Should Auld Bingo Balls Be Forgot…
No they shouldn’t. And this “2015 Year In Review” email will make sure they are not.
2015 was a wonderful year for us (honestly they all are)- we met some new friends, somehow did even more events than the year before, went new places and, very importantly, raised a lot of very needed dollars for some worthy and wonderful organizations.
While I was going through the photos from 2015, trying to choose which to include in the email (and frankly going a bit crazy- there are so many), I thought to myself “hmmm, could I just choose one photo from each month and just be fine with that?” Truthfully I am on the fence with how happy I will be with it, but I am going to try. After all, you have been there through all of the insanity and glamour (!) of Legendary Bingo, so you already know the story. And if you really want to relive the past, feel free to look up all of the past Bingo Emails and review. I hope you don’t because that would mean we have most likely cut in to your “Law & Order: SVU” bingefest and that would just be a crime. Because without “Law & Order: SVU” how would you know the meaning of “lividity” and “insanguinate” and “perp”?
Before we start- a little reminder that this Wednesday, December 30th is our “Last Bingo of 2105!” and we are doing only one show at Hamburger Mary’s WeHo at 7 pm. Hope to see you for this landmark occasion…..!
So here we go- 2015 in review using only one photo from each month:
January-
We started off the year raising money for organizations such as The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society (we do many events for them- they should give us an award or something….), Forte Animal Rescue, Challenge 4 Charity, Yorkie Rescue Of America and The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Of America. Celeb guests included actor Garret Dillahunt and his actress wife Michelle Hurd. I have many photos of people having fun at our events but only one really summed up the true meaning of the month-
Disgusting! I know. Sorry vegans. My point is that I have a business that does private party drag queen bingo for Asian wedding rehearsal dinners in which there are roasted pigs five feet away from the bingo table. Anyone else able to say that?
February-
So many fun things happened in February. Roxy and I did a party at a home in Newport Beach where the prizes were all Gucci, Calvin Klein, Tiffany, etc. We raised money for Paw Parent, One World Health, AIDS Lifecycle, The Saban Free Clinic and more. And we had a visit from a couple of special friends-
Our friend Monica Horan brought Allison Janney to bingo and they were hilarious calling our balls. Now whenever I watch “Mom” I yell at the tv screen “you go girl!”
March-
In March, we had visits from Seamus & Julie Dever (“Castle”) as well as Carly Chaikin (Mr. Robot). Charities included Shane’s Inspiration, Angel City Chorale, WeHo Elite Cheerleaders and The Stamps Youth Foundation (such a nice selection!). The photo I chose had to do with, once again, this weird business called Legendary Bingo. Roxy and I were called up to do rounds of bingo for a place that is near and dear to my heart (and maybe yours too)-
Fatburger! Yes folks, we stood out on Wilshire Boulevard during the day and called bingo numbers to celebrate the kick off of Fatburger’s new brunch menu. A Fatburger with a full bar. And it was there that I had my very first Cronut. And !@^%?! loved it.
April-
April was our 17 year anniversary and we did pretty much nothing to celebrate it. We had visits from Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead) and Dot Marie Jones as well as singer Leona Lewis (who sang happy birthday to herself onstage- brilliant). We raised money for No Limits For Deaf Children, Building Botswana, Mutt Match LA, OUTrageous and more. We were asked to do a “press event” for the tv show “Queens Of Drama” and had a great time with Donna Mills (who looks amazing) and several other “queens.” The photo that stood out for me for April 2015 was…..
Come on. A bare ass at bingo! Once again, a business where it is appropriate and even encouraged to pull down your pants and be paddled with a big black strap! Truthfully he did that all on his own and trust me, he regretted it after. Snap!
May-
Bud Bundy aka David Faustino called our balls, one of the bingo prizes was a jewel encrusted bottle of Courvoisier and charities included Trans United With Friends, Building Botswana, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and The Ovarian Cancer Circle. And as usual, someone in the crowd got so drunk that he didn’t notice that his friends had mistaken his face for a bingo card-
I think the pattern is “Cover all corners.”
June-
Deven Green, Roxy Wood and I entertained the financially gifted members of Hillcrest Country Club (which served Pink’s Hot Dogs at the event- kudos to them for that), Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis made an appearance, charities included Bark Avenue Foundation, Jewish Vocational Services Scholarship Program, American Business Women’s Association and The San Francisco Avon Walk. I was a bit tongue-tied when I spied one of my favorite singers in the audience-
Who would have ever thought that Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s enjoyed Drag Queen Bingo? And the things she told us about the other girls! Honestly we can’t reveal any of it. You know…..our lips are sealed. Thank you.
July-
In July, Deven Green and I brought our balls to sea. A July 4th yacht cruise around the Queen Mary (appropriate). I also achieved my personal best with an 8 hour bingo marathon at Irvine Spectrum Shopping Center (I made it all the way through with a totally “family” show although it was hard around hour 7). Roxy and I trekked out to check on the progress of the soon to be opened Hamburger Mary’s Ontario location (it has since opened and we love it) and charities included A Safe Place For Youth, Karma Rescue, Peer Health Exchange and The Gibbons Conservatory. The photo I chose is completely self-serving-
Sia, Whitney Cummings, Our Lady J
The woman in the middle is recording artist Sia who usually hides her face with a wig but came and played bingo in full view of everyone in order to support her friend Whitney Cumming’s charity. I was a bit starstruck but she was very, very nice (and, as you know, later in the year had us at her birthday party….with Jen and Sandra and…you know the story). The woman in white is Our Lady J who writes for “Transparent.”!
August-
Summer was hot this year, was it not? But Deven and I did a three week stint at the Americana At Brand Shopping Center in Glendale (selling out each night!). Roxy and I did our yearly event for “the ladies” at Lakeside Country Club and this is the place where I accidentally put my cigarette out in Justin Timberlake’s cocktail. Justin will be happy to know I have quit smoking and that I now know that a “Moscow Mule” is not an ashtray. Charities for August included Dirty Dog Squad, ASPCA, Crystal Meth Anonymous and Shark Allies. We were asked by The Make A Wish Foundation to fulfill the wish of a terminally ill teenager who wanted to be dressed in drag and call a few games of bingo-
Here he is with his family, looking all gorgeous. I apologize that I cannot remember his boy name or his drag name but they were both just lovely. As was he/she.
September-
In September we did our first bingo night at Hamburger Mary’s Ontario and had a blast. We had visits from Bruce Vilanch, Naomi Grossman (“Pepper” on “American Horror Story: Freakshow”) and Kirsten Vangsness (of “Criminal Minds” although I introduced her as “Kirsten VAG-ness of NCIS”- and got booed). We raised money for Project Angel Food, GLASA Softball League, Second Chances Rescue and AIDS Walk LA as well as others. Here is the photo that I have chosen for September-
Here is Roxy Wood doing a session of “group humiliation” during our very first night in Ontario. If you knew how shy people in the Inland Empire are (very) you would find it surprising that they even had us back. No false bingos EVER!
October-
Halloween month! We trekked out to UC Santa Barbara for our yearly event (about 400 students playing bingo) and also went to the valley for a show benefiting a roller derby team (all in costume, one dressed like poo). Charities included Gay Freedom Band, Operation Blankets of Love, Girl Scout Moms and Best Buddies. I have lots of fun costume shows for this month but I chose the following photo to represent October 2015-
Although you cannot see them all that well, Melanie and her husband of “Operation Blankets Of Love” are holding handmade greeting cards with a “doggie” theme. They were custom made by my mother and donated to several animal charities to sell. I am just so proud of my mother for thinking of this. Now she is hard at work on a set of “horse” cards that will be given to horse rescues. Thanks mom!
November-
I did not take very many memorable photos in November for some reason although I am sure there were many memorable moments. Charities included Camp TLC, Operation Smile, Leave No Paws Behind and Beauty Gives Back. The one private event we did in November was one that will forever stay in my mind- it was a wedding rehearsal dinner for two wonderful men who met at Legendary Bingo! Both grooms had their entire families there and there was so much love all around. And a lot of alcohol. Love and alcohol. Both are intoxicating.
The grooms are the ones in the suits and Roxy is the one in the hat looking all serious and sh*t. The one on the left is the relative we all have- we will call her “fun aunt Frannie.”
Well, no reason to recap December because we are still in it. I hope you enjoyed this jaunt through 2015- frankly I am exhausted.
We want to thank all of you for another great year and hope that you will be with us for many years to come. 2016 will be an exciting year- all new charities (and of course all of our regular charities as well), celebrity guests, paddling, pelting and…most exciting (for me at least), the introduction of…..
Yaaaasssss Queen! Sorry – just really excited. Plans are to launch “Drag Queen Bingo: The Home Game” in April at our 18th Anniversary event. Currently the game is being manufactured and I am so proud of the results. I think that everyone will enjoy fighting it out bingo style in the comfort of your own home as much as my family and friends have enjoyed playing with the tester models this past few months. Coming soon!
That’s it for now and hope to see you this Wednesday night at 7 pm!
NO BINGO THIS SUNDAY!
We will be back with one show on Wednesday January 6th and then back to our regular schedule!
From all of us here at Bingo Boy Inc- all of the Legendary Bingo Hostesses and myself, Bingo Boy, Happy New Year to you and yours!
xo
Bingo Boy
Here’s what’s coming up in WeHo this week!
Wednesday Night- December 30th
Starring Bingo Boy & Roxy Wood!
LAST BINGO OF 2015!
7 pm show only – benefiting
The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society!
NO BINGO ON SUNDAY!
HAPPY 2016!
HAMBURGER MARY’S – WEST HOLLYWOOD
8288 Santa Monica Blvd- At Sweetzer
reservations for parties of 3 or more- 323-654-3800
Full menu and bar
All ages welcome
Valet and street parking available