Arts & Entertainment
Diverse talent called to audition for StandUp NBC


Calling all queer comics: NBC wants you!
The network is reaching out to spread the word to diverse comedians across the nation about its 2020 StandUp auditions, to be held in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York City, and Dallas.
Now in its 17thyear, StandUp NBC is the network’s annual nationwide search for stand-up talent from diverse backgrounds. Among its famous alumbi are Tone Bell (“Little”), Michelle Buteau (“First Wives Club”), W. Kamau Bell (CNN’s “United Shades of America”), Deon Cole (“Grown-ish”), Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”), Hasan Minhaj (“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj”), Amanda Seales (“Insecure”) and Dulcé Sloan (“The Daily Show”).
Each of the host cities (except Chicago) will be the location of a first round open call, followed by call backs, and culminating in a semi-final event, headlined by last year’s winners, Rene Vaca and out bisexual comedian Franqi French. All five cities will also offer online video submissions, allowing aspiring comics to submit a recent two-minute performance instead of making the trip for the first round in person.
The prize for winning StandUp NBC is a talent holding deal with NBCUniversal and a headlining spot at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) annual convention, an event that brings together talent bookers from across the country.
Dates and submission windows are as follows:
Chicago
Semi-finalist Showcase: June 14
Online Submission Window: March 27 – April 19 (Only accepting online submissions in Chicago)
Los Angeles (Oxnard)
Online Submission Window: April 10 – May 3
First Round Open Call: June 30
Semi-finalist Showcase: July 1
Atlanta
Online Submission Window: April 24 – May 17
First Round Open Call: July 18
Semi-finalist Showcase: July 19
New York City
Online Submission Window: May 23 – June 14
First Round Open Call: August 15
Semi-finalist Showcase: August 17
Dallas
Online Submission Window: June 6 – July 12
First Round Open Call: September 12
Semi-finalist Showcase: September 13
For more information about StandUp NBC, visit NBCUniTIPS.com.

The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)








































































You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.