Last month, my husband and I were heading home from his birthday dinner with a dear friend when Avril Lavigne came on the radio. This was shocking for a number of reasons.
First, because my radio was on. I tend to default to my Spotify playlist “Pimpin’ Ry Style,” an ever-expanding and eclectic collection of my favorite hits now in its second volume. Volume one, may it R.I.P., was lost when my then-boyfriend and now-husband—who still groans whenever he sees the playlist’s name—deleted it after we briefly broke up.I’m certain that I’d done something to deserve it and it was his Spotify account, but I digress. He was clearly being selfish and short sighted.
It also alarmed me because it’s 2019 and Avril Lavigne, of 2002’s “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi” notoriety, had a new single and sounded exactly the same. I was a big fan of hers “back in the day,” but where had she been?
As she crooned “I ain’t no dumb blonde, I ain’t no stupid Barbie doll, I got my game on, watch me, watch me, watch me prove you wrong” in “Dumb Blonde” featuring Nicki Minaj, I couldn’t help but wonder how old this woman was. Why was she still singing about such trivial nonsense, and did she still wear the same eyeliner?
Don’t get me wrong: I dig the eyeliner and I’m no musical purist. My performer of choice is Britney and the Holy Spear-It is no master lyricist. See “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” as an example and add in a solid “oh baby, baby” for a solid hit in my book.
I also love a good throwback. I recently purchased “Batman: The Animated Series” on Blu-Ray, I’m wearing a “Lilo and Stich” hoodie as I write this and I still highlight my hair. I even enjoyed a few songs from Lavigne’s obscure 2013 album; I just had no idea she was still actively making music that the radio would pick up.
As it turned out, it was a wonderful reminder that I’m no spring chicken. I had judged Lavigne by her age, assuming that because of the length of her career she was at least double my own. I changed my tune after a quick Google search, however, a humbling reminder that age is just a number. Avril Lavigne and I, as it turns out, are both 34. Time is a funny thing.
As quickly as the years have gone, so too has 2019. March is nearly over and with it, Watermark’s Awards for Variety and Excellence, also known as our annual WAVEs. Tampa Bay had a lovely awards celebration at Metro Inclusive Health March 8, and I want to formally thank them for hosting, all of our fabulous performers for entertaining and all of our incredible guests for attending. It was a massive success because of each of you.
I also want to thank all of this year’s voters, of which there were a record number, for participating and for voting me Tampa Bay’s Favorite Local Writer/Journalist. I’m so very grateful that I get to do what I love every day and that wouldn’t be possible if you weren’t reading and supporting our fantastic advertisers. Should my career last as long and as vibrantly as the ever-so-youthful Avril Lavigne’s, I hope you’ll join me for the ride.
In our in-depth feature this issue, we examine the race to secede another WAVE Award winner: the term-limited Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a staunch LGBTQ ally. Jane Castor, the city’s former and first openly LGBTQ chief of police, faces retired banker and philanthropist David Straz in Tampa’s runoff election April 23. Should she win, Castor will make history by becoming the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor.
In Tampa Bay news, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County announces its inaugural Pride Build, inviting members of the LGBTQ community and their allies to build a home in St. Petersburg. Tampa Pride also holds its fifth annual celebration.
In Central Florida news, Jazell Barbie Royale makes history as she wins the 2019 Miss International Queen in Thailand. In state news, HB 3 threatens every LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance in Florida, prompting Equality Florida to speak out and ask supporters to do the same.
In Arts and Entertainment, we chat with openly LGBTQ “Dear Evan Hansen” star Ben Levi Ross about launching the hit musical’s first national tour, coming soon to Tampa and Orlando. We also tune into Jonathan y Jorge as they salsa their way through J. Lo’s dance competition “World of Dance” on NBC.
We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Thank you again for voting and for reading—I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
