Woot! Count me in for these “gay”mes!
Lady Gaga is coming to Atlantic City on July 4th – there’s a big, nifty billboard promoting her show at the Boardwalk Hall – but they’ve already started luring in the gays. The Trump Taj Mahal is certainly betting on us. Just recently they hosted their second “Fun and Gay-Mes” weekend, a new monthly series they kicked off this past March. They’ve already hosted big gay talents like comedians Judy Gold and Suzanne Westenhoefer for these weekend-long events, and they’ve turned out big dance parties and fun shindigs like a Sunday afternoon Red Ribbon Bingo (featuring Atlantic City’s daring Diva Miss Sandy Beach) and a T-Dance immediately after.
Incidentally, the L.A.-based Westenhoefer has met Gaga, she told me in the green room following her act when I caught her in A.C.: “Gaga took my hand and did this…” she recalled, taking my hand to illustrate and doing this little strange peaceful smile and gesture that one might expect from the Dalai Lama. “Of course, then a camera points her way and it’s back to a crazy pose!”
These Atlantic City beach-goers must have missed the Gaga concert
Trump Taj’s Red Ribbon Gay Bingo, a fundraiser for South Jersey AIDS Alliance, was a twisted affair, thanks in part to an over the top Easter Bonnet contest (one had pigeons in it), and moreso the Miss’d America drag queen dubbed Chlamydia Liverpool. An Andy Kaufman of drag, cherubic and sans makeup, Clamydia performed a bizarre act involving an ancient record player, equally ancient song, and flesh-colored body suit with candy tassles. She forced (shockingly consensual) participants to sit on her lap, nibble her tassles, and, well… You had to be there. “That was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen,” gawked the appalled emcee afterwards. Honestly, you must catch Chlamydia if opportunity presents.
Incidentally, this past winter’s Miss’d America pageant was yet another big queer draw to Atlantic City – a nod of the head to the formerly A.C.-based Miss America pageant, which soon may return as well. Gay Bonus: It was hosted by Carson Kressley.
Atlantic City – It’s beauty and it’s grace!
In the spirit of equality, the Trump’s T-Dance at the Casbah club featured both male and female go-go dancers. To boot, A.C. has a year-‘round gay bar, the Westside Bar & Lounge, which is located behind the Convention Center.
But all this gayness bubbling up in Atlantic City (NYC party-meister Daniel Nardicio has also been throwing seasonal parties in A.C. over the last year), isn’t entirely new. Chatting with some locals, I was informed that the classic beach town used to be a hot gay destination back in the 70s, then lost its homo-mojo in the 80s, but after over 20+ years the dice are finally coming up pink again.
Other Trump Taj Mahal “Fun & Gay-mes” weekends already slotted include May 22nd-23rd, with Seth Rudetsky’s “Big Fat Broadway” as centerpiece, and June 12-13th with Wicked’s Shoshana Bean as headliner. Check for updates and headliner info.
There’s a lot of fun things to do on the Boardwalk!
While you’re down there, be sure to hit up the swank metro-sexual (and gay-friendly) scene at The Chelsea hotel complex. Its street-level Teplitzky’s diner is a retro-glam, its rooftop Cabana Club pool bar would give any fierce W Hotel a run for its money, and the Chelsea’s Boardwalk-lining beachfront bar is the town’s biggest outdoor hotspot.
And yes, there’s killer shopping in Atlantic City, either at The Pier Shops at Caesars, and the amazing outlet shops at The Walk. So, between the Trump Taj’s full roster of gay weekends, the sunny beaches and the bustling casino “get lucky” gambling offerings, you’ve got options. Fun and “gaymes,” indeed!
