What’s HOT South Florida, December 29, 2010

On Monday, December 20th, Johnny’s presented a benefit for Father Bill of Poverello entitled “Needs Wheels, It’s a Wonderful Life….Benefit for FR. Bill.” The event raised nearly $8,000 of the $18,500 (reduced price due to sponsorship from Michael Albetta at Maroone Ford) to buy Father Bill a new car. Congratulations to AJ Cross for producing such a stellar benefit. Stay tuned after the New Year as other venues will also put on benefits so that the remainder of money needed can be raised. It was about 11 pm on Christmas Eve when I decided to leave my house and venture out into the hood (Wilton Manors) to see what was happening. I went to Boom and chatted with GM Chris, then headed over to Alibi to say hello to my roommate Eric…

Gay Events in South Florida

Friday, December 31st (New Years Eve)

Living Room presents TRON 3011 where they will have a major runway show premiering Future Fashion from some of the world’s most famous designers; Jean Pul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler and The Blondes. The entire club will be turned into the futuristic world of TRON and these great designers have never showcased their designs in Ft. Lauderdale before. Doors open at 9 pm.

Georgie’s Alibi Wilton Manors presents their 14th annual New Year’s Eve spectacular where the invite you to watch the ball drop on their big screens and take part in their balloon drops, party favors and champagne toast at midnight.

The Manor presents New Years Eve 2011 starring international DJ sensation David Knapp and featuring a live Times Square remote telecast, balloon drop champagne toast at midnight and a fierce production by Erika Norell and company. For VIP seating reservations (sold out last year) call 954-626-0082.

B2M inside Johnny’s presents BEP (Black Eyed Peas) vs. B2M NYE 2011 featuring a champagne toast at midnight and hosted by DJ TPROmix, Mr. Situation, Carmelo and Sushiman.

Boom presents a Rockin New Years Eve with DJ Scott Mann and a balloon drop at midnight.

The Shoppes of Wilton Manors presents New Years Rockin’ Eve from 8 pm. Times Square comes to the drive with NY Style street vendors, confetti cannons and streamers, a countdown surprise and much more.

Cozmos Lounge presents a hot New Years Eve party where they invite you to celebrate in style with free champagne and appetizers from 8 to 10 pm.

The Ramrod presents a New Years Eve balloon drop with $1000 in cash and prizes, free champagne at midnight and the dance floor is open.

Club Sugar presents New Years Eve with shows by TP Lords and Sasha Sky, a champagne toast at midnight, DJ Willy G in the main room and Latin and hip-Hop in the Spice Lounge.

The Boardwalk presents Randy Blue exclusive Reese Rideout tonight, tomorrow and Sunday with 2 live shows each night. They are selling advance tickets that include a pre New Years Private party from 8:30 pm to 11 pm, Beefcakes dinner buffet fit for a king or queen, no cover before 11 pm and much more. To purchase or to find out more information see any bartender at the Boardwalk.

Stepping up to a new arena of entertainment which now counts three successful restaurants, The Villa By Barton G (former Versace Mansion) and a corporate events division that services national and international clients, New Year’s Eve will mark the entry of restaurateur/hotelier Barton G. Weiss’ newest venture, Prelude by Barton G, presents nabbing major star power in Cheyenne Jackson as his inaugural attraction. Jackson performs tonight and Saturday, January 1, at Prelude By Barton G presented by Barton G. Weiss and The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Tickets for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are now on sale. New Year’s Eve pricing is $295 including a 3-course dinner, champagne, party favors, show and post-show DJ. New Year’s Day pricing is $195 including 3-course dinner and show and post show DJ. Doors open at 8:30 P.M. www.preludebybartong.com

Lords South Beach presents “House Of Lords” hosted and performances by Lady Amanda LePore and Countess Justin Bond. The party which features DJ Duke Cazwell is from 9:30 pm to 5 am.

Saturday, January 1st

Georgie’s Alibi Wilton Manors presents their annual New Year’s Day Recovery Rewind Party where they will replay the Times Square ball drop each hour with 5 balloons drops and giveaways starting at 10 pm.

The Manor invites you to start the New Years out right with “New Years Day, The Party Continues” starring DJ Lazaro Leon in the Epic Nightclub and DJ Larry Larr in the Latin Lounge and Patio with shows by Erika Norell.

The Ramrod presents New Years Day Pig Dance with special guest DJ DeMarko (Black and Blue Leather Ball, Tom of Finland Dance, Hustla Ball, etc) and Tribal Son selling their hot manly jewelry out front.

Hot Stuff

The “STR8 AGAINST H8” 2011 Charity Calendar shows homo-friendly straight guys stripped down and oiled up looking picture-perfect sexy for a good cause. The FCKH8.com website sells the 13-month charity calendars online and also features a 4 minute behind the scenes video featurette that captures all the sexy shenanigans that happened during the photo shoot. The hot and humorous “making of” video features athletic, good-looking half-nude straight models in compromising positions and pushes the line with straight men’s “junk” needing to be blurred out. “These guys are more than just good-looking, they are helping out a good cause,” says director Luke Montgomery. “Who hasn’t wanted to get their hands on some hot straight boys walking around in just their underwear and jockstraps? We loved every minute of it and it shows in the calendar’s sexy photos. Was it awkward at times? You bet! It was a blast to strip them down and have them wear nothing but FCKH8 bumper stickers or piles of pink FCKH8 buttons between their legs!” He added, “Our FCKH8 fundraising T-shirts look great but they look even better coming off these guys! Both gay dudes and straight chicks are going to love this calendar. It’s the closest some of us will get to “date” these guys and it’s great knowing that this is more than just a product, it’s a cause we all need to support.” The calendar can be purchased at FCKH8.com

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Oakland Park – Wilton Manors Council and Gay & Lesbian Business Exchange (GLBX) announces its first fundraising reception. Titled Vegas Night – Chips for Charity, the event is slated for Thursday Jan. 13 from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The venue will raise money for the Chamber as well as Wilton Manors based Kids in Distress. The event will take place at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Admission is $40 per person and includes tastings from local restaurants, five hours of gaming, live music, and open bar service. The event is being produced by the Oakland Park – Wilton Manors Council’s and GLBX’s volunteer board of governors. For additional information regarding the event or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Chamber President & CEO Dan Lindblade at 954-462-4911 or Dan@FTLChamber.com

American Experience and WGBH Lab, a creative incubator for public media, announced an open call video contest entitled Stonewall Uprising and Gay Rights in 2011. The open call welcomes work from all citizen reporters, journalists, video-bloggers, documentary storytellers, animators and new media-makers.  The challenge: show us where Stonewall’s legacy in the gay rights movement is happening today.  Five cash prizes of $1000 will be awarded and the single best video, selected by WGBH Lab and a panel of judges, will premiere on the PBS series American Experience following the April 25, television broadcast of Stonewall Uprising, the acclaimed documentary on the history of the 1969 riots that sparked the fight for gay civil rights. Submissions will be accepted until February 14, 2011. Complete details on submissions can be found at: TheWGHLAB.org/open-call/stonewall

Palace Bar has announced the launch of “Palace Boys,” a web-based reality show that will pit ten contestants against each other in the search for Palace Boy 2011! This isn’t your mother’s reality show; unless your mother likes to dress in drag and sing her heart out on stage. As the first and only gay establishment with a fabulous ocean view, Palace Bar is breaking new ground once again with PalaceBoys.com. It is the first online LGBT reality show, using a wide range of innovative and interactive technology, social media and cameras focused on the contestants for the entire world to see. The final contestants will be completely interactive – with each other and with the public. They will live together and work together. They will be using social media, keeping a blog, providing video updates and even recording each other. Viewers throughout the world will be able to upload video questions and comments, and can chat live with their favorite contestants. If the technology is out there, they are using it on this show! Contestants must be male, age 21 or older to enter, which consists of filling out an application and uploading a video at PalaceBoys.com. Based on votes from the public, along with ratings from a panel of judges, ten semi-finalists will be flown to Miami Beach on February 2, 2011 (flights from within Continental U.S. only). For the next ten days, with cameras on them 24/7, they will live together, play together and work together at Palace Bar, while competing for votes in “challenges.”

On February 12, the kingdom (or queendom) will be whittled down to six finalists, who will continue to work hard and party hard, enjoying all that Miami Beach has to offer. On Saturday, April 16, the six finalists will grace the Palace Bar float for the fabulous Miami Beach Gay Pride, where they will really be able to strut their stuff in front of tens of thousands of people, working the crowd to get more votes. Palace Boy 2011 will be announced on April 30! The winner will receive more than $5,000 in cash and prizes, the opportunity to continue working at Palace Bar for the next year, an electric bicycle from The Electric Bicycle Store and a professional photo shoot. No one knows what will happen when a group of larger-than-life characters run wild while trying to secure the title of Palace Boy 2011, but that’s what the show’s producers anticipate will make this the hottest show on the web.