The D.C. Republican Party announced April 7 that it intends to place candidates who did not declare their intentions prior to the party's April 1 primary onto the general election ballot in November, potentially changing the dynamic in several local races, including the mayor's race.

The D.C. GOP announced Monday that its chairman, Ron Phillips, advised the D.C. Board of Elections in March that the party would ''reserve its right to appoint a Republican candidate for any office for the General Election in the event that a Republican candidate for any such position does not participate in the April 1, 2014 primary election.''

Democrats ran at least one candidate in each of the 10 local or federal races that were on the April 1 primary ballot, in addition to various offices on the DC Democratic State Committee. Republicans managed to fill only two of 10 slots on the primary ballot, with Nelson Rimensnyder seeking the office of nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives and Marc Morgan seeking one of two at-large seats on the D.C. Council.

Of the three officially recognized ''minority'' – meaning non-Democrat – parties within the District, the Republicans fared the worst, as the Statehood Green Party managed to field four candidates for the April 1 primary, and the D.C. Libertarian Party managed to field candidates for seven of the 10 races.

According to the D.C. GOP's statement, the D.C. Republican Committee, governing body of the D.C. Republican Party, will review potential candidates for mayor, D.C. Council seats and other positions and nominate them by vote to fill the ballot vacancies. All candidates must be reported to the Board of Elections by Sept. 8 to ensure placement on the November ballot.

''We look forward to vetting qualified candidates to appoint to various vacancies on the ballot this fall,'' Phillips said in the Republicans' statement. ''We especially look forward to joining the conversation and discussing issues that are important to the citizens of the District of Columbia, such as school choice, reducing the burden of regulations for small businesses, and the level of taxes in our community.''

Tamara Robinson, the public information officer for the D.C. Board of Elections, said the Statehood Green Party and the D.C. Libertarian Party also have the right to place candidates on the ballot in the general election if they wish to do so.

Perry Redd, an organizer for the Statehood Green Party, said his party is currently focused on the mayor's race, where its official nominee, Faith Crannitch, on the ballot as ''Faith,'' lost to a write-in candidate in the primary. Redd was, however, receptive to the idea appointing Green candidates in the Council chair's race and individual ward races where the Greens did not field candidates.

Bruce Majors, the Libertarian Party's mayoral nominee and the chief organizer of the local party, told Metro Weekly he'd heard of the possibility that Republicans would seek to appoint nominees after some of his slate's candidates reached out to Republicans for support, only to be rebuffed. Majors said he assumed that the success of the Libertarians in recruiting candidates for most races on the ballot may have played a role in motivating Republicans to ramp up their recruiting efforts.

Majors was open to the idea of filling vacant spots with appointed candidates. He said that the Libertarians had organized a write-in campaign on behalf of Kyle Walker in the Council chairman's race, and believed that Walker's victory there would enable him to appear on the November ballot. Majors said he had trouble recruiting candidates who would firmly commit to running in Wards 1 and 5, but that this longer Sept. 8 timetable might be enough to fill the spots, adding that the nonpartisan D.C. Board of Education may also now be of interest to his party.

In his own race for mayor, Majors seemed unconcerned with the likely addition of a Republican in the race, noting there were 575 write-ins in the Republican primary for mayor, some of which may have been votes for Democratic Councilmembers Muriel Bowser (Ward 4) or Jack Evans (Ward 2) or Independent Councilmember David Catania (At-Large).

''If the Republicans run in the mayoral race, it will be very unclear who they're pulling votes from,'' Majors said. ''It probably doesn't help me to have a Republican candidate, though it probably hurts David Catania more.''

Asked whether Republican candidates might make it easier for Democrats to win, should anti-Democratic votes be diluted, Robert Turner, executive director of the D.C. Republican Party, his party's goal is simply to elect credible and competent Republicans to office.

''Neither Bruce Majors nor David Catania nor Muriel Bowser are Republicans,'' he said. ''It is not our job to make their lives easier or worse. It's our job to find credible Republican candidates and get them elected.''

Catania, who is already being attacked by Democrats who see him as Bowser's biggest threat in her bid for mayor, likely has the most to lose from a Republican candidate's entry into the mayoral race. But Catania has also worked on many typically Democratic initiatives, such as expanding health care for poor children, education reform and championing pro-LGBT legislation, which may make him more appealing to the District's overwhelmingly liberal electorate.

A spokesman for the Catania campaign declined to comment.

Besides the mayoral race, other contests that could be influenced by the entry of appointed Republican candidates are the D.C. Council chair race against incumbent Phil Mendelson (D) and the Ward 3 and Ward 6 races, where Libertarians Ryan Sabot and Pranav Badhwar are challenging, respectively, incumbent Democratic Councilmember Mary Cheh and Democratic nominee Charles Allen, a former staffer for Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6).

Even if all three parties – Republicans, Greens and Libertarians – were able to recruit enough candidates to fill out the remainder of their slates, there may be even more candidates to come. Independent candidates may join any of the 10 races, as well as for four ward-specific races for the D.C. Board of Education, as long as they declare themselves by June 13, and collect a requisite number of signatures by Aug. 6.

In past years, several former Democrats, most notably former Councilmember Michael Brown and current Councilmember David Grosso, disaffiliated from the Democratic Party and ran as independents in order to seek at-large seats on the D.C. Council. Under District law, at least two of the Council seats must be reserved for non-Democrats. An entry by a former Democrat into the at-large race as an independent could hamper the chances of Republican nominee Marc Morgan, Statehood Green nominee Eugene Puryear, and Libertarian nominee Frederick Steiner. Incumbent At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds, as the Democratic nominee, is widely expected to grab the first at-large seat, which is typically held by a Democrat.

An ideal evening at the theater for precocious high schoolers and the politically curious, Lawrence Wright's Camp David is a primer on President Jimmy Carter's brokering of an uneasy peace in the Mideast conflict as it stood in 1978. Written with mild humor, a certain passion and a storyteller's talent, this lesson in the vital and complex problems of this political and religious morass slips down with the ease of a geopolitical gel cap.

Though it may not be overflowing with edge or insight, it's still no mean feat considering Lawrence covers not only the crisis as it stood then (both for the Mideast and Carter's presidency), but also the contemporary and ancient history that led to it and a generous dose of the personal histories of the key players.

Camp David: Khaled Nabawy as Anwar Sadat, Richard Thomas as Jimmy Carter and Ron Rifkin as Menachem Begin

(Photo by Teresa Wood)

Of course some hearing this will rightly wonder whether this ambition invites preachiness or over-simplification. Well, the answer falls somewhere between, "You can't please all of the people all of the time," and "Yes."

There is no doubt that for some audience members -- the grey-haired, news-junkie, jaded Beltway-insider types in particular -- Lawrence's potted takes on the posturing and negotiations will all seem a little too contrived and sanitized. These are the same folk who may find the frequent injections of personal anecdote -- each with a painfully obvious subtext -- tiresome, if necessary. Thus, although Lawrence works hard to mitigate the simplifications by inserting contradictions, and somewhat tempers the educational narrative with humor, his goal won't work for everyone. Especially not for those who like their theatrical politics to operate on the plane of, say, Frost/Nixon.

But for anyone who wants a very palatable and reasonably frank discussion of the barriers to compromise in the Mideast (still very much in existence today) or simply a trip down a particularly interesting memory lane, this piece will serve and compel.

And however you view the vehicle, the cast makes a strong go of it with Richard Thomas delivering a Jimmy Carter that smartly never goes overboard into a political impression. Sporting an accent that only nods toward Carter's thick Georgian drawl, Thomas avoids caricature by trying instead to describe a more universal man; one with a lot of power but few answers. He is confident, tortured, driven, proud and very human. If his dissimilarity to Carter distracts, think of him as less of a portrait of the man and more as Lawrence's take on what it took. Although some will want more, most will agree that the architecture is intact.

Matters are a little more complex when it comes to Lawrence's rendering of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, the two leaders who come to the seclusion of the presidential retreat (Camp David), to consider negotiating a peace. Since any student of political history will know how the story ends, this is really about what may or may not have happened as these great men collided and wrangled on behalf of their people. Both had much to gain and much to lose. But with no media allowed, their negotiations were off-stage -- at least until any agreement was reached.

Unfortunately, in the writing of these two, Lawrence's urge to educate looms large and thus, by necessity, the characters become far too obvious. In ways that are less than subtle, we learn that both men were the products of difficult lives and deep cultural traditions that informed their attitudes toward compromise with one another. Though the racism is delivered in careful (often humorous) context and the personal anecdotes are sometimes informative, it is all a bit too color-by-numbers. Hence the initial thought that this play will work well for the educated young, if not the politically initiated.

Still, as Begin, Ron Rifkin confirms his theater chops with a nicely pitched interpretation of Lawrence's not overly subtle characterization. Rifkin starts with a credible accent and goes on to layer his Begin with a passion, fear and defiance that goes a long way to color the intractable man Lawrence offers. It is Rifkin's consistent and well-drawn picture of the person behind Begin's immovable position that makes his 11th-hour compromise all the more affecting. Who knows if it really went down that way? It captures the impossible distance between sovereign necessity and human frailty, whatever the nation, whomever the victims of conflict.

A charismatic presence, Khaled Nabawy's Sadat exudes statesmanship and a kind of quirky self-possession. It would have given him an even more enduring and intriguing authenticity if director Molly Smith had opted for a lower volume and Lawrence had injected a bit more complexity.

Rounding out the quartet is Jimmy Carter's wife, Rosalynn, who comes and goes like a wry commentator on the proceedings. Though she delivers some of the better comedy and Hallie Foote gives her an utterly memorable demeanor, her smug positioning as an unassailably all-American, all-wise wife and peace-broker is a toe-curler. It makes a play that might have been global, local, and turns a profound conundrum into an afterschool special.

Still, it's a subject well worthy of a revisit and so consider compromising your own expectations and negotiate your way to an evening of history and politics.

Camp David () runs to May 4 in Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $65 to $110. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

Tom Goss is not bashful. Nor is he pushy. Put simply, he has a message to share and he'll do what he needs to express it. Often, that means touring. Goss has the miles to show for his career, still moving in an upward trajectory.

This month, Goss, 32, is making a bold move to dedicate himself full time to this mission. He's leaving the job of nearly a decade he's held with Charlie's Place, a D.C. program to end homelessness run out of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church. His first European tour, with dates in Iceland and the U.K., begins later this month, and his new album, Wait, releases May 13.

Tom Goss

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

Even with a new album, the song remains the same.

"When I write, I'm the least guarded that I ever am," says the singer-songwriter. "So I think that my longing and my search for that really shines through. That's what people hear."

That's the search that took him to Catholic seminary, and the search that got him to leave that behind, as well.

"A lot of people self-identify as spiritual, not religious," he says, speaking about his message and pointing to "Rise," a song of his from 2008. "I'm not talking about 'Christ the redeemer rose on the third day.' That's not the lyric. But if the lyric is, 'Now it's time to say goodbye, and to leave our skins behind. Let the dusk drain the sun and rise,' that says a very similar thing. You could put that in a Christian context. Or you could put that in a spiritual context. I think the message is the same. It's about rebirth and renewal and reconciliation. I think a lot of my songs reflect that. I may not be doing the sign of the cross, but there's a wisdom and an authenticity that I'm sharing."

It's something of what he shares with his husband, Mike, and with so many other artists with whom Goss revels in creating community. If you like, he'll certainly share it with you, too.

METRO WEEKLY: Wait seems "poppier" to me than your previous work.

TOM GOSS: Oh, yeah! I've always considered myself a pop writer. I love pop music. Not like 'N Sync or Backstreet Boys or Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, but I've always been trying to produce pop music.

You think of The Beatles and that era of pop music, which is super-succinct writing, really fast changes, really hook-y melodies. A lot of the music we hear day to day is pop music, whether you're talking about country music or rock music or whatever. I've always thought of myself as someone who wants to write really concise, well-written pop songs.

MW: But compared to your previous albums, Wait feels less sentimental, more toe-tapping.

GOSS: Totally. I agree. I wanted to have a lot of fun on this record. People see me live and connect with me. They connect with me as a storyteller, somebody who can evoke emotions, because when they hear the songs live they're stripped. When I go into the studio to record with a band, the vision is a little different.

MW: The first couple of tracks, particularly -- "It Only Takes Once" and "Take a Chance" -- I think will have people up, out of their seats, wanting to dance.

GOSS: That's what I want! In a lot of ways, that's always what I've wanted. I had a couple big numbers like that on Turn It Around, as well, but I never want to do the same thing I've already done. I never want to just be creating the same sounds.

I could spit out 50 love songs by the end of the day and they'd all be good and passable and evocative and all that kind of stuff, but I don't want to do that for the rest of my life. I want to do stuff that's different. It's super easy to write a soft, romantic, heart-wrenching song. That's nothing. But to write something that's going to get people to move? To write something that's going to incorporate a lot of different sounds? That's difficult.

MW: I'm sort of reminded of your "That's Not My Name" cover. It seemed you were being dismissive, but it's a really fun cover.

GOSS: People loved that. I really started playing it because I hated the song. I was hearing it on the radio all the time. I thought, "There's nothing redeeming about this song." I just had all this negative energy about why I hated this song. And I thought, "Why don't I just make it my own and shed that negative energy?" Then, at the same time, people just really enjoyed it. I'd play it at shows and get the whole crowd to sing. I used to close shows with it, have whole rooms of people singing, and we'd do rounds. People loved it. Then, if The Ting Tings were on Letterman, I would get emails and phone calls about these people who stole my song. It was really, really funny.

People love that song because it's fun and it's got attitude. At the same time, there's really not a redemptive message when you dig into it. For me, the challenge is always creating something that has that energy, that makes you happy and want to bop your head, but also has a redemptive message to it. There are very few people who do that effectively. That's the biggest challenge for me.

MW: People want candy.

GOSS: People do want candy. If you give them candy that they can break down and realize, "Wow, I have candy and I have a redemptive message," or, "and I'm talking about social justice," or, "and I'm talking about something greater than me," then that's an accomplishment.

MW: So, you're like Gummy Vitamins.

GOSS: [Laughs.] Yeah! I've got a whole bunch of 'em in the other room!

MW: Seriously?

GOSS: Yes! I love vitamin Gummys because they make me take my vitamins, but it's hard because I want to eat them all day. MW: How would you feel if a DJ got hold of one of the bouncier tracks off Wait? You could be in Provincetown doing your shows, and maybe walk into the Crown & Anchor and hear a Tom Goss remix.

GOSS: I think there are going to be a lot of remixes off this record. I'm already working on one.

One of the things I learned a lot from working with Rich Morel, and just from being such an admirer of his work, and from seeing how people responded to "Bears," and everybody's really into EDM right now, and that's something that's just going to grow and boom, when --

MW: EDM?

GOSS: Electronic dance music.

Tom Goss

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

MW: Ah, sorry. I'm 44.

GOSS: That's okay! When you think of yourself as a "singer-songwriter," what do you think of? You think Joni Mitchell. Or James Taylor. They're kind of like the models. That's what it is in its purest form.

So, when people are like, "Hey, why don't we put this beat behind it?" they're really tense. Like, they really don't want to do that. I spent the past couple years trying to understand what it means to be an artist and embrace what's good and fun about that. That means being open to different opportunities. Instead of being closed and having a singular vision and saying, "This is the way it has to be," it's being open to say, "Wow, that's really interesting. That's really resonating with people. How can I learn from that?"

MW: Your style of collaboration must be pretty agreeable, in that collaborators keep coming back.

GOSS: Don't get me wrong: I have strong opinions. But, at the end of the day, my loyalties lie with what is best for the project. There's a certain kind of humility that has to come with being a good collaborative artist -- or a good artist at all -- who is open to listening and open to learning and open to hearing that your idea isn't the best idea in this specific moment. I think that's hard.

MW: Are those values you were raised with? Something you learned later?

GOSS: I think it's both. It's an evolution. My last record, which I'm very proud of, I played every single note on the record, every single instrument. That was really important. Before that, even though I was making these quality projects, doing amazing things and bringing a lot of people together, I'm not sure that I thought much of myself as an artist or believed in my own artistic vision as much. I don't want to say it came from a lack of self-confidence. I've always been able to say, "This is what I want."

MW: You've got that competitive background, as a wrestling champ. But entering seminary shows your humility. It's an interesting mix.

GOSS: That's a good insight, because I do think, all my life, I've always believed that I've failed at everything I did.

MW: When did that change?

GOSS: I don't know if that ever has really completely changed. I think it's because I grew up being so competitive, doing things that had very clear winners and losers, very much black-and-white things.

MW: Beyond the wrestling?

GOSS: Sure. Life! You're talking about sports. You're talking about school. I find competition really fun. It's my whole family. If you hung out with my family for 20 minutes, you would be part of 20 competitions. I grew up in a big gymnastics family. I was competing in gymnastics since I was 2. My parents owned a gym. I'm pretty aggressive, in general. I'm pretty straightforward. A lot of that's been tempered as I've gotten older, but I was pretty angry then, too. I was getting into a lot of fights.

MW: At what age?

GOSS: All of them. [Laughs.] I got expelled from school in ninth grade.

MW: For fighting?

GOSS: Yeah. I got into a fight with my football coach.

MW: You didn't hit him, did you?

GOSS: That's up for debate. I say I didn't hit him, but other people disagree. It was stupid. I was 14.

MW: It's hard for me to imagine Tom Goss with anger-management issues.

GOSS: Remember The Jenny Jones Show? Like, "My kid's out of control!" Or Cartman: "Mm-hmm, I do what I want." That was kind of me.

MW: Could you handle a kid like you?

GOSS: If I had a kid and my kid was like me? I don't know if I could or couldn't -- but I would.

To be brutally honest, when I think about it, it makes me sad. I feel bad for the fear that I caused my family. I feel bad for some of the things that I did. I feel bad for the tension I created, especially between me and my mom and the rest of my family.

MW: After puberty, after adolescence, did your hormones calm down?

GOSS: I essentially went from fighting, to fighting as a sport. I went to college to fight. If you're doing a sport in college, especially wrestling, it's all consuming. I used to envy people in other sports, because you could go to practice and then come home and have a life. Wrestling's different. It's the time when you're not at practice that's the hardest. You can't eat meals for days on end. Or you can't drink water. You're running three times a day in between practice. And you're doing it all because you want to want to beat somebody else physically. You want to literally beat them up.

It just got really old for me. The idea of moving back to Wisconsin and teaching social studies to be a wrestling coach -- because that was really the track -- it just felt horrible. The idea of it felt like the most horrible trap I could ever have been part of.

Tom Goss

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

MW: How do you feed that competitiveness now?

GOSS: I guess I was saying all that because, for me, the idea of being an artist is so different. It's not who "wins" at the art. I have very little musical competition. I don't feel like that has any place in this business. I do feel like sometimes that gets stirred up, but I push it back down. The music business is different because it's so up and down. Somebody loves you. Somebody hates you.

MW: So, that's sort of where the feeling of failure comes in? Because there's no referee to hold your arm up and tell you that you're the champion?

GOSS: My point is that I'm so competitive that if this is my bar, as soon as I get close the bar rises. My competitiveness in this industry is to always want to do better. It's not to compete against a thing or a person. Being successful in art, to connect with people in art, is to be as authentic as you can possibly be to yourself. If you're authentic and you can speak authentically, people will connect with that. The competition is not, "I want to beat this person down." The competition is, "I want to be the most authentic and fully integrated self that I can be." Which is a totally different mindset.

MW: That's difficult to quantify, a lot harder to "win."

GOSS: You can't. You quantify it by how much money you make. You quantify it by how many Facebook "Likes" you get. You quantify it by the stupidest shit.

MW: Does your husband help you temper that edge?

GOSS: My husband's way crazier than I am. [Laughs.] That's one of the few things we'll actually get in fights about.

The other thing about this is you can't take anything personally. If somebody doesn't book you for a gig or somebody doesn't call you back -- and these can be people you have relationships with, or not -- Mike takes that stuff, if he finds out about it, very personally.

MW: Mike is very protective?

GOSS: Super protective. He's protective of me and he's very protective of the things that I do and the talent that he believes that I have. It's hard. When he sees other people doing well, he wonders why I didn't get that specific thing.

It's hard, because I feel like it's that way in the community, as well. I feel like a lot of musicians get stuff and hold it, and they don't want to share and they don't want to collaborate and they don't want to create community. How many CDs do you own? You don't buy one CD. It's not like you win if you sell this CD. You win if you create this community of people that is supportive. It's not one or the other. It's about, how do we create something that people want? How do we create this whole community of goodness?

If you think about -- especially indie artists -- artists that get big, it's because they created this community, because a bunch of people got together and collaborated and helped bring more people into the message they had to offer.

MW: What is your message?

GOSS: It's funny. If you asked someone else, I think they'd say my message is love. I believe that my message is truth. I think that my message, especially on this record, is authenticity. I'm always searching for truth. I'm searching for that thing that is good and that is true and that is right. And that is bigger than me. A lot of me believes there's not much beyond this.

MW: Having left seminary, what is it that you do believe?

GOSS: I don't think there's anything else. And that scares me: the idea that we live, we do our thing, and then we die. Maybe someone remembers us for 10 years or 20 years. But -- be honest -- 50 years later? Do you know who these statues are around D.C.? These people have statues in circles! And most people are like, "Enh, it's a guy on a horse." You know what I mean? A big piece of me doesn't want to believe that.

I always want to believe that there's something bigger and there's something greater. I'm always searching. So far, the only thing in my life that speaks, like it just is what it is and cuts through the shit, is love. When I see people acting out of love, whether that's with their husbands or wives or children or friends, when they're acting selflessly, that's truly seeing who they are and what is good about the world. That's what I always want to be representing: The one thing that's biggest and best and all encompassing and that draws us all together.

MW: Has the tour for Wait already begun?

GOSS: No. I'll be going over to Europe, playing Iceland and the U.K. The record doesn't release till May 13, but it will be great to get a first European tour under my belt and to just play these songs a lot more.

MW: And you're the one on the phone arranging all this?

GOSS: Yeah. It's always kind of a delicate process. I've been getting pokes from Europe a lot the past year or so. I've been really afraid of it. I love touring. Touring is where the bulk of my income comes from. But the idea of putting a big, upfront chunk of change down is a little nerve-wracking.

MW: It's not the sort of thing banks want to give you a loan for?

GOSS: Nah. Well, I've never asked -- maybe they do. [Laughs.] Essentially, I had this period of time where I could do it. I was having conversations with some folks and their dates were matching my dates. Really, to be honest, I spent the money on the plane tickets so I had to do it. [Laughs.] That's what I did! It's been great. I really like the idea of it, and I'm excited to see what comes of it. It's a whole new monster. Everybody says Europe is way better than the states in terms of touring, for making money, for reception.

MW: One of the venues you're playing, London's Manbar, hosts quite a few fundraising gigs. Are there particular social causes you get behind?

GOSS: Besides the fact that I've spent the past eight years running a meal program for the homeless? For the most part, anybody who's asked me to do an event for them, I pretty much always say yes.

Obviously, most of my experience, my knowledge base, is in the homeless community. I'm going to plug my organization, Charlie's Place, because I'm leaving there in a week.

MW: You're leaving to dedicate yourself full time to your music career?

GOSS: Yeah. I've been at Charlie's Place for eight years, started as the program director. I was there every morning at 6, when we feed 50 to 80 clients. I was the only employee there. About a year and a half later, I had a really great opportunity to start going on the road full time. I also understood my limitations of being one person who does all the development, who does the volunteer coordination -- who does everything. That's kind of why I pitched a development role. "Look, you need somebody in there whose sole focus is the clients, in a capacity that helps them transition off the streets. They shouldn't have to worry about money. I can do this, and I can do this part time, and I can do this telecommuting."

Of course, I also said, "I'm going on the road. I have to take this opportunity first. I love you guys, I don't want to leave, but...." And they said it was a great idea, so I've spent the past six years doing solely development. I do a lot of that from home, a lot of it from the road. It's kind of gotten to the point, just to be really honest, it's too much to juggle. That's been happening for years. There have been times when I've had to turn down gigs because of work. That's life. Whatever. But, yeah, over the past year or so, as things continue to just be more hectic -- I shot this movie, Out To Kill, that'll release in the summertime.

Tom Goss

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

MW: I don't know about this.

GOSS: I will tell you about it. It's a film by Rob Williams, who's done a lot of movies. He's had some of my music in his movies, so we know each other. Out To Kill shot in November in Tampa. It's a really fun murder-mystery/comedy-type thing. There's a character named Justin Jaymes. He's a really bad, gay pop star. Really hyper-sexual, really manipulative. That's the role I play. It was an interesting opportunity to do some acting that was -- I believe -- really different from myself. And to have an opportunity to write songs for a movie in a whole different context. I did a music video for one. It's probably one of the worst things you'll ever see, but it's hilarious.

MW: What's the song?

GOSS: It's called, "You Don't Know How Hard." It's all about, "You don't know how hard it is to be this hot." It's really funny.

I've been getting some pokes on and off for acting the past couple years. I'm not an actor, I've never really done that, so I didn't really think much about it. But when this opportunity came along, it seemed like a really good fit.

MW: Does Mike go on tour with you?

GOSS: Mike obviously has to work, like a normal person, but comes sometimes. He'll take a week off and he'll do Portland to Los Angeles with me, or something like that. I can show you a map, it's really cute, with different lines to all the places we've driven together.

MW: You must be putting a lot of miles on your car.

GOSS: We got a new car this week. There are 242,000 miles on my car. It's done. So we bought a new car this week. But it's so nice that we're afraid to drive it and it's just been sitting in our garage. We got a Ford C-Max. It's a hybrid. It's big and it gets good gas mileage. As soon as we got it, Mike was like, "Oh, no, this is too nice. You can't take this car on the road!" I tend to agree with him, but I have to.

MW: With your star rising, being out there more, you lose some privacy. And fans can be pushy.

GOSS: I'm pretty lucky. But, yeah, sometimes people are pushy and weird.

MW: But no restraining orders?

GOSS: No, that was more the seminary days. [Laughs.] Pre-seminary and seminary, I had a lot of stalkers. As horrible as it was, it taught me a lot about boundaries.

Mike and I are monogamous, which I think is different in this community. That's fine. But I don't think people necessarily expect that, especially in the bear community. I think, a lot of the time, people assume something else. For the most part, people know and they're super respectful, but some people like to push the boundaries. If I'm standing there and somebody comes up and decides they like my ass and want to touch it, I'm more than happy to grab their hand and take it off my ass and tell them to stop. I don't have any problems with that. I'm not a super-timid, shy person.

MW: I'd be worried, like, Mike's not home, it's 1 a.m., and I think I just heard someone in the bushes.

GOSS: Oh, no, I've never had anything like that. I feel like I'm a little bit of a broken record, keep speaking about authenticity, but I think something that draws people to what I do is I'm open and honest about me and my life and my love. If you come to my shows, you're going to hear stories about Mike. You're not going to come out of my show thinking, "Oh, Tom's available." You're going to come out of the show loving Mike as much as I love Mike, because you're seeing Mike through the eyes of me, who loves him so much.

It's funny. I think people like Mike more than they like me. That's fine -- I love Mike! I hope everybody loves Mike. But when I pass through towns -- and he's been to a lot of the places I've toured -- people inevitably ask me if Mike is coming. I know that if Mike is coming, more people are going to show up to my show. It's hilarious. People see Mike as this really amazing, great guy. He's huggable. That really helps people when they approach me to see me as someone they respect as having a great thing going on. And I do. I don't have any interest in messing with that balance. It's a really great balance.

MW: Is there a part of you that would like to just keep his head down, stick with a job like Charlie's Place full time and not have to worry about the touring, promoting your work, all of that?

GOSS: I really like my career and I think I've done a lot of really great things.

The thinking about Charlie's Place, I really had to ask myself, "Is this it?" Because if this is it, I can balance it for another 10 years, where my career is now and Charlie's Place. But the answer was, "This is not. This is not the apex for me. I can do more. I can do better. I can create new, beautiful things -- and I really want to." The only way to do that is to let Charlie's Place go. Part of me feels like an idiot for leaving, because it's been so good to me. But I see so many more possibilities, so many beautiful things I want to create, so many people I want to meet.

With the exception of being away from Mike, which is always hard, I feel happiest when I'm on the road. Every day, I'm in a new place. I'm meeting new people. I do all this because I want to connect with people. I want to meet people and hear their stories. And I want to tell mine. That's when I'm happiest.

Tom Goss's next Washington date is Saturday, May 31, at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15 to $20. For tickets, visit tomgossmusic.net. Wait, releasing May 13, will also be available at tomgossmusic.net.

Think you know what to expect at a typical awards dinner? Great, but that's not what you'll find when the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (aka the Chamber) celebrates its 24th anniversary and honors a diverse group of local business and community leaders at its Annual Awards Dinner and Gala on Friday, April 25, at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel.

Chamber Vice President Katie McElroy, owner of the event-planning company Katie Rose LLC, says this year's event has been redesigned with more entertainment under a new theme: Indulge in Business Excellence.

Max Major

"We are really excited to be the organization that acknowledges and commends businesses and leaders within the local LGBTA community, and we are honored and humbled by this responsibility," says McElroy. "The Chamber has created this event to break the mold and elevate the Annual Awards Dinner beyond the typical D.C. gala that can feel sterile and routine. We want to treat our nominees and the community to an evening of opulence and grandeur that will indulge all your senses."

Guests will be charmed, delighted, wooed and astounded by the entertainers participating in this year's gala, where awards are given out in several categories: Excellence in Business, Business Leadership, Emerging Entrepreneur, Corporate Partner, and the Volunteer of the Year Award. More information is available about this year's nominees online at caglcc.org.

As part of this year's exciting changes to the event's programming, honorees will be announced at the dinner during a special awards presentation by this year's master of ceremonies, magician Max Major. Twice voted D.C.'s "Best Performance Artist" by readers of the Washington City Paper and voted "DC's Hottest Bachelor" by Inside Edition, Major will use a combination of magic, psychology and charm to entertain attendees while he pulls the award winners "out of the hat" of nominees in each category.

Entertainment will also be provided by the Rorschach Theatre, acclaimed for its fierce performance style and its bold use of theatrical space. The company will delight guests with its interactive, rococo-themed, in-costume and in-character performances throughout the evening.

"We are very grateful to have been part of such a warm and supportive community in Washington for the last 14 years, so we always love the opportunity to give back," says Rorschach's co-artistic director, Jenny McConnell Frederick. "Collaborations like these are essential in ensuring a really vibrant commerce ecology of our city -- and we know it's going to be a blast!"

Also performing will be singer Darsha Davis, who will treat attendees to an intimate set of soulful contemporary classics. "The opportunity to celebrate this year's award candidates and 'movers and shakers' in our area is awesome," says Davis.

The event will also feature the Royal Auction, sponsored by Malvin, Riggins and Company P.C. The auction consists of luxury items ranging from high-end clothing and accessories to special edition artwork. Some of this year's auction items include a TAG Heuer men's watch, donated by Tiny Jewel Box, and a DeLonghi Nespresso espresso maker, donated by Bloomingdale's. This year, the Chamber offers the opportunity to bid online prior to the dinner, including "Buy Now" prices. For more information about the auction, visit the Chamber's website.

Beyond the entertainment and Royal Auction, the value in attending the gala is the opportunity for networking. As described by Silvia Tergas, dinner co-chair and Chamber board member: "You can make new connections, meet a lot of decision makers, and build relationships. This is a fantastic business opportunity, wrapped in an evening of fun."

The Chamber's Annual Awards Dinner and Gala is Friday, April 25, at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets, starting at $210, and sponsorships are available on the Chamber's website.

The Chamber Means Business. For more information visit caglcc.org or facebook.com/CAGLCC. On Twitter, follow @DCLGBTBIZ

Robert E. McLean, a CAGLCC member, owns REM Association Services, a full-service association management company in Arlington.

The Wanda Alston Foundation, which operates the Wanda Alston House providing housing and support services for homeless and at-risk LGBT youth in the District, announced Tuesday evening that the foundation has put in place additional controls to prevent misuse of funds following the revelation that a staff member, since removed, used funds for personal use.

According to a statement released by the foundation that was sent to the donors and media, the foundation's board of directors asked an external accountant to conduct a review of all accounts. That accountant determined that no government funds had been misused. The foundation also apologized for the misuse of funds and offered assurance that problem had been resolved.

Christopher Dyer, a member of the foundation's board of directors, told Metro Weekly that the foundation had also reached out to donors via phone to inform them and reassure them of the importance of their support.

The board of directors has added additional safeguards to prevent a similar breach in the future, to include requiring that all disbursements be made by check, and increasing restrictions for direct withdrawal of foundation funds.

''The board moved swiftly to address the misuse of funds, and is confident that the strict financial controls that have been instituted in its wake will prevent any future issue of this type,'' the board said in its letter to donors. ''The Foundation is a young organization. As it finds increasingly secure footing, its accountability to you, our donors, is paramount.''

Although the statement did not directly name the staff member in question, the statement follows an abrupt announcement in mid-March that named Pettigrew the interim executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation and announced the sudden departure of Brian Watson, the former executive director, who left ''to pursue other activities,'' according to a press release announcing Pettigrew's appointment.

''Once the funds were discovered missing, the staff member immediately resigned and has agreed to a repayment plan,'' the board's letter reads.

Watson was a former employee of the transgender service agency Transgender Health Empowerment (THE), which shut its doors last year after the organization filed for bankruptcy as a result of mismanagement, failure to pay federal employee payroll taxes, and failure to pay employees for hours worked. According to bankruptcy-filing documents, Watson is among several creditors owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages by THE. Watson was also among the first class of Metro Weekly Next Generation awardees, in 2009.

Attempts to reach Watson for comment were unsuccessful.

About 20 community activists and advocates rallied Friday outside the John A. Wilson Building, which houses the mayor's office and the D.C. Council chambers, to call for the repeal of ''prostitution-free zones'' (PFZs), which opponents say has lead to profiling and harassment of transgender people, particularly transgender women of color.

The April 11 rally, organized by the local service organization HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) was held with the dual purpose of calling for a repeal of PFZs, as well as standing in solidarity with Monica Jones, a transgender woman and sex-worker advocate in Phoenix, who was arrested for ''manifestation of prostitution'' under a police sting operation and anti-prostitution diversion program known as Project ROSE (Reaching Out on Sexual Exploitation) one day after she spoke at a rally protesting the program. Jones, who has said she was not engaging in prostitution at the time of her arrest, was slated to appear in Phoenix Municipal Court Friday and plead not guilty to the charges against her. Simultaneously, demonstrations similar to the one in D.C. were scheduled to occur outside the courthouse in Phoenix and elsewhere.

HIPS rally against ''prostitution-free zones''

(Photo by John Riley)

Outside the Wilson Building, demonstrators, including representatives from some prominent LGBT groups, held signs calling attention to the Jones case and offered fliers arguing against programs such as Project ROSE and D.C.'s PFZs. The demonstrators also engaged passerby in conversation, urging D.C. residents to contact their councilmembers to ask them to repeal the PFZs.

''We're just trying to encourage D.C. voters to contact their councilmembers and let them know that they think prostitution-free zones are a bad law that needs to be removed from the books,'' said Emily Hammell, director of development at HIPS. ''It's used to profile trans women of color, and it's also probably unconstitutional.''

D.C.'s PFZ provision, introduced nine years ago, allows the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to declare a particular area a ''prostitution-free zone,'' which then grants police authority to order groups of two or more people in a PFZ to disperse. It also lowers the bar for probable cause leading to an arrest. Such zones can be labeled prostitution-free for any length of time, at the discretion of the chief of police.

At a January 2012 hearing regarding a failed bill, proposed by Councilmember Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), that would have expanded and made permanent existing prostitution-free zones, MPD Assistant Police Chief Peter J. Newsham testified that the purpose of PFZs is not to make arrests for prostitution, but to act as a tool that MPD officers can use to disperse people whom they believe may be trying to engage in commercial sex work. Following that hearing, as a result of outcry from critics and the logistics of enforcing PFZs, MPD halted its implementation and said it was working internally to rescind its general PFZ order.

Both transgender-rights advocates, who decry what they see as police profiling of transgender women of color, and sex-worker advocates, who seek to provide support and assistance to those who put themselves at risk in the commercial sex trade, oppose PFZs, arguing that the creation of PFZs doesn't affect root causes of prostitution. Rather, they argue, PFZs push such activity further underground, increasing the risk of harm to sex workers.

Furthermore, opponents of PFZs also note that the provision's legal foundation is shaky. During the debate over the bill to make PFZs permanent, Ariel Levinson-Waldman, a spokesman for the office of D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan, testified before the Council that the attorney general believes PFZs may be unconstitutional.

Elizabeth Saracco, director of programs at HIPS, says repeal advocates are considering a court challenge if the D.C. Council fails to take the law off the books.

''Ultimately, we just need to work together to make a happier, healthier community for everyone to live in, rather than attack individuals in the community,'' says Saracco.

''MPD definitely wants to build a relationship with transgender individuals in Washington, D.C.,'' she says. ''I think they want the same thing HIPS wants, in a way: just a happy, healthy community where people can live peacefully. We've been in talks with them to repeal the prostitution-free zones, because in nine years it hasn't done anything useful. It hasn't put an end to prostitution, it hasn't bettered people's lives in any way.''

Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), a critic of PFZs who was skeptical of their practicality during his 2012 Council run, has co-introduced a bill with Councilmembers Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) and David Catania (I-At Large) to repeal PFZs. The bill has since been co-sponsored by Councilmembers Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), the chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee that the bill must pass to receive a vote by the full Council, and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). Grosso was the only Councilmember to appear in person at the rally.

''I think it was a bad idea to start with,'' Grosso said of the creation of PFZs. ''I think people recognize now that it's an easy way to violate someone's human rights, and it's time to get rid of them and get them off the books.''

Grosso told Metro Weekly he believes he'll get the seven votes necessary to repeal PFZs, noting that as more is learned about the practice, some Councilmembers, even those who supported making the zones permanent, have changed their minds.

''When I came into office, I said that I was going to have a human rights framework to establish all my policies with, and this is one more opportunity for me to do that,'' Grosso said. ''In fact, I think all of my colleagues are catching on to that now, recognizing that we can't legislate without recognizing that people are affected by the laws that we create in ways that sometimes discriminate.''

Grosso added that he expected some residents in certain areas of the city to oppose the repeal, but insisted it was the right thing to do.

''I've been in neighborhoods we're they've touted these as something that's effective and useful, and they're just wrong,'' he said. ''And so, what you do, as a leader in this city, in my opinion, is you stand up and you say to the community, 'Hey, this is not working right, it's really discriminatory, and they need to be repealed.' So there are going to be some neighborhoods who push back, but, in the end, it's our job to say to them that they're not right.''

Kayley Whalen, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's executive office board liaison at, also attended the rally, as did representatives from the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA), a local nonpartisan LGBT political advocacy group.

''I came here today because I believe that trans women of color should feel safe walking down the streets of their neighborhoods, both in D.C. and in Phoenix, Arizona, where Monica Jones was arrested,'' Whalen said. ''I firmly believe that we need to stand up against police profiling and harassment and criminalization of trans women for sex work.''

Whalen said the Task Force found in its National Transgender Discrimination Survey that profiling is particularly hard on transgender women of color, with 41 percent of African-American transgender women and 25 percent of transgender Latinas reporting police harassment, or being arrested and detained due to gender-based profiling. Whalen said that PFZs simply give police ''extra leverage'' to profile or harass transgender women they suspect of engaging in sex work.

''What we need instead of programs like Project ROSE that 'save trans women from themselves,' is we need programs developed for and by trans women that help empower them,'' Whalen said. ''We need to support organizations like Casa Ruby DC; the TransLife Center, of Chicago House; or the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, that are working directly to empower trans women of color to take control of their destiny and their own advancement in society.''

GLAA members have testified before the D.C. Council that PFZs do not withstand constitutional scrutiny, an argument also backed by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union. On April 3, GLAA sent letters to the five members of the Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, as well as to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) and Grosso, outlining the constitutional concerns with PFZs.

''Even though the Council is a legislature, and you would think legislators would be eager to legislate, there's often a hesitance to act unless there's no other alternative,'' GLAA President Richard Rosendall said of the Council's inaction. ''In this case, we and our allies, including the ACLU, made the case during the hearing on Yvette Alexander's permanent PFZ bill in 2012, we made the case that it was unconstitutional, it didn't work, and caused a lot more problems than it solved. And then police officials indicated that they would stop using them, apparently until this got resolved. But then there was an admission that they weren't using the PFZs to make arrests, but just to make people move on. One of the reasons they weren't doing arrests was it wouldn't hold up in court.''

Rosendall said profiling within PFZs happens ''routinely and egregiously'' to transgender women of color, even when they are not engaging in prostitution. He added that non-transgender people, both within the LGBT and straight ''ally'' communities, need to speak out in favor of repealing PFZs, rather than dismiss the issue because it doesn't directly affect them.

''Those of us who don't fit the profile need to step up for our trans sisters, and the Council needs to get this passed,'' Rosendall said. ''It's unconstitutional, and it's not solving any problem. I think our legislators have a responsibility to at least do no harm. In this case, the laws against prostitution are used to target a particular population, many of whom have been driven into sex work because of discrimination. Adding an arrest to their record solves nothing and only increases the burden on them, creating a vicious cycle.''

Rosendall urged the Council to act this year. Mayor Vincent Gray, who is supportive of repealing PFZs, was recently defeated in his re-election bid, fueling a sense of urgency.

Of the 13 members of the D.C. Council, five back the bill to repeal PFZs. Finding two more votes may be a challenge, as many of the remaining councilmembers have appeared supportive or sympathetic to keeping PFZs in place.

The 2012 permanent PFZ bill was co-introduced by Alexander, Barry, former Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5), former Council Chairman Kwame Brown (D), Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) and Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), the Democratic nominee and presumptive favorite to become the District's next mayor. It was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) and Catania, although Catania later withdrew his support of the measure.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) helped defeat the 2012 bill in committee, largely over constitutional concerns, but told The Washington Post in 2012 that he thought PFZs were useful in disrupting the sex trade. Councilmember Jim Graham's position on repealing PFZs is unknown, although Graham did introduce a bill in 2009 aimed at creating ''no loitering zones,'' similar to PFZs and ''drug-free zones.'' Graham later withdrew the bill.

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) expressed concerns about profiling and the constitutionality of ''permanent'' PFZs during his 2012 special-election victory, saying that if the District is going to establish PFZs, they need to be able to withstand potential court challenges. Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At Large) had not yet been elected to the Council at the time the permanent PFZ bill was considered.

Equality Maryland PAC, the political action committee for the Free State's most prominent LGBT-rights group, announced on Monday it was endorsing state Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery Co.) in the race to succeed Attorney General Doug Gansler, an LGBT ally who is pursuing a bid for governor.

Frosh, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights, chairs the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, which oversaw deliberations regarding both the marriage-equality bill during the 2011 and 2012 sessions and the recently passed bill to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations based on gender identity or expression.

''Brian Frosh has been a firm ally and leader on LGBT issues in the General Assembly,'' Carrie Evans, the executive director of Equality Maryland, said in a statement announcing the endorsement. ''He has the maturity, experience and commitment to be an effective advocate for the LGBT communities of Maryland as our next Attorney General.''

Equality Maryland PAC's endorsement decision was based on Frosh's responses to a questionnaire and an in-person interview with staffers and board members from Equality Maryland, as well as some of the organization's regular members. Both Frosh and one of his two opponents in the Democratic primary, Del. Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore Co.), submitted questionnaires and were interviewed. Del. Aisha Braveboy (D-Prince George's Co.), Frosh's second Democratic opponent, was determined to be ineligible for Equality Maryland's endorsement because of her vote against the marriage-equality bill in 2012.

''Equality Maryland members were already aware of Brian Frosh's record of support on our issues,'' Timothy Williams, the chair of Equality Maryland PAC, said in a statement. ''During his interview with us he spoke convincingly about his commitment to fairness and how his own convictions were shaped by the example of his father, who supported civil rights for African Americans as a member of the Montgomery County Council more than 50 years ago.''

Frosh's endorsement marks Equality Maryland PAC's second endorsement for statewide office and its fifth endorsement of a non-incumbent. The PAC has endorsed Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D) and his running mate, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, in the race for governor and lieutenant governor.

''Senator Frosh has more than 35 years of experience as a practicing attorney and has served in the General Assembly for 27 years,'' Stephanie Bernstein, Equality Maryland board chair, said in a statement. ''He understands the duties of the Attorney General and articulates a clear vision for how this office can continue to move Maryland forward on fairness or equality. We strongly urge the LGBT community and its allies to support Senator Frosh in his bid to be Maryland's next attorney general.''

Supporters of marriage equality seeking to overturn Virginia's constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, along with the office of Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, filed appellate briefs April 11 in the case of Bostic v. Schaefer urging the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen finding the marriage ban unconstitutional.

Allen, a federal judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, ruled in February that the ban violates the due process and equal protection clauses guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

On Friday, Herring explained why the court should apply the most demanding ''strict scrutiny'' standard to Virginia's same-sex marriage ban, why the ban fails the ''strict scrutiny'' and ''rational basis'' tests, and why the court should act now to protect the fundamental right to marriage that is denied to same-sex couples in the commonwealth.

''All Virginia families deserve to be treated fairly and equally, and that, our Constitution guarantees to each of us,'' Herring said in a statement released by his office. ''I remain committed to ensuring both sides of this argument are heard in court as this case advances so we can get a definitive ruling, but since I changed the Commonwealth's legal position in January, every federal court that has considered the question has agreed that marriage equality is constitutionally required, including the resounding opinion in our favor in Virginia.''

Herring's brief also refutes arguments made by the appellants, clerks George E. Schaefer of Norfolk and Michelle McQuigg of Prince William County, as well as 21 others who filed amicus briefs. Herring says the ban should be subject to strict scrutiny because of discrimination and animus against gay people and their lack of political power under Virginia's laws.

Among other arguments put forth by the opponents of same-sex marriage, Herring points out that while some Virginians may have voted for the Marshall-Newman Amendment banning same-sex marriage in 2006 to ensure that their ''strongly held values'' were ''reflected in the law,'' religion cannot justify state-sponsored discrimination.

Herring also took aim at arguments advanced by McQuigg labeling marriage as necessary for procreation, noting that ''it is irrational to think that banning same-sex marriage will make heterosexual couples more likely to marry and have children of their own,'' and that there is no evidence that same-sex marriage harms heterosexual marriage.

Herring also defended same-sex families who are harmed by the ban by attacking McQuigg's argument that banning same-sex marriage is necessary to protect children. Herring wrote that McQuigg ''fails to explain why [the state] has a compelling interest in excluding gay people from marriage, thereby making it harder for gay parents to raise their children. McQuigg does not even mention the legal and economic benefits of marriage that are locked away from same-sex couples – such as spousal privilege, tenant-by-entirety ownership, inheritance rights, statutory beneficiary status and medical decision-making authority, to name a few.''

Herring's brief also states that Virginia State Registrar of Vital Records Janet Rainey will continue to enforce the ban on same-sex marriage until a definitive judicial decision can be rendered. Herring asked that any injunction against the ban be stayed until the U.S. Supreme Court resolves the issue.

Besides Herring, the legal team of Ted Olson and David Boies, lead counsel in the Bostic v. Schaefer case, also filed a brief arguing that Virginia's marriage prohibition is unconstitutional and must be subject to heightened scrutiny.

''Virginia has singled out gay men and lesbians and enshrined in Virginia's Constitution and statutory code that they are different, that their loving and committed relationship are ineligible for the designation 'marriage,' and that they and the children they raise are unworthy of that 'most important relation in life,''' the legal team wrote in its brief.

''No less than Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws, Virginia's Marriage Prohibition flatly contradicts the 'cherished protections' that Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses provide for 'private choices of the individual citizen regarding love and family.'''

Adam Umhoefer, the executive director of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), which is sponsoring the Bostic v. Schaefer case, said the foundation looked forward to presenting its case before the Fourth Circuit on behalf of thousands of gay and lesbian Virginians and their families.

''In the last five months, every federal judge to rule on the question of marriage for gay and lesbian Americans has decided in favor of equality,'' Umhoefer said, ''And we are confident the momentum will continue through this appeal at the Fourth Circuit.''

Lawyers for two other couples, in Harris v. Rainey – a case seeking to overturn the marriage ban from the Western District of Virginia that was previously certified as a class action lawsuit – also submitted briefs to the court arguing that the ban violates the 14th Amendment and should be subject to ''heightened scrutiny'' because of systematic discrimination against same-sex couples by the commonwealth of Virginia, which does not recognize any form of relationship or contract between same-sex couples, even if they are legally married elsewhere.

''Although heightened scrutiny is required, Virginia's marriage bans are unconstitutional under any standard of review,'' counsel for the Harris plaintiffs, which included lawyers from Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Virginia and the law firm Jenner and Block, wrote in their brief. ''Tradition is not a legitimate purpose that, standing alone, can justify disparate treatment.''

Like Herring and the Bostic lawyers, the Harris legal team also refuted arguments claiming there is a compelling state interest in preventing same-sex couples from marrying.

''The lack of any rational connection between Virginia's marriage bans and a legitimate state interest reinforces the inevitable conclusion that the primary purpose and practical effect of the bans is to impose a disadvantage, a separate status, and so a stigma upon same-sex couples in the eyes of the state and the broader community, rendering the bans unconstitutional.''

The appellants and opponents of same-sex marriage are required to submit briefs responding to the plaintiffs' and Herring's arguments by April 30. The Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case on May 13.

This is what you don't want.

You don't want to see your dish displayed as Ted Allen briskly lifts the silver cover. Because that means, as Allen brusquely intones, "You've been chopped."

Since January of 2009, Allen has been hosting the popular Food Network show that pits four chefs (and sometimes celebrities) against one another in a unique cook-off that features three courses -- an appetizer, entree and dessert -- cooked at a breathless pace, and incorporating four generally very disparate, seemingly incompatible ingredients. After each course, one of the chefs is eliminated.

The chefs have to contend with absurd mystery ingredient combinations like pickle juice, herb stems, overripe tomatoes, fish carcass for the appetizer; fenugreek, new potatoes, bison short ribs, cheese spread in a jar for the entree; and cooked corn cobs, pitcher of sangria, duck sauce, stale plain doughnuts for the dessert course. What is it they say these days? Oh, right. Om nom nom.

Ted Allen

(Photo by Peter Ross)

The people who dream up the ingredient combinations for Chopped are clearly either full-on sadists or genuinely believe that culinary magic can be arrived at combining fruit punch with chicken feet. Even Allen admits that not all the dishes are appetizing. "Sometimes it's terrible," he confides. One of the Food Network's most enjoyable, enduring competitions, Chopped owes much of its success to Allen, whose on-screen persona is best quantified as equal parts warm, remote and unforgivingly stern.

In person, Allen is nothing but warm. A former member of the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy posse, for which he served as "food and wine specialist," and prior to that a journalist who penned culinary articles for Chicago magazine, Allen still contributes frequently to Esquire magazine, and was recently handed the hosting keys to yet another Food Network show, America's Best Cook, which premiered Sunday, April 13. On it, home cooks from different regions of the nation are mentored by Food Network celebrity chefs as they vie for a $50,000 grand prize. That buys a lot of Kraft Mac & Cheese.

But Allen also has a philanthropic side, and as such serves as an ambassador to Dining Out for Life, helping to promote the nationwide event in which participating restaurants donate a portion of their day's receipts to worthy causes that help to feed the infirm and homebound.

In the case of our city, the beneficiary is Food & Friends, which helps to keep people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other illnesses not only well-fed, but in healthy nutritional balance. It's one of our area's most enduring, important services, and though it sprung out of the gay community, it has evolved over the years to reach far beyond its initial bounds, enveloping all who are in need of its services.

In advance of Dining Out for Life, Metro Weekly talked with Allen about the event, as well as his time spent on Chopped, where he reveals, among other things, his favorite "weird" ingredient of all time.

Hint: It comes in a can. And sounds spectacularly unappealing. Om nom nom, indeed.

METRO WEEKLY: You are one of four Dining Out for Life ambassadors, nationwide. What do you like most about this event?

TED ALLEN: I really love this event because in a single day it raises $4 million to fight HIV and AIDS in cities all across the county, while at the same time, encouraging people to go out and spend money in local restaurants, thus helping the economy, helping my friends who are chefs, hopefully helping diners discover something really delicious, and playing a meaningful part in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It's such a win-win-win, I can't stop being involved with it.

MW: We've been a supporter of it here, for Food & Friends, for years. One thing we've noticed over the years is that fewer restaurants seem willing to give at the 100 and 50 percent level. Of course, that's voluntary and any amount is obviously appreciated by the organization, but why do you think it's decreased?

ALLEN: I'm not privy to official statistics inside the organization itself, so this is just me talking. Whenever anyone's trying to raise money for anything, the restaurant community is always the first place they go, and the restaurant community always steps up. That having been said, if there has been a decrease in the percentage that many restaurants are able or willing to put in, I can only imagine that it's because of the economy over the last five or six years. It's made life difficult in a business where the margins are always tight. If you're making 10 percent profits in the restaurant business, you're doing a great job. Also, I think the demands on everybody for philanthropy has just gone through the roof. Since the original Dining Out for Lifes, lots of other people have started doing a Dining Out for this and Dining Out for that. That said, someone who used to give 100 -- if they can still give 50, God bless 'em.

MW: Where do you usually do Dining Out for Life?

ALLEN: The irony is that New York City, being a place that was basically ground zero for the AIDS epidemic in the first place, is so well served with organizations that deliver food to people and raise money for AIDS and HIV that they don't actually do a Dining Out for Life here. I have in the past gone to Philadelphia to celebrate it. But this year I will be in a studio on April 24, shooting Chopped, so I don't get to go. When I have done it, I try to do drinks and appetizers at one place and dinner and dessert at another place to kind of spread it around a little bit.

MW: Let's talk about Chopped. Great show. How long have you been doing it now?

ALLEN: It's been about five years. We have made 257 episodes. We have not aired all those yet. We have new ones coming out now, and they will be coming out for a while.

MW: Watching you on it, you seem to genuinely enjoy it.

ALLEN: I love it. I love all the judges. I have great friends there. We're super fortunate that the show's been so successful. The only thing about it that I don't like is getting up at the crack of hell. I hate that. And I don't like being on my feet for 12 hours. But talking about food with these gifted New York City chefs all day is such a treat for me -- it's a blast.

MW: I'm not generally a huge fan of the food competition shows, but I like Chopped because of the bizarre combinations of ingredients you hurl at the chefs.

ALLEN: Lamb testicles and chicken feet.

MW: It's often remarkable that they can actually make something good out of the disparate ingredients they're given.

ALLEN: Sometimes it's terrible. It's very difficult to cook anything good with the ingredients we give them, under those conditions.

Ted Allen

(Photo by Peter Ross)

MW: Do you personally get to taste everything?

ALLEN: I taste anything that looks really good. Every once in a while someone really hits it out of the park and the judges always fix me a little bite. It's just so impressive when someone can do that. It's a very specific skill and it really has very little reflection on your actual talents as a chef day-to-day. Every chef [in their own kitchen] gets to pick their own ingredients to a certain extent and has a chance to try them out and plan and dream and research. And the ability to make something out of lamb testicles and chicken feet and Pabst Blue Ribbon in 20 minutes without cutting off your thumb is a very specific and different talent.

MW: The competitions are shot in real time?

ALLEN: Yes.

MW: That's incredible. It's brilliantly photographed and edited. But, God, what a nightmare it must be to edit.

ALLEN: One episode of Chopped takes 37 days to edit. We have nine or 10 cameras, each of them coming out of a 12-hour shoot day. They probably shoot about seven or eight hours of tape each. All that stuff has to be viewed in the raw, on a single monitor with all nine cameras at once, in different little squares. It's unbelievable to me -- I can't believe anybody could do that job.

It sounds so trite to say we're a close family, but we just are. We have a great director and a team of camera operators. They're all freelancers, but they all come back because they love to work together and it's kind of like shooting a basketball game. It's fun for them to shoot. Many of the same people have done the cake competition shows, and those are not fun for them to shoot because [contestants] have two hours to bake a cake and there's no action. It's just [host] Ron Ben-Israel in the room and a cake in the oven gradually getting larger.

MW: You've had a really interesting career. Obviously you don't plan a career like this, but, looking it over, are you happy with the way it's turned out and where you've ended up?

ALLEN: I couldn't be more grateful. I loved writing for magazines and newspapers, too. But I think anybody who gets to work in a field that they love -- in my case talking about and tasting and thinking about food -- that's a very fortunate person. To get a chance to work in television and have a show that takes off is such a rare thing. I'm kind of amazed by it. The only thing about it that's kind of difficult is that it's really hard to plan for the next act, as every show ends. I have a couple of things in the hopper, but the ratings for this show are nowhere but great, so I don't think it's ending anytime soon.

It amazes me that as long as we've been doing it, it's still basically the same game show. I don't get bored. I think that's something to be really grateful for. We always have different competitors, our judges rotate, we have different personalities, we have different ingredients, there's always something new to learn and talk about. I couldn't be happier. The network's great to me. I'm very fortunate.

MW: You're well known as a gay man, and you're hosting this popular show, but it's never really brought into focus at all. It's just another example of just cultural assimilation. I'm saying that's a good thing.

ALLEN: I agree with you. I think that's something Food Network deserves some credit for. In fact, the LGBT presence at Food Network is reflected all the way at the top, starting with our president, Bob Tuschman, who's openly gay. There are lots of gay people in the executive suites and the ranks of the producers.

MW: Was there ever any doubt that you now know of before they selected you as host?

ALLEN: I'm sure they had their doubts. Whenever you put somebody in the host position, you wonder if they can carry the show. And I don't have to carry the show because the stars of our show are the competitors. And then I've got the judges to lean back on, as well. I'm sure you would always wonder if this person is going to work out whether they're gay or what gender or race or whatever it might be. But this was actually the second show Food Network has put me in charge of and they've been nothing but great. No one has ever said, "Hey, stay away from those pride parades!"

MW: What's your favorite thing to cook at home?ALLEN: Ironically, when you consider where I work, I'm very much a slow-food guy. I actually don't even like to cook things that are done quickly. I love to braise things. I love to put a roast in my smoker -- like a pork roast -- and cook it for eight hours until it's just fall-off-the-bone tender. Stir-fry? I'll eat it once in a while if I'm in a hurry and because it's delicious and I like it.

But what really gets me started is slow and low, long-developed flavor. Long-simmered sauces.

I've taken a lot of inspiration from our judges, because I've spent so much time talking to them and I've learned a lot -- [chef and Chopped judge] Scott Conant taught me a lot about cooking pasta and about making polenta. And the secret to polenta is cooking it for a very long time. Scott cooks his for about three hours. Very low temperature. It's just cornmeal, but it becomes something sexy and silky and sensual. I love stuff like that.

MW: What's the weirdest ingredient you've ever encountered on Chopped? Where you were like, "I can't believe they put this into the mix."

ALLEN: In a competition that's seen at least three or four kinds of testicles, it's kind of hard to narrow it down to one ingredient. But I'll tell you my favorite weird ingredient: a whole chicken in a can. I don't know why anybody would want such a thing, but it does exist. I think they probably can the chicken raw, seal it and then cook it, because when you open it and plop it out, it comes slipping out with a bunch of gelatin. It's hideous -- and the skin is on it and the skin's all rubbery-looking. It must have been developed for bomb shelters or something. It's just such an appalling ingredient, that's what I like about it.

MW: I've never eaten chicken in a can, nor do I think I want to. And I've never eaten testicles. Hmmm. I probably shouldn't put it that way.

ALLEN: [Laughs.] I was going to try to save you, but too late. I did an interview about an hour ago where I said, "You know it's not like I want to eat polish sausage every day of the week, but...." I really think I should have rephrased that.

New episodes of Chopped air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on the Food Network. America's Best Cook airs Sundays at 9 p.m. Visit foodnetwork.com.

Dining Out for Life is Thursday, April 24. For more information on the national event, and to find a city near you, visit diningoutforlife.com. For the local D.C. event, benefiting Food & Friends, visit foodandfriends.org/dol. A complete listing of participating local restaurants follows.

Where have all the cowboys gone?

Would you believe, Paula Cole, to Town? In fact, this Saturday, Town welcomes cowboys, drag queens and geeks -- oh, my!

"I'm hoping that people in the local community will realize that LGBT country dancers are alive and well," says Cullen Ruff, a member of the DC Rawhides. After a couple years in the church hall at Dupont Circle's Church of the Pilgrims, this country-western dance group christens the large second floor of Town Danceboutique as its new home, every other week starting this Saturday, April 19. It'll also be the first Saturday since the closure of Remingtons, D.C.'s longstanding LGBT country-western venue that had fallen on hard times. "When Remingtons was drawing bigger crowds," Ruff recalls fondly, "it was a popular place not only for the dancing, but for meeting people in a setting where you felt like you could talk to people. Very relaxed. You didn't find a lot of attitude there."

The DC Rawhides aim to continue that tradition at Town with a party dubbed Town & Country. The hoedown starts with dance lessons at 7 p.m., then runs through to 10:30 when the second floor transitions from mostly country music to Town's regular EDM/club music and dancing that's a bit more individual and freestyle.

"I think it will appeal to a broader range of people, even people who don't think they like country music," Ruff says of Town & Country. He notes that about a quarter of the music played will be pop/club hits, to accompany some of the choreographed line dances and even a few couples dances. "The thing about social dancing," he says, "is that there's much more of a camaraderie with this than your average disco or club-type dancing. You connect with people more."

And those who don't know how to do social dancing needn't worry, even if they miss the hour-long lessons before each event. "We have people, we see ourselves as 'dance angels,'" promises Ruff, "who want to make sure we go introduce ourselves to people who may be new and to help them practice their step until they're comfortable doing this on their own."

There's plenty more, however, to top this Saturday at Town. Starting at 10:30 p.m., both floors will serve as a themed party inspired by Awesome-Con, the annual event at the Washington Convention Center that draws in science fiction, fantasy and comic lovers by the thousands. Town is calling this night devoted to cheeky geekdom "Star Whores: The Empire's Got Back."

"There are a few official after-parties during Awesome-Con at straight clubs," says Town's Ed Bailey. "But as far as I know, we're the only gay place that's even kind of recognizing that it's going on."

DJ Hector Fonseca will spin his usual electro/tribal/EDM music, which can be occasionally spooky and no doubt a bit loopy or out-there for some, while Kid Madonny will dress up the club in sci-fi-themed decor. The weekly first-floor drag show will find Lena Lett, Shiqueeta Lee and Ba'Naka leading the drag cast performing scary pop-culture spoofs as well as inevitably competing for the crown: "Biggest Star Whore of Them All!"

Town & Country is Saturday, April 19, with lessons starting at 7 p.m., then dancing until 10:30 p.m., when Star Whores takes over at Town Danceboutique, 2009 8th NW. Cover is $5 for the whole night including Town & Country, or $8 10 to 11 p.m., $12 after. 21 and older. Call 202-234-TOWN or visit towndc.com.

Matthew Hemerlein will perform as Lo-Fang at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue next weekend, for a concert not two months since the pop musician's debut at Echostage.

"It was nice to play someplace I'd never even been before," says Hemerlein, who opened for Lorde. "It's great to see new places opening in D.C."

Lo-Fang

(Photo by Grant Singer)

Those aren't merely idle words from an itinerant musician, one who also expects next weekend "to see lots of familiar faces and hang out a little bit," adding for good measure: "I love D.C."

In fact, the 30-year-old Hemerlein grew up outside Columbia, Md., and lived in D.C. as recently as two years ago. Back then the singing multi-instrumentalist was regularly making the rounds of local performance spaces and open-mike spots -- as well as doing the occasional good deed, such as modeling and promoting a designer T-shirt to benefit the Human Rights Campaign's marriage-equality work. "I really respect the movement and everything that they're working towards," says Hemerlein, who's straight.

Hemerlein's sound merges his strings-heavy classical upbringing with modern-day pop, which started generating international buzz years ago, most notably in Iceland. "For such a small place, it's amazing that so many world-class people come from out of that culture," says Hemerlein, who was tapped to play the heralded Iceland Airwaves music festival in 2011 and stayed on in Reykjavik afterward to soak up the sonic air. In addition to the Nordic country's pop patron saint Bjork, you can also hear austere electronic influences from Icelandic acts GusGus and Sigur Ros on the Lo-Fang set Blue Film. For that absorbing debut album released earlier this year, Hemerlein worked with Australian producer Francois Tetaz, best known for his Grammy Award-winning work with Gotye.

After hearing an early copy of Blue Film, Lorde, the New Zealand teenager born Ella Yelich-O'Connor, handpicked Hemerlein for her first U.S. tour, and even sang with him onstage. But any future plans with Lorde or anyone else will have to wait. Hemerlein's sole focus at the moment is on his own headlining U.S. tour, performing with two supporting musicians.

"I'm going to be playing lots of instruments onstage," he says. "There's going to be a certain level of improvisation that we weren't really able to do at the Lorde show."

Lo-Fang performs Saturday, April 26, at 8 p.m., at

Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 day of. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

Roughly 12 years ago, I was toiling on the floor of a pal's dining room, constructing a banner. I'd just begun dating the man I'd eventually marry, and was keeping myself occupied during our first stretch apart since meeting. He was off riding his bike to raise money for Food & Friends, as I slapped together a ''welcome home'' banner with which to greet him on the National Mall.

I've never volunteered for Food & Friends myself, but I've certainly married into the family. Working in LGBT media in D.C., there's actually a sort of prohibition against volunteering for them. I'm not supposed to get that involved with organizations I may be reporting on. And, through the years, I've certainly reported on Food & Friends. I toured the Northeast facility shortly after it opened in 2004. I've collected recipes from staff for a feature story. My favorite Food & Friends story is from 2005, when Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) tapped the organization at a moment's notice to deliver 400 hot meals to the D.C. Armory to feed Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Other stories – not mine – relating to Food & Friends had to do with Pallotta TeamWorks, which managed the ride my now-husband was on when I made his banner. That relationship ended when Pallotta TeamWorks tanked amid criticism of its business model. Food & Friends Executive Director Craig Shniderman has also taken some flak for his $350,000-plus salary. While in my perfect world charities wouldn't be necessary as government would smoothly and efficiently make best use of taxes to eliminate social ills – and, yes, I know perfection does not exist – I don't have any issue with Shniderman's salary. After all, the guy who runs D.C.-based LivingSocial is reportedly worth $180 million, according to Complex. And plenty of starting K Street lobbyists seem to fare at least as well. Feeding about 3,000 clients across 5,300 square miles – give or take – I think Shniderman certainly earns his keep, whether running around 17th Street in drag during Dining Out for Life, recruiting his family to help prepare Food & Friends' Thanksgiving meals, or just steadily growing an organization that is a lifeline to so many in need.

In these years since I made my banner – which was a big hit, by the way – I find myself still not a volunteer, but married into the Food & Friends family. These days, I recuse myself from writing news coverage of the organization. I would recuse myself from attending the volunteer appreciation dinners, as I don't in any way deserve the tasty buffet, but my husband insists I accompany him. Last Thursday, I was very glad to be there, though, to watch our friend Claudia receive her certificate of recognition for five years of service, delivering meals far and wide. And I'll be at Chef's Best next month, as this is my husband's first year on the host committee, his last days-long fundraising ride being a few years ago. From each according to his ability, as the communists say.

Till then, there is Dining Out for Life, and I hope to be there, too. As of this writing, I don't yet know where – whether it will be a 25 percent or 100 percent sponsor, or somewhere in between – but we'll certainly be there. And I will be there with gratitude for the restaurants that participate, for the many volunteers who make it all possible, and to Food & Friends for doing work that makes the world a far better place than it would otherwise be.

Will O'Bryan is Metro Weekly's managing editor. Email him at wobryan@MetroWeekly.com. Follow him on Twitter @wobryan.

Ask Moses Pendleton about his dance company Momix's next show in D.C. and he'll give you a perfectly lucid description -- and then crack wise.

"Botanica is a show that hopefully gives you the feeling of going through the four seasons, using basically the garden and natural world as inspiration," he says, continuing on a bit before stopping to laugh. "Of course there is the opportunity to dream if you don't like the show. If you have that kind of concentration."

Momix

(Photo by Max Pucciariello)

Little doubt Botanica, which Momix performs next weekend at Lisner Auditorium as presented by WPAS, is as engaging and full of whimsy as its creator. Pendleton jokes that he first performed at Lisner with Pilobolus, the acclaimed company he co-founded before Momix, "Way, way, way back to the beginning of time."

Pendleton formed Momix in 1981, which was years before other less-dance-centric companies, from Cirque du Soleil to the Blue Man Group, emerged to help sell the mainstream on the idea of physical, even surrealistic, theater. The idea didn't come to Pendleton by dream. "I was born and raised on a dairy farm, and my dream was to be a skier," says the man born in Vermont who spent his summers as a teenager skiing in Oregon. But after he broke his leg in a college skiing accident, Pendleton took a dance class, "just by accident, to get back in shape." And that's how his background as an athlete clearly inspired what has become his career as a "dancer/athlete, putting an aesthetic on the athletic."

"I spend a lot of time decanting the past in various conversations," Pendleton initially says about plans for his future. Turns out the man who recently turned 65 is gradually working with "a few trusty assistants" to archive and digitize his materials for an eventual memoir. "The memoirs of an amnesiac," he teases. Pendleton also spends extended periods every day walking and swimming. (He retired from dancing years ago.) And that physical activity helps fuel his creativity and his unabated passion for defying expectations, certainly when it comes to his choreography.

"If people leave with a little less gravity in their step," Pendleton says in a final comment about Botanica, "it'll be successful."

Momix perform Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, at 8 p.m., at Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $28 to $48. Call 202-994-6851 or visit lisner.org or wpas.org.

A complete guide to all participating restaurants as of press time, by neighborhood, including meals and what percentage of each bill will be donated to Food & Friends. This year's Dining Out for Life takes place on Thursday, April 24th. Please note that RESERVATIONS ARE SUGGESTED at most restaurants. Please call ahead or visit OpenTable.com. For an up-to-date list of restaurants visit foodandfriends.org/dol.

Adams Morgan

18th & U Duplex Diner

2004 18th St NW(202)265-7828Dinner, 25%American

Cashion's Eat Place

1819 Columbia Rd NW(202) 797-1819Dinner, 25%American

La Fourchette

2429 18th St. NW(202) 332-3077Lunch & Dinner, 35%French

L'Enfant Café and Bar

2000 18th St. NW(202)319-1800Dinner, 25%French

Little Fountain Café

2339 18th St. NW(202)462-8100Dinner, 35%American

Mintwood Place

1813 Columbia Road NW(202)234-6732Dinner, 25%American

Napoleon Bistro

1847 Columbia Rd.(202) 299-9630Dinner, 25%French

Perry's

1811 Columbia Road NW(202)234-6218Dinner, 25%American

Brentwood

Sala Thai Restaurant

2300 Washington Place NE(202) 635-6999Lunch & Dinner, 25%Thai

Capitol Hill

Banana Café & Piano Bar

500 8th St SE(202) 543-5906Dinner, 25%Cuban

Café Berlin

322 Massachusetts Ave. NE(202)543-7656Lunch & Dinner, 25%German

Hank's Oyster Bar on the Hill

633 Pennsylvannia Ave SE(202) 733-1971Dinner, 25%American, Seafood

Las Placitas Restaurant

517 8th St SE(202) 543-3700Dinner, 25%Latin American

Ninnella Restaurant

106 13th St. SE(202) 543-0184Dinner, 25%Italian

The Old Siam

406 8th St. SE(202) 544-7426Dinner, 25%Thai,Sushi

Trattoria Alberto

506 8th St SE(202) 544-2007Dinner, 25%Italian

Chevy Chase

Arucola Osteria

5534 Connecticut Ave NW(202) 244-1555Lunch & Dinner, 25%Italian

Cleveland Park

Cactus Cantina

3300 Wisconsin Ave NW(202) 686-7222Lunch & Dinner, 25%Tex-Mex

Columbia Heights

The Heights

3115 14th St. NW(202) 797-7227Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Downtown

Georgia Brown's

950 15th St NW(202) 393-4499Dinner, 25%American

Dupont Circle

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse

1609 17th St. NW(202) 232-0395Dinner, 100%American

Beacon Bar & Grill

1615 Rhode Island Ave NW(202) 872-1126Dinner, 25%American

Bistrot Du Coin

1738 Connecticut Ave NW(202) 234-6969Lunch & Dinner, 50%French

Café Dupont

1500 New Hampshire Ave.(202)797-0169Dinner, 25%French

Darlington House

1610 20th St. NW(202) 332-3722Lunch & Dinner, 25%American, Italian

Dupont Italian Kitchen

1637 17th St. NW(202) 328-3222Dinner, 25%Italian

Floriana

1602 17th St. NW(202) 667-5937Dinner, 35%Italian

Grillfish

1200 New Hampshire Ave NW(202) 331-7310Lunch & Dinner, 25%American, Seafood

Hank's Oyster Bar & Lounge

1624 Q St. NW(202) 462-4265Dinner, 25%American, Seafood

James Hoban's Irish Restaurant

1 Dupont Circle, NW(202) 223-8440Lunch & Dinner, 25%Pub

La Tomate

1701 Connecticut Ave NW(202)667-5505Dinner, 25%Italian

Lauriol Plaza

1835 18th St. NW(202) 387-0035Dinner, 25%Tex-Mex

Level One Restaurant

1639 R St. NW(202) 745-0025Dinner, 25%American

M Street Bar and Grill

2033 M St. NW(202) 530-3621Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Mai Thai

1200 19th St. NW(202)452-6870Dinner, 25%Thai

Mourayo

1734 Connecticut Ave NW(202)667-2100Dinner, 25%Greek

Pesce Restaurant

2002 P St. NW(202) 466-3474Dinner, 35%Seafood

Foggy Bottom

Founding Farmers

1924 Pennsylania Ave NW(202) 822-8783Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy

2036 G St. NW202-296-0211Dinner, 25%AmericanFriendship Heights

Le Chat Noir

4907 Wisoncsin Ave NW(202) 244-2044Dinner, 35%FrenchGeorgetown

Café La Ruche

1039 31st St. NW(202) 965-2684Dinner, 50%French

Don Lobos Mexican Grill

2811 M St NW(202) 333-0137Dinner, 25%Mexican

Neyla

3206 N St NW(202) 333-6353Dinner, 25%Mediterranean

Peacock Café

3251 Prospect St. NW(202) 625-2740Dinner, 35%American

Atlas/H Street

Le Grenier

502 H St. NE(202) 544-4999Dinner, 25%French

Logan Circle

Commissary

1443 P St. NW(202) 299-0018Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Le Diplomate

1601 14th St. NW(202) 332-3333Dinner, 25%French

Logan Tavern

1423 P St. NW(202) 332-3710Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Nage Restaurant

1608 Rhode Island Ave NW(202) 448-8005Dinner, 25%American, Seafood

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

1612 14th St. NW(202) 319-1612Dinner, 50%American

Posto

1515 14th St NW(202) 332-8613Dinner, 50%Italian

The Pig

1320 14th St. NW(202) 290-2821Dinner, 25%American

Veranda

1100 P St. NW(202) 234-6870Dinner, 25%Mediterranean

Mt. Vernon Triangle

Busboys and Poets

1025 5th St. NW(202) 789-2227Dinner, 35%American

Sixth Engine

438 Massachusetts Ave NW(202) 506-2455Dinner, 25%AmericanThe Palisades

Blacksalt Fish Market & Restaurant

4883 MacArthur Blvd. NW(202) 342-9101Dinner, 25%Seafood

Penn Quarter

Asia Nine Bar and Lounge

915 E St. NW(202) 629-6355Dinner, 25%Asian

Poste Moderne Brasserie

555 8th St. NW(202) 783-6060Dinner, 25%American, French

Tosca

1112 F Street, NW(202)367-1990Dinner, 100%Italian

Petworth

Sala Thai Restaurant

3716 Georgia Ave NW(202) 629-1643Lunch & Dinner, 25%Thai

Shaw

1905

1905 9th St NW(202) 332-1905Dinner, 25%Ethiopian

Dino's Grotto

1914 9th St. NW(202) 686-2966Dinner, 25%Italian

Shaw's Tavern

520 Florida Ave NW(202) 518-4092Dinner, 50%American

Thally

1316 9th St NW(202) 733-3849Dinner, 25%American

U Street

Busboys and Poets

2021 14th St Nw(202) 387-7638Dinner, 35%American

Café Saint-Ex

1847 14th St NW(202)265-7839Dinner, 25%French

Eatonville

2121 14th St. NW(202) 332-9672Dinner, 35%American

JoJo's Restaurant

1518 U St. NW(202) 319-9350Dinner, 25%American

Marvin

2007 14th St. NW(202) 797-7171Dinner, 35%American

Sala Thai Restaurant

1301 U St. NW(202) 462-1333Lunch & Dinner, 25%Thai, Sushi

Woodley Park

New Heights Restaurant

2317 Calvert St. NW(202)234-4110Dinner, 25%American

Bethesda

Black's Bar & Kitchen

7750 Woodmont Ave.(301) 652-5525Dinner, 25%American, Seafood

Freddy's Lobster and Clams

4867 Cordell Ave.(240)743-4257Dinner, 25%Seafood

Hard Times Café

4922 Del Ray Ave(301) 951-3300Dinner, 25%American

Guapo's Restaurant

8130 Wisonsin Ave(301) 656-0888Dinner, 25%Tex-Mex

Sala Thai Restaurant

4828 Cordell Ave(301) 654-4676Lunch & Dinner, 25%Thai

Trattoria Serrento

4930 Cordell Ave(301) 718-0344Dinner, 25%Italian

Garrett Park

Black Market Bistro

4600 Waverly Ave.(301) 933-3000Dinner, 25%American

Hyattsville

Busboys and Poets

5331 Baltimore Ave(301) 779-2787Dinner, 35%American

Potomac

Amici Miei Ristorante

1093 Seven Looks Rd.(301) 545-0966Lunch & Dinner, 25%Italian

Rockville

Il Pizzico

15209 Frederick Rd.(301) 309-0610Dinner, 35%Italian

Mosaic Cuisine and Café

186 Halpine Rd.(301) 468-0682Dinner, 25%French

Silver Spring

8407 Kitchen Bar

8407 Ramsey Ave.(301)587-8407Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Cubano's

1201 Fidler Ln.(301) 563-4020Dinner, 35%Cuban

Petes's New Haven Style Apizza

962 Wayne Ave(301)588-7383Dinner, 25%Pizza

Takoma Park

Mark's Kitchen

7006 Carroll Ave.(301) 270-1884Lunch & Dinner, 25%American

Republic

6939 Laurel Ave. (301) 270-3000 Dinner, 25% Seafood

Alexandria

Chadwicks

203 The Strand(703)836-4442Dinner, 25%American

Annandale

Foxfire

6550 Little River TPK(703) 914-9280Dinner, 25%American

Arlington

La Cote D'Or Café

6876 Lee Highway(703) 538-3033Dinner, 25%French

Clarendon

Delhi Club

1135 N. Highland St.(703) 527-5666Lunch & Dinner, 35%Indian

Petes's New Haven Style Apizza

3017 Clarendon Blvd.(703)527-7383Dinner, 25%Pizza

Crystal City

Freddie's Beach Bar & Restaurant

555 23rd St S.(703) 685-0555Dinner, 100%American

Falls Church

Clare and Don's Beach Shack

130 N. Washington St.(703) 532-9283Lunch & Dinner, 35%Seafood, Vegetarian

Merrifield

Ovvio Osteria

2727 Merrilee Dr.(703) 573-2161Dinner, 25%Italian

Sea Pearl

8191 Strawberry Lane Suite 2(703) 372-5161Dinner, 25%Asian, Seafood

Old Town Alexandria

Hank's Oyster Bar Old Town

1026 King St.(703) 739-4265Dinner, 25%Seafood

Pentagon City

Thaiphoon at Pentagon

1301 S. Joyce St. D4(703)413-8200Dinner, 25%Thai

Shirlington

Guapo's Restaurant

4028 Campbell Ave(703) 671-1701Dinner, 25%Tex-Mex

Busboys and Poets

4251 S. Campbell Ave.(703) 379-9757Dinner, 35%American

The rain of ridiculous ravings from America's political right continued unabated as spring took hold. Let's look at a few examples.

Last week, Chelsea Clinton announced that she and hubby Marc Mezvinsky are expecting a child. Conspiracy mongers in the right-wing media went crazy. Steve Malzberg of Newsmax suggested, based on a thick file of nothing, that the pregnancy was deliberately timed to help Grandma Hillary's expected presidential campaign. Oh, sorry, he did have one bit of evidence: Chelsea had mentioned in an interview that her mom was constantly asking about grandchildren.

News flash: This is what mothers do. My own mother, despite having several grandchildren already, used to ask if I would be giving her one, though she was unprepared to discuss surrogate pregnancies. The notion that the Clintons could have ordinary human impulses is apparently unthinkable to some.

LifeNews.com reported on what we might as well call ''BabyGate,'' as ''Abortion supporter Chelsea Clinton announced today that she's pregnant – not with a fetus or clump of cells but with a 'child.'''

OMG, she's pro-choice but she's having a baby?! What hypocrisy! What murderous gall! I hardly know where to begin with the loopy malignancy of this, which made me laugh out loud. It perfectly captures the presumptuousness of people who cannot get their heads out of other people's uteruses. Only in the fevered busybody brain could respecting a woman's right to make her own reproductive choices mean that you actively desire the killing of unborn babies.

I write this with fresh memories of an adorable little girl in her Easter finery running happily up and down the aisle at Israel Baptist Church while a deacon told the congregation that she was fine and to let her be. (To the reader who accuses me of genocide for being pro-choice, who is wondering what a demon like me was doing in church Easter morning: I was invited by my friend Rev. Mark Thompson, who led a vigil for the murdered Dr. George Tiller in 2009 and called him a martyr. Feel free to have an aneurism.) I confess I was more attentive to what the restless children near me were doing than to what the deacon was saying. The little girl especially enjoyed twirling around with her arms outstretched like Julie Andrews in the Alps.

Believe it or not, as I sat there with my Baptist friends and their families, it did not once occur to me that the little monsters should not have been born. I love children, not in the sense W.C. Fields did ("preferably parboiled"), but for their rambunctious and questioning little selves. Those of us who don't want to see a party in thrall to fanatics retake the Senate cannot point out often enough that religious bullies have no monopoly on loving children. The obsessed anti-abortionists in Congress recently showed their godly devotion to child welfare by cutting food stamps.

In other news: Touting the latest in science education, Carl Kerby of the creationist group Answers in Genesis claims that dinosaurs (tiny baby dinosaurs) were aboard Noah's Ark. Creationists think the biblical flood happened just over 4,000 years ago, whereas the fossil record shows that dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago. Off by a whisker!

Meanwhile, Alan Keyes praised Apocalypse-seeking rancher Cliven Bundy, calling him a latter-day Rosa Parks. Sure, refusing to pay grazing fees like other ranchers for using public land is totally like being an African American in Alabama in 1955.

Bundy's armed standoff with the Bureau of Land Management also prompted the head of Tea Party Nation to plug Operation American Spring, next month's planned pro-coup Washington rally to force President Obama from office.

As a defensive measure, I recommend self-medication. Here's to the revolution.

Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist. He can be reached at rrosendall@starpower.net // .

Equality Maryland PAC, the political action committee for the Free State's major LGBT-rights organization, released a fourth wave of candidate endorsements for those seeking office in the General Assembly, expanding its total number of legislative endorsements to 91. The organization previously endorsed the ticket of Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman for governor and lieutenant governor, and state Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery Co.) for attorney general.

The 36 endorsed candidates include one incumbent state senator, four incumbent delegates, and 31 new candidates, all but two of whom are running for the House. To win an endorsement, a candidates must have completed Equality Maryland's questionnaire gauging their stances on LGBT issues and must have submitted to an interview with Equality Maryland staffers and board members. Legislative incumbents could only be considered if they voted for both the state's marriage-equality law and the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, a recently passed bill prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

''It was amazing and gratifying to meet with candidates from all across the state who proudly support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Marylanders,'' Carrie Evans, the executive director of Equality Maryland, said in a statement. ''We had more than 135 candidates from 10 counties seeking Equality Maryland's endorsement. The endorsed candidates are an incredibly talented and committed group of individuals who will serve their constituents and our state well in the General Assembly. We urge Equality Maryland supporters to get involved in these campaigns to help elect more LBGT-supportive candidates to the General Assembly.''

The five legislative incumbents endorsed for re-election to their current seats in the fourth round were: Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-Prince George's Co.), and Delegates Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore City), David Fraser-Hidalgo (D-Montgomery Co.), Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery Co.), and Bill Frick (D-Montgomery Co.), who recently dropped a bid for attorney general.

The two non-incumbents endorsed for the Senate are Ryan Frederic, running to replace Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-Howard, Carroll counties), who is running for the open Howard County Executive seat; and Cheryl Kagan, running to replace the retiring Sen. Jennie Forehand (D-Montgomery Co.). They join four delegates looking to make the leap to the upper chamber who were endorsed in previous rounds: Susan Lee (D-Montgomery Co.), Veronica Turner (D-Prince George's Co.), John Olszewski Jr. (D-Baltimore Co.) and Guy Guzzone (D-Howard Co.). All are running for open seats except Turner, who is challenging Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George's Co.), a vocal opponent of the marriage-equality law.

Among the remaining 29 non-incumbents seeking election to the House are the Victory Fund-endorsed Spencer Dove, running for a District 32 seat in Anne Arundel County; and David Moon, a local progressive activist and author of the blog ''Maryland Juice,'' who is one of at least four gay men seeking one of two open seats in District 20 being vacated by Dels. Tom Hucker, who is running for Montgomery County Council; and Heather Mizeur, who is running for governor. A full listing of all the endorsements can be found on Equality Maryland's website.

''Equality Maryland and our supporters have worked diligently for several decades to ensure LGBT equality issues are on the minds and agendas of candidates for public office,'' Tim Williams, chair of Equality Maryland PAC, said in a statement. ''The breadth and number of endorsements for the 2014 election cycle demonstrates that candidates take our issues and our endorsement seriously. However, we cannot take support for LGBT issues for granted. Equality Maryland and our supporters intend to work hard to elect pro-equality candidates.''

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia on Tuesday agreed not to press charges against the second of two women implicated in the beating of Miles DeNiro, who performs in drag as Heidi Glüm, in a Manny & Olga's restaurant last June after the suspect, Raymone Harding of Gaithersburg, complied with the terms of a deferred-sentencing agreement offered to both women in September.

Both women were required to plead guilty to the assault in exchange for having the charges and the guilty plea dropped if they complied with the terms of the deferred-sentencing agreement. The agreement required both women to stay away from DeNiro, submit to regular drug testing, and complete a community-service commitment. Such an agreement, also known as ''diversion,'' provides a way for the government to avoid prosecuting first-time defendants who are considered unlikely to be repeat offenders.

The first defendant in the beating, Rachel Manna Sahle, complied with the terms of the agreement and saw the charge of simple assault against her dropped in March.

Harding was initially scheduled to appear in court for a diversion hearing to review her compliance with the sentencing agreement on April 1, but Superior Court Judge Juliet McKenna postponed that hearing in order to give Harding extra time to complete her community service commitment.

A coalition of LGBT advocacy groups and service organizations released a statement Monday evening expressing their disappointment that no LGBT-specific groups were named among 58 organizations awarded grants under the City Fund, a $15 million fund intended to provide support for nonprofit organizations that provide ''critical services'' to District residents.

Signatories of the letter include The DC Center, the District's major LGBT community center, whose programming includes efforts to counter violence, drug use and HIV, as well as support LGBT asylum seekers, young people and seniors; the Center for Black Equity; the local community service organization Casa Ruby; the youth-specific organization Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL); Us Helping Us, which provides support and HIV/STD testing aimed at black men who have sex with men (MSM); Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS); and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights organization. All of the organizations previously submitted applications to receive grant funding.

The City Fund, formerly known as the Innovation Fund and the One City Fund, was proposed by Mayor Vincent Gray (D) and approved by the D.C. Council in 2013 with the intent of providing financial support for three priorities highlighted by Gray in his One City Action Plan: growing and diversifying the District's economy; education and preparing the workforce for the new economy; and improving the quality of life for District residents. The fund provides two types of grants – for program support and capacity building – in seven issue areas: education, environment, health, job readiness, senior services, arts and public safety. Organizations may not apply for general operating support.

Under the criteria set forth by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, which oversees the City Fund, an organization applying for grant money must have an IRS designation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; must be either based in the District, or, if outside of the District, be able to provide documented proof that its services benefit D.C. residents; cannot be an ''advocacy'' organization; must have an annual budget of more than $100,000; and must provide documentation of funding sources and audited financial statements as proof of fiscal stability. The amount of a single grant may not exceed $100,000, and may be renewed for up to three years.

''Currently, very few services specifically targeted to the LGBT community are publicly funded in Washington, D.C.,'' the groups wrote in their statement. ''This lack of targeted funding is particularly problematic as the LGBT community is dealing with a variety of challenges around HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and stigma; youth homelessness; healthcare access – including mental health services; disproportionate levels of anxiety, depression and substance abuse; and high levels of unemployment in the transgender community.''

''We are hopeful that the Community Foundation will take a hard look at this issue, and urge the Foundation to learn more about the needs of the LGBT community,'' the groups wrote. ''A dedicated public funding stream needs to be made available for programs and services for the LGBT community.''

In an email to Metro Weekly, the Community Foundation defended its selection process, noting that the process was highly competitive. The foundation said that in some cases an organization may have been denied because it did not fit with the guidelines or funding criteria, or did not properly complete the application. Others may have been denied because their application was not considered as strong as another entity's in a given funding area.

''As with any grantmaking fund, there are finite resources available,'' Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the Community Foundation, said in a statement. ''We also recognize there is a great need in our city, as evidenced by the outpouring of grant applications. We received 315 applications totaling over $30 million in requests for this round alone. We were able to fund 58 programs totaling over $3.5 million. That leaves over 250 applications that were unfortunately not accepted for funding in this round, including many wonderful organizations with important missions.''

Freeman also noted in her statement that groups rejected for funding during the first round could apply for capacity-building grants in May 2014, or during two more subsequent rounds of grant-making in the fall of 2014 and the fall of 2015, if an organization would rather pursue a program support grant.

''The grantmaking process for the City Fund and the guidelines for applicants have been clear, visible, and transparent since the announcement of the fund,'' Freeman continued. ''We hosted three webinars for applicants in advance of the grant proposal deadline which were open to the public. In these sessions, we walked step-by-step through the guidelines for applying and the grantmaking strategy. We posted all expectations for grantees online.''

''The City Fund is a $15 million fund comprised entirely of public money,'' Freeman added. ''The City Fund was set up to target issue areas rather than specific populations. … Funding in each area is intended to serve as wide and diverse a population as possible, including District residents in the LGBT community.''

Freeman also pointed to two organizations, TrueChild and Metro TeenAIDS, as programs that were approved for grant funding that would serve LGBT District residents as part of their programming. TrueChild sponsors a program to combat violence against D.C. transgender youth, and Metro TeenAIDS will involve some LGBT youth as part of its outreach initiatives aimed at educating youth about HIV prevention.

A request for comment from the mayor's office was not immediately returned.

The Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic, a semimonthly testing clinic aimed at reaching the LGBT community in Northern Virginia, announced last week the expansion of its HIV/STD testing services, courtesy of grant funding from the Virginia Department of Health.

James Leslie, an HIV-health educator and the chief organizer of the Gay Men's Health Collaborative (GMHC), which sponsors the Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic, says the funding from the Department of Health has allowed Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic to pay for an onsite nurse practitioner who will be able to prescribe treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Leslie said the funding will also help pay for administration staff to register clients.

James Leslie, gay men's health coordinator at Inova Fairfax's Juniper Program and chief organizer of the Rainbow Tuesdays clinic

The clinic, occurring the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at the Alexandria Department of Health, was established in 2009 in response to a spike in syphilis infections and the closure of the Whitman-Walker Clinic in Arlington. With its expanded services, Rainbow Tuesdays will now offer walk-in, confidential HIV testing and counseling, STI screening and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and hepatitis B immunizations free of charge.

Leslie says he hopes to make Northern Virginia's LGBT residents aware that there are options outside of the District that they can utilize to take care of their sexual health.

The Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic is held on the second and fourth Tuesdays monthly, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at the Alexandria Department of Health, 4480 King St., Alexandria. For more information, visit rainbowhealthcollective.org.

If it weren't for Brenda Lee, Levi Kreis would likely not be making his D.C. theater debut with Smokey Joe's Café at Arena Stage.

"I had to say yes to this show," he explains, "because this music has been part of my direct history of learning how to sing soulfully." Turns out the female country/pop legend Lee was Kreis's first mentor, a friend of his mom's in small-town Tennessee who showed him the ropes. "I remember being on her tour bus at 6 years old," the now 32-year-old Kreis says. "A lot of the music that I get to sing in Smokey Joe's Café I heard for the first time from stage with her."

Levi Kreis

(Photo by courtesy Arena Stage)

The show, one of the earliest and longest-running revues in Broadway history, focuses on the rock and R&B tunes written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, from "Hound Dog" to "Stand By Me." Randy Johnson returns to Arena Stage after One Night with Janis Joplin to direct what Kreis calls "a reimagined take" on the show, beefed up with a more urban feel and more relationships -- and of course the local vocal firepower of Helen Hayes Award winners E. Faye Butler and Nova Y. Payton. "They're really so impeccable that rehearsal is a joy," Kreis says, adding that during rehearsals, "I literally am giggling like a child, because I can't believe what's coming out of their faces!"

Kreis got his start singing gospel -- until he came out and the gospel/Christian music industry would have nothing to do with him. After that rejection he moved to Hollywood and started acting in film, to say nothing of his Tony Award-winning detour to Broadway in 2010, playing Jerry Lee Lewis in the revue Million Dollar Quartet. But even today Kreis is chiefly focused on music -- only this time as a successful, self-produced LGBT pop singer-songwriter. A hit on iTunes, last year's set Imagine Paradise was funded by one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns yet. "As a gay man I've never had a major label behind me," Kreis says, "but what I have had is incredibly loyal fans who are the reason I have been able to do this for a living for nine years." '

Smokey Joe's Café opens Friday, April 25, and runs to June 8 at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St. SW. 'Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.