The Amber Live! Interviews Amber Live!

What happens when drag queens fly? Find out this week when Amber sits down with Jay Claypool, also known as Dixie Crystal! Jay spent many years in the Air Force, and Amber finds out all about that, Jay's drag career, and the famous politicians Jay served.

Jay Claypool is a 20+ year Air Force veteran, and freshman author originally from Augusta, Georgia. As a young drag performer, and frequent night club fixture, Jay strives to be a source of inspiration to anyone with wild ambition who also may be doubting their sexuality, individuality, and artistic freedom, specifically within the ranks of the military. Jay currently lives in Washington, DC with his Navy veteran husband, Douglas.




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Another week, another show! This time it's with the incredible Stella D'oro who can call Amber YOUNG KID! You'll have to watch the show to find out Stella's age, but she is still performing every week in NYC! She is also working harder than ever to bring awareness to HIV vaccine trials throughout the country. Stella is one amazing gal, who has had an incredible life. PLUS, special guest host Rocco Zamboni, Boog 'n Shoog, News Briefs, and all the craziness that happens each week on Amber Live!





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It's happened again. Someone threatened a Drag Story Hour, this time in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Just a few weeks ago, James Lantz was on Amber Live talking about the problem of suicide in the Lancaster transgender community, and now we can see the proof that the transgender community is under attack there. Amie Vanité joins Amber to share her life and her experiences with this incident that shut down her story hour.




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Amber loves a great show, and this week's guest puts on an amazing show! Robert Anthony Jones (RAJ) has acted on stages all over the country, and has even been in a show with our own Rocco Zamboni! RAJ has lots of great stories, and he and Amber swap stories of the stage! You won't want to miss it!



RAJ was proudly born and raised on Long Island, New York! Just a stone's throw away from the city, his parents took him to see Broadway shows all the time. He first fell in love with theatre when he was cast as a workhouse orphan in Oliver at school. I didn't get Oliver, because according to the producer I was too "healthy looking."



RAJ graduated from Hofstra University holding a BFA in Theatre Arts. With Shakespeare under his belt and his Long Island accent under control, he was ready to take on the world! He worked extensively in regional houses, internationally in Italy and Spain, and all over New York City. He even starred in a children's video series, Drew's Famous Magical Jukebox, for which he says he can be openly mocked to this day!

RAJ appeared in the original Off-Broadway Cast (and original Off-Broadway Cast recordings) of The Prince and the Pauper at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Times Square, and Bunnicula (based on the children's books) at the Daryl Roth Theatre. Not long after that RAJ made his Broadway debut in Finding Neverland, playing the roles of Mr. Cromer and Mr. Henshaw on and off for over a year. Eventually he took over the role of Mr. Cromer and was part of the final company. Three weeks later, he joined the National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway mega-hit, The Phantom of the Opera.


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Justin Elizabeth Sayre is a playwright and performer who Michael Musto called, “Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg.” Sayre is a fixture of the Downtown Cabaret Scene in New York, first with their long-running variety show, The Meeting (Bistro Award-winning & 2 MAC nominations). They are currently in residency at Joe's Pub at the Public with their new variety show, Assorted Fruit. As a playwright, Sayre’s work has appeared at Dixon Place, The Wild Project, The Celebration Theatre, Dynasty Typewriter, and La MaMa Experimental Theatre.

Their 12-part-epic Ravenswood Manor, a Camp-Horror-Soap-Opera, called “a sharply written and well-acted exemplar of the horror comedy genre,” by the LA Times and is currently being developed with Sony Television and Rupaul.

Sayre has written a series of YA Novels, Husky, Pretty, and Mean, released by Penguin Books, and the book, From Gay to Z: A Compendium of Queer Culture just released by Chronicle Books. Sayre has written for Television, working with Michael Patrick King on his Hit CBS comedy, 2 Broke Girls and Fox's The Cool Kids. Sayre also appeared on HBO’s The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow. They are NYCLU artist ambassador and a 2023 MacDowell Fellow.




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James Lantz, the Angry Gay Grandpa, is incredible. Let's just say it up front. And this week, he returns to Amber Live to tell you about his very important new projects, and some personal news. You won't want to miss this episode to hear what is going on with James.



James Lantz is an award-winning filmmaker and playwright who has been writing and directing film and theater work for over three decades.

As a teen, James began working as a country radio DJ in the same station where music legend Patsy Cline got her start where he learned the craft from a number of colorful old timers. Later he taught high school in a farming program called Vocational Agriculture where he was honored to be named Teacher of the Year. 



He has written, directed and produced over 200 commercial and corporate films, many for Fortune 500 Companies such as American Airlines, Alamo Rental Cars, Amtrak and Mobil Oil.



As a playwright, James’s work has been produced Off-Broadway, played nationally and internationally. New York theater critic Weston Clay called his award-winning LGBTQ play, THE BUS, “Theater magic,” and British Theatre Guide said it was “fascinating.” On its premiere in Vermont the Burlington Free Press called it, “Extraordinary.”



THE BUS won the State Winner Award for The Clauder Prize in 2016.

His play, AMERICAN MACHINE, was a co-commissioned project of The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and premiered to sold out houses and positive reviews. The Burlington Free Press called it, “Powerful.”



His Kickstarter-funded documentary about a Vermont trademark conflict over the phrase “Eat More Kale” premiered in Vermont in 2021. SevenDays gave VERMONT AND THE BRIGHT GREEN NOTHING a Four-Star review and called it “…a fascinating case study in documentary filmmaking.”



James recently completed touring his Award-Winning Short Film A JUDDERING on the national film festival circuit where it was honored at ten different festivals winning Best Director, Best Short Film and Critic’s Choice awards. Previously James programmed films for The Brooklyn Museum of Art, and worked as an adjunct college instructor.



Currently he’s developing a commercial film project called, NOT LOSING YOU, about the father of a Trans teen contending with new anti-Trans laws.

James is also developing Angry Gay Grandpa, a web series about three Trans teen suicides that occurred in a single year in a small town in Pennsylvania, along with a PSA supporting Trans and Queer Youth.



He came out as gay two years ago on National Coming Out Day. You can read his Coming Out letter to his wife here.



James has also been public about his diagnosis five years ago with a rare Sarcoma cancer which has left him partially disabled. Despite it metastasizing to stage 4, he still believes it’s possible to change the world for the better — and he’s working to complete critical parts of the Not Losing You Film Project prior to the 2024 presidential election.




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