SAN FRANCISCO (October 1, 2012) –Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon Seasonal Extravaganza is the hot ticket for the holiday season! This year fans are invited to participate in Beach Blanket Babylon’s first-ever holiday song contest with a chance to win an appearance in the New Year’s Eve show finale. Packed with hilarious spoofs of pop culture & political characters, the holiday show features a chorus line of tap dancing Christmas trees, special parodies of traditional Christmas carols and a gigantic Yuletide hat. To enter, Beach Blanket Babylon fans must submit a video of themselves, via Facebook or Twitter, singing a verse or chorus of their favorite holiday song.
Selected at random, the grand prize winner will make an appearance in Beach Blanket Babylon’s New Year’s Eve show, Monday, December 31, 2012, at 10:15 p.m., during the finale. Additionally, this lucky winner will ring in the New Year with three friends at Club Fugazi in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach district. Four (4) first-place winners, also selected at random, will each receive a pair of tickets to the Seasonal Extravaganza premiere performance on November 14, 2012.
To be eligible to win, participants must upload a video featuring the contestant singing a short verse or the chorus from any holiday song of their choosing. The video must be uploaded to a video sharing site (such as YouTube or Vimeo). To submit the video, contestants have to share the link either by posting it on the Beach Blanket Babylon Facebook wall, or tweeting to @BBBinSF.
The contest will run from Monday, October 1 until Friday, November 2, 2012 at 12 p.m. Contestants must be 21 years of age or older on or before November 14, 2012. By submitting a video, participants agree to their video being shared through various social media sites by Beach Blanket Babylon or media partners.
As expected, people were singing along with the cast during the 2012 debut of MAMMA MIA! at the Orpheum.
You know what to expect with this one here, so if you want to go the time to buy tickets is now.
North American Cast - Photo: Joan Marcus
See you there!
All the deets:
“MAMMA MIA! is dancing into the Orpheum Theatre – February 21 – March 4. It’s the ultimate feel-good show that has audiences coming back again and again to relive the thrill. Now it’s your turn to have the time of your life at this smash-hit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” “Super Trouper,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All,” with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. Whether it’s your first visit or your fourteenth, see the show that has the whole world coming back for more, because every time feels like the first time at MAMMA MIA!
Did you know… ?:
MAMMA MIA! has been seen by OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE worldwide. MAMMA MIA! has grossed OVER $2 BILLION at the Box Office. MAMMA MIA! has premiered in more major cities worldwide faster than any other musical in history, opening in over 300 major cities. MAMMA MIA! is currently in its 13th year since the first production opened in London’s West End on 6th April 1999.
There’s an app for that! Pick from a series of MAMMA MIA! photos and pose as your favorite character with this app, available on iTunes: http://alturl.com/qytqx
Remember when MAMMA MIA! visited us last? Members of the audience were standing up and singing along.
You know what to expect with this one here, so if you want to go the time to buy tickets is now.
North American Cast - Photo: Joan Marcus
See you there!
All the deets:
“MAMMA MIA! is dancing into the Orpheum Theatre – February 21 – March 4. It’s the ultimate feel-good show that has audiences coming back again and again to relive the thrill. Now it’s your turn to have the time of your life at this smash-hit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” “Super Trouper,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All,” with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. Whether it’s your first visit or your fourteenth, see the show that has the whole world coming back for more, because every time feels like the first time at MAMMA MIA!
Did you know… ?:
MAMMA MIA! has been seen by OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE worldwide. MAMMA MIA! has grossed OVER $2 BILLION at the Box Office. MAMMA MIA! has premiered in more major cities worldwide faster than any other musical in history, opening in over 300 major cities. MAMMA MIA! is currently in its 13th year since the first production opened in London’s West End on 6th April 1999.
There’s an app for that! Pick from a series of MAMMA MIA! photos and pose as your favorite character with this app, available on iTunes: http://alturl.com/qytqx
WHAT: Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne and his award-winning dance troupe, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, are set to return to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre October 15 – 23 with six performances of The Hula Show 2011. Tickets are on sale now at 415-392-4400, or online at cityboxoffice.com. With stops in India, Samoa, Turkey, Spain, and Wai’anae, The Hula Show 2011 takes attendees on a global tour of dance and song. The trip is rounded out with Hanohano Kapalakiko, a suite of chants that celebrate the indelible bond and long historical ties between Hawai’i and San Francisco. These original chants were written especially for Nā Lei Hulu by Puakea Nogelmeier, the celebrated author, composer and linguist.
WHEN:
October 15 at 8 p.m. – opening night Champagne reception following show
October 16 at 4 p.m.
October 21 at 8 p.m.
October 22 at 5 p.m. – gala benefit Lu’au & silent auction, show begins at 8 p.m.
October 23 at noon – one-hour matinee designed especially for children & families
October 23 at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - San Francisco (Bay & Lyon Streets)
TICKETS: Ticket prices are $35 – $45 (reserved seating) for regular performances. All tickets for the family matinee are $10 (general admission). Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount (does not apply to reception or gala). Tickets to the opening night Champagne reception (Saturday, October 15) are $90. Tickets for the gala benefit Lu’au and silent auction (Saturday, October 22) are $150 and a reserved table of ten is $1,500. Tickets are on sale now at 415-392-4400 and online atcityboxoffice.com.
MORE: As special guests, the Golden Gate Men’s Chorus join Nā Lei Hulu for a beautiful a cappella accompaniment as they perform an Islamic chant and two Indian Ragas during the October 22 and 23 performances. All shows feature an exciting blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula.
PARKING: Due to construction at the Palace of Fine Arts, parking will be limited. Attendees are encouraged to carpool, and arrive early to park. Street closure: Doyle Drive from northbound 19th Avenue/Hwy 1.Parking options: ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB – free parking. 700 Marina Boulevard at Yacht Road. 12-minute walk across Marina Boulevard to Lyon Street and POFA Theatre. CLAIRE LILIENTHAL SCHOOL – $10 per car. Enter schoolyard on Beach Street between Scott and Divisadero. 15-minute walk on Beach Street to POFA pond, then around pond to POFA Theatre doors. MARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Sunday shows only) – $10 per car. Enter schoolyard on Bay Street between Fillmore and Webster. Complimentary shuttle to and from POFA Theatre, starting 90 minutes prior to show time. For additional parking information, please visit naleihulu.org.
About Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu
Founded in 1985, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu (“the many feathered wreaths at the summit, held in high esteem”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to teaching and preserving the Hawaiian culture through hula. It has a performance group of nearly 40 dancers and offers classes to students in the beginning and intermediate levels. The organization holds educational workshops throughout the year in Hawaiian language, history, and arts and crafts. The company has performed in locations throughout California, and in New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Honolulu. For further information on Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, call 415-647-3040 or visit naleihulu.org.
Well, turns out that VVM’s BackPage.com classifieds site is “the new leader in online sex advertising” since craigslist pulled Erotic Services in the Land of the Brave and the Home of the Free.
–Online classified sites have to go all the way to protect girls from being trafficked–
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2010 – Ongoing independent research commissioned by Women’s Funding Network, in partnership with the Georgia-based “A Future. Not A Past.” campaign, has exposed Internet classified sites as the most commonly used platform for buying and trafficking adolescent girls.
A report released in October by the AIM Group, a global team of consultants in interactive and traditional media, found that Village Voice Media, with its backpage.com classifieds site, is the new leader in online sex advertising. The site recently announced the acquisition of an online security specialist and an initial take-down of roughly half of their sex-related categories while putting others under review. The other half of the frequently misused categories to advertise illegal sex, often related to trafficking, remain active and girls continue to be exploited on backpage.
A CNN segment aired yesterday highlights the plight of just one of thousands of girls trafficked online every day. A young woman who was coerced into the sex trade at 14 is suing Village Voice Media, accusing the newspaper conglomerate of knowingly allowing her trafficker to advertise her sexual services on backpage.com, alleging that websites like backpage provide a “safe house” for traffickers and predators to buy and sell girls for sex.
“How many more girls will be trafficked before Village Voice Media takes comprehensive action to protect them? From what we’ve seen so far the answer is not nearly far enough,” says Deborah Richardson, chief programs officer at Women’s Funding Network. “The fact is that girls are being bought and sold online while media companies that provide a platform for this illegal activity increase their profits and market share,” Richardson adds.
“Drastic steps must be taken to combat sex trafficking of girls in the United States. Instead of applying a band-aid approach to the problem, companies like backpage must take action to truly protect girls through improved screening and monitoring, and increased cooperation with law enforcement,” concludes Richardson.
About Women’s Funding Network
As a global network and a movement for social justice, Women’s Funding Network accelerates women’s leadership and invests in solving critical social problems from poverty to global security by bringing together the financial power, influence and voices of more than 160 women’s funds. Learn more at www.womensfundingnetwork.org.
[Welcome RedBook pervs! But, try to keep things on the down-low, bros. We don't want another protest in the Inner Sunset, right? To wit: "Name: gfe_exoticgirl City: San Francisco / Inner Sunset Availability: Incall hours: 10am - 12am"]
Here’s the thing – when you have more members of the media than protesters at a protest, that’s not a good thing. As it was today on restaurant-choked Ninth Avenue, the site of the worldwide HQ for craigslist.
So, why weren’t these people protesting prostitution/escort/massage classified ads at the HQs of the Bay Guardian and the SF Weekly newspapers today? Well, it’s because then there’d just be protesters and no media attention at all, so there you go.
The mise-en-scene at noon. Can you see the sign on the building in the background? It used to say “craigslist” but it was painted-over this A.M. in anticipation of the melee.
OMG, it’s “Craig Newpimp!” Get it? Craig Newmark is a balding nerd so let’s make fun of that. Also on hand was “Jim Pimpmaster” (instead of CEO Jim Buckmaster). I don’t know, protesters. Did you consider tone when you were putting your joint together?
OMG, counterprotesters! They were loud. They disrupted the disruptors, can you dig? But the protesters were ready to fight back with “They’re With Craig” signs, as if being with Craig is a bad thing. The MSM just loves chatty counterprotesters, don’t you know.
Let’s see here, I think it’s somebody from the US PROStitutes Collective videotaping a counter-counterprotester with the sign while an out-of-town P.R. cookie ducks for cover. Welcome to San Francisco.
I don’t know, is front-line law enforcement generally displeased with craigslist? Not that I’m aware of. In fact, I think the SFPD is generally pleased with the actions of the people at CL.
Look forward to reading lots and lots about this one. Linkstocome…
On July 8, 2010 at noon the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), Prostitution Research and Education (PRE) and our over 75 co-sponsors will protest Craigslist’s facilitation of sex trafficking at Craigslist’s office, 1381 9th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122.
A large portion of Craigslist’s profits come from the sale of commercial sexual exploitation, much of it trafficked, all of it prostituted. Craigslist normalizes and facilitates online pimping – providing an outlet and incentive for sex traffickers to reach renters of human beings. “By providing traffickers and Johns with a virtual red light district, Craigslist is aiding, abetting and enormously profiting from sex trafficking,” says Norma Ramos, Executive Director of CATW.
Our protest is co-sponsored by 75 leading human rights and anti-trafficking organizations and prominent individuals including Equality Now, End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT-USA), Center for World Indigenous Studies, Soroptimists International of the Americas, Nevada Coalition Against Sexual Violence, Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, and Gloria Steinem, author Victor Malarek, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congresswoman Jackie Speier.
Sex trafficking is fueled by the demand for prostitution along with impunity for its buyers. According to Melissa Farley, author of 20 research articles on trafficking for prostitution, “Today, a majority of men buy sex online from women or children, many of whom are trafficked or controlled by third parties. Craigslist mainstreams prostitution as ‘Adult Services’. This protest exposes these ads for what they really are: the sale of sexual exploitation, paid rape, child abuse, and trafficking.”
Craigslisthas defied and defeated the efforts of attorneys general, a high profile lawsuit and members of Congress who have tried to put an end to their facilitation of sex trafficking. Despite evidence of criminal activity associated with its website, Craigslist remains above the law. “We are sending a message to Craigslist from the human rights community that by hosting these ads they are partially responsible for much of the rank exploitation that is human trafficking,” says Ms. Ramos.
We are calling upon Craigslist to close the euphemistically named “Adult Services” section of their website and set a sex industry-free standard which would help to eliminate human trafficking on the internet.
Speakers include: Joy Friedman, Breaking Free; Glenda Hope, Executive Director, SafeHouse San Francisco for Homeless Women Escaping Prostitution; Victor Malarek, Author/Activist; Aaron Cohen, Author/Activist; Terria Joseph, Actor.
