Orange Peel — Orange County Exposed

Terrific Distraction

Through his dark upbringing, Clint Crisher found solace in music

BY ASHLEY LOVE

“Spotlight” is the title of the newest single by openly gay musician Clint Crisher, and it’s what this talented guy has stepped into. Crisher is being hailed as an up-and-comer in the world of “funk-dance rock-a-palooza.” Combining stimulating lyrics with his soulful and gritty voice, Crisher's music has taken him around the world performing at Crobar Miami, the Billboard Music Summit, and even for the Queen of England.

With the release of Crisher's new album, Terrific Distraction, and a tour promoting the album, it may seem like Crisher has it made. However, life has not always been so remarkable for the emerging music sensation. Crisher's biological mother was a Las Vegas stripper married to an abusive man, who later went to prison for murder. Crisher was conceived during one of his mother's conjugal visits to his father. After his release from prison, Crisher’s father gave the then 3-year-old to his former military buddy and his wife to adopt in Florida.

Crisher grew up unaware he was adopted and his adoptive family treated him very poorly. To escape, he turned to music, which he first fell in love with after singing “King of the Road” as a young boy. But as he got older, he found his adoptive family wasn't supportive and ridiculed him for being flamboyant. The young musician continued to put his efforts toward music though and after high school he married a woman. Although he loved her immensely, eventually he had to face who he was and came out of the closet. He is still good friends with his ex-wife, stating, “Love knows no sexualities.” Crisher is now happily-partnered and resides in Orange County with his devoted boyfriend of two and a half years.

Being openly gay has caused few hurdles for Crisher, but he feels he has been blessed with the opportunity to inspire closeted artists to “come out” saying, “Make sure you don't lose sight of who you are. Your audiences will come with you if you are spiritually and emotionally yourself.”

For more information on Crisher, visit www.clintcrisher.com.

COMMUNITY

A Bright Tomorrow

The Center Orange County's director Ginger Hahn has high hopes for its future

BY JONATHAN RIGGS

FRONTIERS: Whom do you credit with bringing The Center O.C. back financially?

GINGER HAHN: I give full credit to the Board of Directors, which is led by Peg Corley, for creating a perfect mix of hope and accountability, and to the longtime donors, who are like our shareholders. They have invested in us throughout our highs and our lows, never losing sight of our long-term goals. I plan to make their investment pay off for our community.

Why do we need The Center?

We need it for every youth and adult just coming out, for anyone who wants to feel connected to a larger community, for anyone looking for a gay-friendly referral. The Center can be our gathering place, both physically and by our presence in the community. Every time I visit the youth program, I realize how great an effect The Center has, and I recommit myself to those who find their way here and to those who haven't found us yet.

What are a few of your plans for 2008?

We just completed a strategic plan through 2010. We've identified four priority focus areas: “Strengthening Youth,” “Improving Health and Well-Being,” “Building Social Capital” and “Advocating for Social Justice.” My immediate plans are to build the youth program, to increase our cultural competency training for medical providers, and to offer more women's programming.

What's something about The Center that not everyone knows?

We are very active in the Latino community. We've hosted an annual HIV-prevention fashion show for several years, called Hermosa y Protegida. It's a Spanish-speaking, transgender event that draws more than 400 people. This year, the Latino group decided they wanted the same thing for gay men who are not transgender and made it happen completely on their own. It's called the Chicos Activos Fashion Show. Men compete in their swimming suits and tuxedos, and answer HIV-prevention questions to win.

What does The Center's future look like?

My vision is to make The Center a place that can harness our community's talents for the greater good, and into a place that we can once again be proud of. For those who are looking for a place to connect and feel more a part of our community, I invite you to The Center. Come to participate in a discussion group or to find a service you may need. Come to share your talents, if you are not looking for services. We're on the cusp of an exciting era. It's a great time to get involved.

For more information, visit www.thecenteroc.org.

SCENE

Heavy Petting

Pink Kitty specialty store roars into Orange County

BY JAMES F. MILLS

Conservative Orange County is one of the last places you'd expect to find an adult novelty/sex store. But in an aging business park, across the 405 from the John Wayne Airport, lies Pink Kitty, a store specializing in sexy lingerie, adult sex toys, XXX DVDs, fetish materials, S&M items and of course lubes, lotions, and condoms.

“We're the only adult-novelty store in Irvine and the only one that ever will be here,” says Pink Kitty owner Alysia Pardo, explaining that Irvine adopted ordinances prohibiting adult stores in the 1990s. However, since the store (originally known as Pleasure Company) opened in 1981, it was grandfathered in. “When I bought the store last summer, the Irvine City Council tried to deny the grandfathering. My lawyers fought it. So now I've got the only adult store that will ever operate in Irvine city limits.”

In the six months she's owned the store, Pardo's turned a faltering operation around by emphasizing quality products and friendly customer service.

“In a business like this, it's important to put the customers at ease. We're here to help them with their sexual fantasies and fetishes, so they've got to be comfortable with us. They end up telling us things they would never tell anyone else,” says Pardo, who previously worked Tupperware-style home parties showing adult sex/novelty items.

Customers run the gamut from housewives and businessmen to straight cross-dressers and people into heavy S&M. And they come in all ages. “There's an elderly couple—she's 72, he's 76—who come in every couple of months to load up. They're a hoot,” chuckles store manager Lance Roberts.

Pink Kitty is also attracting a growing LGBT clientele. “The old owners weren't very gay friendly,” Roberts says, “but since we've taken over, I'd say our business is now about equally divided gay-straight.” Lesbians tend to come in as couples, but gay men generally come in by themselves.

Pardo says being bisexual gives her a greater understanding of her customers' sexual needs. She's happy to do special orders, but limits it to consenting adults. “People come in who are into incest or sex with animals, [but] I tell them I can't help them.”

Pink Kitty is located at 17955 Sky Park Circle, Irvine. For more information, visit myspace.com/pinkkittystore, or call 949/660-4990

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

L-Word Premiere Party

The Human Rights Campaign offers an advance screening of the fifth season premiere of The L-Word for those dying to find out what Bette and the girls are up to. Join the fun with other eager fans of the hit Showtime series on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. at Shark Club, 841 Baker Street, in Costa Mesa. It's one of 40+ simultaneous screening parties happening across the country that Sunday night. “This is the hottest women's event of the year,” says an HRC spokesperson. “We've got a much larger space this year, so no one will be turned away.” For more information or to RSVP, visit www.hrc.org/lword.

Fighting off depression

Shanti Orange County and the AIDS Services Foundation Orange County are sponsoring “Living Well with HIV,” a free educational series on the second Tuesday of each month. The January topic will be “HIV and Depression,” with Dr. Lisa Capaldini, a San Francisco MD specializing in HIV/AIDS. “Dr. Capaldini has been in the AIDS trenches for years and has learned many techniques for combating depression,” says Shanti Executive Director Sarah Kasman. The lecture is Jan. 8, from 6-8 p.m. at Dave and Buster's Center in the Irvine Spectrum. The lecture series is open to anyone infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit www.shantioc.org, or call 949/452-0888.

Center goes to the youth on Wednesdays

The Center Orange County becomes a youth-only space every Wednesday starting at 3 p.m. Averaging about two dozen LGBTQ youth (ages 14-24) each week, the Center provides pizza and sodas, then at 7 p.m., hosts a discussion group led by a trained facilitator. “We're creating a safe place for our gay youth to help them develop positive identities,” says Center Executive Director Ginger Hahn. “It's highly interactive and the youth are always planning something. Right now, they're working on a queer prom.” The Center Orange County is located at 12752 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove. For more information, call 714/534-0862 or visit www.thecenteroc.org.

But is he still hot?

Actor Lorenzo Lamas is a heartthrob to many thanks to his stints on Falcon Crest and Renegade, plus his infamous turn as the laser-pointing judge on the reality series Are You Hot? But who knew he could sing? Crooner Michael Feinstein showcased him at his Manhattan cabaret club where the New York Times called Lamas “a crooning baritone who at times echoes Dean Martin.” Lamas brings his cabaret show to Costa Mesa's Orange County Performing Arts Center, singing songs of love in both English and Spanish. Shows are Jan. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.ocpac.org, or call 714/556-2787.