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Art Imitates Life In A Small Texas Town’s Fight Against ‘Sordid Lives’

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This past week I attended my first public meeting in my small town of Wimberley, Texas, where members of a local playhouse had petitioned to be heard by the board to voice their adamant opposition to a scheduled production of “Sordid Lives,” a dark comedy featuring a colorful family, including, “a beautiful gay man on a journey,” a “guitar playing ex-con singer,” a “former gay-bashing remorseful bartender,” and a ‘Tammy Wynette obsessed transvestite,” and set in a small Texas town, according to the playwright’s casting notes, which implore: “These people are real. Don’t play them as cartoons, please.”

I had no idea what to expect when I went in, and by the time I left I was laughing. The hypocrisy heard at the meeting at the Wimberley Players, despite a well written letter by artistic director John Hood on its website, was beyond all comprehension. The near comical moments in that room became a reflection of the material and characters in the play. Art does indeed imitate life.

Our local paper, The Wimberley View, had published an article about the controversy along with three angry letters from some of those opposing the play, by Del Shores, and calling it “offensive with utterly no redeeming value,” despite its multiple awards and having been turned into a film and a TV show. The ranting takes up an entire page and comes dangerously close to using anti-gay slurs. I’ll leave it up to you as to why three angry letters opposing and no supporting were printed.

After my 64-year old neighbor came to me with the paper today crying “censorship!” I had to go. I have no idea why someone would want to wear a meat dress or many other artistic expressions including some stage shows, but I’ll be the first one out the door to fight back when someone wants to repress their right to do so. It also didn’t hurt that I was living here with my boyfriend of two years, meeting people like Diana, a local transgender woman, and writing about the diversity in small Texas towns as the culture wars battle on in these places.

I grabbed the first seat right next to the door, and a few minutes later a very nervous man asked if the next seat was taken. I had noticed him in the sea of blue-hairs in the lobby earlier, and he had noticed me. I was obviously a safe bet to sit next to since I was sporting my Nashville T-shirt and head buzzed just like his. As he sat I agreed with him when he said being close to the door might be a good idea at this meeting. We didn’t speak otherwise, but I think the relief on our faces with the knowledge we would be seated together was all that was needed. We braced for the vitriol we knew would be coming.

Before the meeting even started the hypocrisy began to flow. The woman behind me — who throughout the meeting made clear her position, with comments and noises, she opposed the play and its perceived un-Christian values — was telling someone coming in the door she was going to bring the “booze to the next trip.” She mentioned she’d signed up for the wrong trip and bringing the booze would be necessary for this one. I have no idea where they were going, but I hope they have a designated driver.

The first thing asked to the crowd of over 100 was a show of hands as to who had actually read or seen the play. About 12 hands went up. A few others said they had seen the movie. There were over 40 people who had signed the petition in opposition to the show. I’m no math whiz, but I’m sure the majority of those in opposition had already stepped onto the hypocrisy train the moment they walked in. They clearly hadn’t even bothered to hear the story’s central message of acceptance of family and people. I was possibly one of very few in the room who had actually read the play, seen the play, seen the movie, and seen the show.

As the meeting went on people were slinging accusations of bigotry and zealotry as well as bringing up words like “values” and “our Christian conservative community.” Angered, hate filled arguments from a guy with a British accent and passionate pleas from a writer and teacher filled the time. The nervous guy next to me had to ask the women behind us to stop gossiping as other people were speaking because he couldn’t hear. One woman began crying and another kept a list of peoples’ names and whether or not they agreed with her, giving a deep “tut-tut” to those who changed from her side to the other and marking it on her notepad.

The high point of the hypocrisy came when those opposed were accused of censorship rose up claiming they were only concerned for the community. After someone from the exact same community got up and spoke against them they actually interrupted the proceedings to ask why members of the community were being allowed to speak at all since they were not members of the theater. What censorship?

I was finally brought to laugh out loud, to my embarrassment, when one woman stated she had seen the movie and she didn’t like the way it depicted the people of Texas. It is set in a small Texas town just like ours. It was demeaning to her. She was perfectly happy, however, with the reality that they were all in that room speaking hate, hypocrisy, intolerance, and judgement. Thankfully, they were clearly in the minority and many others, including people of faith in this town, stood up to remind them of that.

To the people of my small, Texas community and the countless other towns in this country just like it, I say this. I’ve lived here for close to six years. I’ve worked in about 800 homes in the Wimberley area to help out with my family’s cleaning business in years past. I’ve seen what’s under your beds you forgot you left there. I’ve dealt with you when you were drunk and needed a ride to the local AA meeting. I’ve smelled the marijuana drifting over to my cottage when you didn’t know I knew what it smelled like. I could write a play about some of the people I’ve met in this wonderful, crazy little town that would make you try to censor me, too. You’re no different than all the cities you listed as being below your “standards.” You have your fair share of sordid lives. I promise you that.

This play, along with many other productions, depicts a truly different and diverse group of people just like the group I sat with this past week. It is hilarious, but it’s not for everyone. If you don’t like it, don’t go see it. But the moment you try to stop others from being able to see it is the moment you yourself more closely reflect the misguided characters you disagree with. You have given up on your belief in the bonds of family, acceptance, and individual freedom. That is far more detrimental to our community than any play we could put on.

 

Guest author Jeremy Stubbs credits his parents for his twisted sense of humor. He currently lives just outside of Austin, Texas with his wonderful partner and their pesky cat. When he’s not working to pay the bills he is photographing and writing about the world around him. Three days ago Stubbs created a Facebook group to support “the free expression of art” at the Wimberley Players theater. As of this writing it has attracted 560 members.

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Congressman Pummeled for Praising Students Mocking Black Protester With Monkey Sounds

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May 3, 2024

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U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, Republican of Georgia, is under fire after praising University of Mississippi students, some wearing American flag outfits, mocking a Black woman protester by making monkey sounds and shouting, “lock her up.”

“Counter-protestors at the University of Mississippi made racist remarks — including monkey noises and comparisons to Lizzo — towards a Black woman who was part of a planned protest against the war in Gaza,” Los Angeles Magazine reported Friday.

Collins, who tried to defund Vice President Kamala Harris’ Office in November, declared his support for the counter-protesters at “Ole Miss,” as the University is called.

“Ole Miss taking care of business,” he wrote on social media, atop the video (below).

The counter-protesters, as evidenced in the video, appear to be mostly white.

A large number of users on the social media platform X responded, accusing the Congressman and the counter-protesters of racism.

“When is the inevitable ‘I don’t have a racist bone in my body’ tweet coming,” wondered Rewire News Group editor-at-large Imani Gandy.

“Which part is your favorite, Mike?” asked Fred Wellman, the former executive director of The Lincoln Project. “Is it the white kid acting like a monkey at the black woman or the white security guy acting like she’s a threat? I’m trying to figure out which flavor of racism has you all excited the most?”

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Harvard Law Cyberlaw Clinic clinical instructor Alejandra Caraballo responded to the Georgia GOP congressman, “Thanks for confirming you’re a massive racist piece of sh*t.”

Mississippi Free Press news editor Ashton Pittman wrote: “Rep. Mike Collins, R-Georgia, praises a video showing a University of Mississippi frat boy dancing like a monkey and making monkey noises near a Black woman student who was protesting for Palestine while other frat boys chant ‘lock her up.'”

In a separate post describing a separate video taken of the same group Pittman wrote: “Frat bros at @OleMiss chant, ‘Lizzo! Lizzo!’ and shout, ‘F**k you fatass, f**k you b*tch’ at a Black woman who was protesting for Palestine. Do people really think these counterprotestors are doing it to support Jews?”

Journalist John Harwood did not mince words, writing, “Congressman proud of the racism.”

“Okay, Mike. We get it,” wrote podcast host, documentary director, and author W. Kamau Bell. “You want to be famous for being a racist. Fine. I’ll help you become a famous racist. You’re welcome.”

The original video is here.

See Rep. Collins’ post and the video below or at this link.

Caution: the video is disturbing.

READ MORE: Noem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’

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Noem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’

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2 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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Amid more damning revelations from her soon-to-be released book, embattled South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem will head to Mar-a-Lago this weekend as ex-president Donald Trump auditions potential vice presidential picks in front of high-dollar donors. Noem was also slated to attend a Republican fundraiser in Colorado this weekend but it was canceled over alleged safety concerns after news broke she had bragged about shooting her 14-month old dog.

While Noem’s shooting to death of her wirehaired pointer, Cricket, which she detailed in the book, is still making headlines overnight a new revelation made news: Noem falsely claims in her book she met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

A spokesperson for Noem “seemed to concede that the Kim story was false Thursday night,” and notified her publisher, Politico’s Ryan Lizza reported in his exclusive.

But less noticed appears to be the actual text of Noem’s false story, in which she brands children she ministered in church “little tyrants,” and compared them to the murderous North Korean dictator.

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“Through my tenure on the House Armed Services Committee,” Noem wrote, according to Politico, “I had the chance to travel to many countries to meet with world leaders. I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I’m sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all).”

CNBC reported this week Trump “will mingle with potential vice presidential running mates and wealthy Republican donors at the Republican National Committee’s spring donor retreat. The meetings are likely to act as informal tryouts for a short list of politicos in the running to join the Trump ticket.”

The list of Republican “special guests” includes U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, and J.D. Vance, Rep. Elise Stefanik, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.

Also expected to attend are House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Wesley Hunt of Texas, former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and other elected Republicans along with RNC co-chair Lara Trump.

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NBC News, which says Rep. Donalds is also under consideration, on Friday added there will be “a fundraising retreat that could serve as a screening session” for potential vice presidential running mates.

Meanwhile, the Jefferson County, Colorado Republican Party chair announced a fundraising dinner Noem was slated to attend was canceled after threats were made, The Denver Post reports.

“We understood there was a planned organized protest outside of the hotel, led by Progress Now,” Nancy Pallozzi said. “I felt that our event would be negatively impacted, and we could not take the risk that those who made threats would cause physical harm.”

 

 

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RFK Jr., Embracing Far-Right, Spoke at Fundraiser for Anti-Government Group With J6 Ties

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2 days ago

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May 3, 2024

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Over the weekend independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke at a fundraiser for a far-right anti-government group in Erie County, New York – a slice of the country that had a large proportion of residents arrested and charged for crimes related to the January 6 insurrection. Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist and vaccine denialist, increasingly is embracing the far-right.

“That group, Constitutional Coalition of New York State, has founders who not only have ties to Donald Trump but are also connected to the stop-the-steal movement through their activist network, which includes groups that had a presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6,” The Daily Beast reported Friday. “It’s yet another instance of Kennedy—who is mounting one of the most well-funded third-party presidential threats in decades—serving as a peculiar bridge between his own anti-establishment movement and Trump’s.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center includes the Constitutional Coalition of New York State (CCNYS) on its page of anti-government groups. Political Research Associates, which detailed the high proportion of January 6 residents arrested and charged, included the Constitutional Coalition of New York State in its February report on “The Rise of the Far Right in Western New York.”

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“If you don’t think the government is lying to you, you’re not paying attention,” Kennedy told attendees at the CCNYS fundraiser, The Buffalo News reports.

“CCNYS founders Nick and Nancie Orticelli are also affiliated with the Watchmen, a nearby militia who Nick has encouraged his social media followers to join. The Watchmen had several members at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and one member, Pete Harding, is still facing charges for violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,” The Daily Beast noted. “Nancie Orticelli has also hosted the Watchmen’s founder, Charles Pellien, on her weekly radio show on several occasions.”

One of Kennedy’s goals in traveling to New York was to get on the ballot for the November presidential election. Various polls show him taking votes from both President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump, but Kennedy currently has only qualified to be on the ballot in three states, Utah, Michigan and Hawaii, the newspaper reported.

But The Washington Post on Thursday reported The American Independent Party of California, which has a history of “far-right ties,” and “backed segregationist and former Alabama governor George Wallace in 1968, nominated Kennedy for president.”

Kennedy “said this week that he has qualified to be on the ballot in California and will accept the nomination of the American Independent Party, which has a history of associating itself with far-right figures and individuals who have expressed racist views.”

Some news reports and RFK Jr. himself say the Trump campaign was actively courting Kennedy, attempting to convince him to consider being the ex-president’s 2024 vice presidential running mate.

“That MAGA dalliance with Kennedy could be coming back to bite the Trump campaign, some Republicans close to the former president worry,” The Daily Beast also reported.

“’They can only blame themselves,’ a Trump-aligned strategist told The Daily Beast, requesting anonymity to speak candidly about private conversations about the risk Kennedy poses, ‘because they cozied up to him and thought it was funny.’”

Watch WIVBTV’s report on Kennedy’s trip to New York below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump Won’t Commit to Accepting Election Results if He Doesn’t Win State He Falsely Claims He Won

 

 

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