Pictured This past Sunday's Tribune cartoon section had a hilarious 'Opus' by Berkeley Breathed. It starts with a discussion of how Katie Holmes is marrying Tom Cruise, after having hung his pics on her wall as a 'lovesick adolescent.' The other characters focus on Opus and his own wall of love ... making Opus run for his room to keep them out. Who are his crushes? Truly unattainable ... Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O'Donnell, Melissa Etheridge and k.d. lang. He says 'Dreams can come true,' like they did for Katie. Is Opus a closet lesbian?
'To me, it's not about pride in being gay, it's pride in saying to the world that we're gay, which is a crucial difference. Everyone has to have the opportunity to come out; it's just something that gay people have to go through and probably makes them stronger as a result. I sometimes feel sorry for straight people, as coming out strengthens the resolve!' — Actor Sir Ian McKellen to London's Pink Paper, June 16.
'I'm completely incapable of promoting myself. I could give you plenty of reasons why people shouldn't come [ to my book signings ] . I honestly can't give you one reason why people should, unless they want to spend six hours in a really hot room just to get a book signed. ... I'm always convinced that nobody is going to show up.' — Gay writer David Sedaris to the Dallas Voice, June 17.
'Gay pride day. The marches, the speeches, the party atmosphere—it is such a welcome break from the grim things being said about gays and lesbians, from the dopey laws and stupid opinions and deeply held misconceptions. I remind everyone, in this hour of darkness, that 50 years ago, there was no such thing as gay pride day. There was no such thing as gays and lesbians and transsexuals and bisexuals and, yes, heterosexuals gathering together to affirm the humanity of people with sexual orientations different from that of the majority. Fifty years ago, almost all gay men and women were closeted, and often they felt guilty and depressed and suicidal. Often they felt entirely alone. They no longer feel alone. They never will again.' — Columnist Jon Carroll, the San Francisco Chronicle, June 24.
'The Democrats are going to sell us out, mark my words. ... They're already starting to sell us out. I mean Hillary's just doing this thing now where we can find common ground on the abortion issue. What the hell? How can you find common ground with those people—those asshole, right-to-life people? So, yeah, we're gonna get sold down the river so we have to be very careful about what we do and we really have to present a unified front over what it is that we want.' — Lea DeLaria to the St. Louis gay newspaper The Vital Voice.
'IMPORTANT NOTICE... about your policy. Effective with this renewal, REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP ENDORSEMENT ( California ) , FE-5383 is being added to your policy. A change in California law requires a registered domestic partner to receive the same insurance coverage under your policy as a married spouse. The new endorsement replaces the word 'spouse', wherever it is used in the policy, with 'spouse or registered domestic partner under California law'.' — An insert included with a renewal notice from State Farm for the insurance policy Rex Wockner carries that replaces his laptop computers when they are stolen, damaged, broken, dropped, folded, spindled or mutilated.
'This country has a respect for all of its citizens and allows them to all be equal under the law. It's very, very inspiring for those of us in the United States who have just been nationally shamed by a president who tried to introduce bigotry into the U.S. constitution. So, Canada this is an amazing place.' — Rosie O'Donnell visiting Canada on her andf partner Kelli O'Donnell's R Family cruise.
'This town is filled with gay people and if I've read the religious literature correctly, they have sex all the time. All the time. But gays didn't move here to pay mortgages and drive SUVs as OPALGA would want you to believe. No, gays came to Oak Park because of the powerful sexual vibe put out by co-habiting liberals who bought houses way cheap in the 1960s. Since they no longer have to work, living simply off perpetual re-financings of their homes, the liberals now just blog and explore tantric sex ... . This is the town of Wright with his dark, long entryways bursting into light and Hemingway alone on the third floor, next to the maid's quarters, writing staccato sentences for all he was worth, Tarzan in his loincloth was first imagined here. And what can you say about Jane!' — Dan Haley in his column in the Wednesday Journal ( Oak Park, Ill. ) July 13, 2005. The town west of Chicago is being touted really,as one of America's 'Sexiest Suburbs.'
