Shining brightly through the seemingly impenetrable recent dark storm clouds, Randy Rainbow burst forth with colorful parody songs and videos that provided endless sources of laughs. He'll perform in SF Nov. 20.

While the news media continues to focus on losers, traitors and murderers, awards shows, dramas and even animated series smooch it up with gay, trans and queer teen characters.

In part 2 of our Best AIDS films articles, we focus on films that humanized PWAs and universalized their experiences by raising awareness of how they lived, what they thought and felt, sometimes with humor and a musical song and dance.

Hairspray, the Tony Award-winning musical, will perform November 23-28 at San Jose's Center For the Performing Arts. RuPaul's Drag Race star Nina West heads the cast as Edna Turnblad.

In his concise collection of essays and interviews, John R. Killacky's book offers behind-the-scenes perspectives on his decades of arts administration, and his own struggle to deal with physical limitations.

In the B.A.R.'s November 13 issue, John R. Killacky shares his experience in becoming disabled, and how using a wheelchair helped him gain more freedom than using a cane at age 51.

In October 2002, New Conservatory Theatre Center premiered Mart Crowley's 'The Men From the Boys,' the sequel to his historic 1968 plays, 'The Boys in the Band.'

This year is the 40th anniversary of the start of the AIDS pandemic. It is worth reflecting on how cinema has portrayed the disease and those afflicted with it.

In 1982, Josie Cotton released her debut album 'Convertible Music,' containing the campy new wave single "Johnny, Are You Queer?" She's done much more since then, but was happy to chat about the old days, befo0re her Nov. 13 SF concert at Great Northern.

Frameline's Fall Showcase, Nov. 11 & 12, will feature four in-person screenings at the Castro Theatre, while the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival will run online from November 11-14.

Ruthe Stein's new book, 'Sitting Down With the Stars: Interviews with 100 Hollywood Legends,' is packed with selected interviews from her lengthy journalism career, including a number of Oscar winners.

'Mayor Pete,' a highly moving unveiling of everyone's favorite queer presidential candidate, debuts worldwide on Amazon on Nov. 12. This is the latest of the many offerings produced and/or directed by Jesse Moss.

A long unseen gay cinema classic will screen at the Brava Theater on November 12. Arthur J. Bressan Jr.'s 1979 'Forbidden Letters' is an X-rated mood piece whose lead actors don't just have sex on camera, they make love.

Here's an update on several LGBT arts events taking place in-person and online, including a short film about a political drag queen, a hair salon's fun events, and a new performer showcase produced by the SF LGBT Center.