Scoop: This Gossip is an Avatar, Not a Hoax.

JT LEROY (NOT APPEARING)
By WW Culture Staff
  1. LITERARY CONTROVERSY FESTERS: A fundraiser featuring JT LeRoy/Laura Albert to benefit the youth charity P:ear at Disjecta on Thursday, March 28, promises the odd spectacle of an author who famously posed for 10 years as an ex-homeless youth, raising funds for an arts program helping actual homeless youth. Laura Albert—once called the “greatest literary hoax in a generation”—had written books as sexually ambiguous, abused youth JT LeRoy, before being outed in 2005. The event, organized by author Kevin Sampsell, includes a conversation with Albert, plus Portland writers Arthur Bradford and Monica Drake reading from LeRoy/Albert’s works. But sources close to the event say early LeRoy supporters Chuck Palahniuk and Tom Spanbauer were displeased that the event was featuring Albert, and author Lidia Yuknavitch has pulled out of the event, saying Albert “injured too many people who are dear to me, and thus I can’t have anything to do with her. I’m for P:ear, though.” Author Jon Raymond has also pulled out of the event, citing obligations to a movie project.
  1. FUNCHES PULLED: Comedian Ron Funches, who left Portland for Los Angeles last year, has canceled a homecoming appearance at Mississippi Studios scheduled for Thursday, March 28. He’s got a good excuse, though: He’s filming a pilot for a sitcom. According to the comic, the show is titled Undateable and is being produced by Scrubs and Cougar Town creator Bill Lawrence. Funches tells Scoop his character is a “shy musician named Shelly,” and he will be a series regular—that is, if the show gets picked up.
  1. BUY MORE SAKE: Beloved Montavilla izakaya Tanuki had a tough week. As reported at wweek.com, after learning The Oregonian planned to run a restaurant review, Tanuki owner Janice “Janis” Martin abruptly closed March 20 and 21. The review ran anyway. Scoop drank a shot with a photo of a naked woman taped to it to verify that Tanuki reopened March 22. As it turns out, Tanuki is registered as a bar with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and as a store with the Department of Agriculture, but has never had a county restaurant inspection. If retail sales outstrip restaurant sales, this can continue. So, if you like eating at Tanuki, buy more sake.
  1. MUSICAL CHAIRS: Three music venues may be changing hands, according to the OLCC. Someday Lounge is to become 5th Avenue Lounge, a cocktail-centric space intended for the over-25 crowd; the previous owners will retain a minority share. According to an OLCC application, Patrick Kennedy and Elisabeth Martin intend to take over East End, whose staff says all existing music-show commitments will be honored. Classic Old Town dive Ash Street Saloon is the subject of a change-of-ownership application from Michael Verdun and Thomas Lamb.

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