Forbidden Broadway

“Wickeder”

“More to See”

NYC Waterfalls

Hold Mayo

Wild Fire

Summer Arriveth

Here Comes the Sun

Morally Acceptable

Gay Marriage

As of today, gays are finally afforded equal marriage rights. While most of the population supports equal rights for gays in terms of housing, job opportunities, accommodation, protection under the law and the right to choose matching China at Nordstrom’s, the country is bisected on the concept of gay marriage. Why?

It was amazing to see the first (lesbian) couple to be wedded by HH Mayor Newsom. They’ve been together for more years than I have been alive: how can one doubt their commitment to each other? Smarties, they were legally protected in advance of dodgy legal proceedings as well. Would the legacy of gay marriage help or hinder such a couple? Probably not. Being married discourages (does not preclude) from promiscuous sex (and thus disease vectors), regardless of the gender. In Scandinavian countries, where gays have been wedding for years, the divorce rate has not changed significantly either.

Popular items of argument against gay marriage:

• US Federal law codifies marriage as between two (2) persons of opposite gender: US Federal law struck down a ban on interracial marriages on June 12, 1967. Pause for reaction. The law is dynamic. To love and to be loved back in return is purely chemical.
• Same gender couples are not the optimal environment to raise children: No published evidence. Known felons, convicts and child molesters have the right to procreate but gays should not be allowed to rear children. Studies from failed straight marriages and single parent families show poorer outcomes than those same sex parents who go to great effort to raise children who may or may not be biologically their own.
• Gay relationships are immoral. Not for Buddhists. In any case, the treaty of Tripoli (1791) indicates the Bible has no standing in American Law. Church, meet State. Wave.
• Marriages are for procreation and ensuring the continuation of the species. Impotent fathers and postmenopausal mothers should immediately divorce themselves. Marriage is about sharing and compromise. Procreation is simply biology.
• Same gender marriage threatens the institution of marriage: Have you met Britney Spears and read her the Defense of Marriage Act? I am not going to piss in the batter of your wedding cake so why this rabid interest in what others will do that really won’t affect you? If you are invited and do not support it, don’t go. You’ll probably miss the most fabulous wedding you never saw. Florists. Cake makers. Gucci. Waterford place settings. Enough said.
• Marriage is traditionally for straight people: Lame. Slavery was also a tradition.
• Same gender marriage is untried and experimental: Denmark since 1989.
• What’s next – bestiality? I love this one. How do you make the sudden jump to man fucks dog? The radical right  jumps all over this. One can only wonder what fuels their nightmares or fantasies.
• Granting gays the “right” to marry is a “special right”: If undenying basic civil rights makes it special, then so be it. However, everyone should have the right to (or not to) disconnect a loved one from the ventilator. Who better than your partner to execute your own deepest visceral wishes?
• Gay marriage is bad for the economy: are you kidding me?

Why people actually oppose it:

• I am just not comfortable with the idea: I am opposed to your wearing that belt with those shoes. But seriously, some people were uncomfortable sharing a water fountain or sending children to school by the same yellow bus. Comfort is not exclusionist and can never be.
• It offends my religion: if you’re a Mormon, then yes it does. And multiply marrying women offends my sensibility but I stand by your right to practise your religion
• Marriage is sacred: divorce is always an option, to both gay and straight couples. Additionally, freedom of religion also implies freedom from religion. Freedom is a founding principle
• Gay sex is unnatural and making love to another man betrays everything masculine: you really need to stop watching gays on telly and in the cinema. This harbours from a fear of rape and loss of control as a masculine entity. Fear not, most gays are probably not instinctively attracted to the curious cowerers.
• Thinking of gay sex is repulsive: why are you thinking of it? Believe it or not, most gays have so much more on their mind. Currently, the price of petrol is approximately $4.69 per gallon. And not even premium.
• The gays might recruit: would that it were that easy. Believe it or not, most gays were borne of straight marriage

Tony Awards

It is hot and I am wiped out from the flying and the touring. Extreme air-con, comfort food and a bottle of Bollinger cuvee ease me into the Tony Awards.

2001: A Lion King retrospective. WTF? Is this not 2008? What next, RENT redux?

2005: Whoopi as a witch from “Into the Woods” holding her breasts together. She should retire

2008: Fattie Rondi Reed wins supporting actres for August-Osage County. I support this only because it comes from Steppenwolf. Gratuitous shot of Laurie Metcalf, who has not aged well since Roseanne show days.

2012: Crybaby performance in a prison yard. It’s so Billy Joel flop musical.

2022: Laura Linney and her dimples. Raul Esparza snubbed again.

2026: Passing Strange number. Very odd – I so do not want to be watching this show.

2037: Why does John Lithgow overact all the time? Also, does every presenter need to remind us of his/her TONY win?

2041: Patti Lupone belting it out. So blah. So gay.

2052: Bunched offscreen (cheap seat) awards to truly enthused people

2057: Lin-Manuel Miranda faux-raps his acceptance speech. Remember the Mafia band that got an Oscar for best movie song?

2059: The gayest rendition of “There is Nothing Like a Dame” from the South Pacific revival.

2108: A funny bit with Whoopi as Mary Poppins. Still, not as funny as I used to remember her.

2113: Grease. Really?

2128: Why did Faith Prince eat all those muffins? I loved her in “Guys and Dolls”

2131: Painful number from Frankenstein

2140: Clips from plays. They don’t ever work.

2153: Mark Rylance wins for “Boeing Boeing”. I saw his understudy in Londontown who was riotously funny but I don’t get Mark’s humour at all.

2200: Deanna Duagan win’s for August: Osage County but with weird chemotherapy hair. This play will become a movie.

2204: A number from “In the Heights”. Odd.

2212: Tracy Letts thumbs his nose at the movies. Sweet.

2215: Mandy Patinkin is eclipsed by his beard as he delivers a proxy speech. Well. But is Sondheim sick?

2233: Lily Tomlin mocks Marisa Tomei’s sexy walk down to the podium. Cheyenne Jackson tries too hard to warble. Those thighs! The original RENT cas with very handsome Taye Diggs all dorked out and Liza lisping. I am falling asleep. Paolo Szot wins. He is so leading man-ly. Patti Lupone wins, then chastises the conductor.