First, the exciting news.  John Stamos will play a wedding planner who is gay in the upcoming A&E movie "Wedding Wars" due to air this winter.  In the movie, Stamos' character boycotts his brother's wedding b/c his brother's boss and future father in law is a governor who opposes marriage equality.  Hilarity ensues as an important point about tolerance and equality is made. Plus, thousands of gay and bisexual men can fantasize about marrying John Stamos. (h/t Good as You)

Another amusing must-view is a video parody GAY put together around Fred Phelps and his merry bunch of phelpsians.  Rather than telling us "You are are going to hell"  GAY informs us "You are going to HELENA"   (another h/t to Good as You).  On a related matter, the Phelpsians were fined $5,000 for wasting police protection when they didn't show up for a funeral protest in Michigan.  Fred's whacky daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper told the press that the Holy Ghost told them to stay home and they would throw any citations in the trash can.

In an important note, a federal court has ruled that the White County, Georgia School Board must allow a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) to meet.  The School Board had previously decided to disallow any extracurricular group, but those groups continued to meet.  The ACLU pursued the matter.  (h/t PageOneQ).  Here's a great quote from one the student plaintiffs:

"This has been the best civics lesson ever," said Kerry Pacer, one of the founders of the student group said in the ACLU statement, "I couldn't believe the school was so unfair to us when all we wanted to do was to try to address the violence and harassment against gay students. I'm relieved that the court is going to make the school let us meet."

You tell 'em, Kerry.  Kerry is my mother's name so I'm especially fond of young person Pacer.  Good for you for sticking up for your rights.

In the tolerance twist you knew was overdue, homo vacationeers in Provincetown are accused of making slurs against heterosexuals and Jamaicans.  Police received numerous complaints that people were being called "breeders."  One woman reported being verbally accosted after it came to light she signed an anti-gay marriage petition.  She was called a bigot.

She IS a bigot.  She chose to sign a petition that discriminates against her neighbors. Should they just accept that quietly?  I'm not saying they should target her or act out, but calling her what she is seems acceptable to me.  Her priest acknowledges that signing the petition would lead to repercussions, but called this a "dramatic experience"  Puh-lease.  Try having your brother deny you access to his kids b/c you are queer.  That's dramatic.  Try losing your job b/c you are gay.  That's dramatic.  Try having to control your simple desire to hold your partner's hand to avoid being harassed.  That's dramatic. 

Now the incidents with Jamaican residents is different.  They attribute the increased intolerance to the looming debate over immigration and I'd agree that's very likely.  Guess what homos?  Not all Jamaican's are anti-gay.  Don't be fueled by the Ricky/George rhetoric on immigration. 

Bigotry is as bigotry does.

OK, this lady I don't get.  Helen Gricks of Ross, a self-described Republican and Evangelical Christian, writes to the Post-Gazette about  her decision not to attend the upcoming Dixie Chicks concert in Pittsburgh. 

 My son and I would like nothing more than to go to the upcoming concert, especially with so many great seats still available. However, I don't want to go to a political rally, and I'm afraid that it will turn into one. I don't agree with their politics, but I do like the music. That's why people are buying the CD but not concert tickets.

To catch you up, the Chicks are coming to Pittsburgh at the end of the month (we have tickets!) and ticket sales have been reportedly slow.  

What's interesting about Helen's perspective is that she basically wants the Chicks to perform for her, to entertain her but not bother her with those pesky politics of theirs.  I'm guessing Helen hasn't really LISTENED to the new album (or bothered to read the liner notes) or she might note a striking parallel with the second stanza to "Not Ready to Make Nice"

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing

Or my life will be over

It seems to be that Helen wants the same thing --- shut up and sing for crying out loud.  Yes, Helen wants the Chicks to crawl back into the nice comfortable "girl-singer" mode so they can entertain the men without creating all that stupid thinking and whatnot.  More precisely, Helen wants them to shut and sing so SHE can remain in her little delusional land where Jesus and W have got her back. 

If some right-wing loonie hypocrite like Toby Keith comes to town, wraps himself up in the flag he won't enlist to defend, and sings about killing Saddam Hussein ... will you object to him being "political" Helen? 

But wait ... here's the really interesting part .... guess who is an old college buddy of Helen?   That would be US Representative Melissa Hart.  And the right-wing apologist herself, Ruth Ann Dailey,  wrote a fawning column about Grick and her home-schooling buddies hanging out with Melissa ("Missy"). 

If I do decide to go, I will wear a T-shirt that says: "I love Jesus, W and The Chicks!"

Well, guess what Helen?  Unlike your buddy Malicious Hart, the Dixie Chicks want you to have the freedom to wear that T-shirt.  They believe that the Constitution of the United States protects your freedom to dissent and that the First Amendment in particular gives you the the liberty to wear whatever political T-shirt you want, even if its unpopular. 

The Dixie Chicks respect your right to love Jesus and W along with them.   Too bad you can't afford them the same respect. 

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

LIFEBeat succumbed to outrage over plans to stage an AIDS benefit concert featuring openly homophobic dance hall performers Beenie Man and group TOK.  Concerns flew around the blogosphere this week as a large coalition of AIDS advocacy groups, LGBT organizations, members of the African-American community and countless others united in opposition to this incredibly stupid decision.

The concert was cancelled, but LIFEBeat had to take a few swipes at the protestors on the way out the door.  Cancelling the concert itself was like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but LIFEBeat claims they feared violence at the concert. 

Uh huh. And there's no possibility that violence could be ignited by a performer singing ...

Hang the gay woman/lesbian with a long piece of rope

I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays.

Take a Bazooka and kill gay-fucker

All faggots must be killed (no translation needed here)

We burn the gay man and then we burn the sodomtie

And everybody cry out, say, that?s right!

(Click here for Jasmyne Cannick's wonderful post on anti-gay dancehall lyrics)

Why, it is obvious the violence would be fueled by protestors objecting to hanging lesbians with rope.  What are we thinking? 

Why couldn't LIFEBeat invite performers who weren't advocating the murder of well, anyone?  Is that really so much to ask?  Surely there must be Caribbean performers who aren't down at the level. 

Under WTF?  A prominent AIDS group recruits two notorious homophobes to perform at benefit concert.  They would be reggae artists TOK and Beanie Man.  Why, you ask, Beanie Man sounds familiar?   Yes, he was supposed to perform at a 2004 show here in Pittsburgh at the Boardwalk.  Til yours truly made some calls to LGBTQ leaders and the Post-Gazette complaining.  In the wake of negative publicity, the show sponsors (Salem cigarettes) cancelled.   As you can imagine, homosexuals, AIDS activists and the African-American community are up in arms over this stupid decision by LIFEBeat to ignore the cadres of talented reggae artists and bring in these two bastards for an AIDS fundraiser.  Follow the link for the full story and details on how to voice your protest.

There's not a lot of loal LGBTQ activity of late as we all recuperate from the marriage amendment battle.   Plus your faithful correspondent has been struggling with allergies and is tired .... so here's a quick round up of some national stories of interest ...

Broward County, Florida school to admit a transgendered five year old and test their progressive policies.  This is a really piece of good news coming from the land of Jeb Bush (and Katharine Harris).

Under WTF?  AIDS group recruits two notorious homophobes to perform at benefit concert.  They would be reggae artists TOK and Beanie Man.  Why, you ask, Beanie Man sounds familiar?   Yes, he was supposed to perform at a 2004 show here in Pittsburgh at the Boardwalk.  Til yours truly made some calls to LGBTQ leaders and the Post-Gazette complaining.  In the wake of negative publicity, the show sponsors (Salem cigarettes) cancelled.   As you can imagine, homosexuals, AIDS activists and the African-American community are up in arms over this stupid decision by LIFEBeat to ignore the cadres of talented reggae artists and bring in these two pathetic clowns for an AIDS fundraiser.  Follow the link for the full story and details on how to voice your protest.

It has been awhile since we've run across some gay-themed letters to the editor in either the PG or the Trib.  Today, Amesh Adalja of Butler comes to our rescue with a little missive in the City Paper.  Adalja bemoans the hijacking of the Republican Party by the "cancerous growth" of the religious right.

The Republicans, increasingly suffused with the gospel of the Religious Right, have completely shattered any semblance of respect for individual rights to which they may stake claim.

Shout out to the non-hating Republicans in Butler County! Kudos for acknowledging that not all Republicans are, well, Rethuglicans.  Take back your party damnit!  Take back your churches, too! 

While we are on the topic of the City Paper, I must sadly note the demise of the "Rant" feature.  Editor Chris Potter discussed this decision on a recent appearance on the John McIntire show on KDKA (see McIntire blog www.macyapper.com).  Apparently, they got sick of rants about Pittsburgh drivers and the like. 

The CP archives indicate that there have been 287 rants.  Number 284 featured my personal anti-PennDOT ramblings.  And while we are on the topic, I must tell you that I am completely disillusioned with the political/citizens activist thing.  NO ONE was willing or able to stand up to PennDOT and the fact that I kept being pushy and obnoxious about wanting them to maintain their property made me person non gratis.  It was only when the All-Star game drew near that Mayor O'Connor's office helped.  But at least they helped not only get it cut, but a commitment to keep it cut. 

Back to the Rant.  I enjoyed it, but it certainly did seem a bit repetitive at times.  Now it would be GREAT if the City Paper would fill that space with the voice of a columnist who is not a white, heterosexual, middle-class man.  God Bless Marty, John and Chris and their progressive, nay liberal ideals.  But Pittsburgh's alternative culture is filled with a multitude of people of color, females, gays, working class, disabled, etc.  We have ideas, too!  Good ones.  Ideas with multisyllabic words.  Ideas festooned with purpose, meaning and a liberal dash of snarkery. 

For crying out loud ... you can't shake a stick in Pittsburgh without knocking over a white, middle-class, heterosexual writer/columnist or writer/columnist wanna be.  You want a fresh rant  -- give voice to the rest of us. 

Last week, we crossed a bridge and went through a tunnel to see a little show.  A final little show at The Square Cafe which serves delicious waffles and hummus.  Not that I would suggest them as a combination.  The hummus comes with veggies, not pita which greatly saddened the Correspondents. 

So this was a special little show because it was the final edition.  We must note further sadness at losing a performance venue that is both smoke free and hummus friendly.  Without pita.

The show was hosted by a recent acquaintance, Gab Bonesso, and someone named Neil Rosenblat from SOA. I  don't know what SOA is b/c during the introductions I was distracted by ordering some decaf.  But he seems like a genial enough fellow and he was cute in a sort of blond sensitive guy kind of way.  He actually looked like Riley from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  But I digress ...

So Gab did her stand-up thing and was a riot.  She was WAAAYYY more edgy than the first time I saw her.  Ledcat thought she was dead on.  I admit I had my politically correct sensibilities in a little knot.  I mean it was definitely funny, but she nailed me and that was a little "bleaahhhh" but in a good way.  I kept thinking "I can't laugh at this" even while I did. 

So that was a nice little journey down Liberal Guilt Trip lane.  :-)

Next up was Bill Eberle, aspiring folk singer and poet.  He was a pretty fierce guy.  I admit that at first I thought "oh here's another white guy poeting about being one with the minorities"  What a dismissive bitch was I!  Because mere moments later, he did this excellent piece talking to the other white guys who think they are one with the minorities ....second time I was on the hot seat that night.  He sang my favorite line of the night:  "You are a creature of God, but they are the ones who are heaven sent."  (I might be paraphrasing b/c I was scrambling to find a pen without spilling my coffee).  So I really liked him.  He was accessible and sweet and fierce.  And he said he was a feminist.  He should do more poety b/c he was very good and he said it was his first time.

Then, the funny guy got on.  Jason Kirsch.  Waiter, actor and aspiring comedian.  Oh my God, he was funny and never once did I feel guilty for laughing.  He covered the whole angst of growing up gay where you mix up He-Man with My Little Pony.   In my favorite riff of the night, he was talking about white women buying babies from China and the annoying bourgeoisie moms in Target.  So with you there brother. 

And that proves how much of a hypocrite I am  ... I can laugh without compunction at the foibles of suburban yuppie moms and homosexuals, but not deaf people or people with developmental disabilities.  Because they are special and I am a PC idiot.  LOL. <NOTE:  I came back to delete this twice because I feel guilty even writing about feeling guilty about laughing at this ...>

Last up was local singer-songwriter Autumn Ayers.  I'm going to let Ledcat do this review to give Autumn due justice b/c I am a music no-nothing and Ledcat has 14,000 cd's or something like that.  I can tell you that I really liked her singing and she's very charming.  She reminds me of the big girls who used to babysit me back in the 70's ... like she could be the cool sister on the show "Family" with Kristy McNichol that I used to love.  Which is kind of a weird sensation because I am probably 10 years older than her.  But you know what I mean ....This apparently is the paragraph of endless prepositional phrases. 

Go visit Autum's myspace page to hear a few songs from her album.  Her song "Drunk Again" is especially moving. 

So that's the end of the Variety Show.  It was nice and I would go again if it existed.  What I really liked (beyond the lack of smoke) was how supportive the entertainers were of each other -- they seem like a little family and that translated nicely into the performances.  We may have been the only outsiders there, but you wouldn't have noticed because they even took the time to include us! 

Hopefully, we'll get word of where these various and sundy performers will be performing in the future. 

The Correspondents concur that all of these performers should be at PrideFest next year, gays and gay-friendlies alike.