Once a year, over ten thousand girl-loving girls descend on Palm Springs, California to attend the biggest lesbian event known to womankind: the Dinah Shore Weekend. “Weekend” is a bit of a misnomer, as the event spans five full days and features a non-stop schedule of pool parties, comedy shows, music acts and lesbian debauchery that rivals any Spring Break captured by MTV.
Originally a staid golf tourney hosted by the 40s singer, Dinah Shore, (a conservative who hated having her name associated with the lesbians) the annual event gradually moved away from ladies sweating on the back nine to girls sweating on the dance floor. Each year, the Dinah Shore Weekend attracts a larger crowd, bigger acts and smaller bikinis. No longer an event known mostly to Southern California women, the Dinah Shore Weekend is now a pool party pilgrimage for lesbians from all over the country, and the world.
AfterEllen.com talked to Mariah Hanson, owner of Club Skirts and its trademarked event, “The Dinah.” Celebrating her 20th anniversary this year (March 31-April 4) with acts like Salt ‘N Pepa (reuniting with DJ Spinderella for an exclusive performance), Ke$ha and Rosie O’Donnell, Hanson dished about her party-throwing philosophy, how the community has changed, and why she booked Katy Perry in 2009, to the dismay of many AfterEllen.com readers. AfterEllen: Congratulations on The Dinah’s 20th anniversary. How has the event changed over the years? Mariah Hanson: I think it’s changed in ways that reflects the way the community is changing. Twenty years ago, the Dinah Shore Weekend was not as diverse as it is today. It was very Southern California, and now it’s a very international event. That’s really amazing – to walk through a party and see every conceivable type of lesbian, together, enjoying each other’s company. I think that’s part of the Dinah magic. There’s something about that free-for-all, that liberating experience, that commonality, that helps people get beyond borders. And I love it. I’m really proud how The Dinah has evolved.
AE: How has the demographic changed? MH: It’s a younger demographic. But we’re trying to create a weekend that’s accessible to everybody. So, you could do the entire weekend, which you could argue is expensive, but you could also just do a couple of parties. Even if you only go to one pool party, you can still experience The Dinah. And that’s why the demographic has lowered – it’s easier for a 25-year-old to go than it used to be.
AE: Your shows have changed, too. Each year, it seems the artists are bigger and more mainstream. MH: I get a lot of flak for booking mainstream artists.
AE: Flak from whom? MH: Well, from some of your readers. The readers ripped me up [last year] for [booking] Katy Perry because she isn’t gay. It’s really interesting booking talent for the weekend. I try to be diverse about our talent. I also had the Indigo Girls [in 2009] because I think it’s important – they really represent lesbian-identified musicians who’ve crossed over into the mainstream. And we had Lady Gaga, who identifies as bisexual. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry are triple-platinum artists.
AE: Last year, you and I talked about how some lesbians weren’t going to like seeing Katy Perry on the bill. Remember? MH: Yes. And while we have Rosie O’Donnell, who’s making her return to stand-up comedy, there’s some grumbling about the music acts, Salt-n-Pepa and Ke$ha. Ke$ha made a statement that she’s bisexual and lesbians jumped on that, saying, “Oh, she’s just trying to make money.” You go talk to any 22-year-old. They don’t identify with being [just] straight anymore. They’re definitely in the grey or on a continuum where they feel they can experiment with their sexuality. They really do identify with being bisexual. AE: Years ago, you couldn’t get a triple-platinum artist to do an exclusively lesbian event. Many of the big names didn’t care about us back then. Isn’t that progress? MH: I agree, and that’s why I’m doing it. I think it’s an important statement. We deserve triple-platinum artists. And I want to make another point: a lot of the lesbian artists won’t play the event. It bugs me because it’s like, “Who made you famous? Lesbians made you famous!”
AE: Why won’t they play The Dinah? MH: I can’t speak for them, so I don’t know why. But when I asked X, Y and Z, [Hanson declined to name names on record] the answer was, “No.” I won’t mention names, in case they ever decide to say, “Yes.” I want them to say, “Yes.” I do try to book lesbian talent, but it’s the mainstream talent that wants to play the event.
And I’ll tell you what’s really amazing about this and what it says about the lesbian community’s clout. The record industry is looking at it as: “Wow. There’s this lesbian weekend called the Dinah Shore Weekend. And every time an emerging artist plays it, they blow up.” So, when I called Ke$ha’s management, I can’t tell you how fast they said “Yes!” Lesbians are now helping to expose emerging artists. We had never been considered early adopters or trendsetters. It’s always been the gay boys.
AE: Well, they’ve held that title for a long time. I love that we’re recognized as influencers now. But hearing the bigger lesbian artists are turning down the event is just plain weird. MH: To them, playing mainstream is success. Which is interesting because to mainstream artists, playing the lesbian event is super cool. But whatever.
AE: Do you try to book one hot, new act, and one more established artist each year? MH: I definitely try to merge the new with the old because the age demographic is really broad now. So, I try to reach all the different kinds of lesbians who come to the weekend.
AE: How did you become the producer of The Dinah? MH: When I started, there were other promoters out there, but I brought a concept that no one was doing. I took some risks that no one was willing to take. No one had taken over entire hotels. I was responsible for every room, and I sold them. Nor had anyone booked the kind of talent that I was booking back then. I booked Martha Wash, who at the time, was the voice of C+C Music Factory, and had five Top 10 Hits. I’ve taken that really aggressive attitude about The Dinah and making it the most amazing event I possibly can, every year, for the past 20 years.
AE: You used to be Dinah partners with Robin Gans and Sandy Sachs of Girl Bar. When did you split? MH: The first year was just me. [I hired them] to promote for me. We became partners the second year and we split five years ago. I’ve been doing it on my own ever since and I think that really made the difference. My company has continued to evolve those [original] concepts with the community in mind, and I think it shows. I want it to be the most amazing, show-stopping, mind-boggling, blockbuster event that one can imagine. I think lesbians deserve it. And I’m willing to invest back into that concept and attract top tier talent. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga left their tours to play the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend [last year.] Rosie O’Donnell contacted us this year.
AE: Last year, a documentary called Out in the Desert shot the event. Was that the first time anyone had done a documentary about The Dinah? MH: There’s a documentary every year. But none of them have taken [Out in the Desert Executive Producer] Page Hurwitz‘s angle. I had a long conversation with Page about her vision: the importance of the event within the lesbian community. She did something really different and got to the heart of the weekend, which is that The Dinah affects the attendees’ lives. Out in the Desert explores the personal stories of some women’s hopes and dreams when coming to this crazy annual weekend.
MH: I haven’t seen it yet but I can’t wait. It sounds like she captured what is really beautiful about The Dinah — that it’s not just a party. I think it’s more than that. It can be life changing in a lot of different ways, on a lot of different levels. I’m really excited that she chose Club Skirts to do that.
AE: After 20 years, you must have some crazy stories. What are some of the most memorable ones? MH: [laughs] There are so many things, I can’t even tell you. One year, someone tried to unscrew the light bulb in the Jacuzzi because they wanted to get sexy, not realizing that water and electricity don’t mix.
AE: You’d think any lesbian worth her tool belt would know better. MH: I wouldn’t try that myself! And there was the year when Bonnie Pointer was on stage, and no one believed it was Bonnie Pointer because she was wearing a blond wig. And I said, “She better be Bonnie Pointer, because I paid for Bonnie Pointer!”
AE: Bonnie Pointer? MH: The Pointer Sisters?
AE: Oh, right. MH: Girl, I go back 20 years! That was a cool act to book back then, OK?
AE: Sure! “Neutron Dance,” “I’m So Excited,” “Jump”? They’d be cool now, too. Do you think you’ll ever book a male act in the future? MH: I tried to this year.
AE: Who? MH: Adam Lambert.
AE: And? MH: Didn’t return my calls.
AE: Maybe he was too busy putting on guyliner. MH: Exactly. But I like that idea [of having a male act.] The Dinah will evolve with the community. Younger LGBT people really hang out with each other more than they did in my day. I imagine that as years go on — it will always be a lesbian event — but I can see more guys there.
AE: OK. So, you’ve confirmed Salt-n-Pepa, Ke$ha, Rosie O’Donnell. Who else is going to be there? MH: Paradiso Girls and Lolene will be there. Meredith Baxter is walking our catwalk in the fashion show along with Bridget McManus, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Nat and Meg, Jill Bennett, Romaine Patterson from Sirius Radio, The Real L Word: LA’s Tracy Ryerson, Elizabeth Keener.
AE: Keener, being from that other show called The L Word. MH: For me, Keener is Dawn Denbo and I love her.
AE: I saw you’re doing a NOH8 party on Sunday. A little activism with our Amstel Lights is a good thing. MH: Yeah, everyone will be able to get their faces painted, meet the co-founders, Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley, and be a part of the growing Prop 8 protest campaign. AE: What does your dream Dinah look like? MH: Well, in the dream Dinah, Michelle Pfeiffer is my date, and she’s really crazy about me — it’s almost embarrassing. And we’re sitting front row, watching Pink perform with Dreya Weber doing her aerial act. And Madonna is hanging out, too. And Dom Perignon is the sponsor. And my buddy Dara is hanging out with me. I’m sharing Madonna with her.
AE: Awesome. Thanks for that. That doesn’t sound like “The Dinah” so much as it sounds like “The Mariah.” MH: That fantasy was all about me.
AE: Well, thanks for including me in your fantasy. And what about Pink? Can you get her? MH: She’s always touring. Maybe one of these days. Don’t think I don’t ask her every year. I do!
AE: You also host girl parties in LA, year-round. How do you get along with the other lesbian event promoters? Is it overly competitive? MH: There are so many cool lesbian events going on in Los Angeles. Downtown, [the party] Catwalk has a line around the block. PimpNPush is one of the hottest parties in LA. There’s also the Betty, Booby Trap!, Ladies’ Touch, anything Shannon Kampa does, Club Flaunt Long Beach, all the San Diego clubs. They all communicate. There’s a new paradigm and it’s about having a healthy, positive way of being.
We’re creating community for a segment of society that has been disenfranchised, or in some sense, oppressed. I mean, I think it’s less and less true as we move forward, but it’s still there. And so, at our nightclubs, our watering holes, we come together. I’m not saying this is the only way to create community, but it is one way. And as a promoter, if you can’t feel incredible gratitude for how this community has given back to you, than you probably shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing.
Smart promoters know that competition is really healthy. It’s only a certain frame of mind that thinks, “No. We have to run other clubs out of business.” So, do I think that the new generation of club promoters in LA is off the hook? Yeah, I do.
AE: Briana Stockton is your ex-girlfriend. When she was on Work Out, Season 3, there was an episode that showed Jackie Warner snooping in Briana’s phone. Jackie got angry over a text message that said, “I love you.” That was from you. Care to talk about that? MH: [laughs] I’ll answer that as long as you do it right. AE: I only use the words you give me! MH: OK then. I called her on Thanksgiving. And I texted her, “Boo, I love you.” OK? I never texted her, “I want you back, blah, blah, blah.” That never happened. But that’s reality television.
AE: How long were you broken up when they taped that scene? MH: Oh, I don’t know. Two or three months?
AE: OK, so still kind of new. I might give that one to Jackie. But who cares now? You and Briana are close friends. MH: Briana is my best friend.
AE: That’s super lesbian of you. MH: I love her. Bri is an old soul. She’s one of the more amazing people in my life.
AE: Getting back to The Dinah. Do you think ladies like to objectify other women who engage in go-go dancing or pole dancing? MH: I think that women love watching a beautiful woman seduce a pole. [laughs] What’s wrong with that?
AE: Not a damn thing. MH: [laughs] That’s not going to sound as good when you read it, is it?
AE: No, it’s going to sound better. In another 20 years, will you still be doing what you’re doing? MH: I’ll most likely pass the torch but I will always, as long as I live, have a hand in how a Dinah goes. The Dinah is my life’s work.
AE: When you’re really old, you can be in a penthouse that overlooks the pool. And you can watch hot girls who aren’t even born yet. MH: [laughs] “Oh, look at the pretties!” Are you there with me?
AE: Of course. And you can get a Popemobile to ride around in, waving to the crowd. MH: How about just a little golf cart?
AE: Wow, you are really gay.
For more information on The Dinah Shore weekend, check out the Club Skirts website, and click here for more about the Logo Legacy Campaign.
