MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Interviews

JUSTIN FLIPPEN

With his landslide victory in Wilton Manors last month, Justin Flippen is now in the elite category as the mayor of the second city in the country to have an all-gay commission.  Hear what’s on Flippen’s mind, in his first interview since his historic win.     

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL MURPHY

Where did you grow up?  I’m a proud Broward County native.  I lived in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coconut Creek, and Wilton Manors all at different stages of my youth.  If you had to narrow it down, what do you like most about living in Wilton Manors?  The people and my neighbors.  What’s something that’s special about Wilton Manors that’s not commonly known?  We have foxes and bears.  One, the four-legged mammal.  The other, the two-legged people kind (laughs).  What South Florida venue do you miss that’s gone?  Six Flags Atlantis.  Other than Wilton Manors, where do you hang out in South Florida?  I love nature, so I’m often in the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve.  What’s your claim-to-fame?  I’m not sure I have fame to claim, but I’m proud to be local born-and-raised and now the local mayor of the most progressive city around.  Which political accomplishment is the most special to you?  Besides being elected mayor by the people in one of the most decisive city elections in Wilton Manors’ history, officiating a group/mass-marriage ceremony of couples on Valentine’s Day at city hall when marriage equality was recognized was pretty special.

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What was the most exciting event that you ever attended, and why?  The first inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009.  To attend it was an inspiring and a uniquely-American experience that I’ll never forget.  Which one of your old jobs least prepared you for what you do now?  My first job as a shipping clerk.  If God were to take you tomorrow, how would you like to be remembered?  As a man who did all the good he could for all the people he could, in all the ways that he could, and for as long as he could.  What do you want to live long enough to see?  Humanity no longer dependent upon non-renewable resources and brave enough to live cleaner and greener.  Should “straight” conversion therapy be banned?  As a survivor of such so-called conversion therapy, and based upon research and medical experts, yes.  The practice has been banned on minors in Wilton Manors and all of Broward County.  What’s the weirdest question that a constituent’s asked you?  “What do you think about the ghost haunting our old city hall?”

What celebrity did you act like a “fan” around?  Leonard Nimoy.  I got a picture doing the Vulcan salute with him!  What’s the last thing that you looked at online?  I Googled the ancient pyramids of Caral, Peru.  What’s the best place that you’ve visited?  Jerusalem.  What’s the last thing that you watched on TV?  Madame Secretary or Murphy Brown.  What’s the craziest thing that you ever did?  Night snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii with giant manta rays.  What’s your favorite book?  The Bible, Living History by Hillary Clinton, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.  What’s the best concert that you ever went to?  Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Cher.  Do you still have your childhood blanket or stuffed animal?  Yes.  What’s something that you learned in life only when you got older?  Basic learning alone is not what makes one wise.  Rather, wisdom comes with the righteous application of the knowledge that one has gained.  And, of course, mom was right on a lot more than I thought.

WITH BARACK OBAMA

What did you learn from your parents?  How to be self-reliant and independent.  How to take responsibility in life, but also to not take life too seriously.  Honorable mentions include how to iron, clean, rotate my own tires, and do laundry.  Who’s your favorite performer?  Hugh Jackman, Leonard Nimoy, and Zachary Quinto.  What’s your best characteristic?  I would hope my sincere desire to do right by others.  How do you enjoy spending your time?  For leisure, I love seeing and experiencing our country and world, especially our National Parks.  This year, I completed a bucket-list item.  I’ve now visited all 50 states.  What celebrity do you have a crush on?  Henry Cavill.  Who do you admire?  Jesus Christ, my grandmother, and Eleanor Roosevelt.  If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be?  My younger brother, Nick.  Where would you go in a time machine?  Back to 2016 to warn people, to get more folks to vote, and to enjoy Obama as president one last time.  What would your last meal be?  Something Peruvian or Italian.  What do you worry about?  Not playing my lotto numbers the week they come in, and having Trump as President.

What are you afraid of?  The rise of nationalism and the decline of patriotism.  If you were a musical instrument, what would you be?  A zampoña, which is a traditional Andean panpipe of Peru.  There’s something mystical and spiritual for me whenever I hear it played.  It speaks to my soul.  Are you more like a sheep or a wolf?  Neither.  Can I be a bear or an elephant instead?  Who depends on you, and for what?  The people of my city depend on me to serve them with my best, and nothing less.  Who are you closest with?  God, and a very select group of family and friends.  What would your autobiography be called?  Oh, I don’t know.  Maybe, Flippen: Beyond the Bear Minimum.  What music do you listen to when you’re upset?  Inspirational, pop and country, but not just when I’m upset.   Latin beats and rhythm usually raises my spirits too.  What’s on your bucket list?  To visit all of the National Park sites in America.  Of the approximately 418 sites, I’ve visited 291 so far.  I’m also working on visiting every state capitol building.  What’s something that you never told anyone else?  Many of the answers in this interview.  Where can we see you?  At Starbucks or at city hall. People can also follow me on my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Interviews

JAMES “JT” THOMPSON

As the creator of Key West’s official philosophy, “One Human Family,” and the host of 1 Saloon’s popular weekly event, the Cock Shock, few have lived longer on the island, or are associated more with it, than James “JT” Thompson.  But beyond this, what saturnalian talent does Thompson wish that he still had?

Where did you grow up?  In Denver.  How long have you lived in South Florida?  Longer than I can remember.  How long have you lived in Key West?  For 39 years.  What part of Key West do you live in?  In Old Town.  Specifically, in the Bahama Village.  What do you like most about living there?  I like that it’s a community where individuality is rewarded.  Was Key West better 20 years ago, when it seemed more “gay”?  We used to only hang at gay resorts.  But the goal of “gay lib” was inclusion in society as equals.  Key West is still gay—and more LGBTQ-supportive than ever—but we’re enjoying all of the resorts and activities in the island, not just the gay ones.  What Key West venue do you miss that’s gone?  The Copa was a heady, carefree time.  Where do you hang out in South Florida?  At my home bar, 1 Saloon.  What’s your claim-to-fame?  I’m the founder of Key West’s official philosophy, “One Human Family,” I have fun being sex-proud in vids with Al Parker and later on Treasure Island Media, and I’ve hosted “Cock Shock”  (which encourages everyone to be sex-proud and body-proud) at 1 Saloon for nine years.

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It’s Saturday night in Key West and the Girlie Show is about to begin at the 801 Cabaret. Based on countless interviews with more than a dozen drag queens, more than three years of attendance at their outrageous performances, and even the authors’ participation in the shows themselves, Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret is a witty and poignant portrait of gay life and culture. Own it in hardcover, for only $9.69.

What philanthropic accomplishment or award are you the proudest of?  The Equality Florida’s “2017 Voice for Equality” Award.  What’s your day job?  I’m a graphic designer.  I used to do graphic design for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner as well.  Which one of your old jobs least prepared you for what you do now?  I swept floors for 35¢ an hour in 1967.  That, and every job since, has taught me something about being a responsible and indispensable employee.  How did you come up with your name?  I was helping a friend raise her kids, and her two-year-old couldn’t say James, so we all went by initials.  “JT” is short for James Thompson.  Locals call me “Key West’s John Lennon” or “The One Human Family Guy.”  If God were to take you tomorrow, how would you like to be remembered?  As someone who promoted unity, equality and diversity.  What do you want to live long enough to see?  I’d like to see a return to presidential dignity, integrity and honesty.  Will you ever retire?  I love my work and don’t have a rocking chair, so probably not.  What’s the weirdest question that a fan has asked you?  I have fans…? 

What celebrity did you act like a “fan” around?  I was on The Joan Rivers Show in 91’ talking about The Hung Jury, and I found her to be as joyous, genuine and honest as anyone I’ve ever met.  What’s the last thing that you looked at online?  Men.  What’s the best place that you’ve visited?  Amsterdam, for the Gay Games in 1998.  Who would you like to be for a day?  I’m too happy being me.  Do you believe in an afterlife?  Quantum physics needs 17 dimensions, and that means that they’re at least a dozen dimensions that we can’t sense.  We also know that energy can’t be created or destroyed—it only changes form.  So, our personal energies will continue in dimensions that we can’t see, and it will be guided by the unavoidable law of karma.  Do you think that this is the most amoral time that’s ever existed?  I’m deeply worried, and highly motivated!  Who or what is the greatest love of your life?  My dad, my mom and my doggies—Doe, Shadow and Beau.  What talent would you most like to have?  I used to be able to do it when I was young and flexible.  What’s something that you learned in life only when you got older?  To appreciate every day and every friend, and to take nothing for granted.

What did you learn from your parents?  To stand up tall for what you believe in.  Who’s your favorite performer?  Jelly Roll Morton.  What’s your best characteristic?  Dependability.  How do you enjoy spending your time?  Hanging with my buddy, Beau (he’s a pit/lab from the shelter).  What celebrity do you have a crush on?  Sam Elliott and Joe Manganiello.  Who do you admire?  Eleanor Roosevelt.  Partially, because she wrote the UN’s “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”  If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be?  Since I was a child, I’ve had countless past-life flashes involving Lincoln.  I’d like to have a long lunch with him.  Where would you go in a time machine?  Let’s stay in 2018.  We have a lot of fucked up things to undo and repair.  What would your last meal be?  Maybe a joint?  What do you worry about?  Health care getting so expensive that only the rich can afford to be healthy.  What are you afraid of?  America being pulled backwards in a time when we must instead be accelerating forward. 

If you were a musical instrument, what would you be?  We’re all methane horns already.  Are you more like a sheep or a wolf?  I’m not a predator or carnivore, so I guess I’m more like a sheep.  Who depends on you, and for what?  My clients depend on me for my work, the community depends on me for One Human Family, and my buddy Beau depends on me for love and doggie kisses.  Who are you closest with?  My dad.  He’s always been my hero, and he’s ninety-years-old now!  What would your autobiography be called?  Today is the Only Day You Can Live, Love and Laugh.  What music do you listen to when you’re upset?  Ragtime.  What’s on your bucket list?  Touring Egypt.  What’s your greatest regret in life?  Not appreciating people while I had them in my life.  What’s something that you never told anyone else?  I’m an open book; I have no secrets.  Where can we see you?  In Old Town Key West, driving the One Human Family’s 1930 Model A Ford, or at the Cock Shock at 1 Saloon every Friday night.