Joe Posa performed his one-man show, The Bitch Is Back!: Joe Posa as Joan Rivers, to a packed house at The Grille On The Drive this past Friday. And although most people are aware that there’s no shortage of Joan Rivers impersonators, none of the other performers are likely as proficient at imitating Rivers as Posa was. Through his own blend of alchemy, Posa captured Rivers—even down to her posture—to the point where there were moments that one forgot that they were seeing an impersonation and not the real deal. Nevertheless, impersonations are one thing; it’s another to be able to think in someone else’s persona. Mr. Posa successfully accomplished both. No doubt, the astute observer realized that they were witnessing two things at once in Posa’s performance: an impersonation, and a layer beneath, a skilled improv comic at work. If you missed Posa’s show, you can check him out at the Rrazz Room in Boca Raton on December 14. The show should be listed shortly. Manny Estralla accompanied himself nicely on the piano after Posa’s show.
An unparalleled record of activism against injustice for over 50 years. Check. Was once called the most powerful gay man in the country by Newsweek. Check. Best selling author and acclaimed playwright. Check. Quizzed about Bill Clinton during sex. Check. Introducing David Mixner, an American original.
Where did you grow up? On a farm outside a small, southern New Jersey town called Elmer, which had about 1,000 folks. What do you miss about it there? The outdoors, the animals, the wildlife, the lightening bugs, and the folks. Where do you live now? In the theater district in NYC, about a half block from Times Square. What drives you crazy about Time Square? Nothing. I absolutely love the wild and unpredictable nature of it. I love people-watching. Although New York may have changed, what’s still special about Manhattan? Hands-down, the diversity of people, ideas, entertainment and politics. It’s 24/7 and a place that never sleeps—there’s a place and a role for everyone in Manhattan. I’m also an architecture nut, so I revel in the buildings, public spaces, and design of this unique and wonderful place on earth. What New York venue do you miss that that’s gone? The destruction of New York Penn Station and replacing it with this Soviet-style brutalist architecture called, “Madison Square Garden.” It was one of the most obscene moments.
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In this stirring personal history, one of America’s most influential gay rights advocates recounts his extraordinary career as a policy maker and adviser to the major political leaders of our time, and his own often anguishing, ultimately triumphant life as a gay man.
Of all the places that you’ve lived, what was the best one? Guess I would have a tie. One was the time on a houseboat in Amsterdam writing a screenplay while my lover was painting art. It was magical. The other would be living in Turkey Hollow in the Catskills, recreating a “Walden Pond” moment with the abundance of wildlife. I became a first-rate animal whisperer with the deer, bears, wild turkeys, and other wildlife. Which one of your old jobs least prepared you for what you do now? Being a janitor cleaning food halls at Arizona State University. I hated it. If God were to take you tomorrow, how would you like to be remembered? That, without fail, I served others my entire life. What do you want to live long enough to see? Beto O’Rourke in the White House. Will you ever retire? When I can’t contribute to making the world a better place through my activism, performances and writing, then it’s time for me to go.
PHOTOGRAPH BY NIGEL BARKER
Of all your awards and accomplishments, which one do you cherish the most? Living my values and principle even when they made me very unpopular and I was attacked for them by many people who I loved and respected. Also, any awards that may come out of my writing or performances would be very satisfying in my later years. What’s the weirdest question that a fan has asked you? I was having sex one time, and a guy looked up at me and asked, “What is Bill Clinton like as a person?” I must say that it killed not only the moment, but the entire evening. What celebrity did you act like a “fan” around? Oh God, I have a horrible man-crush on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. If I ever met him, I think he’d have to take a restraining order out on me the next day! He’s the person at this stage of my life that I’d most like to meet. What’s the last thing that you looked at online? Beto O’Rourke’s video on “Taking A Knee.” I’ve looked at it over and over. It’s simply extraordinary. What’s the best place that you’ve visited? Singita Castleton in South Africa.
PHOTOGRAPH BY NIGEL BARKER
What was the most unjust war that America was ever involved with? Oh God, there were so damn many, but just for kicks, the war on Native Americans, The Spanish-American War, World War I, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, and all those covert operations by the CIA in places like Guatemala, Chile, the Congo, and Indonesia—those operations led to the death and torture of millions. Who’s the most important political figure since WW II? President John F. Kennedy, who in such a short time moved us from being totally a cold war nation to the light of helping other nations, to transitioning into civil rights, and to inspiring in so many of us that we should work for something greater than our selves. What’s your guilty pleasure? Judge Judy and TV crime shows. What’s your favorite band? Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. What’s your fondest childhood memory? Swimming naked in the irrigation ponds in the countryside with my buddies. What were you like in high school? Oh God, I think they must have looked at me as a goofball, and not quite sure what to do with me, but I really liked high school and had tons of fun at it.
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Bestselling author and renowned presidential campaign adviser (Bill Clinton, Dick Gephardt, Jerry Brown, Gary Hart) David Mixner returns with his first book in 10 years. In At Home with Myself, Mixner writes from and about his country home in Turkey Hollow, an upstate New York town so small and remote that it has just 10 residents.
Do you think that entertainment awards should be genderless? Yes, I do. Acting is acting and has no gender. What’s something that you learned in life only when you got older? Two things: how to cope with loneliness, and to never stop laughing and being outrageous. What did you learn from your parents? To help thy neighbor. Who’s your favorite performer? Judith Light. What’s your best characteristic? That I’m spectacular and a loyal friend. How do you enjoy spending your time? Having kinky sex. What celebrity do you have a crush on?Ed Harris. Who do you admire? President and Mrs. Obama. If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be? My sister, Patsy. Where would you go in a time machine? I’d go along with Lewis and Clark. I’d also go to the roaring 20’s and hang around with Hemmingway, Josephine Baker, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, and so on. What would your last meal be? Ice cream, pizza and coconut cake. What do you worry about? Where am I going to get the next month’s rent? What are you afraid of? Earthquakes.
If you were a musical instrument, what would you be? The sax. It’s so fucking sexy. Are you more like a sheep or a wolf? A lamb. Who depends on you, and for what? My cats, for love and food. Who are you closest with? My small circle of friends, who I love and adore. What music do you listen to when you’re upset? The blues and country. What’s on your bucket list? Seeing the northern lights, taking a first-class rail trip with a hot man, having a nudist weekend with friends somewhere, and getting rid of Trump. What’s your greatest regret in life? Not coming out of the closet sooner and allowing more intimacy into my life earlier. What’s the great tragedy of your life? The AIDS epidemic. What’s something that you never told anyone else? It shall remain a secret. Nice try! Where can we see you? On Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook page. Also, I’m single and can be arranged to be seen any weekend night.
