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Westenhoefer gets totally inappropriate

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It seems inconceivable that starting a comedy career on a dare would produce a 20-year run that has no signs of stopping. This, however, is exactly how Suzanne Westenhoefer got her start as a comic.

She went on to be the first openly gay comic to host her own HBO comedy special in 1994 (which earned her a Cable Ace Award nomination) and appear on “The Late Show with David Letterman” in 2003.

Westenhoefer’s current U.S. tour, titled “Totally Inappropriate,” hits the Birchmere Theater in Alexandria, Va., Jan. 30. Beyond the tour, Westenhoefer has a starring role in the online web drama “We Have to Stop Now,” which is prepping for a second season as Wolfe Video is readying the first season for DVD.

DC Agenda talked to Westenhoefer this week to discuss the beginnings of her career, what it’s like to be an out comic, and her “lack of appropriate boundaries.”

DC Agenda: You began your career delivering gay-themed material to straight audiences in mainstream comedy clubs in New York City in the early 1990s. What were the initial reactions from the audience? Was it as you expected?

Westenhoefer: To be honest, I had no expectations whatsoever. I was completely surprised. I can only say I wanted to try and it went well. It went really great nearly every time, as a matter of fact. By the end of the first year, I was headlining so it was going better than I could have hoped.

Agenda: You were the first openly lesbian comic ever to appear on television in 1991 on an episode of Sally Jesse Raphael entitled “Breaking the Lesbian Stereotype…Lesbians Who Don’t Look Like Lesbians.” Do you feel that stereotype has been completely broken since?

Westenhoefer: The typical lesbian stereotype has been broken, but it doesn’t matter who you are looking at as a comic, because everyone can be stereotyped when setting up a joke. When I was on the Sally Jesse show, the typical lesbian stereotype at the time was “angry lesbian” and I was brought on to show there were so many more sides to being a lesbian: we are models, comics, business women, etc.

Agenda: What can your audience expect from your current show?

Westenhoefer: The audience can expect to laugh. Each show is different because I feed off the audience a lot and what’s going on that day. I love performing at the Birchmere because it has consistently been a great show, due to the diversity of the D.C. audience. I performed a lot in D.C. at [the] beginning of my career, so I know what to expect of the audience.

Agenda: Your girlfriend Jennifer describes you as having a “lack of appropriate boundaries” and this is the inspiration for “Totally Inappropriate.” Can you elaborate on this?

Westenhoefer: Jennifer and her family were brought up so well mannered and I have always been the type to say what is exactly on my mind. It doesn’t matter what it may be about and I don’t really shy away from anything, which normally leaves Jennifer in a state of shock.

Agenda: Describe your involvement with “We Have to Stop Now.”

Westenhoefer: It’s such an amazing show! It started last season, and the second season is taped and finished. I play a therapist for two women who are therapists. It’s really sweet and funny and has been received very well. The second season has Meredith Baxter’s involvement, which we are so excited about. Meredith came out right after we were on the same cruise together. When I saw Meredith come out to Matt Lauer on “Today,” several of the things she said we had discussed while on the cruise together. I was so happy for her.

Agenda: You participated in a photo shoot for the NOH8 campaign. How did you find the experience? Do you feel the campaign is helping the cause?

Westenhoefer: It’s getting a lot of attention and taken on a life of its own. The NOH8 campaign is drawing people’s attention since it makes use of mainstream pop culture figures. Adam Bouska really is a genius and it’s unbelievable how much attention his work has drawn.

Agenda: Coming out is such a personal choice. When you see comics like Wanda Sykes, who wait until later in their career to do so, do you wish you had done the same thing or did you know it was the right time for you then?

Westenhoefer: I’ve never been in the closet, so there was no choice. I was an openly gay college student, starting the gay group on campus and things like that. It was never an option to be closeted for me but I do believe it’s a personal choice and it has to be right for the person.

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Bars & Parties

MAL kicks off Jan. 11 with Bootcamp

Mid-Atlantic Leather begins with party at Bunker

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MAL Weekend kicks off next week. (Image courtesy of Bunker)

Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend arrives next week with a kickoff event Thursday, Jan. 11 from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Bunker. Organizers at Kinetic promise a surprise drill sergeant who will whip you into shape. Joshua Ruiz DJs the event. This event is for VIP pass holders only; visit kineticpresents.com for details.

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Bars & Parties

A roundup of New Year’s Eve parties in D.C.

Celebrate the start of 2024 in style

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Xavier Entertainment LLC will host the seventh annual Times Square NYE Celebration at 10 p.m. at Ivy City Smokehouse. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

New Year’s Eve 2024 at Lost Society will be at 7 p.m. at Lost Society. There will be unique entertainment all night along with a journey of the senses through captivating light shows and LED displays, music, and bottle service presentations throughout the evening. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Busboys and Poets will host New Year’s Eve Open Mic and Party at 10 p.m. at 2021 14th St., N.W. This will be an evening of poetry, live DJ, dancing, food, and good company in a vibrant atmosphere where local artists take the stage, showcasing their talents in various genres. The night will be hosted by the talented Charity Blackwell and will feature award-winning poet Black Chakra. Dyanna Monet will deejay. Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

QueerTalk DC will host Sapphic New Year’s Celebration at 8 p.m. at FigLeaf Bar & Lounge. The event will celebrate Sapphic, trans, and non-binary communities and feature complimentary hors D’oeuvres, a Champagne toast and DJ sets by DJ Clamazon and DJ Q. For more details, visit Eventbrite

The Queers Upstairs will host Heels & Ties: A Queer New Years Eve Surprise at 9 p.m. at Aliceanna Social Club. This evening will be an unforgettable LGBTQ New Year’s Eve party where you can sip your favorite cocktails and enjoy small bites while dancing the night away with music from DJ Rosie & DJ Missy. Tickets start at $30 and can purchased on Eventbrite

BuffBoyzz Gay-Friendly Male Strip Clubs will host a male revue that caters to men and women at 8 p.m. at Buffboyzz Male Strippers. The event will be an exciting, entertaining and sexy show of exotic male dancers in that will entertain your pants off. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

International Events Washington DC will host the 2024 Black Tie New Year’s Eve Gala at 7:30 p.m. at the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. There will be free-flowing Champagne, an open bar, a spectacular balloon drop in the Euro Discotheque Ballroom and live bands and DJs. For dinner, guests can choose from an elegant sit-down, three-course dinner with Champagne or a dinner buffet of international cuisine. Tickets start at $189 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Social Architects will host the 12th Annual New Year’s Eve Casino Night at 8 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Arlington, Va. There will be six rooms of entertainment spread across three floors. The DJs will spin hip hop, R&B, salsa, Afrobeats and old school music. Tickets start at $60 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Pitchers and A League of Her Own will host a NYE party with complimentary Champagne toast at midnight, party favors, and a DJ all night long.

Shaker’s plans a drag extravaganza with Tatianna and Crystal Edge among others starting at 10:30 p.m.; the $10 cover includes a glass of Champagne. 

Bunker hosts a 12-hour masquerade ball with several DJs, including Joe Gauthreaux. The party starts at 9 p.m. and goes until 9 a.m. on Jan. 1. Tickets start at $45 and are available at bunkerdc.com.

DJ Alex Love spins NYE at Dirty Goose with drink specials at midnight.

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Bars & Parties

Labor Day sees return of SunFestival to Rehoboth Beach

DJs, live auction, comedy and more planned for end-of-summer bash

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A scene from previous SunFestival celebrations. (Blade file photo by Daniel Truitt)

Labor Day Weekend in Rehoboth Beach brings more than the end of summer — it brings the annual SunFestival celebration benefitting CAMP Rehoboth.

The weekend promises two nights of revelry with entertainers and nationally known DJs creating the “ultimate party to close out summer” Sept. 2-3.

Saturday’s $45 general admission tickets are sold out but you can join a waitlist at the event’s website. That ticket grants you access to a comedy show and an auction where you can bid on six experiences like an eight-day boat tour through Belgium and the Netherlands or a week’s stay in Lisbon, Portugal. Organizations have donated these experiences to CAMP to auction off, with all proceeds going to the organization.

The $95 pass to both nights is also sold out. But general admission tickets for the Sept. 3 dance party starting at 7 p.m. with DJs Robbie Leslie and Joe Gauthreaux remain available. CAMP Rehoboth promises a “state-of-the-art club-like atmosphere,” with new design elements and video imaging.

Visit camprehoboth.com for tickets and more information. The weekend’s schedule is below:

Saturday, Sept. 2: A Night of Comedy, Drag, and Song, plus a LIVE Auction! (Doors Open at 6:30 p.m. Auction and show promptly start at 7:30 p.m.) Featuring Dixie Longate and Randy Roberts.

Serving up Tupperware lady realness, join in Dixie’s living room party and all its hilarity. Randy Roberts brings thrills with uncanny impersonations of iconic female vocalists and cabaret.

Experience a night filled with laughter and song as these talented performers will lift your spirits and tickle your funny bone. And not to be missed: the live auction. Check out the live auction items camprehoboth.com/sunfest2023live.

Sunday Sept. 3: A Night of Dance. (Doors open at 7 p.m. Dance ends at 1 a.m.) Featuring DJ Robbie Leslie and DJ Joe Gauthreaux.

Both DJs will offer an unforgettable musical journey starting with classic mirror ball memories, dance floor anthems, and the latest club beats, according to a CAMP Rehoboth statement. Events are held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, which CAMP promises will be transformed “into the ultimate dance party to close out the summer.”

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