Lambda Literary Awards: June 1st In NYC

John Waters and Rita Mae Brown will be honored at the 2015 Lambda Literary Awards in Manhattan on June 1st. On the list of attendees: Gloria Steinem, Liz Smith, Michelangelo Signorile, Janet Mock, Alan Cumming, Justin Bond, Susie Bright, and many others. Get tickets here.

Scissor Sisters Have A REAL Kiki

Last night the Scissor Sisters played Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen where an already ecstatic (and virtually all-male) audience went nuts when during their current club smash, Let's Have A Kiki, the band brought out Justin Bond of the legendary cabaret act Kiki & Herb. We literally screamed in delight and later at the XL after party I got to chat with Justin who was thrilled with the reception she got. We didn't stay long at the after party, but my loyal companion Aaron and I left marveling at the Limelight Disco 2000-esque crowd of club kids, dragoons, and general wildness. We both had thought that scene was long gone and we simultaneously felt very old and very pleased.

RELATED: Terminal 5 is my favorite Manhattan concert venue in part because they usually manage to keep the place fairly cool no matter how jammed the room may be. But not last night, where it was murderously hot in the balconies. To put it in terms San Franciscans may relate to, it was 4am at Real Bad hot. It was holiday weekend Pleasuredome rear disco hot. That's how hot it was.

Tweet Of The Day - Justin Bond

Tweet Of The Day - Justin Bond

UNRELATED: You might enjoy this showstopping fan favorite from the Tony-nominated Kiki & Herb, aka Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman.

Alan Cumming & Friends For Ali Forney

Alan Cumming, Justin Bond, Dan Choi and others (including me) speak in support of the Ali Forney Center, which has seen its funding dramatically cut by New York City. You can help. Hundreds of gay kids will spend tonight sleeping on the subway or worse.

Broadway Friday

-New attitude! Patti Labelle will join the cast of the Tony-winning Fela! on September 14th and will perform there until the show's scheduled closing in January. She will replace Tony winner Lilias White in the role of Fela's mother.

-A Broadway version of Glee will definitely happen, according to the show's co-creator Ryan Murphy, who says he is already auditioning the cast. No opening date has been disclosed. Murphy is also slated to direct the movie version of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart.

-Hairspray Tony winner Marisa Winokur will co-host the coming CBS talk show about motherhood with openly lesbian Rosanne star Sara Gilbert.

-Patti Lupone and Brian Stokes Mitchell will star in the musical version of Pedro Almodovar's Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, which begins previews at the Belasco Theatre on October 2nd.

-Turn around bright eyes: Tony nominee Justin "Kiki" Bond will perform a series of dates at Joe's Pub beginning on September 12th. If you haven't seen Justin Bond, you are missing one of the truly unique theatrical experiences of our days.

-Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will finally begin previews on November 14th after almost a year of delays related to its record-breaking $50M production cost.

-Tony winner Beth Leavel (Drowsy Chaperone) and George Wendt (Cheers) have been cast in the musical version of Elf, set to open at the Hirshfeld on November 14th. Wendt will play Santa, the lead role of Buddy has not yet been cast.

A Place At The Table

Last night my pal Chris accompanied me to the Ali Forney Center's gala fundraiser, A Place At The Table, held at the Chelsea Art Museum where Manhattan's gay glitterati nibbled fancy bits from top chefs, took part in silent and live auctions, and were entertained by Tony-nominee Justin Bond and famed singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright - all in the name of raising money for NYC's LGBT homeless youth. Boldface names in attendance included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, community leader John Weis, Lt. Dan Choi, actress Sandra Bernhard, furniture mogul Mitchell Gold, activist Corey Johnson, and Poz Magazine founder Sean Strub.

Chris and I began the evening with a guided tour of the Ali Forney Center's daytime drop-in center, where homeless LGBT youth are provided with a myriad of services including medical attention, mental health and drug counseling, and HIV tests. AFC executive director Carl Siciliano spoke passionately about the good work his organization does, remembering the AFC's beginnings with six cots in a basement. Times are tough again for the AFC as corporate and individual giving have been dramatically pinched by the economy. Please consider making a donation. I'll have a video clip of Rufus Wainwright's performance later today.

Special Swag Friday

Courtesy of the Karpel Group, we have a Special Swag Friday prize today of two tickets to see the fabulous and legendary Justin Bond at Manhattan's Highline Ballroom on Wednesday, July 22nd, where Bond will debut songs from his new EP Pink Slip.

You may know Bond from his eternal lounge combo Kiki & Herb, which longtime readers will know remains one of my all-time favorite acts. Kiki & Herb was hatched in San Francisco in the early 90's and went on to play all over NYC, including Carnegie Hall and a 2007 stint on Broadway that earned them a Tony nomination. Recently Bond has been performing solo. Go here to preview the tracks from his new EP Pink Slip.

Tickets to Justin Bond's Highline show are available here. Regular admission is $25. VIP admission is $50, includes a meet & greet with the artist, and is a donation to the Ali Forney Center, NYC's shelter for homeless LGBT youth.

Enter to win two tickets by commenting on this post. Only enter once and please remember to leave your email address in the text of your comment. Entries close at midnight Sunday, west coast time. If you cannot be in NYC on the day of the show, your winning entry is transferable to another party.