Bea Arthur, Golden Girl, Gay Buddy, Dies at 86

Actress Bea Arthur died today at 86 of cancer. Read the New York Times obit.

Arthur played some memorable roles: Vera Charles in Mame, both on Broadway and in the film; Maude Findley in Maude, and Dorthy Zbornak in the Golden Girls.

Someplace along the way, she became, if not a gay icon, at least popular among gay men. It's always hard for me to tell you how certain actresses --Joan Crawford, for example--become gay icons. (I once stayed in the "Joan Crawford Room" in a gay bed and breakfast. Decorated to the hilt in 40s and 50s Hollywood glam with lots of black and white stills. Creepy. But that's another post.) One thing about the women who become popular with gay men, they very often, as in Arthur's case, are tough, sassy, and unafraid.

Arthur was deep voiced, no nonsense, and mannish, and so she always wore the pants, no matter what she was in. Who knows if she enjoyed the adjectives used to describe her: caustic, brash, strong, domineering, but I suspect she was just fine with it.

As much as I like Maude and Dorothy, I am a sucker for Arthur's Vera Charles from Mame. Watch a You Tube clip of Arthur singing Bosom Buddies with Angela Lansbury on an awards show. The ton of gravel voice, the timing, the irony, it's all there. Vera Charles was the foundation for Maude and Dorothy.

Also, read a good article in EW embedded with a great segment from Maude. First, there a great quip about Maude's deep voice. Then, some very funny and honest liberal white guilt reveal when Maude first meets her new housekeeper Florida Evans, played by Esther Rolle.

A year ago, fellow Golden Girl Estelle Getty, another popular gal with gay men, died.

--Gay Guy

Shakespeare. Rhymes With Queer?

Straight Guy,

Today is William Shakespeare's birthday. Incidentally, it's generally agreed by scholars that it is also the day of his death. We the literary minded like circular things like that.

Why bring up the Bard's birthday? Because in every English lit class I've taken, the question "Was Shakespeare gay or at least bisexual?" came up. Maybe because Shakespeare dedicated some of his most deeply felt sonnets to the Earl of Southamtpon, who was bisexual. Maybe it's because Shakespeare is wearing an earing in one portrait and only gay men wear earings. No, really, I heard someone say that. Obviously someone who had never watched an NFL game.

Me, I think people ask because there is a lot of gay stuff floating around in his plays.

I've no idea if Shakespeare was gay, but I do believe that he understood being gay, that he knew gay men -- and knew them without judgment. Here's a few reasons why I am certain of this: In the Merchant of Venice, Antonio is clearly in love with Bassanio. Just read the first few pages. Such a deep sigh, that Antonio. Unrequited love is the source of his famous melancholy -- and it's what sets the plot in motion.

In Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino falls in love with "Cesario," who is Viola in disguise. Yeah, yeah, it's one of the cross dressing, masked identity plays, and yes, it all ends well, with Viola coming out. But there is some ambiguity about Orsino's desire. A few years ago, I saw a production of Twelfth Night in which Orsino is getting comfortable and getting off with the lure of Cesario. At the end, when Viola can shed her disguise to marry Orsino, the director of the production had Orsino hesitate at the reveal, and flirt with Viola to persuade her to keep her drag on.

So, what's the point, I hear you ask? Patience, SG, patience. That's just Act One.

In March the authenticators-that-be authenticated a portrait of Shakespeare that was painted in his own time. Quite a find. And, quite a looker, that Will. Adam Gopnik wrote that the portrait makes Shakespeare "look like George in the 'Penny Lane' video, circa 1967" in a witty New Yorker article. It's a portrait so full of hotness that it alone can reopen the sexual orientation chatter.

From a portait? I must say that's some impressive gaydar.

In a San Francisco Chronicle column, Jon Carroll duly notes that, in the newly found portrait, Shakespeare's mouth "has a little decadent curl." Then Carroll goes in with a pointed quill: "Is there something that Shakespeare is doing in that portrait that says to the gaydar-adept citizen, 'Meet me backstage after the performance,'?"

So, here's my synopsis: Act One, it's Shakespeare's birthday. Act Two: People wonder if Shakespeare swung both ways. Act Three: There's a newly found portrait of Shakespeare that shows him as such a total hottie in the way that only gay men can be.

Verily.

--Gay Guy

Gathering Storm of Hot Air

Talk about giving straight people a bad name! Do we really seem this self-important and stupid?

Look, we're all free to disagree, but the NOM's original spot is so nonsensical that I don't even have a response. The leaps in logic are so vast that it's impossible to span the distance. How, exactly, would gay marriage impact a doctor's ability to do his or her job? Actually, what storm?

Yes. I am afraid. But only afraid that folks might not have the media savvy to see through this crap. On the positive side, this does have a "last stand" sense of desperation to it. Maybe we're almost there.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage Commercial

Colbert, as usual, is spot on in his critique. Funny or Die has also put up a spoof.

--Straight Guy

Manly Man Names: Gay/Straight Guy Shortcomings?

Straight Guy,

This article on manly man names is too funny for words. "Dick Pound" is an adolscent boy's dream come true.

--Gay Guy

Nice Find, GG.

I vote for "Commander Flex Plexico." How can you NOT get the best table in the house when your reservation is in that name?

--Straight Guy

Does This Bib Make Me Look Hot?

New marketing campaign puts some hair on your chest.

From the Australian SOLO soda company.
--Straight Guy

Collar Stays: Gay/Straight Haberdashery 911

As Straight Guy mentioned, he and I are out of town on a work assignment. It's tough. Not only is it long hours with little sleep, it involves playing Dress Up Ken all day and night. Yes, it's true: Straight Guy is wearing dress shoes this week. He looks quite dapper, may I add.

Late this afternoon, Straight Guy calls my hotel room. " Gay Guy," he says. "Straight Guy here. Do you bring any . . uhm . . . uhm . . . what are they called? Those pointy things. You know, that go in your shirt/"

"Ah, collar stays," say I. "Yes, I packed collar stays."

Straight Guy swung by my hotel room on his way out. I think he was impressed that I yanked the stays out of the shirt I was wearing to give to him.

--Gay Guy

Helluva Town

Gay Guy and I are working in New York City this week. Big project. Late deadlines. Little sleep. Not much blogging.

Readers, if we get a break, what should we do?

--Straight Guy

Gays Don't Care About Beer?

Straight Guy,

Met some friends at a (gay) bar last evening.

Overheard conversation:

"This draft beer is bad."

"Yeah, really flat. Something's wrong."

"You can't get good draft beer in a gay bar."

"Yeah, (deep sigh). Sadly, they don't have the right clientele."

"Too bad. The beer at my neighborhood Irish bar is so good."

--Gay Guy

Iowa and Same-Sex Marriage Means American Gothic Cartoons

Straight Guy,

As you know, on April 3, Iowa's Supreme Court unanimously struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, thus legalizing it. Conservatives are already firing up and funding a constitutional same-sex marriage ban. Someone always has to kill the party.

But, the point of my story is that there were three political cartoonists who simultaneously drew ironic energy from Iowa artist Grant Wood's iconic painting 'American Gothic'. I can take or leave the Wonkette piece, but it does put the cartoons in one place. Click on the thumbnails to see them larger.

Wood was married and divorced, but rumored to be gay. Irony of ironies. I wonder what he would think.

--Gay Guy

Peep Show

Now in it's third year, the Washington Post runs a contest for best Marshmallow Peeps diorama. Otherwise well-adjusted adults spend weeks putting them together. The Post's site has a huge gallery of this year's best.

Peeps are my favorite Easter candy. I can eat them fresh, but also like them day-old stale. I don't think GG is crazy for the sugar on sugar combo.

Happy Easter.

--Straight Guy