Put me on The Big Gay Sketch Show!

Vote for me once a day! I would LOVE to be on this show!

Here's the blog entry I had to make for the first round:

Here he is, world!

I have been performing my entire life whether on stage with other people or alone with my stuffed animals. (I won't confess when the latter collaboration stopped--at least not without some drinks in me.)

I started writing material for myself after the 2004 election. I was so enraged, I was driven into a creative frenzy. I created 2 one-man/cabaret shows for myself, using music and monologue to address everything from love to auditioning to dieting to sex to politics. It was during my second show that Brother Barker, my ex-gay character, was born.

Then, in 2007, I was inspired to take advantage of YouTube to channel my passion for politics and LGBT issues. Featured prominently there is Brother Barker as well as his ex-gay wife, Hope. Other characters have popped up as well as rap videos, and I look forward to taking my channel to the next level with an 8-part web series about a theatre message board, followed by a Truth or Dareesque parody of a Chris Crockeresque YouTube "star".

I love using satire to tackle all of the BS in the world. I think humor is a very powerful weapon.

Thanks for checking me out!

John :)

Lady and the Tramp

Jared and I made this for the Netflix Greatest Kiss Contest. We made the costumes and had a lot of fun filming it. Lady and the Tramp is the first film I remember seeing in a theater.

"Our First Christmas Together"

I wrote this song for Jared for Christmas 2007. This year, I decided to make it a music video. Enjoy!

NYC Prop 8 Protest Rally - 11.15.08

Brother Barker vs Jerby

Part 1: Obama, Prop 8, Adoption



Part 2: Gay Marriage

"We've Got To Work Together (NO on Prop 8 Remix)"

All photos public domain except:

http://www.bilerico.com
http://flickr.com/photos/marclove/
http://flickr.com/photos/ajbear/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dobson
http://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/Comm_CommitteeMembers.aspx?CommitteeID=51&SubcommitteeID=0
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Pat_Robertson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Bachman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Brownback
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Huckabee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney
http://flickr.com/photos/66273561@N00/2585551347
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69805768@N00/592821404/
http://www.lightmatter.net/gallery/albums.php
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Micov
Vote NO on Prop 8 in California!

Vote NO on Prop 2 in Florida!

Vote NO on Prop 102 in Arizona!

"We've Got To Work Together (NO on Prop8 Remix)
written and remixed by John Raymond Barker

"Ave Maria"

Whether you are voting for Obama, McCain, Barr, Nader, or whoever, please support marriage equality!

Vote NO on Prop 8 in California!

Vote NO on Prop 102 in Arizona!

Vote NO on Prop 2 in Florida!

Don't support discrimination!

This video is dedicated to Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon and all those who have paved the way.

Special thanks to the following for the use of their gorgeous photographs:

Elaine Adolfo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elemente/
Valentin Aguirre: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sftinobear/
AJ Alfieri-Crispin: http://flickr.com/photos/ajbear/
Marisa Arrona: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mari-posa/
Abbie Brown: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aabbbiee/
Davidlud: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Davidlud
drummergrrl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjaffess/
Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13385966@N03/
Patrick Giblin: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inkyhack/
David Goehring: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/
Nick Gorton: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:NickGorton
John Heil: http://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalfunk/
Jay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayincanada/
Jonathan: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10927636@N07/
Jonathan & Andreas: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hornvanbeek/
Chris Jones & Dan Ferrell: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjman/
David Lytle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlytle/
Maggie: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38494596@N00/
Marc: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marclove/
Lori Matsumoto: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stutefish/
mfrancelia: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frannyo/
Jim Schnobrich: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfphotocraft/
Bev Sykes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/basykes/
Jase Wells: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfjase/
Wen and Tara: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wenandtara/

All other photos are public domain.

Thanks to Jared for all his love.

"Ave Maria"
Franz Schubert

arranged and performed by John Raymond Barker

"Gonna Have To Try"

I felt bad so I wrote this song. A year later, I felt bad, so I recorded a "studio" version of the song and made a music video. That's how I cope with feeling bad.

[title of show] is my favorite thing!

Check out this truly terrific show. If you love theatre. If you wanna laugh your ass off. If you've ever had a dream. If you've ever doubted yourself. See this show!

http://titleofshow.com/

http://www.youtube.com/titleofshow

BASH'd: great music, great theatre, great activism

I'm very passionate about this great show! I think it's an excellent piece of theatre and activism. It's inspired me greatly.

http://www.bashdthemusical.com/

I'm Engaged To My Cat!

I'm constantly getting the stupidest, most ridiculous arguments against gay marriage posted on my videos. No one has yet been able to give me one valid, rational reason why gays shouldn't be allowed to get married. The opposition against is all bogus. But was it ever anything but bogus when bigots tried to suppress women or people of color or Jews? It's all nonsense. Nonsense that too many people fall for.

So, I made this video as a way to lampoon some of the idiocy that flows through these people's minds.

Hillary Clinton's Glorious Speech

This speech was simply gorgeous. I have so much admiration and respect for Hillary Clinton. This whole primary process has been worth it all. Both Clinton and Obama have made history. And, now, we will continue to make history by putting Obama in the White House. It's such an exciting time. This country is in need of great change. And, with Obama and Clinton--YES WE CAN.

"Clinton & Obama" a video about UNITY

Here's the deal: this video was a mess of a shoot. The lighting was just not working out at all, so I saved it with special FX on my software. I hope it's still fun to watch and I hope the video has meaning even now that we have a nominee. Because even more than ever, we need to focus on unity. I adore Hillary Clinton. I wanted her to be the next President of the USA. But, I am now proudly supporting Barack Obama. And it's thrilling the history that he and her have both made. But especially him with getting the nomination.

"Get Down 4 Jesus"

This was definitely a fun, wacky video to create!

It's very important that people know I am NOT making fun of Christians in this video. I am making fun of the ex-gay movement.

"We've Got To Work Together"

This was such a fun video to create.

WARNING: This video contains a strobe effect.



The rainbow dress is a rainbow flag tied around my body. The belt is gold rope fastened by a lock. The key is on the chain around my neck.

It was very horrifying and liberating to film in public. It would be one thing if it was a professional shoot. But this was me and my boyfriend in the middle of Times Square and Astoria shooting a rap video. Wild!

The strobe section was filmed in my bathroom (complete darkness) against a dark backdrop. I'm holding the strobe light at different angles. And, of course, this set up had to be repeated for each character.

The Bigot's Guide to the Homosexual Lifestyle

This video began as a monologue in my last NYC cabaret, Jerby With A "Y". I decided to create a version for YouTube, which has since launched a whole series of videos with this character that people love to hate and hate to love--Brother Barker (as well as his wife Hope).

The funny thing is that so many people think he and Hope are real. I get cussed out by gay friendly people. Homophobes subscribe without realizing. It's pretty funny.

Drunk Vlog: Sex & the City

I don't think people like this video. I don't know if it's because I am drunk in it or because I am cussing up a storm in it or what. Hopefully those two things aren't taking away from a very important statement I wanted to make about misogyny.

We Need Election Reform in the USA

This is a very important issue. I hope things finally change--that we learn from the mistakes and correct them.

Gay Marriage in California! Woo Hoo!

There will likely be more videos on this topic as it's a very important and heated one.

The link referred to in the video: http://www.jerby.com/JWAY/origin.htm

Why I Fight For Gay Christians

This video was created in response to people who had no clue why any gay person would want to be Christian. I also took this opportunity to express why I feel this is an important issue, regardless of one's beliefs--or lack of.