Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 509

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
PETE RAMIREZ
Pete Ramirez is a New York City nightlife dancer, as well as the owner of a cool
pottery shop. He dances mainly at Hush, but has also danced at other NYC bars.
What makes Peter so awesome are his vibrant personality and his sense of
humor. The fact that he hosts a naked pottery class certainly doesn’t hurt either.
We had an intimate conversation regarding his very different professions.
INTERVIEW
So, Mike told me
you own a Pottery
Shop and do go-go
dancing, is that true?
Yes, that is true.
What do dancers
call it these days?
Do they call it go-go
dancing or what?
I think technically, yes.
They still call it that. I
was at a holiday party
and somebody called
me a stripper. And I
said, “I am not really
a stripper, because
I don’t take off my
clothes.” Sometimes
they say go-go boy
instead of dancer, but
I’m pretty old to be
called a go-go boy.
Photos by @rickstockwell
So where do you
dance?
Right now, I’m dancing
primarily at Hush on
52nd Street. I also
dance at 3 Dollar Bill
and Boxers, and I’m
also going to dance at
the Metropolitan. But
mostly, Hush is kind of
the first and the main
gig.

What made you want to be a dancer?
After the pandemic, I really wanted to get
out. Somebody told me about a new place
that was opening called the Q. I went there
and I was actually kind of recruited there. I
was dancing on stage, just for fun, and then
somebody said, “Oh, you should dance
here.” I was like, “OK.” So, they gave me a
gig and they set it up, but I never actually
started working there because the same
owners opened up Hush. So I guess I was
sort of ferried over to the new place instead.
And I’ve been there since they opened.
Why did you decide to open a pottery
shop? I mean,
dancing and pottery
are both in the arts,
I guess, but they are
two totally different
things.
They are really
different. For me,
honestly, I think that
dancing is a creative
outlet. But it’s not like a
plastic art form.
So you have this
pottery store. Are you
an artist?
I am an artist. I was
thinking about what
could be sustained
over time. I thought
I would really love to
pursue my love of art,
specifically pottery.
Again, sustainability
over time. I thought
it could be something that I aged into
without kind of getting thrown out. So that
is why I opened up the studio. But I didn’t
stop dancing. I thought I was going to
stop dancing. But I sort of am coming to
terms with the fact that I can dance and
I love dancing and I should try to resist
the societal normative expectations that
come with not just aging but gay nightlife.
Any norm. So I had an interview with 42nd
Street magazine and the thing that was
discussed with them was how some people
didn’t know if it would be a good idea if
people knew I was nightlife dancing while
opening up a serious business. And it’s
just more of that kind of censorship and
people having a fear of backlash. All this
stuff lately too, like the protests of the drag
hour. I mean, we are in New York. I don’t
think this is the place for censorship. In my
opinion, censorship is giving to the other
side because if you’re hiding who you are
and what you do, then it’s less acceptable
for people who aren’t hiding it. I have a
problem with that. I just wanted to say that
to you because it did come up in the article
and I think that it is important. I guess just
being queer in
general is sort of off
the beaten path. So
I’m trying to be very
open.
I think that’s great.
Are you any good
at either one of
these pursuits?
That’s a really good
question because
I do feel like one
of those people
that dabbles–like
I like skiing, I like
ice skating, I like
glass blowing, I like
aquariums, I like
breeding mice. So
it’s like you could be
the jack of all trades
and the master of
none.
You breed mice. That’s very interesting.
I do. I think I’m pretty eccentric, but that
is one of the things that people are like,
“What?” I also brew kombucha.
I don’t even know what that is.
Kombucha is like a fermented tea. You
ferment with bacteria and yeast.
Yum, I think.
Anyway, yes, I’m very good at dancing and
I’m very good at pottery.

Is there anything else you would
like to add?
I guess people ask, “Does the pottery
tie into the queer life at all?” I have
a nude class event. The class is a
collaboration with Natural Pursuits
magazine. So you can not sign up for
the nude class on my website. It just
happens to take place in my studio. I
teach that particular class nude and
all of the participants are nude.
Photos by @rickstockwell
So, where do you hope to be in five years?
Well, considering the lease is 10 years long,
I hope in five years that I am still open. I will
say the residents in that area are really honest
and funny, so when I first opened, a lot of them
came in and they were like, “Oh, just so you
know, the last businesses that were here, they
didn’t last very long. We hope you make it.”
What kind of pottery do you do
nude?
The same as when clothed people
do it. We also offer regular classes
(non-nude) for anyone who wants
to come in and try to do pottery for
the first time. Our classes are crash
course and non-intimidating for the
beginner and inexperienced, as well
as for those who have tried it before,
because you are encouraged to
make mistakes and try over and over
again. We also offer private lessons
and group classes where friends
or lovers can come and do a class
together and create new memories
and experiences.
POTTERY NYC
786 9TH AVE
NY NY 10019
WWW.POTTERYNYC.NET
INSTA @POTTERY_NYC_LLC
Tell me the name of it and where it is.
Pottery NYC and the address is 786 9th
Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd Street. So I
guess I could see why it would be a challenge
to arrive there. It is in the middle of Hell’s
Kitchen. The rents are astronomical.
So you dance to support your Pottery
Shop, basically.
You know, it’s not untrue. My friend was
saying, “Oh, did you save up all your dollars
from dancing?” but it’s true– dancing every
week definitely, 100% is a supplemental
source of income. Because I just opened up
in November. At this point, I’m not really able
to take any money out of the business. So the
business has to become self-sufficient. So I
am supporting myself through the dancing.

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BY TIM NASSON
BILLY PORTER
>
Billy Porter - the Tony, Emmy
and Grammy winner - needs no
introduction—especially to the
many fans of his character Pray
Tell on Ryan Murphy’s hit TV
series “Pose.”
In 80 For Brady, opening
exclusively in theaters February
3rd, Billy Porter stars as Googoo,
a choreographer in charge
of the Super Bowl halftime show.
During Super Bowl weekend, he
befriends a contingency of aged
ladies, and best friends - Lilly
Tomlin, Sally Field, Jane Fonda
and Rita Moreno - all who are on
a quest to see Tom Brady win
another Super Bowl ring.
Goo-goo is the only one who can
save their day and get them into
the game they’ve traveled to
see in person from Boston.
Porter rocketed to superstardom when he originated the role
of Lola in the Tony winning Broadway musical “Kinky Boots”
just over ten years ago. But show business was always in his
blood.
“I started singing in church at a very young age,” he says. By
fifth grade the bullying had stopped and in middle school I got
involved with theater. I dreamed about being on Broadway
and becoming the male Whitney Houston.”
Porter knew he was was onto something when he won
$100,000 on Star Search, in 1992 but he never expected
success would come easy.
“I took all of the necessary steps to prepare myself for a
career in show business,” he says. “There have been moments
of frustration, but no one is entitled to anything.

“I’ve practiced acting every day for decades. I went to
Carnegie Mellon. I went to graduate school at UCLA. To this
day, I still take singing lessons. I have the patience of Job. My
best advice for anyone who wants to become a professional is
to practice – even when no one is looking.”
How did Porter prepare himself for a trajectory in acting and a
career in fashion? “I decided at a very young age to dress for
the job I wanted, not the job I have”, he explains.
The ”Oscar” dress, which made Porter a viral sensation, wasn’t
something that ‘just happened.’ In 2013, while Porter was in
Chicago doing previews of “Kinky Boots”, he met with fans at
the stage door after every performance. “It was right at the
time when social media was taking off, especially Instagram
photos, and I was dressing geek chic.
“When I looked at the news the day after the first
performance I saw pictures of myself and I looked like a bag
lady. From that moment on, I dressed up every day. After
every show, before I went out the stage door to go home, I
dressed up.” From then on, any candid photos that people
did take of Porter were not only flattering but trend setting.
“For three years, while I was on Broadway with ‘Kinky Boots’,
I dressed up after every performance, just to go out to the car
to go home.”

In 2019, just a
year before the
pandemic hit,
Porter started
to gain attention
for some of the
most fabulous
outfits that have
ever adorned
any human. At
the Grammy
Awards, he wore
an embroidered
suit and pink cape.
That same year, at
the Academy Awards he wore the famous black fitted tuxedo
and velvet gown created by Christian Siriano, accompanied
by 6-inch Rick Owens boots.
The gender-fluid outfits worn by Porter that are now famous
the world over were
not intended to
be labeled. “All of
the outfits I have
worn aligned with
the roles I was
playing. The term
‘non-binary’ never
occurred to me.”
And now Billy
Porter has become
an inspiration for
celebs such as
Harry Styles, who
posed on the cover
of Vogue last year
in a Gucci dress.
“You said that, not
me,” Porter insists
I disclose.
“I have a calling,”
he admits. “It is
funneled through
artistry.

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT!
“ Titanique is
the greatest piece
of theater I have
EVER
SEEN! ”
The Daily Beast
“UNDOUBTEDLY
THE
GAYEST NEW
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Zachary Stewart,
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Nothing on Earth Could Come Between Them.
Except Céline Dion.
BOOK BY
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CHOREOGRAPHED BY
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DIRECTED BY
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RIP
KING RALPHY
King Ralphy became a nightlife staple over
13 years ago. Just the other night, during a
phone call to Get Out publisher Mike Todd,
he had a conversation asking to submit a
handful of interviews with NYC nightlife
and television personalities that have made
a big impact.
During that discussion, he relayed how
thankful he was for his cover on Get Out
issue 13, in June of 2010.
He also told Mike that being in the
magazine was one of the highlights of his
nightlife career and that it was a twist of
fate that he became part of New York City’s
celebrated nightlife.
Then, suddenly, in a more tragic twist of
fate, King Ralphy was struck down by a
hit-and-run driver in New Jersey. He was a
beautiful and appreciative person and will
be greatly missed by the community and by
the Get Out Magazine team.
Get Out! was able to obtain two completed
interviews that are showcased in this issue,
and we will reach out to fulfill his list in the
nearest future.
Promoter, DJ, M.C., Publicist, Social Networking Director,
Marketing & Promotions Director. Philanthropist and Human
Rights Activist. ICAPA Network & Breaking Code Silence
Volunteer Marketing and Social Media Consultant.
Creator: #notjustbritney Creator: @PeterRauhoferForever
WWW.KINGRALPHY.COM
WWW.KINGRALPHY.CO.UK
WWW.RALPHIKEN.COM
WWW.MYOWNAFFAIRS.COM
www.facebook.com/KingRalphy
www.facebook.com/kingralphynyc
www.facebook.com/kingralphyofficial
www.twitter.com/KingRalphy
www.soundcloud.com/KingRalphy
www.mixcloud.com/kingralphy
Itunes: www.bit.ly/kingybeats
Beatport: www.bit.ly/kingybeat

BY KING RALPHY
MARK NELSON
What was the time when you realized you
were ‘Mark Nelson’?
I was checking into the Winter Party in South
Beach and told them my name and they said,
“You’re Mark Nelson? Hold on, please. We
have your VIP tickets.”And my friend who was
with me was very impressed by that, which I
had never given any thought to before.
Tell me about your first night out.
My first night out at a gay venue was when
I was in college.It was the Gay ‘90’s in
Minneapolis. And it looked like a Vegas casino
from the outside. I met a man and he asked me
to dance, which I was very uncomfortable with,
but did anyway. It was a Dead or Alive song. I
went home with him. I didn’t really distinguish
the type of guy I‘d sleep with.
If they were breathing…
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
Don’t take life so seriously. Don’t sweat the
small stuff. Save your money–you will need it
when you get older. Be careful of who you let
into your inner circle. You will live a full life, and
please don’t have any regrets.
Please provide your input on how you think
social media and apps like Grindr affected
nightlife.
My feeling is that in the beginning, Scruff,
Grindr and other apps severely took a toll on
gay nightlife and parties in general. We are, as
a group, ‘sexual orientation’-bound. Guys want
to hook up. So, the apps and Internet made it
simple and in many ways cheaper. Though, as
the years go by, we’re showing a resurgence
in nightclub attendance. Take the NYC Eagle
and their new dance floor area. Packed! Maybe
the large venues such as the Roxy, Palladium,
Exit, and Limelight will be of the past. Medium
sized venues seem to be doing well, though. I
guess it’s a matter of perspective. But you can’t
get a chemical reaction to another man from
tapping away at your app.

What’s been your weirdest celebrity encounter and/
or friends and your favorite celebrity encounter and/
or friend?
I was in L.A., nursing a friend who had some elective
surgery. He was invited to a celebrity’s house for Easter
brunch and took me with him as a guest. I cannot
reveal his name or the celebrity whose home it was, as
I got into a shitload of trouble for blogging about what
happened at the brunch. Demi Moore was there and
had just had some elective surgery herself and had no
problem sharing that and showing that to a complete
stranger (me). She also took me out to her car to show
off her custom made Red Bull trunk cooler. She was
very into Red Bull, and they did this for her.
Later in the day, we were all standing around. Guy
Oseary was there and a publicist who, upon learning
I was a gay promoter, took me aside to push Party
Monster starring Macaulay Calkin as Michael Alig. I told
her straight up that there wasn’t anything to celebrate
about that movie. I had been an acquaintance of Angel,
who had been murdered and dismembered by Mr Alig.
Gross conversation.
As we were standing around…Demi’s dog started
sucking on the host’s dog’s penis! It was jaw dropping, and everyone was in a bit of shock. I wrote
about the dogs in my weekly newsletter, and it got back to the host and Demi AND the publicist!
Needless to say, they went after my friend for bringing me and not letting them know I was a blogger
or something to that nature. Though Demi stood out in my mind; she was a wonderful person, and I
was thrilled to have spent time with her.
ISSUE #509
COVER:
PETE RAMIREZ
AND LEVI
CAMPELLO
Photography by
@rickstockwell
PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD
MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM
DESIGN AGOTA CORREA
AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO
@EILEENSHAPIRO3
NYC’S NIGHTLIFE AWARD WINNING BLOGGER/
WRITER & INTERVIEWER JIM SILVESTRI
NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER WILSONMODELS
JEASO86@HOTMAIL.COM
The publications of MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT, getoutmag.com or any
other related print or Web publications or social media accounts, their images,
quotations or articles should not be construed to be an indication of the sexual
orientation of anyone portrayed therein.
All Content © Copyright 2019
MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT
25-21 45TH STREET ASTORIA, NY 11103
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT EST. 2009

DANIEL
NARDICIO
BY KING RALPHY
Tell me about the first night you
went out–that doesn’t mean for
work or for your own event or for
enjoyment, just the first night you
ever experienced nightlife
and clearly it left an
impression. How was it?
Years ago, probably 35 or so,
I lived in San Francisco as a
neighbor and best friend of
Justin Vivian Bond. One night,
we didn’t know anybody in SF
and went to a cool bar called
the White Room with the Blue
Glow. And it was exactly that:
A cool, white room that had
a singular blue light in the
place. We were around a lot
of cool people, but not meeting
anyone, so we decided to
just start pretending that we
were cracking each other up,
laughing hysterically, and within
minutes, people wanted to meet
US, not the other way around.
That taught me something–
bring something to the table.
Don’t go out expecting to just
be entertained. If you do, you
suck all the energy out of
a room. Show up and give:
energy, laughs, applause,
whatever it is. If you sit there,
arms crossed, expecting to be
entertained, you suck.
Did you have a moment where you
said to yourself, “I can do this too”?
How did Daniel become Daniel?
Years ago, I was working at an events
company called Pink Inc,, and through
this company, I met a ton of burlesque
performers: Dirty Martini, Julie Muz,
Tigger, Scotty the Blue Bunny, World
Famous Bob–the real OG kids of the
neo burlesque movement. They invited
me out, and talk about energy! They
made me fall in love with the scene
and burlesque and producing. So I
quit my job, took out a 10K loan and
started doing shows. And the rest, as
they say, is herstory
If you could tell an 18-year-old
Daniel something, what would it
be?
Always have your own back. You are
the only one who can truly have it. And
don’t date musicians. Fuck ‘em, but
don’t date ‘em.
Your weirdest celebrity encounter
and/or friends and your favorite
celebrity encounter and/or friend?
Courtney Love came to a show I
did with Amanda Lepore once at
Highline Ballroom, and Courtney
(who is a goddess) gave me full tilt
boogie crazy court–crouching over
a huge carpetbag purse on the floor,
rummaging through it while screaming
“I want a cigarette! I just want a
fucking cigarette!!” Like an animal. If
animals smoked cigarettes.
DANIEL NARDICIO WITH LADY GAGA AT ICE PALACE, FIRE ISLAND GROVE 2008

PHOTOS BY WILSONMODELS
When you look back at your vast history
and different occupations and titles
you’ve held, do you believe in people
saying that with nightlife, the only thing
you can be sure of is that history will
repeat itself?
Well, this I know for sure: Nightlife has
always been DJs, go-go boys and drag
queens. Whenever I get asked about
someone (or myself) reinventing nightlife,
I always say that no one is reinventing
nightlife. It’s all variations on a theme. I may
have invented or popularized underwear
parties, but it’s basically the same formula
over and over.
VISIT DANIEL AT
RED EYE NY
WATCH FOR THE
GRAND OPENING
355 West 41st Street, New York
@ 9th Avenue - outside the back of
Port Authority
Can you do the bus thing again, because
apparently they got more signatures
to cancel the show than watch the new
one? Lol. OMG. Have you seen the
trailer?
So fun. I don’t miss owning a bus in NYC,
but I miss hanging with my friends Sweetie
and Robbynne Kaamil, who have died, and
Bianca Del Rio, who should be dead. (Just
kidding!)

DJ RETRO JOe
Vocal Dance Remixes
REWIND
UNWIND
DANCE
DRINK
SING
NO
COVER
$8 WELL
DRINKS
ATLAS SOCIAL CLUB
753 NINTH AVE (AT 51 ST)

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
GLAM AWARDS @ SONY HALL

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
NYC LGBT SPORTS NETWORK @BOXERS HK

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
REMEMBERING DJ XAVIER @ RISE
RONNIE BROWN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION @ THE DICKENS

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