Strange bedfellows
Compassionate conservative quotes of the week: Rev. Jerry Falwell called the lesbian daughter of Republican vice presidential nominee Richard B. Cheney "errant" in the his Liberty Alliance newsletter. "I have no doubt that Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, will become a focal point of critics. It is ludicrous to judge a man based on one errant, but loved, family member. As I've said many times, if one of my children announced to me they were a homosexual, I would immediately embrace them and tell them my love for them would never fail, even though I disagreed with their life's choice. However, their choice would not affect my personal ministry, as it should not affect Cheney's ability to serve as Vice President."
U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey ( who "accidentally" referred to Rep. Barney Frank as Barney "fag" five years ago ) to reporters during the Republican Convention: "Yes, I am Dick Armey. If there is a dick army ... Frank would want to join up."
So how about some laughs from Texas political commentator Molly Ivins, in Sunday's Sun-Times: "Last year I asked the ACLU board member from Midland [ where George W. Bush is from ] if they were having any trouble with gay bashing out there. She said 'Oh hell, honey, there's not a gay in Midland who will come out of the closet for fear people will think they're Democrats.'"
Celeb news
Madonna's new "Music" song and video have a very '70s disco groove theme, reports Kathleen Ulm. But the main excitement is the video where Madonna, dressed in white and gold, cruises the city in a gold glitter stretched limo with her two "babes" ( backup singers Nikki and Donna ) dressed in black. First they stop at a disco where Madonna flirts with a woman, puts her cowboy hat on her and takes her to her booth where the women laugh and fall all over each other. Next stop is a strip club ( women ) where Madonna and the sidekicks sit stageside licking their lips, tipping the girls while have a good time laughing. The strippers go to the limo where they give Madonna lap dances, lean on her and Madonna gets her share of handfuls of flesh.
Ellen Muth, Stockard Channing, James Naughton and RuPaul star in the drama The Truth About Jane, airing Aug. 13, 16, 19, and 27 on Lifetime cable. Fifteen-year-old Jane lives the quintessential suburban life with her parents and younger brother. Although popular, Jane has always felt somewhat different than her peers. However, after meeting Taylor, a transfer student at school, Jane's life changes irrevocably. Jane and Taylor become close friends very quickly, and Jane feels a connection to Taylor that she's never felt with her other friends. One night, Taylor kisses Jane, and it becomes clear to Jane that she's found what has been lacking in her life. As her relationship with Taylor deepens, Jane realizes that she has to face her family and come to terms with her true self, which changes her life forever.
Variety reports that Brooke Shields will play a lesbian mother in the upcoming Barbra Streisand/Whoopi Goldberg-produced cable TV movie What Makes a Family. The Lifetime film stars Shields "as a lesbian whose partner gives birth after becoming artificially inseminated. After the child's mother dies, Shields' character must fight to regain custody of her child from the dead woman's grandparents. Tony Award-winner [ and open lesbian ] Cherry Jones ( The Heiress ) will play Shields' companion," said Variety. Goldberg will also star in the film, based on a true story and set in Florida. The film is set to air in January.
England's Newcastle Journal reported Aug. 2 that actress Sophie Ward has secretly "married" her lesbian lover: "The former Vogue covergirl tied the knot with American writer Rena Brannan in a hush-hush ceremony on Saturday, her spokesman said. Ward's wedding— which is not recognised in British law—comes four years after she left her husband of eight years, vet Paul Hobson, following her announcement that she was gay."
www.girlphoria.com is a new quarterly multi-media online magazine geared toward the exploration of female sexuality.
Top of the Line
Chicago Black Lesbians & Gays is participating in the annual Bud Billikin Parade on the city's South Side this Saturday, Aug. 12. Call ( 312 ) 409-4917
all girl productions presents the 1st annual Chicago Women's Weekend, Aug. 11-13. Aug. 11 is the dance party Pleasure, with performing artist Mahogany. Also performing: the Ms./Mr. Hot Body USA Flex, and Jade Mac, Superstar DJ from Hotlanta DJ Doc 97.5, 10 p.m.-4 a.m. It's at 2347 S. Michigan, 2 VIP lounges, spacious dance floor, state-of-the-art sound and lights. Aug. 12: Picnic in the park; passes available at Friday event. A Luv Tale, lesbian film, shown Sunday, Aug. 13, meet and greet the film's stars, reception 8 p.m., stars there 9, film at 10, party after with hot female DJs, 1-888-374-5504, ( 312 ) 326-2300.
Chicago 2006, is also sponsoring a preview benefit performance of the gay male play Party Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Bailiwick Arts Center, 1229 W. Belmont. Tickets are $35 and include a pre-reception at 7:30 pm with catering donated by Coup de Gras Catering and sponsored by Alize de France, as well as admission to the performance, which begins at 8:30 p.m. Fax ( 847 ) 256-8954 or see www.chicago2006.org .
Write it down ...
The Midwest Womyn's Autumnfest is Sunday Sept. 3 at Katz Park, in DeKalb, Ill. Contact Athena Productions, 217 S. #193, DeKalb, IL 60115, ( 815 ) 748-5359, mwautumn@aol.com, lavenderwomyn@aol.com, www.mwautumnfest.com . Performers include Ubaka Hill, Zrazy, Erica Wheeler, Sandy Rapp, Just the Band, & Tara Adler. Win FREE tickets from Outlines/ Nightlines: e-mail to outlines@suba.com or fax ( 773 ) 871-7609, deadline for the drawing: Aug. 16, 5 p.m.
Thanks to all of those who sent donations and attended the Lambda Publications night at the theatre for Patience & Sarah, the opera based on the lesbian classic novel. The funds are helping pay for the medical bills of a one of our Outlines delivery crew who is living with cancer. The opera is still onstage at Bailiwick, call ( 773 ) 883-1090.
Checkered past
OK, so the Checkers restaurant seems to be returning to Chicago, with the Halsted and Addison one in the heart of New Town set to serve up bigotry with those fries. We thought the chain was out of Chicago for good, but now it appears it's going to be open again. Several anti-gay incidents have occurred at the fast-food joint, including homophobia from employees. Meanwhile, community-owned restaurants Hoxie's and Desert cafe have closed. Only the good die young?
TV breaking new ground
As part of a series of national television ads that are human-interest stories, John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. includes one that features two women at an airport talking about the baby they obviously have just adopted, GLAAD reports. While doting on the baby, the women talk about what good moms they are going to be and how they are going to be a family. The subtext is that they are a lesbian couple. John Hancock uses the scene to promote a financial product that could be of interest to families. That the women are portrayed as a family is a strong statement by the company, one that recognizes same-sex couples and their families have the same needs as any other family and are deserving of the same respect and consideration, GLAAD said. Contact: John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., Lisa Scannell, Director of Advertising, P.O. Box 111, Boston, Mass. 02116; e-mail through a form found at www.johnhancock.com by clicking on "How to reach us" and then "General Information."
Meanwhile, Reebok is taking the low road, where anything gay is to be laughed at. A Survivor-style ad shows a man falling to his knees and "servicing" a man in front of him—he's actually just sucking some viper venom out of his pal, but you really know what they want you to think because a woman runs by with a "Get a room" look, reports Entertainment Weekly. CBS Ok'd the ads, but the snakebite had to be below the knee and Reebok had to make it clear the intention of the scene.
And finally, the new FOX reality show American High, edited from hundreds of hours of video taken at North Suburban Highland Park H.S., is getting great reviews, and it includes the coming-out story of young Brad, described by Entertainment Weekly as a popular and artsy teen. Now that takes guts—coming out and coming of age is hard enough, but try doing it onscreen.