Gay Today: Quote

Quotes & Quips

Compiled By Jack Nichols

Cheap Shots

(Elton John) engages in a war of words with aging rocker Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Richards suggests that Elton's claim to fame is 'writing songs for dead blondes.' John responds by calling Richards 'pathetic. It's like a monkey with arthritis, trying to go on stage and look young.'

Alexander Wohl—"Biograph"—Biography magazine, February

Imagining Yasir

Zahwa, bilingual in French and Arabic, chattered away until they rounded a corner under a giant billboard of Yasir Arafat. "Papa!" she said merrily, looking herself like the image of the Palestinian leader—if he could be imagined as a three-year old girl with a blue hair ribbon. "She is totally her father," Mrs. Arafat said. "A real authoritarian."

Deborah Sontag—"Suha Arafat: A Militant in a Blue BMW" –New York Times, February 4

Clinton's Wealthiest Enemy Critiques Trent Lott

I'm not a member of the Christian right. I am a firm believer in Planned Parenthood. I've even given money to abortion rights groups. And I think Trent Lott's remarks about gays were totally uncalled for. So what I'm trying to say is, I'm not your average conservative.

Richard Mellon Scaife-- "Who's Afraid of Richard Mellon Scaife?" Interview by John F. Kennedy, Jr., George magazine, January

The Pope as a Rock Star

Indeed, the Vicar of Christ on Earth formerly known as Karol Wojtyla is acting like a self-indulgent rocker, and not simply because the perennially near-death cleric has gone on more final-farewell, that's-it tours than the Ramones and the Who combined. And not simply because he's really only hitting the road to drum up interest in his new rap CD Abba Pater, set for release from Sony Classical on 23 March. (Word up: Tracks include "prayers, homilies, and chants" set to Vatican-approved music; the disc's first single, "Pater Noster" [Our Father], will also be a video.) And not simply because he insisted on having all the green M&M's removed from his dressing room.

Mr. Mxyzptlk—"Papal Bull" www.suck.com February 2

Judy Shepard Discusses Her Son, Matthew

``He wasn't a saint. He was just a young man in search of himself''

Judy Shepard interviewed by Vanity Fair about her slain son, Matthew, disturbed because sympathizers had compared her son with Jesus Christ.

They'd Still Be Mean

Religion can be used to prop up prejudice and hatred, but even if these people weren't religious, they'd still be mean.

Ryan Hughes--15-year-old gay activist on fundamentalists' gay-bashing-- San Jose Mercury News, February 2

Clinton "Perjury" Pusher & Anti-Gay Republican Whip DeLay
(a former Albo Pest Control officer) Behaved Strangely in Court

Question: And are you presently still an officer or director of [Albo]? DeLay: I don't think so. No. Q: All right. You're still an officer, are you not? DeLay: I don't think I am. Q: Okay. Did you resign as an officer? DeLay: Not written. It was sort of an agreement. Q: Okay. So you had an agreement with whom to resign verbally as an officer? DeLay: With Darrell Hutto, president of the company. Q: And when was that? DeLay: I don't know. Two, three years ago. It wasn't anything formal. I haven't had much to do with the company since I got elected to Congress. [...] Q: Suffice [it] to say, sir, it's your testimony today that you from about two, three years ago had a verbal agreement with Mr. Hutto to resign as an officer or director of Albo Pest Control. Is that correct? DeLay: As far as I remember, yes. Q: All right, sir. And that was never reduced to writing that you know of? DeLay: That I know of, no.

Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas)— quoted from 1994 Texas court records in "Delayed Justice" by Ann Louise—The New Republic, February 15, 1999

Bless 'Em Boys, Just Don't Marry 'Em

Supporting a minister here who had been quietly performing church ceremonies uniting gay couples, a regional board of the Presbyterian Church has voted overwhelmingly to allow ministers in 95 churches from Westchester to the Catskills to bless gay couples. They just can't call the ceremonies marriages.

"Presbyterian Church Panel Backs a Pastor Who Blessed Gay Couples"—New York Times, February 3

The Trouble with the film 'Shakespeare in Love'

Ben Affleck in Shakespeare in Love

A few minutes later, after a glimpse of him in his garret, scribbling away furiously with his quill pen clutched between his ink-stained fingers, we see Ms. (Gwyneth) Paltrow melting over the sonnet inscribed "For Lady Viola de Lesseps." The poet has found his muse.

The trouble is that one of the few things that scholars know about Shakespeare apart from real estate transactions, minor lawsuits and the bequeathing of his second-best bed to his wife, is that this poem (No. 18 in the 1609 edition) is one of a group of 126 sonnets apparently written to a man.

Stephen Greenblatt—"About that Romantic Sonnet" New York Times—February 6

I Feel, Therefore I Am

I'm at a stage where I'm letting it all out. It's the first time I've ever been able to talk about personal feelings, to be honest in personal relationships, to say how I feel without hiding it, without acting cool or like I don't care. I'm just growing up.

Marky Mark Wahlberg—The Best of the Superstars 1999 by John Patrick

Photo: Marky Mark (Harper)