Youth and Botched Sex Changes

I have a strong fondness for "Hedwig and The Angry Inch." Not only is it a kick-ass musical and film, but it holds significant sentimental value for me. During my senior year in high school my two best girlfriends, Chenelle and Megan, and I spend an entire semester dedicated to debauchery and chaos. In fact, we now affectionately refer to that era as "the semester of debauchery and chaos." Appropro, no? We enjoyed the days we ditched class by smoking pot excessively out of homemade pipes (usually fashioned out of potatoes, soda cans, apples, etc.), taking day trips to San Francisco (usually to score more weed), going to the house parties of college students that were all conveniently over twenty-one and happy to purchase booze for us, driving around Megan's dad's Volvo rocking out to Queen, radioed, various punk rock bands, and yes- the soundtrack to "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Whenever I watch that movie now I'm reminded of that carefree time. A time when it was socially acceptable to mooch off of my parents, a time when a job wasn't a necessity, a time when my metabolism allowed me to gorge on munchies with out the consequence of excessive weight gain, a time when I wouldn't go anywhere without the accompaniment of Megan and Chenelle, and a time devoted mostly to hedonism. I'm fine with responsibility now. In fact, I accept it graciously. I love my job, am ecstatic about returning to college in the fall, and just enjoy the overall independence of being self-reliant. However, it's fun to take a mental fieldtrip back to the time of complete openness-when my days weren't riddled with obligations and schedules. Granted I'm only twenty now and will probably embark on yet another era of hedonism in a mere month when it will actually be legal for me to drink myself stupid, but there won't be the same charming recklessness attached to it.

Anywho, back to "Hedwig." I was traipsing around the West Village about a week ago and happened to walk by the IFC Center and noticed there was an upcoming midnight showing of "Hedwig," with Mr. John Cameron Mitchell himself! The whole event was just like the "Rocky Horror" midnight showings. I happily purchased my ten dollar ticket right then and there. Being the punctual gal that I am, I got there an hour early because I like to get optimal seating. As I was waiting in line and entertaining myself watching the people traffic, Mr. John Cameron Mitchell walks out of the theater to catch a smoke. He was very dress-down and laid back. I'm accustomed to seeing him in a platinum blonde wig with an equally campy outfit but can understand how he'd like to distance himself from that outlandish look. Soon I was seated in the cozy theater where Mr. Mitchell did a Q&A prior to the showing. He's quite hilarious and witty. The movie started and throughout the flick there was a mock-cast in costume lip-synching the musical numbers. All in all, it was glittery goof at it's finest. Ok- maybe not so fine as "Night of a Thousand Stevies," but still a hoot.