In need of some Goode people
Tampa Bay performer Judy B. Goode isn’t having the best run of good luck over the last few weeks. The beloved singer and entertainer fell off a ladder June 30 and broke her leg. At around 7:30 in the morning Judy was tending to some bushes in the backyard of her home, when the ladder gave way and fell out from under her and she ended up in the hospital.
“Judy has a heart of gold,” says Tampa Pride president Carrie West. The 4 ft 5 in , 85 lb Judy is quite a force to be reckoned with, and has the fiery personality to boot. Her career extends across Florida, and the southeast United States where she performs at nightclubs with her sidekick “Piano Man” Dave Thomas. She was even selected as a finalist for Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee back in the day based on her signature act, “The 12 Faces of Judy” in which she does impersonations of famous personalities.
When she is not performing she works as a companion and caretaker throughout the community. She cooks, cleans, does grocery shopping and volunteers for various households and organizations. She is a founding member of Tampa Pride, and was a featured performer that first year. Judy is also a board member for the Cleveland Browns Club, and an honorary “brownie.”
She was finally released from the hospital July 10 but she was re-admitted the following day when she experienced trouble breathing. Judy is a mother of two and has four grandchildren, two of which are autistic, and due to the injury and hospitalizations Judy hasn’t been able to work, causing finances to become an issue. Friends and family of Judy set up a GoFundMe page to try and help raise some money for her. As of press time, the page has raised nearly $2,500 of the $4,000 goal.
Thank you for being Metro’s friend
Top performers from Orlando, Tampa Bay and Sarasota gathered for a pair of performances at American Stage in St. Petersburg for a night of entertainment and charity. The Golden Gurlz Live showcase, which had a rehearsal time of only three-and a half hours, raised almost $11,000 for METRO Health, Wellness and Community Centers.
According to Dorothy Zbornak herself, Mathew McGee (freeFall Thetare Company’s Community Outreach Director), what set this show apart from others was the fact that you rarely see a parody performance of The Golden Girls. The sitcom, which ran from 1985-1992 has become something of a cross generational phenomenon, with re-runs appearing on TV Land and The Hallmark Channel, and merchandise popping up in young-adult centered retailers such as Hot Topic and Spencer’s.
METRO Health, Wellness and Community Centers provides Tampa Bay with a number of medical services including HIV testing and care, health education and LGBTQ youth council. “It was nice to forget your troubles and raise money for a great cause,” Mathew says.
