Iconic San Francisco cabaret, sanctuary for transgender performers, bids farewell

Описание: (30 Mar 2024)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4485972

ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco - 28 March 2024
1. Performer enters AsiaSF venue during introduction
2. Blaire Bonier performs Jessica Rabbit inspired lip sync
ANNOTATION: Opened in 1998, AsiaSF quickly became a cultural landmark, combining pan-Asian cuisine with lip sync performances by transgender women.
+++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED+++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Larry Hashbarger, Founder & CEO, AsiaSF:
"The word transgender was not even in our vocabulary 26 years ago. 26 years ago, there was no internet. There were no cell phones. There was no social media. So it was a very different time. And so we were really pioneers in terms of creating employment opportunities and a safe space for these transgender women to be their authentic self."
4. Bonier pours drink at the bar
5. Server takes drink order
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Karmina Perilla Duncan, Server & Performer, AsiaSF:
"This is a place where I feel safe and celebrated. People come here to have a good time, have fun and for me to be able to be hosting that, it's such a privilege and honor and also it's my livelihood."
7. Various Bonier performing
ANNOTATION: The owners say they are unable to keep the dinner show going due to losses suffered during the COVID pandemic and will close at the end of April.
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Blaire Bonier, Server & Performer, AsiaSF:
"Even though it's sad that we're closing, the fact that we've been able to be open for 26 years and have the support that we have is just so beautiful. And instead of us all being sad and mad that we're closing, I just want a chance to be grateful for the times that we have had to exist here."
9. Performer stands on bar during lip sync
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Larry Hashbarger, Founder & CEO, AsiaSF:
"Part of our mission has really been to educate people, but really in a fun and entertaining way. And so I think that I've seen a cultural shift in terms of people's attitude about diversity."
11. Various other performances at AsiaSF
ANNOTATION: While closing its physical location, AsiaSF vows to continue entertaining throughout the region through future pop-up performances.
STORYLINE:
A pioneering venue renowned for its blend of pan-Asian cuisine and transgender cabaret performances is bidding farewell to its longtime home in San Francisco.

Opened in 1998, AsiaSF quickly became a cultural landmark, attracting visitors from around the globe to revel in its unique blend of entertainment.

The 26-year-old venue gained fame for its cast of transgender women performers who dazzled audiences with their lip-synced renditions of popular songs.

Some in the LGBTQ+ community have criticized AsiaSF for presenting a narrow, exotic view of the transgender community.

But it gave jobs to performers who were often excluded from other sectors of the entertainment and hospitality industry.

AsiaSF was also featured in the reality series "Transcendent," which aired for two seasons on Fuse TV, providing audiences with a glimpse into the lives of the performers and the community they represented.

The owners initially slated to symbolically close its doors on International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, after they said they were unable to continue the operation due to losses suffered during the COVID pandemic.

But the remaining shows quickly booked up. The surge in demand led the owners to extend the venue's operations through April, ensuring that devoted fans had one last opportunity to enjoy in the festivities.



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