Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (December 5, 2008)
STARS SING THEIR SUPPORT IN PROP 8 ? THE MUSICAL
One thing I don’t need is another reason to love Allison Janney.
Yet here she is, front and center in a funny video that once again proves her worthy of my adoration.
Welcome, to Prop 8 — The Musical. Created and written by Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman – “six weeks later than he shoulda,” according to the credits – the video is a three minute, star-studded musical view and revue of California Proposition 8.
Here’s the story: During a celebration of “a brand new bright Obama day,” pro-8 folks, dressed in black, sneak in and put hate in the constitution – because the Bible says that gay love is a sin. Jesus (Jack Black) appears on the scene to point out that the Bible also forbids shrimp eating and encourages wife stoning. Then Neil Patrick Harris, billed as A Very Smart Fellow, reminds all present that gay marriage provides a boost to the economy. Finally, an argument everyone can agree with.
See how many stars you can spot in the video.
Quite a lineup, isn’t it? Here’s the cast (in order of appearance):
California Gays and The People That Love Them: Jordan Ballard, Margaret Cho, Barrett Foa, J.B. Ghuman, John Hill, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph, Rashad Naylor, Nicole Parker
Prop 8 Leader: John C. Reilly
Prop 8 Leader’s #1 Wife: Allison Janney
Prop 8 Leader’s #2 Wife: Kathy Najimy
Riffing Prop 8’er: Jenifer Lewis
A Preacher: Craig Robinson
Scary Catholic School Girls From Hell: Rashida Jones, Lake Bell, Sarah Chalke
The Frightened Villagers: Katharine “Kooks” Leonard, Seth Morris, Denise “Esi!” Piane, Lucian Piane, Richard Read, Seth Redford, Quinton Strack, Tate Taylor
Jesus Christ: Jack Black
A Very Smart Fellow: Neil Patrick Harris
Piano Player: Marc Shaiman
My favorite moments:
The stage picture when the bigots sing “sodomy.”
Margaret Cho’s tattoos.
Maya Rudolph’s dramatic moment – it’s just so community theater.
The reactions when Neil Patrick Harris points at Janney as he sings “lesbian.”
Surprisingly, the video is getting mixed reviews from the LGBT community. While most enjoy the humor and enthusiasm of the musical, others feel that it’s too little, too late. Personally, I prefer to laugh through the pain. And if anyone knows how to do that, it’s the gay community.— by the linster
EVAN RACHEL WOOD PLAYS A LESBIAN, YET AGAIN
Hollywood thinks Evan Rachel Wood plays a great lesbian. I can’t disagree, I have enjoyed all of her roles, especially the ones in which she ends up kissing other girls.
As a preteen, she was playing gay on the TV show Once and Again, where she fell for her BFF, played by Mischa Barton.
In the film Thirteen, she wasn’t a lesbian, but she did share a few French kisses with her best friend, Evie (Nikki Reed). The two had a very close friendship, as you can see.
Rachel also seduced Jane Krakowski’s character in Pretty Persuasion (2005).
Now Wood is appearing alongside Mickey Rourke in the Darren Aronofsky film The Wrestler, where she plays a retired professional wrestler’s estranged lesbian daughter, Stephanie.
In a recent interview, Wood told the UK’s Times that her mom was really into her becoming a lesbian icon. (Well, not exactly.)
“My mom was obsessed with me being the next Jodie Foster,” Wood said. “She wanted me to go to the schools that Foster went to and learn French.”
Last year, the actress told YRB magazine she enjoyed kissing girls, but didn’t consider herself gay.
“I’m not a lesbian, but I don’t think it’s weird or gross or anything,” she said. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m bisexual — I don’t sleep with women. But I definitely appreciate women and there have been times where I have been attracted to a woman.”
Evan is only 21, so there’s still plenty of time for her to want to act on that attraction. Also, her recent break-up with Marilyn Manson might give her more opportunity to figure out why Hollywood thinks she makes a great gay.
The Wrestler opens in theaters in January.
— by Trish Bendix
WANDA SYKES IS ONE OF THE ADVOCATE’S PEOPLE OF THE YEAR
Each year, The Advocate names its People of the Year, “a handful of names that made headlines, made a difference, or simply made us talk.” They just released a couple of names as a teaser and one of them is actress and comedian Wanda Sykes.
Sykes has always been an outspoken supporter of gay rights. Having previously kept her sexuality private, Sykes