Carmen And Koko Xtravaganza's Fascinating Lives

The cool thing about being the TransGriot is I do from time to time get to meet, talk to and even become friends with some of the peeps that I look up to and idolize.  

And some of them feel the same way about moi.  

When the Transsistahs-Transbrothas Yahoo group I started in 2004 was in its pre-Facebook prime, one of the people I met as a result of it was Koko Xtravaganza.  

Koko in addition to being a professional musician and choreographer is a member of New York's legendary house of Xtravaganza.

Koko also has a fascinating girls like us life story that I need to sit us both down for trans historical purposes and do a TransGriot Ten Questions interview about.    


Koko has recently started a blog to do just that in terms of documenting that life history for future generations.  She tells me at times how much she has admired me for standing up for our community's human rights for 15 years, and the feeling is mutual how much I admire her..  I'm just as impressed about her musical talents and when Koko talks about some of the tours she's done with groups like the Gap Band and The Isley Brothers.

You long time TransGriot readers know I how much love I've had for over two decades for Carmen Xtravaganza.  I first learned about her courtesy of a 1988 Village Voice article I stumbled across at a Houston newsstand.  

The legendary house mother of the House of Xtravaganza was one of my trans feminine role models when I was in info gathering mode, frustrated about my pre-transition 1980's life and pondering when to pull the trigger on my transition I was increasing cognizant of it needing to happen for my own peace of mind and happiness.

I recently hooked up with her via Facebook a few months ago and from time to time when neither of us are busy doing our own things we are chatting and getting to know each other.  I was also happy to discover she's launched a website in which she discusses some of her groundbreaking life as an actress, model and historical icon in the ballroom community. 

And yeah, speaking of that groundbreaking life, while she's discussing that book, I need to sit Carmen down and have her as the subject for a TransGriot Ten Questions interview.

Koko and Carmen have been friends for nearly 25 years and are jointly putting together a presentation that discusses both their unique girl like us lives in addition to having performance elements highlighting their talents.  Their target audience will be colleges and CBO's in the United States and around the world.  It will be comprised of both women speaking, videos and musical/theatrical performances by them.

Looking forward to seeing it when it finally happens for my sisters and also looking forward to finally meeting both of you and giving you one of my famous TransGriot hugs when our paths finally do cross.  

Live Long And Prosper, Nichelle Nichols!

Today is the 80th birthday of iconic actress and space enthusiast Nichelle Nichols who was born on this date in Robbins, IL in 1932.

All us Trekkies know of her most famous role as Lt. Nyota Uhura of Star Trek and have heard the story of how she nearly quit the show after the first season but was convinced to stay by a Star Trek fan by the name of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. 

In addition to making American television history with th first interracial kiss, in the later Star Trek movies her character was subsequently promoted to Commander in the movies involving the original cast.

She has been an inspiration for people of my generation and subsequent ones to not only follow their dreams, but reach for the stars.  

She was Dr. Mae Jemison's inspiration to become a NASA astronaut and was recruited by her during the 70's when Nichols worked for NASA as part of a program to not only encourage African-American youth to consider math and science careers but recruit women and minority astronauts.

Two of the people she recruited, Charles Bolden and Lori Garver are the current administrator and Deputy Administrators of NASA.

She also recruited Dr. Sally Ride, Col Guion Bluford, Dr Ronald McNair and Dr Judith Resnik

She has served since the 1980's on the Board of Governors for the National Space Society and is considered part of the NASA family.    She and many of her Star Trek castmates were on hand when the space shuttle Enterprise was christened.

Whoopi Goldberg was inspired to become an actress because of her and there are numerous women born in the late 60's and 70's who are named Nichelle or have it as a middle name.

Live long and prosper Nichelle, and happy milestone birthday!

RIP Larry Hagman

Another one of our iconic Texans has passed on.  Actor Larry Hagman, who everyone remembers due his most famous character as JR Ewing for the CBS and rebooted TNT show Dallas, passed away of complications from throat cancer yesterday afternoon in Dallas.

The 81 year old actor was born in Weatherford, TX to actress Mary Martin and while many people remember him for playing the delightfully ruthless oil baron JR, there's another role people of my generation remember him for in addition to his roles on Broadway, and movies such as  Fail-Safe, Nixon and Primary Colors . 

He played astronaut Major Anthony Nelson on the sitcom I Dream Of Jeannie that ran on NBC from 1965-1970.



He recently reprised the role of JR Ewing in the TNT reboot of Dallas that started earlier this summer, was renewed and has completed shooting for its second season that will start January 28.

As to what that means for the rebooted Dallas is still yet to be determined, but we will all miss JR's larger than life presence on the show and the man who played him.

Rest in peace Larry.

Big Tex Goes Up In Flames

The 2012 run of the State Fair of Texas closes down in Dallas later today, but as it does so it will be missing a beloved iconic figure that stood tall over it for 60 years.

Big Tex, the 60 foot tall cowboy that stood over the fair since 1952 caught fire Friday.   It's suspected that an electrical fire that started in the wired jaw that allowed the statue to say 'Howdy Y'all" is what caused its fiery demise. 

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is already on record as stating Big Tex would be rebuilt and in place to greet visitors to Fair Park when the 2013 edition of the State Fair opens next year.  

DNC 2012-Rep John Lewis Speech

"Today it is unbelievable that there are Republican officials still trying to stop some people from voting," he said. "They are changing the rules, cutting polling hours and imposing requirements intended to suppress the vote. The Republican leader in the Pennsylvania House even bragged that his state's new voter ID law is 'gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state.' That's not right. That's not fair. That's not just."

MJ-Gone Too Soon

Today would have been Michael Jackson's 54th birthday.   There's a celebration going on in his hometown of Gary, IN today. 

While this song Michael Jackson is singing is  along with the video about Ryan White (and AIDS is still a major problem in our world) the lyrics also apply to MJ in terms of his legions of fans around the world losing this remarkable talent and all around wonderful human being way too soon.

 


Rest in Peace, King Of Pop.   You are missed.

Dick Clark Passes Away

As my milestone birthday rapidly approaches, another one of the iconic personalities I grew up with has passed away.

I was saddened to hear that Dick Clark, who hosted American Bandstand for over 30 years, the $10,000, $25,000  and $100,000 Pyramid game shows, founded the American Music Awards and since 1972 rocked New Year's Eve for us, died of a massive heart attack in Santa Monica, CA yesterday morning. 

Dick Clark was not only an iconic presence on our television screens, but also helped integrate the music industry.  One of the first major predominately white shows that Motown artists got exposure on was his  American Bandstand, and the Bandstand dance floors were integrated.

But what I and everyone else will fondly remember is spending our New Year's Eves since 1972 courtesy of  the Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve show in which we got to see our fave music artists perform just before the ball dropped to usher in the New Year from New York's Times Square with him.



When New Year's Eve comes around in a few months and we move from this year to 2013, for a moment it will be a little sadder than normal because the 'World's Oldest Teenager' won't be around to do the final countdown.

Rest in peace Dick Clark, you will be missed..

Naomi Sims Birthday

Today would have been the 65th birthday of pioneering supermodel and businesswoman Naomi Sims.

She had an interesting admirer in someone she sang in the all city choir in Pittsburgh with in the late Phyllis Hyman, who mentions her in this interview.



Naomi is definitely missed.

Whitney Houston 1963-2012

This is shaping up to be a Black History Month we'll never forget and in a sad way.  We've lost in this month Etta James, Don Cornelius and now the 'Queen of Pop' Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

Was shocked to learn that the 48 year old Houston was found in her hotel room in Los Angeles and pronounced dead at 5:55 PM CST after paramedics performed 20 minutes of CPR on her  

Cause of death as I write this is still unknown.

Whitney not only was an iconic singer and actress who came from a musical family, but was a modeling trailblazer as well.  She was the first African-American woman to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine.

Her mother was R&B and gospel singer Cissy Houston, her cousins were Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and her godmother was none other than the 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin.   

She sold 170 million records, won 2 Emmys, 6 Grammys, 22 American Music Awards and 30 Billboard Music Awards just to name some of the over 400 awards she's won for starters.

She was also in the midst of a comeback and had completed the remake of the movie Sparkle that will be released later this year.

You know like everyone else who enjoyed her music I have all her CDs in my expansive collection and one of those songs, her remake of Chaka Khan's classic song 'I'm Every Woman' she recorded for The Bodyguard movie soundtrack got me through some rough patches during my transition.


The heavenly choir has just gained another singer, and those of us left here on Planet Earth are mourning the loss of a trailblazing musical icon on the eve of the Grammy Awards and pondering her ginormous legacy.

RIP Whitney.  You've left us way too soon.