Long Live Our Gracious Queen (hint, hint - Tip Jar)

As I promised last month, I'm going to be doing a monthly Shakesville donations reminder, and as promised, I'm going to try to make it entertaining.

[Update:OK folks, really -- it's been just a month since most everyone here agreed that it was time to support Shakesville in tangible ways -- so far, of the 9,000 unique visitors today, 37 have donated -- that's less than 1/2 of 1% -- and as a monthly paycheck from what came in, it means that Liss is working full time for less than $15/day. I encourage you NOT to think: Somebody else will do it. (And again, if you really can't, you really can't, but if you really can, won't you please?)]

So, I've dug out some ancient footage of myself during my stint as a (fairly successful) lesbian stand-up comic and musician. The video below the fold was shot in 1991, live and in concert in Portland, Oregon.

A couple of notes on the vid to put it in context:

• This performance took place three years after Measure 8 (an anti-gay measure) passed in Oregon -- so, you might want to imagine yourself three years from now, when some of the wounds of the current craptastic "Prop 8" have healed a bit, but are still aching. I'm sad to say that the subject matter of this comedy routine is still completely culturally relevant, nearly two decades later. *sob*
  
• Remember that this was pre-"Ellen", Tammy Faye was just the wife of an imprisoned evangelist (not a gay-culture icon), the Gulf War was raging, and we had been under Republican administration for ten years (and still had two more to go).
• And here's some news that I'm excited about: The video is close-captioned -- just click the lower right corner to turn on CC (this is my first stab at close-captioning, so I'd appreciate it if any deaf or hard-of-hearing Shakers will give me feedback in comments if there are improvements to be made).

But most important of all, before you watch the video -- do what I hope you will do:

Go over to the paypal "Donate" link -- (Amazon Honor Pay has been discontinued by Amazon :( ). The Donate link is just under the Advertise Liberally banner in the right sidebar -- 'Liss keeps it down there so that the advertisers get better placement, 'cuz she's just that kind of cool -- anyway -- go to the Donate button, and make a donation -- even a small donation of $5 really, really helps.

Think of it as buying 'Liss a cuppa and a bagel, if you like, or like getting a whole month's worth of incredibly great writing, commentary, and community for less than a subscription to the Sunday Times, the Post, or the Seattle PI -- or, just think of it as putting your money where your mouth is, so Melissa can mouth off for us all.

If you really can't donate right now, that's completely cool -- no need for excuses or anything in comments -- I truly understand. If you can donate right now -- even a small amount -- please stick something in the tip jar to help keep our Queen Cunt riding high atop Fuck Mountain.


(ps. If you liked the video, and you're really, really good, I'll post another piece of Portly standup archival footage next month when I post the January donation reminder.)

Don't forget to tip your Hostess with the Mostest!
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(PortlyNote: Her Majesty emailed me this morning saying that the post met with Her approval, as long as I add the following: That since I'm busking on Melissa's behalf, 10% of donations raised will go to me -- at her insistence -- 'Cuz she's just that kind of cool. Thank'ee, Your Majesty.)