Arts & Entertainment
Blanchett terrifies as Phyllis Schlafly in trailer for upcoming miniseries
A new series featuring Cate Blanchett as late anti-feminist and homophobe Phyllis Schlafly is coming from FX on Hulu, and according to the star, the subject matter couldn’t be “more relevant.”
Blanchett’s comments were made last Thursday at the 2020 Television Critics Association winter press tour in Hollywood, where the cable network unveiled a trailer for the upcoming limited series, titled “Mrs. America.” The show documents the fight for women’s rights during the 1970s, and centers on the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment – of which conservative advocate Schlafly was an aggressive opponent.
The Oscar-winning Blanchett, who is also an executive producer on the series, said, “It seemed that every passing day in the development process, and certainly during shooting, right up to Virginia debating the ERA right now, it became like “Groundhog Day.” The literal discussions that were happening during 1971,1972, going through the series, were constantly popping up in the media.”
Her point about the continued relevance of the subject matter was echoed by series creator Dahvi Waller, who said her show serves “as an origin story of today’s culture wars — you can draw a direct line from 1970 to today through Phyllis Schlafly and really understand how we became such a divided nation.”
Schlalfy, in addition to her vehement anti-feminism, was also known for her stance against LGBTQ rights. She believed passage of the ERA would lead to same-sex marriage and unisex restrooms, and said marriage equality was not “about granting equality of human rights” but “about getting rid of the traditional values and institutions that have guided the Western world, including America.” She lamented the de-criminalization of homosexuality, and said the acceptance of transgender people was “just plain nuts.”
Ironically, Schlafly’s son John came out as gay in a 1992 interview with New York’s QW Magazine.
In addition to Blanchett, “Mrs. America” features Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Paulson, Uzo Aduba, Rose Byrne, Margo Martindale, John Slattery, James Marsden, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Tracey Ullman.
It premieres April 15 on FX on Hulu. Until then, you can watch the trailer below.
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
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