Michael Musto
Encyclopedia
Michael Musto is an American
columnist
for the The Village Voice
, where he writes La Dolce Musto
. Musto was born in Brooklyn
to an Italian American
family. He attended Columbia University
graduating in 1976. During his studies, he was a theater critic for the Columbia Spectator. He is the author of Downtown and Manhattan on the Rocks as well as a compilation of selected columns published as La Dolce Musto. His next collection, "Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back", is slated for September 1, 2011 on Vantage Point Books.
and others on A&E and PBS, also having appeared on E!, VH1, Real Housewives of New York, The Daily Show, and The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson. He is openly gay
and is published regularly in several LGTB publications. He appeared in drag in a blue dress in the all drag queen
music video
for Cyndi Lauper
's single "Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)", and as a reporter in the film Garbo Talks
. He wrote several articles in the Village Voice regarding the murder of Angel Melendez, bringing national attention to a case that resulted in the trial and conviction of Michael Alig
and Robert "Freez" Riggs. He was the first to report Alig's firing from the Limelight club by owner Peter Gatien, and to allude to a missing club kid. When his blind item describing the buzz on the details of the crime got picked up by The New York Post's "Page Six" gossip column, the story grew to larger proportions.
On the June 14, 2007 episode of Countdown with Keith Olbermann
, Musto coined the word 'celebutard' (combination of the words celebrity
, debutante
, and retard) to describe celebutantes Paris Hilton
and Lindsay Lohan
. He gave a cameo appearance in Erasure
's 2010 re-release of A Little Respect
(HMI Redux)', the proceeds of the of this release were donated to support students attending the Harvey Milk Institute
.
In 2011, Musto was named one of the "Out 100" of the country's most influential LGBT personalities. He's appeared in documentaries about actor/writer Charles Busch, Paris Hilton, Warhol star Jackie Curtis, restaurateur Florent, Michael Alig, camp performer Divine, activist Vito Russo, clubs like the Roxy and Squeezebox, and many more.
Musto has provided requested contributions to four published works:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for the The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, where he writes La Dolce Musto
La Dolce Musto
La Dolce Musto is a weekly humorous celebrity gossip column, syndicated by The Village Voice and written by Michael Musto.-External links:*...
. Musto was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to an Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
family. He attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
graduating in 1976. During his studies, he was a theater critic for the Columbia Spectator. He is the author of Downtown and Manhattan on the Rocks as well as a compilation of selected columns published as La Dolce Musto. His next collection, "Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back", is slated for September 1, 2011 on Vantage Point Books.
Career
Musto began his Village Voice column in 1984, after having already written some feature stories for the publication. He is a recurring guest on several nationally broadcast television programs including Countdown with Keith OlbermannCountdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
and others on A&E and PBS, also having appeared on E!, VH1, Real Housewives of New York, The Daily Show, and The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson. He is openly gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and is published regularly in several LGTB publications. He appeared in drag in a blue dress in the all drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
's single "Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)", and as a reporter in the film Garbo Talks
Garbo Talks
Garbo Talks is a 1984 American comedy-drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anne Bancroft, Ron Silver, Carrie Fisher, and Betty Comden as Greta Garbo.The movie was written by Larry Grusin and also stars Catherine Hicks and Steven Hill...
. He wrote several articles in the Village Voice regarding the murder of Angel Melendez, bringing national attention to a case that resulted in the trial and conviction of Michael Alig
Michael Alig
Michael Alig is the co-founding member of the Club Kids, a group of young clubgoers led by long time best friend James St. James and Alig in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
and Robert "Freez" Riggs. He was the first to report Alig's firing from the Limelight club by owner Peter Gatien, and to allude to a missing club kid. When his blind item describing the buzz on the details of the crime got picked up by The New York Post's "Page Six" gossip column, the story grew to larger proportions.
On the June 14, 2007 episode of Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
, Musto coined the word 'celebutard' (combination of the words celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
, debutante
Debutante
A débutante is a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "début" presentation. It should not be confused with a Debs...
, and retard) to describe celebutantes Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
. He gave a cameo appearance in Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
's 2010 re-release of A Little Respect
A Little Respect
American band Wheatus released the song in July 2001 as their second single from their debut album. The single peaked at number three in the United Kingdom, while reaching number 19 in Austria and number 41 in New Zealand.-Critical reception:...
(HMI Redux)', the proceeds of the of this release were donated to support students attending the Harvey Milk Institute
Harvey Milk Institute
Harvey Milk Institute, located in San Francisco, California, was the largest queer studies institute in the world, and was founded by Jonathan David Katz. It was named in honor of Harvey Milk....
.
In 2011, Musto was named one of the "Out 100" of the country's most influential LGBT personalities. He's appeared in documentaries about actor/writer Charles Busch, Paris Hilton, Warhol star Jackie Curtis, restaurateur Florent, Michael Alig, camp performer Divine, activist Vito Russo, clubs like the Roxy and Squeezebox, and many more.
Published works
Musto has authored four books:- Musto, Michael. (June 12, 1986) Downtown-V285 Publisher: VintageVintage (publisher)Vintage Books is a publishing imprint founded in 1954 by Alfred A. Knopf. Its publishing list includes world literature, fiction, and non-fiction...
. ISBN 0-39474-285-0 - Musto, Michael. (September 1989) Manhattan on the Rocks. Publisher: Henry Holt & CoHenry HoltHenry Holt , was a book publisher and author.Henry Holt was born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 3, 1840.He graduated from Yale in 1862....
ISBN 0-80501-032-7 - Musto, Michael. (January 1, 2007) La Dolce Musto: Writings by the World's Most Outrageous Columnist Publisher: Carroll & Graf ISBN 0-78671-879-X
- Musto, Michael. (September 1, 2011) "Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back" Vantage Point Books
Musto has provided requested contributions to four published works:
- Contributed forewordForewordA foreword is a piece of writing sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between the writer of the foreword and the book's primary author or the story the book tells...
to Boas, Gary Lee. (January 2000) Starstruck: Photographs from a Fan Publisher: Dilettante Press ISBN 0-96642-725-4 - Contributed as an author to McMullan, Patrick. (November 2003) so8os: A Photographic Diary of a Decade Publisher: powerHouse Books. ISBN 1-57687-187-8
- Contributed as an author to Hastreiter, Kim. (September 14, 2004) 20 Years of Style: The World According to Paper Publisher: Amazon Remainders Account. ISBN 0-060-72302-5
- Provided afterwordAfterwordAn afterword is a literary device that is often found at the end of a piece of literature. It generally covers the story of how the book came into being, or of how the idea for the book was developed....
in Haden-Guest, Anthony (October 2, 2006) Disco Years Publisher: powerHouse Books ISBN 1-57687-325-0