Byron Beck | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Blogger |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
Byron Beck is a Portland, Oregon-based journalist and blogger who contributes to national publications, radio and television. [1]
From 2001 to 2008. Beck authored Willamette Week 's "Queer Window" column. [2] Around 2009, Beck started his own blog, which has been describes as a "go-to source for Portland entertainment nuggets" and earned him the reputation of being a "celebrity spotter". [3] [4] He was the first to report several stories using his blog, including Justin Bieber's visit to the Adidas Village in October 2012 and Just Out 's publication ending in February 2013. [4] [5]
In 2012, The Oregonian profiled Beck as one of their fifty "community blog partners". [6] Beck expressed his satisfaction's with the blog's growth over three years, described himself as "relentless", and summarized Portland with the single word "magic". [6] He mentioned his work as host of the Earth2World.com television talk show Have You Heard? and teased about an upcoming radio project. [6] Scheduled to launch in February 2014 was a two-hour talk show co-hosted with DJ Bombshel Bailey and producer Zak Kindrachuk called Bailey and Beck for Portland's KXL-FM. Beck said of the program: "It's a talk show that's just going to be a little bit different than what KXL has done before—more culture and less politics. It's a new direction for the company. I mean, come on, from Glenn Beck to Byron Beck? I think that's a huge leap forward." [2] However, the show never came to fruition. Beck did, however, co-host a show with Zak Burns called Beck and Burns. PQ Monthly called the show "an ideal blend of the comedic and the serious, of politics and celebrity gossip — the stuff of perfect radio". [7]
In August 2014, he became a contributor to GoLocalPDX, a local news website and offshoot of GoLocal24. [3]
In October 2014, Beck took over emcee duties for Phil Olsen, show organizer and planned host of the World Beard and Moustache Championships. Beck was criticized for reportedly "rushing and even belittling" contestants in an effort to quicken the pace. The Oregonian said, "Being short on time is understandable, but his loud and manic energy made the second half unbearable, taking away from the fun and giving way to an unruly crowd that began to shout and boo through the partial beards." [8] [9] [10] Marjorie Skinner, a competition judge and Portland Mercury contributor, responded by writing, "[The Oregonian] kind of slayed Beck on his emcee duties, but he was being thrown a lot of direction behind the scenes to variously slow down and speed up the proceedings, including the occasional request that he "tell some jokes" and otherwise fill time while the next round of contestants were being lined up... in Beck's defense, it was a long, unscripted gig in front of a rowdy audience. I didn't envy him." [11]
Beck and his partner Juan Martinez were plaintiffs in Martinez v. Kulongoski, the lawsuit challenging Measure 36's inclusion on the 2004 ballot. [12] [13] On January 14, 2009, the Oregon Supreme Court denied petition to hear Martinez v. Kulongoski. [12] In May 2014, after Michael McShane decided to overturn the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Beck posted a tweet which read: "Just asked Juan Martinez to marry me in front of Jamie Wilson & FOX12 cameras. JUAN SAID YES! #bigday". [14] The couple were married by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on May 30, 2015. [15]
For more than a dozen years, Beck has attended the Harvest Dinner, an annual event which provides food and medical and hygiene services to homeless and underserved residents. [16] Beck competed in the Celebrity Crab Cracking competition at the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival in 2013 and 2014 and was runner-up in 2014. [17] [18]
Willamette Week (WW) is an alternative weekly newspaper and a website published in Portland, Oregon, United States, since 1974. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business, and culture.
The Willamette University MBA (Atkinson) is the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is one of only two MBA programs in the world accredited for both Business Administration and Public Administration (NASPAA). Atkinson was established by Willamette in 1974 and has an enrollment of approximately 312 students.
The Pamplin Media Group (PMG) is a media conglomerate owned by Carpenter Media Group and operating primarily in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. founded the company in 2001 and sold it to Carpenter in 2024. As of 2019, the company owns 25 newspapers and employs 200 people.
John R. "Jack" Faust is a retired Portland, Oregon, attorney, television personality and political activist.
Three Sisters Tavern, sometimes abridged as Three Sisters and nicknamed "Six Tits", was a gay bar and strip club in Portland, Oregon, United States. The bar was founded in 1964 and began catering to Portland's gay community in 1997 following the deaths of the original owners. The business evolved into a strip club featuring an all-male revue. Also frequented by women, sometimes for bachelorette parties, Three Sisters was considered a hub of Portland's nightlife before closing in 2004.
Red Cap Garage, sometimes abridged as Red Cap, was a gay bar and nightclub that operated in Portland, Oregon, from 1987 to 2012. The bar was connected to two others called Boxxes and the Brig. It hosted drag queen shows, live music, special events, and viewing parties. In 2012, the bar was sold and closed after operating for 25 years, and the building which housed Red Cap was gutted to make way for the retail alley known as Union Way.
Eagle Portland is a gay bar catering to bears and leather enthusiasts, located in north Portland, Oregon, United States.
Starky's Restaurant and Bar, or simply Starky's, was a gay bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon's Kerns neighborhood, in the United States. Established in 1984, the venue became a fixture in Portland's gay community before closing in 2015. It hosted LGBT events and served as a gathering space for leather enthusiasts and the Oregon Bears, among other groups. Starky's received a generally positive reception and was most known for its Bloody Marys, brunch, and outdoor seating.
Bluehour was a Mediterranean restaurant and bar located in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon, United States. The business began operating in September 2000. Bruce Carey and Joe Rogers co-owned the business with Kenny Giambalvo, who also served as an executive chef until 2011.
Skyline Restaurant is a diner in northwest Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Established in 1935, the restaurant initially sold fried chicken by a gas station. It gained popularity during the 1950s, and Skyline's menu of American cuisine has changed little since then. Michelle Nelson has owned the diner since 1999; previous owners have included Benny and Phyllis Lum, as well as Ken Hom, who eliminated drive-in service. Skyline's burgers and milkshakes have received a generally positive reception. In 1975, James Beard said the restaurant's burger was among the best in the country, and Food Network Magazine said Skyline had the best burger in Oregon in 2009.
Ataula was a Spanish and Catalan restaurant in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The restaurant earned Jose Chesa a James Beard Foundation Award nomination in the Best Chef: Northwest category.
Bailey's Taproom was a beer bar in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The bar, which was established by owner Geoff Phillips in 2007, was a popular destination for craft beer tourism and garnered a positive reception. The bar had a second-floor sibling establishment called The Upper Lip, which was also known as Bailey's Upper Lip. Both establishments closed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beast was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The business earned chef and owner Naomi Pomeroy a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Northwest in 2014.
The Fish Grotto Seafood Restaurant, or simply Fish Grotto, was a seafood restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1891 as Zack's Oyster House, the business also operated a neighboring bar called Sand Bar at Fish Grotto, or simply Sand Bar. The restaurant stopped operating in January 2014.
Genie's Cafe, or Genies Cafe, is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
Assembly Brewing is a brewery and restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
RingSide Fish House was a seafood restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The business operated in southwest Portland's Fox Tower from 2011 to 2018.
Lucier was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that specialized in European cuisine. The business, which was described as "the most opulent restaurant space in Portland history", only operated for seven months in 2008. News outlets described the failed venture as "the most colossal faceplant in Portland dining history" and the city's "greatest restaurant boondoggle". Lucier was the only restaurant in Oregon that the American Automobile Association awarded with four diamonds.
Bowery Bagels is a bagel company in Portland, Oregon. Owner Michael Madigan opened the original shop on Broadway in Old Town Chinatown in 2012, serving New York-style bagels.
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