HIGH GEAR/NOVEMBER 1977
Page 14
AS I SEE IT...
By Aaron Ross
Preface: This by-line by yours truly hasn't appeared in High Gear for several months and this deserves an explanation. High Gear has been undergoing changes editors, contributors, etc. and although this is complace with many publications it happenes more frequently with a paper such as this simply because High Gear is non-commercial, non-profit, non-paid-staff enterprise.
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The pluses for this type of paper are many freedom to write and do what is in the best interest of the gay community without allegiance to an advertiser, a benefactor, an owner or company. The minuses are also numerous: difficulty in finding and keeping contributors to write, distribute, get advertising, etc. Though everyone reading this paper now believes in High Gear as a necessary and important media force for Gay information, enlightenment, image and education in the Ohio area, very few bother to back up their interest and beliefs with ACTION. "Let others do it" seems to be the attitude. Although they champion the efforts of "others" by reading the paper, their involvement ends there. Does this fact make you squirm with guilt? Are you now justifying your noncontributing position with cliches like "don't have the time," "don't write," "don't know how I can contribute," "don't. want the straights to know I'm Gay" "don't want to work for nothing", "don't give a damn what happens to High Gear"', and finally "I always wanted to do something for High Gear but I never got around to it." WELL DAMN IT ALL HIGH GEAR IS FOR ALL OF YOU! Like it or not High Gear is helping in tangible and intangible ways. If we don't want to go back to the closeted world of decades ago (with police
and community
harassment)... if we don't want the Anita Bryants of our society to chase us around and make us hide for our life... we've got to be involved... and there's no easier and more pleasant way than to become a part of High Gear in ANY capacity. So CALL, WRITE, ACT!
And it's for the words I just wrote for YOU that I am now back writing for High Gear. Sure I copped out with many of the excuses you use. But after meeting with the dedicated and eager NEW contributors to High Gear and witnessing their enthusiasm, their zeal, to put out a paper each month despite immense obstacles I had to ACT I had to contribute I had to come forth and put whatever talents i possess to help make High Gear stay alive.
I was recently in Eastern Europe and saw first-hand how it is to live in a "political police state" that prohibits gay bars, newspapers, gay gay periodicals. We don't know how, fortunate we all are to be able to have a paper like High Gear around. Maybe the only way we'll ever come to realize the importance of a publication like this is if the Bryants of the world forbid its existence. I hope this never happens. But if we don't have a High Gear to tell our side of the story it may happen. So for our lives, for the preservation of what we believe in, we got to get off our asses and get into high gear with High Gear.
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And I'm writing this to all potential advertisers too. The bars, baths, book stores, apparel shops, restaurants, publishers, retail stores, and services catering to gays. You don't need High Gear you say? The gays will visit, buy, anyway. Well I've stopped drinking orange juice. And if this paper started listing those who think they don't need High Gear we may, find that gays will go elsewhere to a High Gear advertiser. But,
Shaker Club
of course, that isn't the main reason for advertisers to use this. paper. It's just plain good business sense for an advertiser to show he cares, that he's involved with the gay community in more ways than just taking the gay's dollar... and when an advertiser sees how other smart business men have utlized this media in papers like Advocate, Village Voice, etc. he'll be smart to become a part. Because everyone who solicits advertising for High Gear, writes copy, does layouts, pasteups, production, etc., is NOT paid and is doing all the work voluntarily, we may not be able to get to YOU the advertiser. But one phone call or a card will get your ad in this paper. So don't wait for us to come to you come to us with an ad about your establishment or service. All the bars, baths, bookstores and places in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, Painesville, Warren, Madison, Columbus,, Toledo, etc. belong in High Gear. For less than $100.00 and advertiser can reach the 10,000 gays of Northeastern Ohio and there's no better media buy than this ANYWHERE. So mail in your ad with your check and help keep YOUR paper alive and well.
I don't mean to go on and on editorializing but I'd like my commitment to this paper to rub off on you. So pardon my propagandizing and let's get down to what I really enjoy doing and that's letting you in on what's hapening of interest to you.
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First the live stuff though we're not Broadway, N.Y. we have the greatest, greatest variety of attractions within a. radius of 300 miles. Like a good campy Broadway musical with "with-it" dialogue, music, etc. See "Company" The Stephen Sondheim show about a single guy who everybody tries to but he's not having marry anything so square and straight
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because ... we" it's at Baldwin Wallace through Nov. 20th. "Mack And Mabel" about Mack Sennett and the silent flicks has dancing boys, girls, a great score, lots of fun. It's the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre attraction thru Dec. 10th and you'll see many of our disco dancing partners kicking up their. heels on stage. Now for some Nite Club acts in our theatres: Our own Chita Rivera (who I've written about much in past High Gear issues) became such a hit (thanks to us) in last season's Play House Square theatres that she's now returning, to the Front. Row theatre, with Jerry Lewis on November 22-27. If you caught her act you won't need coaxing to see her agin. If you haven't, go, go, go! (Where does she pick up her male singing-dancing partners they're great.) Vivian Reed of "Bubbling Brown Sugar" fame is now a solo act at the downtown Palace (co-starring with Jack Jones) thru Nov. 13th. She is all that a Broadway star should be and not to be missed. Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca of the old "Show of Shows" TV classic are reunited at the downtown Palace Nov. 22-27 and if we turn. out as "they" turned out in New York and L.A. it should be a gayfilled evening of high hilarity. Another lady of note is Lola Falana and she's coming here Nov. 29 Dec. 4, also to the Palace. Here's a clue: it will be a drag if you miss her. On the rock side... Peter Allen is gone when you read this but his performance on Sunday Nov. 6th (if it goes on as scheduled) should be the highspot of any gaygoers entertainment experience... but coming up on Nov. 9th is another cool cat by the name of Billy Joel and he is to appear at the Music Hall that night... get down and boogie in your seats (or in the aisles) to the Average White Band and Tower of Power at Kent Memorial Gym Sun. Nov.
13th... and our own Eric Carm (mean Clevelander) will be the Music Hall Nov. 17th.
Like to see beautiful guys a qals in tights? The Ohio Bal will be at John Carroii Univ sity's Kulas Auditorium Nove ber 18 and 19. Modern dar nuts should go nuts over 1 Chicago Moving Compan performance at the Lakew Little Theatre on Nov. 15... i dancers and choreograph from the Cleveland area do tl stuff on Nov. 10th at Lake College in Painesville. Now the Flicks a Fred Astaire festival is now underway Cleveland State U. on Sun nights and there's your char to see Fred with Judy, Ging Rita in the greatest Hollyw musicals ever made. Midni Cowboy (uncut) will be at Westwood starting Nov. 12 Death In Venice follows at same theatre on Nov. 16 Valentino (not the remake) silently stalks the screen ag at Case Reserve Nov. 15 .. d old Marilyn is one of the Mis with Gable at Oberlin on Nov ... the great Bette Davis is on the Little Foxes at the Mayfield on Nov. 23 on the sa with Wuther bill Heights...Providende with J Gielgud and Dirk Gogarde i CWRU Nov. 11 followed Monty Python's Jabberwo The Last Tycoon, Network, Deep Throat (at a Universit For more information about t dates and times call CWRL 368-2463.
Let's get literary two bo have just come out that e gay should know about " Joy Of Gay Sex" and "The Of Lesbian Sex." I've read t both and I give them 100% dorsement. Here, finally, is " sex honestly and graphi described and discussed... (Continued on Page 15)
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