"Rosie O'Donnell ... regularly regales her viewers with personal tidbits about her children and her home-;she once even installed a camera in her nursery-;but she never mentions the woman who shares both her life and her home. That, of course, is her prerogative, but are the media really compelled to play along? When Jack Nicholson shows up at a Lakers game with a date, the columns report it the next day. But when O'Donnell's blonde friend accompanies her week after week to her box at WNBA games, she turns invisible." -; Maer Roshan writing in New York Magazine, March 5.
"Rosie O'Donnell is out of the closet—and happy about it. The big-hearted talk-show titan has never made a secret of her sexuality, say pals, but she's never shouted that she's a lesbian from the rooftops, either. Now, Rosie has been outed officially by New York Magazine and she's saying 'What's the big deal?' to pals. The 38-year-old Queen of Nice shrugged her shoulders when she heard that the magazine was including her in a special edition entitled Gay Life Now. 'She doesn't have any difficulty in accepting that she's a gay woman,' says one insider. 'Being a lesbian is just a part of her life—it's not the most important thing. Her kids are the center of her life. She's in a very loving, settled relationship and she's happy about that.'" -; The Globe tabloid, March 20.
"A sensitive mama's boy with a permanent hard-on, [ Bill Clinton ] stunningly embodied the homosexual stereotype at both of its contradictory extremes. He also did more to improve the position of gay people in America than anyone else ever has. Not because of any notable success with legislation; indeed, the enormous failure, right off the bat, of his military policy made many professional homosexuals wonder if they'd wasted their one good shot. They hadn't, because Clinton consistently modeled for America what he was unable to enforce: not just tolerance or compassion but respect. How? By using the word gay so comfortably in speeches, by gladly attending gay-rights functions, by naming so many openly gay people ( and, just as important, some closeted ones ) to meaningful positions in his administration-;in short, by feeling our pain as enthusiastically and indiscriminately as he felt everyone else's." -; Jesse Green writing in New York Magazine, March 5.
"For all that it shows you pictures of things you've never seen pictured before on TV, Queer as Folk reminds me of nothing so much as a National Geographic special—or perhaps one of those Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom shows. ( 'I'll go straighten the tent while Jim observes how the male mounts from the rear.' ) " -; Daniel Mendelsohn writing in New York Magazine, March 5.
" [ The new gay sitcom ] Some of My Best Friends isn't terrible enough to hate, but it's not promising either. The premise is restricting, narrow and, oddly or not, inhibiting. One can hardly expect an audience to want to spend time with these people each week when they act as if they have no desire to spend time with one another." -; Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales, Feb. 28.
"In law enforcement, it's our job to uphold the law. The law allows him to do this, and we will support this like we support any other law. ... Currently, he is letting his hair grow. The second year of this process involves him living as a woman, and in the third year of the process he undergoes surgery, and applies for legal feminine status." -; Bexar County, Tex., Sheriff Ralph Lopez on the sex-change operation of one of his deputies, Lt. Brian Lunan, to Reuters, March 5.
"I hesitate to say that [ everyone is basically bisexual ] because I'll get 4 billion letters from people on both ends. But it is my belief, yes, that everyone has the potential, but it is fueled or repressed by different things in your life. I feel the capacity is there. ... I'm proud of the ability I have to fall in love with both men and women." -; Actress Kathy Najimy to The Advocate, March 13.
"Eminem's art does what good art should: transport you with its vision, impress you with its skill, and terrify you with its implications. And frankly, the wit of the wordplay would make Oscar Wilde spooge his pantaloons." -; Openly gay David Schmader writing in Seattle's The Stranger, Feb. 22.
"From the beginning, Eminem has made a show of letting his actions speak for themselves, and his deliberately sharing the stage with the faggiest pop star in the galaxy is a significant gesture. Elton performing with Eminem could have the same impact as Mary Cheney bringing her girlfriend to the Bush inauguration —one of those actions-speak-louder-than-words moments." — Schmader.
"I've always liked Madonna's music. And I think she's a talented performer, but even more of a master of knowing which way the political winds are blowing. That may explain her relative absence on gay issues all these years. Save for some dabbling with lesbianism for the cameras, she's not said much. So you'll excuse me if I dismiss the [ positive ] views [ re: Eminem ] of someone who's made so much money off gays, but has yet to show up for a single meaningful gay-rights event. Madonna is about Madonna, and gays who expect her to fight for us on principle haven't been paying attention." — Jeff Epperly, editor of the Boston gay newspaper Bay Windows, in a Feb. 22 editorial.
"After carefully witnessing the Eminem and Elton duet, telecast on the Grammy Awards, I can honestly say that I'm far more concerned with the growing list of acceptable closet cases ( Rosie O'Donnell, Ricky Martin, Sean Hayes, Kevin Spacey and Barry Diller among them ) than I am with the teaming of the 'unacceptable' ( not my word ) Homo and the Homophobe." — Michael Kearns writing in Los Angeles' Fab, March 16.
"What I find most offensive about [ Eminem ] is the way he taunts me by grabbing his balls. He swears we want to suck him off, but has yet to back that dick up. Come on Emi 'SHOW ME THE DICK!' Ever seen this guy grab himself? I'm not much of a size queen, but I appreciate a nice cock print when I see one. Everytime he grabs himself I look for some kind of pecker track, but I can never find one." -; Columnist Paulo Murillo in Los Angeles' Fab, March 16.
"Can we give Sir Elton John a big round of applause? What better way to bring down the big 'Em' than by putting him on stage with a big fat washed up queen? Just like Eminem looks like a legit bad-ass standing next to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, he also looked like a pathetic caved-in jack-ass standing next to Sir Elton, who looked more tired than the horrible wig he was working. I was hoping there might be a ticking time bomb hidden under that wig. Wouldn't that be the sumthin'? I would give up my left nut to see Elton's fat ass rush Eminem with his limp wrists flailing, screaming, 'ALLAH!' and then blowing up the stage. That'll give Emi something to sing 'Dang' about." -; Murillo in Fab.
