Frankie Sharp, via her Instagram
Hello ladies + everyone,
It’s Mo AKA DJ Gay Panic and this(!) is The Deviant Dispatch. I keep a faggoty ear to the ground, delivering you the latest news on NYC’s greatest underground parties, rock shows, and ACTUAL raves- every fuckin’ week for just $5 a month. Plus you’ll get it-girl gossip, cultural speculation, snark, typos, and lots of Charli XCX updates. If you’re not convinced but wanna check out the scene, you can subscribe for free to get bi-monthly emails. To throw me some much-needed support, share this newsletter with someone or hit the heart button at the top of the post!
First off some PeRsOnAL NeWs: This week I’m starting work at Elsewhere. *holds for applause* You may be familiar with the club/venue from this newsletter, and I’ll be working on their marketing team promoting shows. :))))) I’ll do my best to keep disclosing when there might be a conflict of interest, but try to be happy for me okay?
As I take a job at an established venue, another person is publicly leaving. Frankie Sharp, longtime nightlife extraordinaire, has not only left his post at the Q, but is suing the co-owners. Sharp filed the suit against the Hell’s Kitchen nightclub co-owners on June 3rd, but the tea is only being spilled thanks to a story Instinct Magazine published 4 days ago. They went and got a copy of the suit, and the allegations are WILD.
Apparently Sharp, who has being telling everyone that he’s a co-owner of this venue, was given false promises. Bob Fluet, the co-owner who finalized the business documents, left Sharp out through via some contract shenanigans. How did Sharp figure it out? Because he was fired after trying to confront Fluet over the other owner, Alan Pikus. It’s the alleged words and actions of Pikus that really have people up in arms.
Not only was Pikus allegedly fucking customers in staff areas, but he was also yelling at bouncers for taking away people’s GHB1 and carding underage kids. These actions are also known as doing your job as a bouncer. Besides, what owner would want their club filled with GBH users, who can’t drink2 and are total buzzkills? Allegedly a racist club owner.
The following is quoted from the suit:
7. Though The Q’s core brand was inclusiveness, Pikus was vocal in his discriminatory beliefs and was hostile to the club catering to any group other than white young men, telling Sharp repeatedly: “Make sure your Latin nights are the good kind of Latins. Not Blatinos.”
8. He wanted special measures taken against customers that: “looked like they were from the Bronx.”
9. Pikus was adamant the priority was to make The Q: “comfortable for white twinks” and “don’t alienate the white boys.”
10. During an interview, he told one candidate for bar manager: “I don’t need to break my back to hire people just because they’re black or trans.”
The response from the performers with shows at the Q has been uniform: cancelling their shows. Among the list of people with weekly shows leaving are The Cake Boys, The POC Collective and Julie J. J wrote beautifully on Instagram about the frustrations nightlife workers of color are feeling in her resignation letter, and I highly encourage you to read through the whole thing.
Former Ms. Bushwig Neon Calypso is hosting a NYC QTPOC Nightlife Caucus to discuss these recent events (you can DM her to participate). In response to all the backlash, Pikus has been fired and Luis Fernando will take over as the Q’s creative director. Bob Fluet posted this change on the Q’s Instagram along with a message that “No form of racism, transphobia, colorism, or any other form of discrimination has been or will be tolerated at any of my venues.” Unfortunately for Fluet, the Q’s reputation may have already been soiled beyond repair.
I’ll keep you abreast of any developments.
XOXO
Mo
Heart O’ the City
When: Thursday, 8pm
Where: The Nest
What: This queer comedy show in the increasingly gentrified Prospect Lefferts neighborhood has 2 sure bets for laughs: comedian Anya Voltz and Spike Einbinder. PLUS the first hour is a clothing swap.
How much: $10 suggested donation, trans people get in for free.
OMGEGA
When: Friday, 10pm
Where: The Deep End
What: a sci-fi themed techno party with a cyber-punk rendition of Alien on the flyer. One of the hosts, the charming Polyester, is going to be playing the part of a spaceship captain.
How much: $11 pre-sale / $15 at door
PRXM NIGHT: BAYWATCH
When: Friday, 9pm
Where: All Night Skate
What: The House of Quench turns their ludicrous senses of humor and staging on the show Baywatch. Take special note of guest performer Doris Locht. Last weekend she did a Marie Antionette number complete with multiple reveals and a life-sized cardboard guillotine.
How much: $5-10 suggested donation
STR8 TO DVD: DEATHMATCH
When: Saturday
Where: C’mon Everybody
What: A one night competition that puts 6 contestant’s lip-syncing abilities to the test. The contestants will have to lip-sync under increasingly hard conditions until only one is left standing. Since it’s Str8 to DVD, the obstacles include doing a lip sync while competing an unrelated task (folding laundry for example) before finally performing without any wigs or costumes.
How much: $12.50 online $15 at the door.
Vers BK Clothing Swap
When: Sunday, 3-6pm
Where: VersBK
What: a clothing swap at the coolest store in Brooklyn. What more do you need to know?
How much: Free
MX Nobody Finale
When: Sunday, 6pm
Where: TV Eye
What: The hair-raising finale of the Mx. Nobody pageant, which I’ve been helping plan/run. Come watch the finest garbage pail drag performers compete for a $500 dollar grand prize on the filthy gorgeous TV Eye stage. The show is a fundraiser for the red canary song, a grassroots collective of asian & migrant sex workers and allies.
How much: $15 in advance, or $20 the day of the show.
Honey Dew
When: Monday,10pm
Where: C’mon Everybody
What: This twice-monthly queer comedy show is my new favorite Monday night party. At the last one, host Honey Pluton took time to skewer an article “What Making Cheese Taught Me About Being Trans” and had me screaming with laughter.
How much: $15
That’s it for this dispatch. If you liked it please consider forwarding this email post to a pal! If you’re the pal please subscribe. You can send me tips about worthy events, news & gossip, and shit about anything I mentioned by emailing thedeviantdispatch@gmail.com or responding to this email. Even just hitting the like button does tons to help this project!
commonly known as the date rape drug
bar sales are where most of a venue’s money comes from
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