Beirut Warms Up

You know Beirut summer has started when there’s one too many parties to choose from on any given weekend. That was already my feeling last Saturday when P…C… threw its Pirates de Cannes and Basement its last reunion party on the same night. But then again like many times I ended up choosing… neither.


Just like churches and mosques get fully booked come wedding season, which stretches all the way to September, so do the indoor and outdoor venues on summer weekends. All the major festivals - Byblos (and Off-Byblos), Baalbeck, Beiteddine, Beirut Music and Art Festival, Batroun) have already announced their concerts programs, but we can certainly expect some last minute surprises!

… As for BiG GiB parties, it seems the official summer kick-off will be coming from Matinée's Circuit Festival, with their June 18th Beirut Official Preparty – location still tbd.

Can you feel the heat approaching?

--by GiB#2. Flyer from Facebook

On Peeing in Hamra -- by Joplin

You see, I know no better than Hamra. I was born in Hamra. I went to school in Hamra. I went to college in Hamra. I lost my ‘virginity’ in Hamra. I got drunk for the first time ever in Hamra. I applied to grad school in Hamra. And I even pee in Hamra.


Yes, I emptied my bladder in a Hamra pub; not in the gentlemen’s restroom, not in the ladies’ restroom, but in a single WC common to both genders. It stood there all by itself. A sink, a toilet, scarce tissue papers, and one wooden door. Common bathrooms seem to become a recurring pattern in Hamra’s growing pubbing scene – and it’s not just a matter of space or lack thereof.

Mainstreet, the grandest of Hamra’s shy pubs, has two bathrooms, one painted in baby blue and the other in light pink. Yet they both stand unlabelled without a sign for Man or Woman. So thank you Hamra. Thank you for recognizing those who feel unsure about their gender. Thank you for respecting transsexuals. Thank you for recognizing that a male like me feels uncomfortable using the urinal alongside a bunch of other men. Thank you for helping us redefine gender and sexuality.

Post by Joplin; Picture off the Web

Go Censor This, Big Brother

Been missing watching a good gay movie. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mean porn, I’m talking quality gay themed movies from worldwide cinema, a good Spanish drama, a hilarious British comedy, an insightful Canadian documentary, a Holy Wood thriller … or a romantic Israeli flick for that matter.

Granted, a lot of LGBT movies out there are crap – but some of them are gems.

They’re not always erotic, mostly inoffensive, sometimes even rated PG-13, and yet we won’t be able to get them in Lebanon any time soon. At least not at the Virgin megastore next door, the new 16-screen cinema megacomplex around, or the next pirated DVD seller in Da7ye.

Anyone who still watches movies on Lebanese TV stations will have noticed, that the way our censor gurus have been acting lately is just unacceptable. Slicing and dicing movie scenes to the extent they do, on the basis of both visual and verbal content, is way too 20th century to be acceptable to any educated citizen today. Hopefully some minister in the next government will have the courage to topple this censorship bureau once and for all.

But as 21st Century citizens, how can we accept the censorship of a cultural item on the mere basis that it features a gay couple or touches on gay issues?

Well we don’t.

Whether they like it or not, we will get to watch those movies. For Technology Is On Our Side.

We will get them anywhere from international shipping via Amazon to Internet streaming on Netflix… and all the way down to the shady Russian gay torrents online.

With 3G Internet around the corner, with the new maritime Internet cables we’re hooking up to, soon enough our Internet plans will become Unlimited and Uncontrollable. Same thing with online shooping picking up.

Now go censor this Big Brother:

Open up every one of our packages at the customs. We’ll re-order it out.

Strip search our luggage at the airport. We'll hide it out.

Watch each one of our bits and bytes. We’ll figure it out.

Block the torrents and streams. We’ll mirror it out.

Then keep trying to “educate” us. And we sure will kick you out!



My own GiBby Box Office from the last few years!

- by GiB#2 - Photo captions mostly from IMDb

Acting Opportunity, Anyone?

I got an email from a young filmmaker based in Germany who is currently planning his next movie project with a German production house.

He's just now starting to cast for actors, and is looking for two English speaking actors around 20 years old and with a Middle Eastern look, to play the role of a young gay couple who moves to Europe and face all kinds of difficulties that come with it.

The casting will gauge the actor’s acting skills, will look for a good presence in front of the camera, and obviously will require someone who is comfortable playing a gay character.

It is potentially a hit film that will be presented at Berlin Film Festival, Torino Film Festival and others, an “ambitious very interesting project” and a “well-paid job” by Luigi's own words (travel expenses, accommodation etc. all covered).

Anyone interested in casting for the movie should email Luigi at: corpoaperto.filmproject@googlemail.com

So… will you or someone you know take on this opp. and become the next hot actor from Lebanon? Pass it on!

Gagaesque Lil’ Monsters

Catching Gaga’s Monster Ball tour might well be one of the five pillars of Gay today. I’m one lucky bastard who got to fulfill that one in 2011. Here's one to you Gaga:

… Because no artist promotes self acceptance, self accomplishment, sexual diversity and tolerance better than you do,

For making us forget in a split second you were 40 minutes late,
For your daring speeches, your amazing costumes, your provocative stances,
For you most gorgeous crotch grabbing dancers,
For the progress you’ve made with your dancing,
For crying spontaneously on stage when you opened your heart to us,
For risking your life climbing up and down crazy structures just for our viewing pleasure,
For pledging your donation to an LGBT charity, reading out loud the letter of a fan,
For swearing you didn’t lip sing not for a single minute through this incredible performance,
For using bad words, for calling us your little monsters,
And for reminding everyone that Jesus is all about love and nothing else.

…Today Gaga, I’m your billionth fan and I fucking love you bitch.

some crazy shit from Gaga's concert. Yalla Lebanon 2012?