Category Archives: Dazzler of the Day

During the ‘Sunset Boulevard’ musical obsession that dominated my life in the mid 1990’s, one of the shows that I attended had the stalwart Alan Campbell (another Alan who spells his name correctly) out and his understudy in – and that was the night I became fully aware of Bryan Batt and his brilliance. He took the role of Joe Gillis and made it his own – not an easy feat given how accustomed many of us had become to Mr. Campbell. Batt matched the ferocious but fragile performance of his leading lady Betty Buckley to create an evening of musical theater magic. 

A few years later, I was at a Sunday brunch in the South End of Boston and noticed Batt at a nearby table; to my regret and shame, I was too shy and socially anxious to approach him and offer my accolades on that ‘Sunset’ performance, so all these years later this is my small way of making up for that. 

He’s carved out an impressive theatrical resume – highlights of which include the aforementioned ‘Sunset’ run, a scene-chomping turn in ‘Jeffrey’, a suave, smarmy, and poignantly nuanced role on ‘Mad Men‘ (a role which should have gone on for far longer than it did), and several other Broadway behemoths such as ‘Cats’, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel‘, and ‘Saturday Night Fever’. A true Renaissance man who dabbles in all forms of beauty and art, Batt and his husband own a home furnishings and gift store, Hazelnut, that is on my bucket list to visit in New Orleans. He’s also written two books, ‘She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Mother: A Memoir’ and ‘Big Easy Style’. Taken together, it’s more than an honor to name him as Dazzler of the Day. 

Today marks the opening of the much-anticipated and discussed live-action remake of Disney’s 1989 animated classic ‘The Little Mermaid’. Like every good gay boy of a certain age, I dutifully listened to the soundtrack inside and out during the years following its release, perfecting every number from the wondrously wistful ‘Part of Your World’ (and its hair-flipping reprise) to the sinister machinations of ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’. Riding the crest of the new movie is Halle Bailey, whose voice soars as expected – Bailey earns this Dazzler of the Day for that alone, but she’s got a few Grammys in her pocket in case anyone needed reminding. 

I’m old enough to have attended the first staging of ‘Here Lies Love’ – the fabulous imagining of an Imelda Marcos musical that is everything you expect such a thing to be and quite a bit more – and seeing that it is returning in even more magnificent form (a proper Broadway theater reconfigured for the immersive magic that formed such a key component of this show) makes me giddy and ready to return to New York. Resuming the role of Ferdinand Marcos is Jose Llana, whose initial take on that polarizing figure was as captivating as it needed to be to showcase how he could attain such popularity and power. Llana earns this Dazzler of the Day for capturing such lightning twice.

It takes a formidable performer to step into the many shoes of Imelda Marcos, and in the new staging of ‘Here Lies Love’ Arielle Jacobs is hellbent on proving that she has the vocal chops and emotional fortitude to transform into the former First Lady of the Philippines. Based on her previous performances in such demanding material as ‘In the Heights’, Jacobs seems a shoo-in for a fabulous showing, and I can’t wait to get tickets for this all-Filipino version of that wondrous show. Jacobs earns this Dazzler of the Day for all of her stage work, including appearances in such classics as ‘Into the Woods’, ‘Wicked’, and ‘Aladdin’. More magic is surely on the way with ‘Here Lies Love’.

It’s rare to find an ‘Alan’ that spells his name correctly, so it’s especially thrilling to name Alan Cumming as Dazzler of the Day. It’s even rarer to find someone with such an exquisite last name, so Cumming wins on both fronts. An actor who has been shape-shifting like the most miraculous trickster over the last few decades, Cumming is one of those amazing performers who completely disappears in character, despite a larger-than-life personality that has made his Club Cumming a magnet for the most fascinating people. Seeing him on social media has given his coveted events and performances an accessibility that voyeurs like myself have feasted upon.

His career has spanned a generation, with notable film performances in ‘Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion’, ‘Circle of Friends’, ‘X-Men’, and ‘Emma’ (and during only a few seconds of screen time, he was easily the most interesting and engaging part of the Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman/Stanley Kubrick masterpiece/fiasco that was ‘Eyes Wide Shut’) and his theatrical and television accomplishments are just as incendiary (he largely gave ‘Cabaret’ its renewed lease on life, lending a menace and pathos that got lost in the movie version). He’s put out a musical album, written several books, and released a fragrance line (with a name like ‘Cumming’ you just have to take a sniff), and regularly enthralls at his club. From all personal accounts, he is as sweet and generous and entertaining as you’d want him to be. Check out all the happenings at Club Cumming – I’m setting a goal to pop into New York before the year is out and finally visit this entertainment landmark.  

My adoration for Martha Stewart goes back decades, when I first caught her show in the months that I had begun to date Andy. In between jobs and locations, I found myself at his house in the middle of the day, when I would find her show in an early afternoon hour, and her voice was always so soothing and calming, that I connected that to a happy and idyllic way of life. Since then, we all know the rollercoaster she’s been on, and she’s still around and kicking ass because she’s a boss. ‘Sports Illustrated’ recently made her their oldest cover subject for their celebrated Swimsuit Issue, and nothing makes me happier. Check out her website here for more ‘good living’ (I’ve never had a failure with any of her recipes) and have no doubt that she is definitely a Dazzler of the Day. 

With his hilarious re-workings of politicians set to musical numbers, Randy Rainbow has carved out a comedic corner of the world where his impressive talents as writer, performer, singer, and activist combine for some combustible creative brilliance. His memoir is titled ‘Playing With Myself’ and for that alone it deserves a read. He earns this Dazzler of the Day for all the albums, podcasts, videos, and books he’s put out over the last few years, and for not showing any sign of slowing down. The world needs more Rainbows. Check out his website here for more magnificence. 

I love a beauty blogger – they make everything look so easy, even when it takes years of practice and perfecting techniques. Case in point is Manny MUA, who’s made a career of painting faces and making beauty. With a colossal social media presence thanks to his YouTube videos and Instagram account, Manny is conquering the world one pretty day at a time. His own beauty line, ‘Lunar Beauty’, is available here. When you’re already such a star, Dazzler of the Day is just another fitting accolade for all the fabulousness at work. 

Another sort of Mother for this Mother’s Day, this is Queen Mother RuPaul, who sings the theme song of the day, ‘Call Me Mother’. The Grande Dame of drag has done just about everything, and in the three decades since they stormed the world with ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’ they have conquered the entertainment universe completely. One-name marvels  are as rare as they are impressive (see Beyoncé and Madonna) and RuPaul is easily part of that sparkling firmament. Adding Dazzler of the Day to that roster almost feels like an afterthought, but now it’s official. 

She once wrote the following, and for this alone Alex Borstein deserves this Dazzler of the Day: “If every chick sat down when using a public toilet then we could all sit down. Hovering only leads to your piss on the seat. Stop it.” On a more serious note, Borstein provides the lynchpin of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘ and her portrayal of Susie Myerson, as foil to the titular character, is one of the best parts of that show. It’s a hat trick of talent she brings to most of her projects, as witnessed in fare like ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Bad Santa’. Check out her latest offering on Amazon, ‘Corsets & Clownsuits’ here.