This time on Out In The Bay, “literary readings with really, big, gigantic martinis!” That’s how our guest poet and author James Siegel describes Literary Speakeasy, a live literary show he founded in 2015. In the years since, hundreds of poets, authors and songwriters from across the Bay Area have featured their work and connected directly with fans at Martuni’s Piano Bar at the corner of Market and Valencia in San Francisco. Siegel says, “getting out there and meeting people is what it’s all about.”
Literary Speakeasy’s show called “Queens Read Celebrity Autobiographies” began in 2016 and quickly outgrew its home at Martuni’s, moving into the much larger Oasis in SoMa. Each year the event draws humor from the scandals and silliness in the pages of celebrity autobiographies with drag queens, go-go boys and raffle prizes. This year’s event features drag royalty like Sister Roma, Bebe Sweetbriar, Snaxx, Afrika America, Mary Lou Pearl, Carrie Fisher-Price, and our other guest Elsa Touché.
At “Queens Read Celebrity Autobiographies,” the presenters read directly from a memoir while adding their own hilarious flare. In the past Jenna Jameson, Vanna White, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor (read by Elsa Touché) and others have gotten the drag treatment. This year Touché is reading the memoir of D-list actress Liz Reney and says, “She talks about the men that she slept with in Hollywood in exquisite detail. It’s always fun to hear juicy gossip about Burt Lancaster, darling! When was the last time he came up in conversation?”
This year’s event promises to be a riot and benefits an organization called Foglifter Press. It’s a San Francisco-based non-profit that celebrates the literary work of queer writers, with a focus on underrepresented voices from across the country. The proceeds from “Queens Read Celebrity Autobiographies” will go directly to Foglifter Press.
“Queens Read Celebrity Autobiographies” is this Sunday, March 20, 2022 at Oasis in San Francisco. Doors 6pm, Show 7pm. Tickets available through Eventbrite.
Also on this episode of Out In The Bay, reporter Lusen Mendell takes us to a back yard barbecue for a lesson in pronouns.
Please help us keep bringing queer air to your ears. Out in the Bay is an independent non-profit production. We receive no funds from podcast platforms nor from radio stations that air Out in the Bay weekly. Your gift will help keep LGBTQ voices and stories coming to you and others who might not be able to give. (Donate tabs on our website will take you to a Media Alliance interface. Media Alliance is our non-profit 501(c)3 fiscal agent. Your gift will be earmarked for Out in the Bay.)
The Executive Producer of Out In The Bay is Eric Jansen. This edition of Out in the Bay produced, hosted and engineered by Christopher Beale.
