Journalism & Criticism
A keen eye for
contemporary culture
Jim regularly writes about the performing and literary arts, travel, and cuisine. Currently theater critic at the Bay Area Reporter and a contributing editor at Passport magazine, he has held positions as pop music critic at The Philadelphia Inquirer, and film critic and book columnist at the late, lamented Philadelphia City Paper. His work has appeared in dozens of publications including The New York Times Book Review, The Chicago Tribune, Billboard, BUTT magazine, SPIN, and the Detroit Free Press. Jim has also provided commentary on local and national public radio.
Featured Articles
Meet Jack Petocz, the “Say Gay” Kid
Jack Petocz speaks at a book ban protest in Flagler County, Florida, November 16, 2021. Photo by Stephen Helfrich To see this article in its original form, visit Authentic...
Social soaking in Iceland
My essay on bathing culture in Iceland appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of HAMAM magazine, a gorgeous, print-only publication that is produced in Istanbul and distributed internationally at...
Finding silver linings in online theater
Playwright Eliza Clark’s Quackopens with an investigative reporter’s takedown of a Mehmet Oz-inspired TV-star doctor, then proceeds to topple a domino set of social shibboleths. Medical ethics, journalistic practices, gender...
A queer quintet of recent books
Lambda Literary and Ferro-Grumley award-winning author Trebor Healey’s recently published short fiction collection may be called Falling(University of Wisconsin Press, $26.95. www.treborhealey.com), but you don’t so much fall into these dynamic...
Natalie Douglas: A “first time” family reunion
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” is one of those songs that’s pretty much guaranteed to swell the emotions. But when acclaimed vocalist Natalie Douglas sings it...
Review: Surfside existential
Nancy (Ellen McLaughlin) and Charlie (James Carpenter) in a state of joint terror. (Photo: Kevin Berne) Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. You may recall this catchy phrase from high school biology class....
Review: Streetlife Serenade
Lorenzo, Young Calogero and Rosina (Photo: Joan Marcus) Straightforward, familiar and enormously satisfying, "A Bronx Tale" is the relatively rare contemporary musical that exudes winning sincerity more than winking...
Review: Unfair
Monique Robinson plays Keisha (Photo: Kevin Berne/Berkeley Rep) “Fairview,” Jackie Sibblies Drury's exquisitely constructed drama, now at Berkeley Rep, requires concentrated observation. Its subject is a pernicious strain of...
Moving, with books
Often, in a ghost story, former residents of a house will haunt its new owners. If only life worked like stories. In life, recently, I moved into a new...
Helsinki, hell yeah!
Originally published in Passport Until this past summer’s Trump-Putin summit, most gay Americans had probably given little thought to the Finnish capital. And the sad sight of those two...
Celebrating historic SF restaurants
Originally published in the San Francisco Examiner “I was always a big fan of Anthony Bourdain’s storytelling,” says Denise Clifton, author of “Tables From The Rubble: How The Restaurants...
Guy Branum: A funny gay voice we need to listen to
Guy Branum is the zaftig Sontag of comedy. His brainy magpie's nest of a book, My Life As A Goddess: A Memoir Through Unpopular Culture, has just been released,...
Everything’s up to date in Oklahomo!
Originally published by Hornet Rodgers and Hammerstein, queered Ado Andy (Jonathan Luke Stevens) and Will Parker (Jordan Barbour). (Photo: Jenny Graham, OSF) Raise your curtains of preconception and imagine...
Generations of Angels: Bringing Kushner’s masterwork back to where it started
Originally published in the Bay Area Reporter Randy Harrison plays Prior Walter and Stephen Spinella, who originated the role of Prior, now plays Roy Cohn (Photo by Cheshire...
Discovering Seoul
Changing of the guard Originally published in Passport As my partner John and I settle into a dining room at The Plaza in Seoul, Korea, the hotel’s public relations...
