Arts & Entertainment
Fur your eyes only
Runaway web hit ‘Where the Bears Are’ returns with season 2
The bears are back in town: Rick Copp, Joe Dietl and Ben Zook return with ‘Where the Bears Are’ season two next week, joined by Margaret Cho. (Photo courtesy Where the Bears Are)
The creators behind last year’s run away murder-mystery/comedy web series “Where the Bears Are” were so blown away by the reception and accolades, a season two was a must.
After 4 million views and Web Series of the Year awards from Queerty and AfterElton, the big boys of sleuthing are back with a new trailer — which already has more than 20,000 views — at wherethebearsare.tv where fans can buy the DVD, catch up on season one before season two premiers Monday.
After a winter promo tour where they visited events all over the world, including Bear Happy Hour at Town Danceboutique here in Washington, series creators and stars Rick Copp, Joe Dietl and Ben Zook are back to talk to the Blade about pushing the envelope and nabbing Margaret Cho for the guest appearance of the year.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Are you really excited about the second season?
RICK COPP: Oh yes, very (laughing). We’re kind of crazed, but very happy. I think people are going to like the episodes.
BEN ZOOK: This season we are very excited. The episodes are a little longer than last season, because everyone wanted that. They were like “make them longer” and everything is just bigger and grander. More locations, a lot more sex, a lot more characters. A lot more intrigue. There is another murder we solve. So it’s exciting.
JOE DIETL: We also upped the costumes. And some special effects. We really tried to make it like “Charlie’s Angels.” Like, we go undercover a lot more.
ZOOK: Which is my all-time favorite childhood T.V. show.
BLADE: How was it working with Margaret Cho?
DIETL: Margaret Cho is in episode four. She is the guest star and it’s a pretty outrageous episode. It involves leather and all sorts of stuff.
COPP: She has actually been a friend of ours for a long time and we had done movies with her previously like years and years and years ago. And we were hoping to get her in season one, but her schedule didn’t permit, but season two came around and she said, “Definitely, yeah, I’d like to do it.”
BLADE: Explain a little bit about the murder mystery this season.
COPP: Well this season is a little different. We open up at a pool party fundraiser for a man running for city council, who my character went to college with. He winds up dead and we just kind of start investigating it. We set up in our Christmas special that I am a True Crime writer, and I wrote a book based on what happened last season and that is my gig now. I dragged the roommates along and we all try to solve the murder again, especially because he is a friend of Reggie’s. But we do have a few things going on that are carrying over from last season. If you saw the Christmas special, the killer we thought we put away isn’t in prison.
BLADE: Which are some of the recurring characters that have come back?
ZOOK: We definitely couldn’t do season two without “Hot Toddy,” and especially now that he and Nelson are together. The subplot of season two is Todd moving in with us and the adjustment period of that and having a new roommate. Of course, by popular demand, we brought back Hairy Potter. And Detective Winters, he was a big fan-favorite. And we made sure he had his moustache because when we did the Christmas special he had a different look and people complained, so we had to make sure he had his Tom Selleck moustache back this season, so the moustache is back, too.
COPP: Also, Susie the coroner is back. George Ridgemont, the obsessed fan, is back, too. He is in the trailer. He’s hysterical this season.
ZOOK: The only bummer is that we couldn’t bring back Honey Garret from season one this time, but we are going to try to work her in to a Thanksgiving special for the DVD.
BLADE: What was your favorite part of putting together season two?
ZOOK: For me a lot of the fun is the script. Rick and I and Joe outlined the script together, then Rick went off and wrote a first draft, then he gave it to me, and I sort of did my half on it, and then we all sort of tweak it. To me that is one of the most fun things, is when we read through it, when we read through the final draft before we start shooting and giggle a lot.
DIETL: But then when we actually get to the shoot that is a lot of fun. It’s funny, because we are doing longer episodes, so the hours are longer and the shoots are more grueling, physically, but they are always fun because we make each other laugh. You know, that is the fun part of the actual performance, getting in front of the camera and doing it.
ZOOK: I got to make out with several guys this season, which was a lot of fun.
BLADE: Are there any plans for a season 3? How long do you guys want to keep this going?
COPP: We would like to keep it going for as long as we can as long the three of us are having fun doing it we are going to try and do it. But it all depends on how much we sell, how many downloads we sell, how many DVDs we sell. We have to make our budget. Our budget this year was double what it was last year.
ZOOK: As long as people stay supportive, donate, buy, we are going to keep going. We’ll do it for the next seven to 10 years.
DIETL: Rick and Ben are the ones who do the writing. Rick usually picks up the mystery himself and he got to get on that for season three if we’re going to do that. They have to write a Thanksgiving special, before they can think about season three. If we do it we are getting on a schedule now, where we shoot it in the beginning of the year, then releasing it at the beginning of the summer, then selling the DVDs Novemberish.
ZOOK: That is the worst thing about this is asking for money and the great thing is we don’t have a network breathing down our necks asking us to change things or cut things. We can just do what we want, but it is coming out of our pocket. I am sure people are tired of hearing us ask them to buy our DVDs.
Out & About
Plan your wedding the LGBTQ way
Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo scheduled for Sunday
Rainbow Wedding Network will host “Washington D.C. LGBTQ+ Wedding Expo” on Sunday, March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Guests can meet and mingle with a curated selection of LGBTQ-welcoming wedding professionals from across the region, each ready to help bring your vision to life, and spend a beautiful afternoon exploring everything they need to create a celebration that reflects them.
There will be a relaxed, self-guided look at the Watergate’s spaces and amenities, savor signature cocktails and delicious tasting samples, and connect with other couples who are on the same journey.
Visit Eventbrite to reserve a spot.
Friday, February 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga and Drag Bingo will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour Meetup” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, February 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black lesbian. You do not need to be a member of the Beta Kappa Chapter or the Beta Phi Omega Sorority in order to join, but they do ask that you either identify as a lesbian or are questioning that aspect of your identity.Send an email to [email protected] to receive the zoom link.
Sunday, March 1
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, March 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, March 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, March 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more information, email [email protected].
Thursday, March 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Transmission DC breathes new life into a storied sound space
A fresh home for boundary-pushing culture on H Street
Late last year, phoenix-style, a fresh home for boundary-pushing culture arose on the H Street corridor. Transmission DC – a queer, trans, and POC-owned, operated, and centered community-focused venue – powered on in the former home to the Rock & Roll Hotel (famously, not a hotel, but very much rock & roll). Transmission (1353 H St., N.E.) arrives secure in its mandate – or even birthright – to provide a place to celebrate creativity and music through a lens of inclusivity and respect.
Transmission’s team brings experience, but also representation. Owners/partners Kabir Khanna (who is also programming director), Katii B, Ellie McDyre, and Kelli Kerrigan together previously managed 618 productions, a venue in Chinatown, crafting “some of D.C.’s freakiest parties, raves, and mosh pits” they note.
They packed up operations last fall to a space curated specifically for D.C.’s underground music and culture scene, building their efforts in Chinatown to bring in more fans in queer and POC circles.
Transmission, Khanna points out, is built on DIY values. In the music scene, DIY means that promoters and organizers – often disconnected from the mainstream and part of marginalized communities – build shows and programs collaboratively, but independently from institutions, supporting each other as smaller, independent venues close. Here, Transmission aims to ensure that those putting together these underground inclusive shows have a more permanent and stable home, can have access to resources, and can provide more sustainable income to artists. “We’re trying to get more people to support and enjoy the music, and also give artists and organizers within the DIY community more structure and a larger cut,” says Khanna.
Khanna also notes that Transmission operates “under the principles of safety, inclusivity, and respect.” McDyre added that even at venues that claim inclusivity, that statement might not take place in practice. We’re “not just pitting up a rainbow flag,” says McDyre, but as some of the owners are trans and POC, audiences can see themselves reflected at the top.
Much like the DIY nature of the music community, the Transmission owners brought a DIY ethos to turning around their space.
In March 2020 – the height of COVID lockdowns – Rock & Roll Hotel suddenly shuttered, though not due to the pandemic; instead, the venue claimed that decreasing sales and increasing competition led to the closure. For 14 years, it was the central spot for cheap beer and lesser-known and celebrated acts. The space stood vacant for more than five years, until Transmission turned the power back on.
“When we got into the space, it was effectively abandoned for years,” says Khanna. “There was a ton of mold, and paint primer covering all surfaces. It was nearly falling apart.” Khanna noted that many music venues like this one, regardless of how well it was maintained, “get the shit kicked out of it,” given the nature of shows. The team called in mold removal contractors, ripped up most of the floorboards, and started fresh.
Transmission’s first floor is styled as a stripped-down black box: the better to take in the music. “It’s minimal on purpose to act as a canvas for set design and music,” without a specific aesthetic, says Khanna. Moving upstairs, the second floor has been opened up, removing some walls, and now has a larger dance area than the first floor. Beyond the first two performance levels, and a holdover from Rock & Roll Hotel, is the rooftop. Though without a stage, the rooftop space is filled with murals splashed across the walls, with a full bar. Transmission’s current capacity is 496, but the team is looking to grow that number. Transmission will also leverage the full kitchen that Rock & Roll Hotel operated, bringing in Third Hand Kitchen to offer a variety of food, including vegan and vegetarian options.
Khanna pointed out an upcoming show reflective of Transmission’s inclusive ethos: Black Techo Matters on Feb. 27. The event is set to be “a dynamic, collaborative night of underground electronic music celebrating Black History Month.” Khanna says that techno came from Black music origins, and this event will celebrate this genesis with a host of artists, including DJ Stingray 313, Carlos Souffront, and Femanyst.
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