Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles Parodies Kmart's Joe Boxer Holiday Ad

Members of Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) produced a short video parody (below) with a nod to the viral success of retailer Kmart's Joe Boxer holiday ad. The original ad, which amassed over 15 million views in under three weeks, features six male models ringing in the holidays in their own special way.

"Kmart brilliantly captured a fresh holiday spirit that readily appeals to a younger generation of Americans: a little naughty; a little nice," notes GMCLA member and Marketing Consultant Rich Meyers. "GMCLA's concert programming embodies that same spirit, so our parody was simply an entertaining way of paying homage to an innovative marketing campaign."

GMCLA video crew included Rich Meyers (producer/director), Kevin Bolling (producer), Tegr Powell (choreographer), Bernie Espinosa (videographer/editor) and Kevin DeKimpe (music/sound). The cast included dancers Fred Arens, Chris Etscheid, John Halbach, Richard Durazo, Jason Duguay, Jason Frazier, and announcers Ivan Estrada and Nico Decastro.

GMCLA presents its annual musical extravaganza, "Holiday Spectacular: Festival of Carols" at the Alex Theatre (216 N. Brand Boulevard) in Glendale, CA on December 14th and 15th, 2013.

For more information about GMCLA, or to become a subscriber, or to purchase tickets to "Holiday Spectacular: A Festival of Carols," which range from $20 to $75, visit www.gmcla.org.

GMCLA has garnered international acclaim for artistic excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the Los Angeles community and beyond by promoting civil rights, tolerance and acceptance through music. Founded in 1979 during the emergence of the gay civil rights movement, critics have proclaimed the chorus "inspired,"

"expressive, innovative, and utterly moving," and hailed it for presenting "meaningful entertainment." It is one of the largest and most influential men's choruses in the nation, is the first gay men's chorus to perform for a sitting president - Bill Clinton - and has also performed for President Barack Obama. The 220-member chorus has toured nationally and internationally, released 15 compact discs, commissioned more than 300 new works and arrangements and has guest starred on such TV shows as "$#*! My Dad Says," starring William Shatner, "Will & Grace" and "Six Feet Under." In October 2010, it produced an anti-bullying musical video message for the "It Gets Better" project featuring Cyndi Lauper's moving anthem "True Colors," quickly becoming a viral sensation that has received more than 700,000 hits to date. GMCLA, which performs at such venues as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Alex Theatre, and the Saban Theatre, presents several concerts each season in Los Angeles, including its popular annual holiday concert, which featured such music legends as LeAnn Rimes and Melissa Manchester. Additionally, GMCLA has received accolades for its "Alive Music Project" (AMP), a unique music education outreach program designed for middle and high school students that uses song to create a powerful anti-bullying message and also highlights the reality that our community's struggle for equal rights is not only universal, but an issue that has and can affect any group of people who find themselves in the minority.

To post a comment, you must register and login.