impressive impression
DawnI had the pleasure of setting some lesbians straight today…filmmakers visiting from L.A., they had been under the impression that Tampa was a liberal city. I was spending my Saturday AM reporting on the Power-Up filmmaker forum at Channelside, an event of the TIGLFF.
After the screening of several shorts and a panel discussion with Guinevere, Roberta and Lisa, I was invited along to lunch with the panel, festival board director Mariruth and local filmmaker Amy Nester. As far as my gentle footsteps into broadcast journalism goes, this story has been nothing but bliss. As a fledgling documentarian, this lunch was the highlight of my sooner-than-later film career.
I was quietly observing and absorbing for most of the time, but couldn’t keep quiet when one of the out of towners presumed our fair city progressive. Later in the evening in fact, I was going to be covering Gina Vivinetto’s benefit at the Bombshell Gallery. Thus I started the intro to life in Tampa with the St. Pete Times/Myspace debacle.
They were floored but we locals were used to such savagery. Sadly.
Later at the Bombshell Gallery there was no shortage of love for Gina. Lots of media folk showed up, even some that weren’t supposed to be there. I was given a lovely “I left my panties at the Bombshell Gallery” tee shirt which I’ll wear to Amy Nester’s documentary Banned, showing Sunday afternoon at the downtown library. And to Seattle this week, as it’s time for me to be reminded that there are cities full of progressive thinkers just a plane ride away from FL. Even though sometimes it feels more like a space shuttle ride away.
Last year my second graders were taught to ignore bullies. And perhaps my inability to keep my mouth shut when it comes to closeminded, self serving hatemongers (incapable of serving and representing a diverse public) tells me I’m not suited to be a professional journalist or employable by Tampa’s corporate media. But, as I’ve noted before, I am quite content at the moment with my current unpaid positions.
Gina, on the other hand, is looking for work. She is still unemployed and the Bombshell Gallery has lost its lease. Anybody got any leads?
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October 16th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
i don’t know about progressive, but Tampa is certainly blue territory. when was the last R house rep with a chance here?
October 16th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
“Setting some lesbians straight,” eh? Methinks the writing process takes a little more forethought than starting a missive with a phrase like that! And please don’t make Tampa sound like Haterville when there’s far more tolerance and inclusion than our stupid elected leaders reflect.
October 17th, 2006 at 7:04 am
It’s all word play, my friend. As a bisexual woman I am far from being the authority on straight-ness.
Tampa is not horrendous…I may even venture as far out to say it can even be quite delightful. For Florida, it’s down right heavenly. But that’s relative; compared to repressed Brevard County where I went to high school, Tampa is Portland. But once you travel outside of FL, Tampa is just Tampa, with all its hangs ups and issues that keeps it from being a functional, progressive city. I agree its on the right path, it’s just needs a few more years. But I’m young and impatient and there are far too many towns that are already there.
October 18th, 2006 at 7:36 am
Speaking of hatemongers, are you aware USF is wasting students money by bringing ANN COULTER to speak at our fair school? Talking about progressive…
October 18th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Totally off topic Dawn, but have you bumped into Joe Cook while covering TIGLFF? Haven’t heard from him in a while; he always goes radio silent in the run up to the festival. I need to send him an email; hadn’t realized the festival was already upon us (you miss a lot from 7500 miles).
October 18th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Oboy. Bi. The new gay.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
I got the leather corset ties on my skirt torn off at Bombshell! Does that count?
I’m still straighter than an arrow aimed at a British settler, but that bow definitely snapped.
(Ha! See what I did there? F*ck being progressive - jokes about sex, colonization and Indians are way better!)
October 18th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Joe Cook was my main contact; his email is available at the film festival website. Rachel* is awesome.