Jerry Curl

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old Kimberly Morris, 37 years old Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old Amanda Alvear, 25 years old Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old Joel Ra...

My favorite show of all time and I both turn 30 this year, a fact that neither of our vanities take pleasure in commemorating publicly. But a milestone is a milestone. The Golden Girls premiered 30 years ago tonight on NBC, forever changing the television landscape for the better. In fact, it’s a show often and rightfully credited with creating a premise all its own. It’s a premise that has been duplicated over and over again (see: Designing Women , Living Single , Sex and the City , even HBO ’s  Girls ). Much has been said and written about how “ground-breaking” and “revolutionary” of a show it was to display four women living and loving (perhaps over-loving) well into their golden years. And that is all true and inspiring in and of it self. But very little has been written about its massive influence on the gay community both then and now. Back in the mid-80s, The Golden Girls were shedding light on a community beleaguered by stigma and hate. In the context...

I think one of the most important things to master in life is how to say goodbye. Saying it at the right time, in the right place, and sometimes to the right person is a true mark of maturity.  Tonight we said goodbye of another sort. After six seasons and 121 episodes, Glee brought the curtain down for the final time. The following is a reflection on the show, its legacy, and what it taught us about music and ultimately about ourselves. Glee debuted in 2009 after some big football game. It was then that my unrelenting fandom for all things Glee -related began. I watched every episode religiously. I bought the CDs (yes kids, actual CDs) every time they were released. And for a while there, no Christmas was complete without Glee ’s holiday album. In so doing, I kinda felt as though I was an honorary member of their club. I was a Gleek. However, in recent years the show strayed from its original premise of following our high school students. Or rather, it ...

In many ways, it’s been a fun and transformative year for me.  I think 2014 will go down in the Jerry Book of Life as the year that I grew up.  Here ’s how... Firstly, I took a big bite out of the bucket list of shows this year. After many years of waiting, I finally saw Billy Joel and Tony Bennett (not together). They were both exactly as excellent as I hoped they’d be. As is the case with so many of the acts I watch, the years have only made them better performers. Tony also released an album with Lady Gaga that, in many ways, I feel I contributed to. (See my Tweets about Gaga’s jazzy voice last Christmas). “Cheek to Cheek” is the album Gaga was born to make. Hands down, without question, this was the best album of the year. They’re coming to Chicago in the summer and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the day that tickets go on sale.  As second comings go, I saw Cher and Liza Minnelli again! Also not together. Cher’s D2K Tour was absolutely, jaw-droppingly amazi...

Stumbled upon this gem on YouTube today. Bette talks about Beaches , being a new mom, marriage, talent, her stage work, and working with Shelley Long.

There are certain dreams that we have as kids that we know will never come true. Par exemple, I will never be a pirate or a Power Ranger or Captain of the Starship Voyager. Trust me, I’ve tried. But then there are other dreams that we think are impossible to realize until they are. Last week I had the distinct and long-awaited pleasure of seeing my favorite rock band of all time live, reunited, and in person. Fleetwood Mac came to Chicago 1 week ago today and I was there. I WAS THERE. First some background: When I was 13 years old, my cousin Lily gave me a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits . I think she had an extra copy or something and thought I’d like to have it. Was a simple mindless that profoundly influenced my musical life. Without the slightest bit of exaggeration, I listened to that CD for the next 6 years. I’d never heard music like theirs before. I found Stevie Nicks’ vocals to be haunting and magical. Lindsay Buckingham sang hard and played even harde...

Today marks a week since the new and retooled version of The View started and I have a few things to say about it. This is an especially important moment for the long-standing program because it’s the first season without its creator at the helm, Barbara Walters. While her send off last season was tearful and rightfully grandiose, she left big heels to fill. After all, who can replace BabaWaba? The short answer is: no one. And thankfully no one at The “New” View is trying to. The cast of characters this year is diminished to four, but that’s about as diminished as these ladies get. The incomparable Whoopi Goldberg returns to the show as its moderator and resident pragmatic voice. Seated to her left is perhaps the least known of the bunch, Nicolle Wallace. More on Ms. Wallace in a minute. Actress Rosie Perez is the first Latina panelist on the show and quite the firecracker. (I’m Hispanic too; I can call her a firecracker if I want to!) And finally, Rosie O’Donnell returns...