Wednesdays at Justin + 6 are Party + Play with the co-director of NYC's number one gay nightlife company, BoiParty and published author of the gay novel Gulliver Takes Manhattan, Justin Luke Zirilli.
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A few months ago, I received a painfully abrasive negative one-star review on my novel, Gulliver Takes Manhattan. It became almost immediately obvious that this angry reviewer didn't actually have issues with my novel. In fact, it seemed as if he never bothered to read a page of it.
But what stuck was the personal attack he launched on me in the later part of the review. The conveniently anonymous reviewer raked me across the coals for working in nightlife, and throwing gay dance parties. Among the barbed words he accused me of being a drug addict who fed my go-go boys cocaine and meth (only after taking them for a ride on my private casting couch). He called my parties filthy and unfortunate, filled with copulating crack heads with no jobs and no future. He compared me to promoters from the days of yore and said I would end up just as washed up as them.
My response was a simple one: "It sounds to me like you haven't been to a club since 2000. Perhaps you should come out. This is NOT the New York you knew."
It's funny, friends. People who are out of the scene seem to have a very different view of nightlife than what is actually there. At least in regard to BoiParty and the events we throw. Maybe NYC nightlife used to be a place like this, but allow me to say: it ain't like this any longer.
For one, I am drug free. Always have been, always will be. I'm not saying that I judge people who DO use drugs, but don't string me up by a faulty stereotype.
For two, I have not, nor will I ever, sleep with one of my dancers, DJs, bartenders, hosts, etc.. In fact, at BoiParty we have a very strict rule about fucking the talent: you don't do it. It makes things messy. It allows people to climb the ladder of success with their cock instead of their experience, intelligence, creativity, and loyalty.
For three, our crowd does NOT seem to be a very heavy drug-based one. From what I've seen, the younger 20something crowd is much more interested in smoking weed and getting drunk. No meth for these boys. A lot of them aren't even interested in cocaine.
And as for sex at our events? Come on. If security (of which we have a lot) even catches you with your dick out, your next stop will be the sidewalk outside of the club.
And as far as our dancers and DJs go, a significant number of them DON'T EVEN DRINK... BY CHOICE. And the day of the go-go boy rent boy are long gone. Our dancers have day jobs. Others are graduating college this year. A number of our former dancers now have professional day jobs ranging from chefs and photographers to public relations specialists and event planners
It's really this simple: BoiParty events are about having FUN. This fun often consists of getting drunk, dancing yourself into a puddle of sweat, meeting all the other guys who come out to our parties. We'll bring in the internationally renown electric violinists and pop acts, you come out and have a good time. That's the BoiParty guarantee.
Now, is it possible that this drug and sex culture exists elsewhere in New York City nightlife? Maybe. But I'm not at those places. If I'm not at my events, I'm at bars in Hell's Kitchen doing the same drinking, dancing, chatting, and networking that I do at my own parties. If this scene is still somehow alive and relevant, it's slinking beneath my radar.
And allow me to repeat one last time: I am not judging people for seeking out this type of event. I am no saint. I'm not here to dictate the way you let go and have fun. But don't just make bold assumptions about me, my colleagues, or my parties. You're dead, dead wrong. Save your gavel for Judge Judy (or whoever is on daytime TV these days). Don't point it in this direction.
We're just here to have some fun. Come out and see how things have changed. You might be surprised. Hell, you might even have some fun.
xo
JL
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