride started officially nine years ago, said co-founder Stacy BassWalden. But “we did it before it was actually a branded name. I have been doing this for almost 25 years now. It started with bonfires with groups of friends hanging out.” It grew into something larger when some of those friends wanted to bring their kids; West Seattle, it might surprise some to learn, has a long history of families led by Queer couples. “We thought, ‘Well, kids need to be here too,’” Bass-Walden said. “‘We gotta make this an all-age thing, make it bigger.’ You know, ‘What can we do to add some sort of entertainment that is for everyone?’”
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That all-ages philosophy was evident in every facet of the event, which took place in family-friendly, open-air spaces. In the mid-afternoon, Rainbow City Performing Arts brought the Pride spirit to onlookers all along the beach with its age-inclusive, Queer-led marching band and color guard. Hip-hop dance group Kutt’n’up performed a routine of their own across the street from Blue Moon. With the boombox quieting down, “They/ Them Queen of Burlesque” Mx. Pucks A’Plenty gave attendees the opportunity to win free tickets to the only all-peopleof-color burlesque festival in the Pacific Northwest, What the Funk, should they only win a few rounds of funk music trivia. At the booths, nonprofits like the West Seattle Food Bank, the Diversity Alliance of the Puget Sound (DAPS), Gay City, Black Pride, and the People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) had resources for any who needed them. Most booth staffers agreed that the vibes were good, though DAPS chairperson Oliver Webb remembered a more fraught year in the past.
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Webb recounted a 2019 incident involving a handful of Proud Boys that were discovered on Alki Beach after having posted selfies of the event on social media. Webb, who was running the security team at the time, said he had his people fan out to find the potential threat. They were spotted in Pepperdock’s Restaurant, just down the street from Blue Moon Burgers. “We called [the restaurant] and told them, ‘You guys have white supremacists sitting at one of your tables right now,” Webb said. “‘Either you guys can kick them out, or we can show up as a demonstration of force.’” As soon as event security had gathered outside the restaurant, Webb said, the Proud Boys were on their way out the back door, fleeing to an Uber. Others present back then had doubted Webb, thinking the search an overreaction, but he said he had followed his gut. This year’s security and safety was overseen by Michael B. Fearnehough, owner and chief of operations at Cascadia Emergency Management. Sitting behind Marination Ma Kai in the early evening of day two (Sunday, August 14), he said there had only been minor emergencies — scrapes and cuts, requiring only Band-Aids, though at least one of the people who came to him had shown early signs of heat stroke. In fact, being Queer himself, Fearnehough could recall only two or three “real” fights breaking out in Queer spaces, having spent plenty of time in Queer bars, clubs, and other gatherings, whether on the job
or not. What Fearnehough said about his profession — that it required situational intuition — only confirmed that Webb had made the right call years ago. As the host of Sunday’s festivities, Marination Ma Kai was busy, with a stage set up on the packed back patio. Local performers Deandre, pop-soul singer Chris Levaughn, and R&B singer and guitarist Lakin used their talents to set a calm mood. By contrast, a respectful distance down the street, the Burnout Brass Band wore leather and fishnets and blasted pop, Queer, and antifascist tunes in the shade of a few trees — songs like the Italian, anti-Nazi “Bella Ciao,” and “The Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Their sousaphone’s bell was decorated with red shibari ropes. The event wound to a close on Sunday evening with yoga on the beach, followed by a showing of the Queer comedy The Birdcage at Alki Playground, put on by Three Dollar Bill Outdoor Cinema. “Thanks to the community,” said Stacy Bass-Walden, “we have been able to do this, and not necessarily need a fundraising situation. It’s harder to do, but not impossible. Companies like Blue Moon Burger, they say ‘Yes, put a stage there.’ We’ve got the [Seattle] Staging Company: ‘Sure, we’ll come and do this for the community.’ We’ve got the sound person saying, ‘Power to the people, we will do this for you.’ “So those dollars where we’d need to be a 501(c)(3), the community has been hugely helpful. Very, very caring, and loving, and supportive.” “We want this to turn into a destination for Pride,” Bass-Walden added.
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Arts & Entertainment
Comedians of a feather “Flock” together
(above l-r) AJ Norris, Ash Reed, Emma Schmuckler, Joe Yan, (below l-r) Tambre Massman, Stephanie Nam and Zahnae Aquino.– Photos by Lindsey Anderson
by Lindsey Anderson SGN Staff Writer Capitol Hill’s Queerest comedy showcase returned to Olmstead Thursday, August 11, with a stellar line-up of talented and witty local comedians. Produced by Bobby Higley, Juno Men, and Zahnae Aquino, “Flock” is a collection of Seattle’s stand-up comedy scene’s best LGBTQ+ performers. The show began with a great set by the night’s host, AJ Norris, who warmed the crowd up with his hilarious observations on gender, divorce, and pets. Norris commanded the stage with a cool presence that never wavered, no matter how chaotic the laughter from the crowd got. Up-and-coming comedians Following AJ to the stage was the first performer of the night, Ash Reed. After watching their performance, nobody would have guessed that Reed is a newcomer to the comedy scene. From their first joke, they had the audience in stitches. Reed riffed about everything, from the ways
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white people love Afros and how gender ruins everything, to the most hilarious details of their sex life. All conversations stopped as Reed got going, and for good reason. Those in the room Thursday night likely saw one of the early performances of a future comedy legend. Next on stage was Emma Schmuckler, who immediately informed the crowd that she is bald by choice. For the next five minutes, she took the audience on a journey through her adventures in nannying rich toddlers in Seattle and provided very good arguments in favor of occasionally drop-kicking a child in the park. Schmuckler wasn’t afraid to get controversial, bringing up Brock Turner (convicted of sexual assault in a high-profile case). She quickly turned the crowd’s groans into giggles with her sharp punchlines. After Schmuckler, the incredibly talented Joe Yan took to the mic. Yan covered a myriad of topics, rapidly firing off punch line after punch line. His humor was relatable to many in the crowd as he vented about turning 30, being short, dating, and raising a dog in this day and age. His dry
tone sharpened the impact of his clever jokes, often catching the crowd off guard with delightful twists and turns in his set. Finishing up the first half of the night, Tambre Massman brought the house down as she unpacked the magic of Disney villains, the word “unfuckable,” and the disaster that is sex with cis-het men. As her set went on, fans exchanged knowing looks with their friends and partners as they doubled over in laughter. Massman’s performance put words to the thoughts everyone has but doesn’t know how to say. Second half The second half of the show got underway after a brief intermission, this time with fewer comedians and longer sets. The performances started with local legend Stephanie Nam, who delighted the room with her dry banter and awkward stage persona. She continued with relatable material about the advantages of having ADHD, some of her awkward therapy encounters, texts from her parents, and a special inside joke just for her cat. Nam elevated the show, bringing a new twist to classic stand-up.
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Following Nam was one of the night’s producers, Zahnae Aquino, who brought lively energy and unapologetic sass to the stage. Her observational humor covered the pitfalls of dating men and even played on some improvisation and a mystical prop. Aquino got the crowd involved in her set and played off the banter and warm spirits of those in the room. The final performance came from fellow producer Juno Men. Men exuded kindness on stage, making those in the audience feel special, as though she were talking just to them. Despite her gentle nature, her comedy held nothing back, as she dove into the topics of coming out to family, experiencing racism as a child, and secretly hoping for all her coupled friends to break up. The night was full of fun, validation for Queer comedy fans in the audience, gutbusting laughs, and plenty of discoveries. “Flock” is a comedy showcase held at Olmstead, 314 Broadway E., every second Thursday of the month. Tickets for the next event are available to buy online or at the door if they haven’t all sold out.
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Photo by Kylin Brown
MUNA takes the cake For the LGBTQIA+ members of the crowd, Day In Day Out 2022 was a winwin-win situation. Though Friday’s set list was slightly disrupted with a last-minute, COVID-based cancelation by Queer icon Soccer Mommy — aka 24-year-old poprock singer-songwriter Sophie Allison — the show went on, with a quick replacement by young local upstarts The Kerrys. After Soccer Mommy’s disappointing plot twist, Queer attendees set their sights intently on MUNA and Mitski for Friday, as if these two artists’ performances weren’t already the most anticipated of the night. From their latest self-titled album, MUNA, the LA-based pop trio warmed up the waiting crowd with “What I Want,” singing, “I’ve spent way too, too, too many years not knowing what / What I wanted,
how to get it, how to live it and now / I’m gonna make up for it all at once / ‘Cause that’s, that’s just what I want.” While lead singer Katie Gavin (she/ they) crooned over the yearning Sapphic lyrics of “Silk Chiffon,” guitarist Josette Maskin (she/they) took a break to encourage the crowd, and multi-instrumentalist Naomi McPherson (they) sweetly covered the Phoebe Bridgers portion: “I’m high and I’m feeling anxious / Inside of the CVS / When she turns ‘round halfway down the aisle / With that ‘you’re on camera’ smile / Like she wants to try me on.” Since being dropped from RCA Records in 2019 and subsequently signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Records label in 2021, the group has continued to experiment among genres, even surprising unknowing listeners with their sole, melancholy country piece, “Taken.” MUNA’s original multilayer approach was showcased in their 2019 breakout hit “Stay Away,” a song they attribute to the courageous process of shedding bad habits, especially when it comes to sunsetted relationships. “Leaving you was easy, now I gotta do what’s hard / I gotta stay away,” sang Gavin, belting out a remarkable vocal and emotional range simultaneously. The trio’s energy was sensed far and wide, thanks in part to dance. For their hit “Number One Fan,” Maskin, dressed in trousers and a tank top, shook her bobbed curls and gyrated center-stage to her own guitar solos between lyrics. Then, when performing the newer hit “No Idea,” the group’s self-proclaimed “dyke boy-band song,” Gavin and McPherson staged a faux make-out. Throughout, MUNA’s fans could be seen teary-eyed, as if the Space Needle and the festival underneath it ceased to exist, so that they could cherish an intimate moment with the music and lyrics. Emotions ran high, closeted realities faded away, and visibility shone down as Gavin prepared the
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continued from cover While last year’s fest felt like a sorry attempt at “the new Seattle Center music festival” in the iconic Bumbershoot’s absence, it did offer live performances from prominent and unforgettable Queer and BIPOC artists, such as local producer Chong the Nomad (previously covered by the SGN), renowned DJ-producer Kaytranada, and Portland-grown rapper and songwriter Aminé. While continuing to highlight regionally and nationally famed Queer and BIPOC artists, this edition dug into the city’s historically indie/rock music taste and offered a refined ideological arc. Day In Day Out no longer teeters in the space in between Capitol Hill Block Party (covered here) and a typical Saturday night at Neumos. It has found itself the star of a new generation of Seattle Center memories for music lovers far and wide.
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crowd for the utopian safe-space anthem “I Know a Place.” “As a band, we wholeheartedly believe in a joyful Queer revolution,” said Gavin before the song. “We believe in Black liberation, and the end of Queer and Black discrimination. This song is about a place that we want to see exist in the world.” After their show, fans dispersed into the hilly grass lawn of Fisher Pavilion, in a reverie of MUNA’s radical vision — or simply to process their emotions — before headliner Mitski Miyawaki (aka Mitski) pulled them into a theatrical performance of intense introspection and confliction. Mitski gives a fitting production Since quitting social media in 2019 to preserve a healthy self-image, Mitski has been busy with a return to music that is equally as disquieting and severe as it is yearning and hopeful, with her last contracted album, Laurel Hell. On stage headlining Friday, the artist half-danced, half-wilted across the stage throughout her set, delivering an unwaveringly emotional song-and-dance production that intrigued newcomers and satiated loyalists, however guilty they might feel for supporting an artist who lyricizes the suffering caused by her own participation in the music industry. In a faithful deliverance of the album’s hit, “Love Me More,” Mitski tantalized the audience with her tortured worldview. “I wish that this would go away / But when I’m done singing this song / I will have to find something else / To do to keep me here,” she sang. Through her set, Mitski took the crowd on a rollercoaster journey — at the tempo of a Ferris wheel — to explore the nuances and in-betweens of happiness and sadness, trust and betrayal, among other emotions that are difficult to name.
Saturday & Sunday wound down Although the festival offered a comprehensive lineup, with headliners Mac DeMarco and The National on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, feelings of radical love and self-exploration sparked by Friday’s day one lingered mostly among smaller artists. Saturday, Seattle-based Shabazz Palaces, led by Ishmael Butler — formerly Butterfly of jazz rap group Digable Planets — took listeners on a ride with entrancing instrumentals and slow rap lyrics. Then, rock band Cherry Glazerr took the stage to enliven a 6 p.m. crowd, followed by Brooklyn-based alt hip-hop from crowd favorite JPEGMAFIA. Fans encouraged the artist onstage, chanting his industryknown nickname, “Peggy.” Sunday notably included soulful Jamila Woods, whose set opened with “Holy,” an optimistic ballad of spiritual freedom. “Woke up this morning with my mind set on loving me / With my mind set on loving me / I’m not lonely, I’m alone / And I’m holy by my own,” repeated the chorus as the crowd swayed. Then, to close out a weekend of music and pure enjoyment, Japanese Breakfast swept listeners off their feet with an animated performance of all of their best material, featuring visuals of lead singer Michelle Zauner as a child and old photos of her mother that literally brought people to tears as they related to the music or were reminded of Zauner’s recent acclaimed memoir, Crying in H Mart, which details her mother’s fatal battle with cancer. Twisting her brutal grip on the hearts of the listeners, Zauner finished with lively hits, such as “Sweet to Me” and “Paprika” from the latest album, Jubilee, neither of which I can seem to get out of my head.
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(from top) Cherry Glazerr, MUNA, Mitski, fans, and Shabazz Palaces – Photos by Kylin Brown
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Episode 31: Dr. Umair Shah
For more information w w w. nwblackpride.org
In this episode, Ash sits down with Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah to discuss monkeypox prevention, stigma, and vaccination. Also in this episode, Lindsey and Ash give Rise & Grind sigma male podcasting a try, the Ren Faire is expensive, and a far right extremist is on the ballot for congress. ALSO! Izabel and Isabel are two different people! Don't get 'em confused! DOH RESOURCES https://doh.wa.gov/ 1-833-829-HELP MPV Hotline
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Film
Ferocious Beast an entertaining man vs. beast throwback
Idris Elba in Beast – Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN Staff Writer BEAST Theaters Beast pits star Idris Elba against a rampaging lion looking to get vengeance on all of humanity after a pack of greasy poachers murders his pride. That’s it. That’s the plot. In fairness, the efficient screenplay by Ryan Engle (Rampage), born from an original story by Jaime Primak Sullivan (Breaking In), has more on its mind than that. But not too much more. The basics are simple and straightforward, making this thriller something of an “animals attack” throwback that goes right for the jugular, with enthusiastic ruthlessness. Kudos to director Baltasar Kormákur, because, love them or hate them, it’s not as if many of his previous thrillers, like Contraband, 2 Guns, Everest, or even Adrift, were known for their subtlety. But he understands what this film requires in order to meet with success. Set the stage. Make sure the audience has a decent grasp of the environment. Show the primal terror stalking the protagonists only in brief snippets, withholding revealing the beast in its full, rage-fueled glory until the climax. Kormákur does an overall solid job. The opening prologue hits hard and fast, and while this angry lion is more Jason Vorhees with paws, more hair, and razor-sharp teeth than he is a second cousin to an alpha predator, as documented in shows like Nature or nonfiction features like African Cats, that’s par for the course. Kormákur knows he doesn’t need to overplay his hand, with much of the emotional heavy lifting done simply by the concept of a father protecting his children from being mauled to death by a rogue carnivore in the middle of the South African desert. Not that the script doesn’t try to tip the scales toward ensuring that viewers latch onto the characters before the chaos starts.
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Iyana Halley, Idris Elba, and Leah Jeffries in Beast – Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
Elba portrays Dr. Nate Samuels. He’s brought his teenage daughters Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Jeffries) to see their late mother’s isolated South African home and visit family friend Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley). He’s sort of a game preserve warden hired by the government to keep an eye on poachers and assist with legal safaris. When Martin takes everyone out for a day of sightseeing, things go terrifyingly off the rails when they discover they’re being stalked by that aforementioned lion. The kicker is that Nate is estranged from his children, because they feel like he wasn’t there during their mom’s battle with cancer. They had recently separated, and it wasn’t until late in the game before he fully knew that his wife’s case was terminal. The doctor feels like her death was his fault, that if they’d still been together, maybe he would have noticed the signs before it was too late. This means that, interspersed between tense moments of random lion attacks (most of which take place while the Samu-
els are trapped inside Martin’s badly damaged all-terrain vehicle), there are snippets of dialogue concerning the trio’s shared history. They scream. They shout. They reconnect. They forgive. But unlike similar scenes from Kormákur’s other films, there is punchy brevity to these moments that hits home. They feel genuine and, as unintentionally silly as some of the dialogue may be, there is a heartfelt sincerity to the trio’s delivery that worked for me. It helps considerably that Elba, Halley, and Jeffries play off one another beautifully. The histrionics ring true, and the ways they attempt to collectively deal — and in the process psychologically heal — during this unfathomable situation has a crazy, fervently potent naturalism that’s wonderful. Elba is particularly outstanding, giving far more of himself over to the material than it deserves and, because he’s done so, elevates it to levels it never would have reached without his forcefully magnetic presence. The CG technology utilized to give life to
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the lions is mostly top-notch. Some of the close-ups do have a cartoonish, digital haze. But only a few sequences during the climax showcased that all-too-familiar video game cut-scene aesthetic that’s become normal in films both big and small. Kormákur and his ace cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (A River Runs Through It) do a superb job with color, movement, and the gorgeously remote South African landscapes so as to keep the eyes from fully focusing on their roaring four-legged ruffian. This gives the lion’s attacks a more impactful bite than otherwise would have been possible, had the viewer been attempting to nitpick the visual effects. The final battle went right where I expected, and there was never a moment where I was completely surprised. Nevertheless, I was still glued to my seat. This lion bared its teeth, and a shiver went up and down my spine each time it did. Beast is no Jaws, but who says it has to be? Kormákur’s made one heck of an entertaining genre throwback, and that’s just fine.
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Film
Prequel Orphan: First Kill marks diminutive Esther’s return to violence
Isabelle Fuhrman in Orphan: First Kill – Photo courtesy of Paramount Players
by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN Staff Writer ORPHAN: FIRST KILL Theaters / Paramount+ I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Orphan: First Kill, a prequel to 2009’s Orphan, actually exists. Star Isabelle Fuhrman was only ten years old when she broke through as the psychotically malevolent Esther. How director William Brent Bell (The Boy) and writers David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Alex Mace, and David Coggeshall planned on bringing her back in a story set two years before the original — and with Fuhrman returning to star — was way beyond me. But they do it nonetheless. Utilizing a variety of cinematic tricks, including body doubles and some de-aging digital effects wizardry, Bell and company almost pull it off, too. Esther’s resurrection feels uncomfortably realistic, and Fuhrman’s continuing evolution as an actor — she delivered one of 2021’s best performances with her virtuoso work in Lauren Hadaway’s The Novice — only allows her to be even more psychologically terrifying in the role. Yet I do say “almost,” as JohnsonMcGoldrick and Mace’s original story, along with Coggeshall’s screenplay, never rises to the occasion. Other than one admittedly spectacular twist, most of this scenario plays like a second-rate direct-to-video horror offering from the late 1990s or early 2000s. It’s a reasonably well-constructed hack-and-slash guessing game in which secret identities are protected with violence and finding unexpected resting places for a random corpse is the name of the game. Still, there are plenty of clever touches, including a lovely but disquieting cat-andmouse contest involving some homemade macaroni and cheese and a lovingly prepared breakfast smoothie. The prequel also features Julia Stiles in a primary role — I’d forgotten how much I adore her until she was given this meaty character to voraciously sink her teeth into. Together, she and Fuhrman keep things interesting, and even
when events devolve into simplistic fiery chaos, their combined intensity whenever they share the screen remains undeniable. For those who have not watched Orphan, consider this your spoiler warning for that film, because it’s impossible to talk about this prequel without discussing what happened the last time Esther made an appearance. As stated, this new tale takes place in 2007 and begins in Estonia, with the lead character incarcerated in a psychiatric care facility for the criminally insane. She suffers from hypopituitarism, a rare affliction that means this thirtysomething woman still has the appearance and body of an adolescent, prepubescent child. After engineering a brutal escape, this cunning murderess takes the name of Esther and steals her way to the United States. She does this by convincing authorities that she is the daughter of Tricia (Stiles) and Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland), kidnapped four years prior and thought to have been trafficked out of the country. She claims
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Julia Stiles in Orphan: First Kill – Photo courtesy of Paramount Players
to have escaped her captors, so everyone is ecstatic to restore the child to her parents, clueless that they’re all being conned. This reveal regarding Esther’s medical condition was the climactic kicker in the original, and it is probably why Orphan has become a minor cult favorite over the last decade or so. But as that bit of deceit is already known, Bell and the writers know they can’t get a lot of mileage out of that here. Instead, they make sure the audience is in on the woman’s go-to subterfuge right from the start. This allows Fuhrman to revel in Esther’s homicidal psychosis as never before, and it’s clear the actor is having a blast playing the character for a second time. As Esther’s identity is a known commodity, this means the filmmakers have to come up with something new if they’re going to once again pull the rug out from underneath the audience. This twist I am not going to talk about, other than to say it’s a doozy, and while what happens wasn’t a complete shock, the way the reveal is
staged, written, and performed certainly is. As misdirection goes, it’s kind of glorious, and I wish I’d been able to watch this with an audience, as I imagine their reaction would have been stupendous. If only the climax had been better, then I’d be more willing to recommend everyone — and not just fans of the original give Orphan: First Kill — give this a look. But it isn’t good, as things take a plodding and nonsensical turn into the boringly tedious that’s unfortunate. Fuhrman and Stiles do what they can, but the action-heavy nature of the final scenes consistently works against both of them. While I’m equally flabbergasted and happy this prequel exists — welcome back to the big screen, Dark Castle Entertainment! — I’m also frustrated and annoyed by how things turned out. Esther’s rebirth is a mixed bag of blood, guts, good ideas, and missed opportunities, with that last disappointingly dominant by a fairly substantial margin over everything else.
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Books
All the Living and the Dead puts your morbid curiosity to rest by Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to the SGN ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD: FROM EMBALMERS TO EXECUTIONERS, AN EXPLORATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE DEATH THEIR LIFE’S WORK HAYLEY CAMPBELL © 2022 St. Martin’s Press $29.99 269 pages
Image courtesy of St. Martin’s Press
In author Hayley Campbell’s childhood home, death was no big deal. Her father was an artist who was paid to illustrate death as a theme, and Campbell recalls imitating his artwork: pets that met early demises, and a childhood friend who drowned. Death, for her, was just a part of life. “We are surrounded by death,” she says, in our games, the news, the songs we sing, everywhere. More than 55 million people around the world die each year, but most of us don’t know much about those who do the “necessary work” of dealing “with the things we cannot bear to look at...” Are we “cheating ourselves out of some fundamental human knowledge?” Campbell began her search for an answer with a funeral director, who advised her to “separate the shock of seeing death from the shock of grief” by ensuring that the first dead body she ever saw was not that of someone she loved. She visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, to talk with a man who prepares the “gift” of body donorship. An artist showed
her how he memorializes the faces of those who’ve departed, and a disaster mitigator explained how he deals with “catastrophe.” Campbell also met with a crime scene cleaner, had lunch with someone who executed death row inmates, heard stories from an embalmer, cleaned a cremation chamber, assisted an anatomical pathology technologist, spoke to a midwife, visited with gravediggers, and learned about cryonics. “I wanted to see all of it,” she says. “But in many of these rooms... I was, for a few moments, speechless.” Go ahead. Admit it. You were curious, too, weren’t you? That’s the beauty of All the Living and the Dead: that Campbell gives readers plenty of room to be inquisitive, offering facts that they perhaps haven’t even had a chance to conceive of yet, without shame and without making anyone feel like a ghoul. This is, in fact, a wide-eyed book. It’s respectful, humble, and filled with honor, and it’s not gratuitously gory, although there are a few cringy moments. About those, steel yourself. Campbell is forthright about things that left her unsettled and sent her reeling. That — the emotion and its lingering effects on her entire being — can feel worse than the malodorous moments here, and Campbell honestly tells readers how she dealt with that, too. You won’t be sorry knowing. Curiosity, RIP. Bury your lack of information. If you’ve got questions about people who work with the dead and you need answers, All the Living and the Dead will do the job.
Do the Work! an ally must-have by Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to the SGN DO THE WORK! AN ANTIRACIST ACTIVITY BOOK W. KAMAU BELL & KATE SCHATZ © 2022 Workman Publishing $22.95 176 pages
Image courtesy of Workman Publishing
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So you’ve been fighting racism and, at this point, you’re simply exhausted over it all. So take a breath. This book is meant to help you, in many ways. For sure, it’ll help white people — but it’s also for anyone who needs ideas on fixing what’s broken. The first thing to do is to talk about it. Having a discussion on racism and why white people do this or Black people do that may seem scary, but conversation helps sort thoughts and foster understanding. It also helps clear the air, if you talk respectfully. Do you know your privileges? If you’re white, you probably grew up not even realizing that you have any — but you do. Acknowledging that is hard — these are the things that benefit you, after all — and to “check your privilege” is necessary before moving forward. You’ll also want to know that privilege is fluid. Learn how to spot racism when it’s hidden, because what you see every day is “just the tip of the iceberg.” Remember that you don’t hate history, you hate history class! Get to know some heroes who already “did the work.” Learn how Jim Crow laws and
redlining worked to entrench racism in the last century, and how gerrymandering does it now. Know the history of policing Black people. “Get dirty” by being an ally. Remember that you’re going to make mistakes and you “might not win.” The seriousness of both subject and effort aside, Do the Work! is actually quite a fun book. Authors W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz use humor, facts, and (beware!) four-letter words to get their points across, but this book also offers breathing-room relief from the anti-racism job in the form of relaxing playtime, quizzes, places to draw or fill-in-the-blanks, slots for notetaking, and informative games to try. So make a protest sign, play some games, take a quiz or two, color a page with markers or crayons. That doesn’t make it fluffy, though. Surrounding the fun and games are firm words that white people and allies need to read, ideas to ponder, and statements to make you squirm, presented haphazardly, with an invite to dip in and out at will. Despite the occasional silliness and the feeling of running wild sometimes, then, it means business for the baffled, befuddled, and determined alike. Note: Judging solely on the swears and other language in here, this workbook is absolutely for older teens and adults only. You can bring small children along on your journey, but Do the Work! is not aimed at them.
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Books
Get lost in the maze at Magus Books
All used all the time Most of Magus’s revenue comes from locals who sell books back to the store on Mondays and Tuesdays. “Occasionally we’ll do remainders, when bookstores return new books to the publisher, then the publisher sells them to other distributors at a discount, and so sometimes we will buy if something comes up, but yeah, it’s 100% used,” Hanna explained. Because the store buys all its books secondhand, there is a wide variety of titles that line the shelves. The small LGBTQ+ section is one of the most popular. “We do have an LGBTQ+ section, actually. It’s not very big, and the reason why is because that category is very popular, so the books come in and [go] out very quickly,” Hanna said. “Also, [those] in that section have to really specifically be about LGBTQ people… more from a sociological perspective or historical perspective. It isn’t like we would put all the LGBTQ+ writers in that section; they go with everybody else. Oscar Wilde is in literature, Audre Lorde is in poetry, Samuel Delany is in sci-fi, just like they’re supposed to be.”
By Lindsey Anderson SGN Staff Writer Located along busy 42nd Street in the middle of the University District sits a bibliophile’s paradise. Magus Books is one of Seattle’s oldest bookstores, and over the last half century has collected enough tomes to create a literal literary maze from floor to ceiling. History Hanna and Chris McElroy have owned the store for nearly half its existence, and have watched it flourish over the years. “We’ve owned it for almost 19 years,” Hanna said. “Magus has been here since 1978. It was our favorite bookstore, and the owner just decided it was time to retire. So we looked at the numbers and just decided to take the leap and bought it.” Buying Magus was the McElroys’ official leap into the world of indie bookstores, but both had already been involved in the literary world. “Chris was a book scout,” Hanna said, “so somebody who goes to estate sales and Goodwill and stuff like that… He would buy books and then sell them to the various bookstores in town… I was in corporate merchandising, so I worked for Starbucks and Eddie Bauer and other companies. I knew how to sell things… and also my degrees are in philosophy and English, so I’ve read a lot of books. That’s how we ended up here.” A hectic home — but a quieter one is on the way While the typical Seattle bookstore is a quiet and relaxing place to read, explore, and have a conversation with friends, Magus is quite the opposite. “It can be very hectic. A lot of people think of a used bookstore as really quiet and calm and people sitting around and reading — and this store is a bit more like a busy restaurant,” Hanna said with a laugh. “We are getting ready to open up another location in Wallingford in October, and that is going to be much more of a little quiet bookstore, but this is pretty hectic. There’s lots of people in and out, it’s pretty high volume, and the books change constantly.” The high foot traffic is to be expected,
as Magus is not only one of the oldest but also one of the largest used bookstores in Seattle. “At this point we are the largest all-used bookstore. We do have so much history, going on 50 years. Because of our size and our ability to really fill the store… we have 80,000 unique titles,” Hanna said.
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Photos by Lindsey Anderson
“I don’t know if there are any other stores in town [that] can really do that. We are super picky in what we buy in terms of condition, and… we really like to curate …in terms of buying books that we feel are really important or good, and we don’t really cater too much to the… grocery store fiction sort of thing, although we do have some.”
Magus gives back The store sees so many new titles each week that it often cannot keep up with all the new ones coming through. Because they have such high standards for the titles they sell, the McElroys usually end up donating many back to the community. “We donate hundreds of books every week to Goodwill and to other organizations, so in terms of that, I think we try to give back with books. We don’t really have a dedicated space for readings or that sort of stuff, but at the new store, we probably will have some of those events, again, because it’s quieter,” Hanna said. For anyone looking to explore some of Seattle’s history, hoping to find a new title at a low price, or learn a little more about philosophy, Magus Books is a must-see. Magus Books is located at 1408 NE 42nd St. or online at https://www. magusbooksseattle.com.
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Food
Kamp Social House brings fresh eats and a new community hub to Madison Valley by Georgia Skerritt SGN Intern Since its official opening on July 23, Kamp Social House restaurant has stirred up some new and much-needed connections and conversations in Seattle’s Madison Valley neighborhood. Owners and life partners Marceil Van Camp and Katy Knauff have spent the last four weeks cultivating a warm and inviting atmosphere that emphasizes the importance of community. Upon stepping inside, patrons will find a wall covered with art, all of which was either chosen or created by friends of Marceil and Katy. “It really tells the story of Kamp,” Van Camp told the SGN in an interview on Friday. “Each piece kind of speaks to a different part of our whole community coming together to help make this place happen.” Located at the intersection of Madison and 28th Avenue, Kamp has taken over the space previously occupied by Luc Bistro, a French-American restaurant that served the community for over 20 years. “We wanted to honor both the old and the new in terms of culinary tradition,” said Van Camp. Designed by executive chef Bridgett Lewis, Kamp’s menu is a refreshing mix of both new dishes and contemporary spins on nostalgic classics, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. Beyond comfort food — including castiron cornbread, pineapple-rum-glazed chicken wings, and delicious sliders with onion jam — the menu also offers two flavors of soft serve: classic vanilla and a rotating flavor that will change weekly (last week, we enjoyed espresso anise). “It’s a fun way to delight people while showing them something that’s nostalgic but also really fresh and new,” said Van Camp. For anyone feeling adventurous, there is also a vibrant spread of new dishes to try. Some of our favorites were the confit jerk spice duck leg, rainbow beets labneh, and green plantain shrimp tostadas. Lewis plans to keep certain staples on the menu while also rotating new dishes. “We’re trying to stay fresh, stay new,” she said. “We’re going to try to keep it seasonal.
Especially living in the Northwest, it’s quite easy to move it around a little bit.” Van Camp describes the culinary theme as flavor-forward. “From a food perspective… there’s a lot of different things happening geographically on the menu. It’s really just about what we enjoy and want to share with people,” she said.
Don’t be a stranger Farther in, diners are faced with a neon sign on the back wall that displays Kamp’s tagline, “Don’t be a stranger.” (Fun fact: the sign uses the same neon from the original sign in Luc Bistro’s window!) “It’s our tagline, because that’s the whole concept of a social house,” said Van Camp. “We want to be a neighborhood spot, and we want peo-
Located at 2800 E Madison St., Kamp is open Thursday through Monday from 3pm to 10pm and offers happy hour from 3pm to 5pm (except weekends).
Photos by Georgia Skerritt
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ple to come and just hang out.” Aspects of the Queer community have lent themselves to the atmosphere of inclusivity and fluidity, but Kamp is also just a place for everyone: families, solo diners, and happy couples can all be seen enjoying meals in the dining room and out on the covered patio (which is dog-friendly). “It makes me so happy that it’s become such a safe space for everyone,” Van Camp said. Beyond the food, the bar also embodies Kamp’s mission of versatility and inclusivity. The drink menu ranges from boozy to partly boozy and finally unboozy, inspired by the dry year Van Camp undertook, when she began learning about alcohol-free spirits. As a result, the bar features a wide variety of refreshing drinks for social drinkers and sober folks alike. On the boozy side, my dining partner and I loved the Summer Old Fashioned and watermelon margarita. If you’re looking for something nonalcoholic, we’d recommend Summer Fling or, if you’re feeling brave, Don’t Scare the Chickens — made with muddled jalapeño, it’s not for the faint of heart! Aside from the thrilling spread of signature cocktails, the bar also offers a selection of wine, and both draft and canned beers and ciders, of which there are alcohol-free options as well. With a beautifully diverse menu and community-first atmosphere, Kamp feels well on its way to becoming a Seattle staple and neighborhood favorite. Whether you’re looking for an exciting new meal to show friends, a comfort meal, or a refreshing drink after work, this is the place to check out. As the Kamp team says, there’s always room at the table for one more.
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National & International News
Gretchen Robinson – Photo by John Raoux / AP
National news highlights by Daniel Lindsley SGN Contributing Writer Florida teachers struggle with mixed messaging Florida’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans both content deemed not age-appropriate and lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, has schools
unsure about how exactly the law will be interpreted and enforced. Most educators don’t expect to make major changes in lesson plans due to the law, but they worry about finer details, like whether or not family pictures on their desks are allowed. Some also worry about the law ostracizing LGBTQ teachers and students. “The messaging of the law is horrible,” said Lesbian high school teacher Gretchen Robinson of Orange County. “It’s toxic; it’s discriminatory. It targets, very obviously, LGBTQ students, it ‘others’ them, and that is not OK.” Workshops about the law in Robinson’s school only made confusion worse. Some staff said they were told that early elementary school teachers couldn’t display Pride flags or photos of same-sex spouses, though the district clarified that photos were allowed.
In addition, schools in Robinson’s area had given out rainbow lanyards and stickers, but whether teachers could wear them was uncertain, and she worried that teachers might “err on the side of caution and leave stuff out” during lessons. Colorado Christian cites free speech to avoid Gay graphic design The US Supreme Court is gearing up to hear the case of Lorie Smith, a Christian graphic and web designer who refuses to create custom wedding websites for samesex couples. Smith claims that Colorado state law violated her right to free speech by requiring businesses to sell its goods or services to all members of the public. The Colorado State Attorney’s Office is urging the Supreme Court to uphold the state law. “The Act addresses what a business does and not what it says,” lawyers of
the office said in a brief. “Any burden the Act might impose on a business’s expression therefore does not violate the First Amendment.” Jake Warner, Smith’s lawyer, said that Smith has designed websites for LGBTQ+ customers in the past, arguing that the legal challenge isn’t about discriminating against same-sex couples, but about state law forcing Smith to do create websites and graphics with ideas that go against her beliefs. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser worried about the precedent Smith’s case could set, if the court sides with her. “The free speech claim advanced here we think is dangerous and is one that, if granted, would open up a range of loopholes to anti-discrimination law,” said Weiser. “Discrimination is not expression. It is illegal conduct.”
International news highlights by Daniel Lindsley SGN Contributing Writer Gilead gives to GLAAD and others over outbreaks Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced on August 9 that it will be providing funding to LGBTQ organizations like GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, in order to address the monkeypox virus (MPV). Some of the money will be used to address regional outbreaks, especially in areas disproportionately affected by HIV, Gilead said. The company also stressed the importance of educational efforts by nonprofits.
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Photo by Dominic Lipinski / PA
“As we saw with HIV, COVID-19, and now MPV, disinformation continues to challenge the LGBTQ+ community,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. “This new collaboration will enable creating and distributing content and resources to help our community know the facts and to understand prevention and treatment for MPV. When communities receive accurate, timely infor-
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mation, they are empowered to take appropriate action, leading to long-lasting, positive health outcomes.” “In the same vein,” said Joni Madison, interim president of the HRC, “we look forward to working together with Gilead and other partner organizations to combat the stigma that prevents people from seeking the care they need.”
UK Black Pride returns to London streets An in-person Black Pride returned to London on August 14 after a twoyear hiatus, featuring music, speakers, and workshops in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said at the event, “London is a city where we celebrate our diversity, but we know there is still so much to do at home and abroad to ensure that everyone is treated equally and has a stake in society.” “By gathering here today,” he went on, “members of our Black LGBTQI+ communities and allies will unite in celebration and send a message to the world about the power of equality.” The event had all the usual resources, like STD testing and promotions for PrEP. Dominic Reilly of the Central London Action on Sexual Health told the BBC, “We are really pleased to have a presence at this fantastic event, which provides a supportive, inclusive space for LGBTQI+ people.”
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