On Wednesday, June 28, Comcast sponsored a free showing of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar at the Castro Theatre for Pride 2023. The fundraiser benefited Equality California and the SF LGBT Center, which each received $25,000 from Comcast. Tom Temprano, the Managing Director of External Affairs for Equality CA, and Jennifer Valles, Director of Programs for the Center, accepted the funding in person from Comcast Senior Vice President David Tashjian.
The event was co-hosted by San Francisco Bay Times columnist and renowned film critic Jan Wahl and Absolute Empress 50 Khmera Rouge. Julie Newmar’s brother John Newmeyer—a winemaker and member of the LGBTQ community, which he has long supported—also attended and spoke fondly about his sister and his memories of the film, which was the first major Hollywood production to highlight drag.
San Francisco Bay Times columnist and legendary drag artist Donna Sachet—host of Sunday’s a Drag, soon to relaunch at Club Fugazi—helped with the programming. (Sachet was at Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Washington, D.C., for another Pride celebration.)
The evening began with free concessions for guests and a photo booth before an organ concert began, signaling the start of the program. Julie Newmar had hoped to attend, but suffered a fall and could not make it. She is on the mend, and will soon celebrate her 90th birthday!
Thanks to The Academy SF for their help with the event, to everyone else who worked on the Pride celebration, and to those who attended—filling the Castro Theatre! Few film experiences can equal seeing a movie at the Castro Theatre, with the organ music, beautiful setting, and energy of viewers cheering on the heroes (such as Vita Boheme) and booing and hissing at the villains (Sheriff Dollard and the abusive Virgil).
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