Thank You Gay Bingo Patrons!

The final Gay Bingo of the 2010 season was a great success last Saturday! Thank you to everyone who came out and played Bingo in support of Lifelong AIDS Alliance. Because of you, we are able to provide care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-changing illnesses in our community.

Check out the videos below to see some of the amazing performers from Beach Blanket Gay Bingo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YritiTtlHEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnDN_o8S8-4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZAdV1jz40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvuXj7UP2cQ

Check back soon - pictures of the evening to follow!

Beach Blanket Gay Bingo!!

The FINAL Gay Bingo of the season is this weekend, June 19th. Get your tickets now!

Costume Inspiration, Part Deux

As promised, here is Part II in the round-up of chic old dames. This bunch runs the gamut from socialites to celebrities, with a few adorable animals thrown in for good measure. (Because grandma's are bound to have a few cats/small dogs running around.)



Go forth Bingo Patrons, let your imaginations and make-up run wild!

Guest Caller: Sylvia O'Stayformore

Seattle's Effervescent Hostess is coming to Bingo this month, and she's bringing her sidekick Tor with her!


Sylvia O'Stayformore has hosted a monthly show at Re-Bar, called "Bacon Strip," since 2005. Sylvia and Tor also have a show down at the Oriental Express that "explores rare Bacharach, vaudeville standards, girl group songs and original compositions. It’s true intimate cabaret at it’s finest." Check out details about Bacon Strip and Sylvia's other projects at her website here!

Blue Hair Costume Inspiration, Part 1

There are so many fabulous ladies out there above 60, that we won't be able to fit them all into one post!

We'll start off with an easy one, Blanche, Rose, Sophia and Dorothy from Golden Girls.

Next comes the matronly styles of Mrs. Doubtfire.

Who wouldn't want to garner comparisons to these two below?


And finally the classic colors and hair of the over-60 set.

Check out local thrift stores, including Lifelong's own store on 11th and Union for costume duds and stay tuned for more fashionable grannies coming up!

May Guest Caller: Alison Arngrim

You may recognize one of May's guest callers, Alison Arngrim, from the TV series Little House on the Prairie. On it, she played Nellie Oleson (left), the bully and mean girl who picked on Laura.

Well, she's all grown up now and has a new book out - Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned To Love Being Hated. You can buy the book on Amazon here.

To get the latest about Alison and her adventures, check out her website.

Make sure to give a big Gay Bingo welcome to Alison on May 22nd and don't forget to buy your tickets!

Are you coming to Blue Hair Bingo?

50% of tickets are already sold for Blue Hair Gay Bingo. This event is definitely going to sell out, so do not delay. Buy your tickets here now!

It's all on tape!

We've got videos from last weekend's Biker Babe Gay Bingo.

You can watch Aleksa's performances, as well as Jenny Penny as she defies gravity with her aerial acrobatics!

Aleksa's first performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3du9TXHfI8

Jenny Penny:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iTxzWWaJMw

Aleksa's second performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOhJiZBEEfI

Highlights from Biker Babe Bingo

Jenny Penny Brings Bingo To A New Level

We had the lovely Jenny Penny as a guest caller at last weekend's Biker Babe Bingo. And boy - did she do a great job!

You can watch the full video here.

Jenny is also part of the non-profit The 4 Horsemen. Check out their website to see how they help local artists/performers become entrepreneurs.

What's YOUR costume going to look like?

Here in the Gay Bingo offices we've already started putting together our Biker Babe outfits for Saturday. Have you started brainstorming?

Below you'll find some sources of inspiration we've assembled to help get your creative juices flowing:

We'll start off with the serious attitude displayed by The Runaways above. Does anyone have a red leather catsuit they can borrow?

If wearing all purple is more your style, you can channel the indomitable Prince.

You can go the old-school route and adopt the stylings of Marlon Brando in 'The Wild One'

Or take a more contemporary approach and model yourself after Lady Gaga in her 'Telephone' music video.

And last but not least, we have to have at least one Fonzie present this weekend!

April 17, Biker Babe Gay Bingo is SOLD OUT!

Biker Babe Gay Bingo may be sold out, but we still have two fantastic bingo events lined up in the 2010 season. Get your tickets to Blue Hair Gay Bingo on Saturday,May 22 or Beach Blanket Gay Bingo on Saturday, June 19 today!

Where DO we get all those fantastic photos?

Some of you may be wondering who is responsible for all the photos you see here on the Gay Bingo Blog. Well, we are lucky enough to have Ben Zheng documenting the 2010 season for Lifelong. Ben was good enough to sit down with us and tell us a little bit of what goes on behind the camera. Read on!

From Ben:

I have been an art student since elementary school and I used to do a lot of sketches and drawings. I used to have my own studio, but I am waiting to get a bigger apartment so that I can set it up again. Fortunately, digital photography does not require that much space and my sense of artistry can be captured in a different fashion.

I have had so much fun shooting the Gay Bingo events organized by Lifelong AIDS Alliance and I truly believe that they are making a difference together with all the loving people who attend.

You can check out more of Ben's work on his blog here!

Biker Babe Bingo is Coming!

It's two weeks out from the April 17th Biker Babe Gay Bingo, but be forwarned: there's only 200 tickets left and they're selling fast!

Get your leather jacket on, head to the website and buy your tickets now!

Toga! Toga! Toga!

Check out some of the awesome costumes from last weekend's When in Rome Gay Bingo. People really went all out!



Photos courtesy of Ben Zheng.

Brazilian Samba, Wowza!

The Brazilian samba group, VaMoLa, wow-ed the crowd at last Saturday's Gay Bingo. With their flashy outfits and amazing head-dresses they really put on a show!

Thanks, VaMoLa for coming out!


Photos courtesy of Ben Zheng.

Going... Going... Gone!

Alright folks, The March 20th When in Rome Gay Bingo is SOLD OUT!

We do have tickets for all remaining months. The dates and themes are:

April 17th - Biker Babe Gay Bingo: Strap on For a Wild Ride!
May 22nd - Blue Hair Gay Bingo: Still Not Your Grandma's Bingo
June 19th - Beach Blanket Gay Bingo: It's The Wildest, Wettest Game in Town!

You better buy 'em soon, though. April's Biker Babe Bingo is a hot ticket and we've already sold more than half our tickets. Don't miss out next month!

March Guest Caller: Ben DeLaCreme

We have a Bingo Virgin at this month's event: Ben DeLaCreme! She'll be guest calling during the second half of When In Rome Gay Bingo.

If you like what you see next weekend, she's also being featured in the Theater Off Jackson's SPF #4 festival on April 1, 2, 3. Why not double your fun this month with a fabulous entertainer!

Et tu, Gaysha?

We all want to know what goes on behind the flashy clothes and well-coiffed hairstyles of our Bingo hostesses. Well now's our chance! We sat down with Gaysha Starr recently and asked her a handful of questions from the Proust Questionnaire.

Take a peek at the interview with Gaysha below and get to know your March Gay Bingo Host!

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A day where I don't have any stress or worries and I have my two pups, Maximus and Nina, to cuddle with.
2. What is your greatest fear? Rejection.
3. What historical figure do you most identify with? Rosa Parks because she stood firm for what she believed in and was tired of giving in.
   
4. Which living person do you most admire? I admire anyone that lives their life with truth and humility.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination.
6. What trait do you most deplore in others? When others do not meet their personal best or self potential.
7. What is your greatest extravagance? I have an extra bedroom that I use as a walk in closet for all Miss Starr's wardrobe and accoutrements.
8. What is your favorite journey? Recently, the two hour journey it takes getting into drag, both physically and mentally.
   
9. Which phrases do you most overuse? "Oh girl!" and "Tell me everything!"
10. What is your current state of mind? Zen-like, with a side of coffee buzz.
    

Welcome Back, Gaysha Starr!

March 20th's When in Rome Gay Bingo will be hosted by the one and only Gaysha Starr.

You may not recognize Gaysha without her bedazzled shutter shades and dauber, but she was the host of the Bling Bling and Over the Top Circus Gay Bingos in the 2009 season.

Head over to the website to buy tickets to see Gaysha at this month's event!

Get Inspired!

The time has come to start brainstorming your costumes for When in Rome Gay Bingo! Here in the LLAA offices, we've compiled some suggested viewing material from the big- and small-screen to help get your creative juices flowing.

We'll start off with a few classics, Ben Hur (1959) and Cleopatra (1963). I know there are two people out there ready to channel the extravagant styles of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton!

Ben Hur

Cleopatra

Next comes a more recent portrayal of ancient roman times with Russell Crowe in Gladiator (2000).

And who could leave out John Belushi's iconic role in Animal House (1978)?

From the small screen we have HBO's dramatic series 'Rome.'

And from near-by Greece comes Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Xena

Hercules

So head to the movie store and start taking notes. You never know, it could be you collecting the costume prize next this month!