Overheard in Orlando: Joe the Supermodel, odd art and a new Fringe

Not your average Joe
Former Florida House representative Joe Saunders, now Southern Regional Field Director for the Human Rights Campaign, is flashing his pearly whites as a model. No, he’s not pulling a Marky Mark and posing in his CK’s (unfortch!). But, he’s modeling the latest in HRC “No hate in our state” wear, where the website says 100 percent of the proceeds go to LGBT rights. The website also offers a variety of clothing and tchotchkes which will allow you to tell the world you’re proud to support the HRC. No word if this will be another career move for Joe.

Keep Orlando Odd
If you happened to have strolled through the streets of downtown Orlando last week you may have seen some really eclectic art, with the Art in Odd Places – downtown Orlando was overrun with visual and performance art which featured the works of local artists like Brendan O’Connor (Street Urchins), Doug Rhodehamel (1001 Paper Bag Mushrooms) and Masami Kochikawa (self-portrait as a Butterfly Woman). According to event producer, Tim Turner, dates have yet to be set, but he assured Watermark there will be a next one for sure. With a few considering factors, they want the festival different part of the year, Winter/Spring versus this year’s Summer/Spring. Unaware Sunday funday revelers fell into three categories: those that got it, those that didn’t and those too blitzed to even notice the giant pipe man riding a bicycle.

On the Fringe of something new
With 2016 and the 25th anniversary of the Orlando International Fringe Festival, there will be some new changes coming. The annual festival will now be known as Orlando Fringe and will soon be unveiling a new logo. Keep an eye on WatermarkOnline.com for details. Executive Director George Wallace explains, “We have now become more than just a once a year festival. We’ve got year-round programming, Movies Out Loud, and will be offering trainings and workshops in our new space, so it is important to change the name to reflect we are more than just a singular event. The other exciting part is each one of our programs will be getting an updated look.” Frankly, we don’t think 25 is too young for a facelift.

Deep Blue
At a Sept. 21 performance of the latest iteration of the VarieTEASE burlesque extravaganza, “Coincidence,” there was something headier in the air than usual, and almost palpable teardrop. “Is it fate or a coincidence?” is the tagline to the show which runs at the Venue in Ivanhoe Village for just a couple more shows (the last is on Monday, Sept. 28). Venue and VarieTEASE proprietor (and creative spectacle) BlueStar and her company of talented, acrobatic stars brought the crowd to tears while interpreting the darker moments of darker songs from acts ranging from Sia to Radiohead. It was an unusually stripped-down ‘TEASE, largely because it was BlueStar’s way of lamenting the loss of her father recently, and because fate and coincidence sometimes overlap. Our love and strength is with Blue as she grieves … just as much as it is when she shares her life and beauty. Drip. Drop.

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