David Mixner On DOMA Hearing

Clip description:

Gay rights activist David Mixner, transgender activist Laverne Cox and Huffington Post Gay Voices Editor Noah Michelson join “Say Anything!” guest host Judy Gold to consider how attitudes toward marriage equality are shifting. The Supreme Court heard arguments relating to the Defense of Marriage Act on Wednesday.

Worth your time.

SLIDESHOW: Family Equality Council's 30th Anniversary Gala In New York City

Last night intrepid JMG photographer Dr. Jeff accompanied me to the Family Equality Council's 30th anniversary gala on Manhattan's Pier 60, where over 750 LGBT moms, dads and allies swarmed the grand ballroom and mingled with bold-face names like Zach Wahls (so tall!), Tony winner David Hyde Pierce, comedian Judy Gold, Bishop Gene Robinson, Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson, and crooner Clay Aiken (who drew a small but enthusiastic contingent of middle-aged Claymates.)

The evening's honorees were FEC board member Scott Davenport, who is the co-founder of P-Town's annual Family Week, and famed Broadway producer Daryl Roth, who brought along the very young cast of her latest show, the multiple Tony-nominated Newsies. Both Aiken and the Newsies cast performed, as well as Tony nominee Montego Glover (Memphis).

All evening long there was a noticeable flurry of smartphone action across the room as attendees anxiously checked for returns on Amendment One. During his set, Aiken addressed that issue and spoke passionately about his love for (and disappointment with) his home state. His words underscored the fact that sitting in the room were the very people who have the most at stake when it comes to legal protections for their families. Dr. Jeff's slideshow is below, full-screen photos are here.

VIDEO: The Family Equality Council rang the closing bell at the Stock Exchange today.

Joy Behar On Newsweek Cover

With openly gay panelists Judy Gold and Howard Bragman.

Bette Midler At Her Hulaween Ball

Broadway Speaks OUT's Marti Gould Cummings interviews Bette Midler at her Hulaween Ball at midtown's Waldorf-Astoria. Also interviewed: Martha Stewart, Michael Kors, Judy Gold, Gloria Gaynor.

Broadway Friday

- You've still got a few days to get tickets to Monday's gigantic marriage equality fundraiser, Defying Inequality. Appearing: Jane Fonda, Keith Olbermann, Cyndi Lauper, Harvey Fierstein, Nathan Lane, the casts of many hit Broadways shows, and many more.

- Will Ferrell's smash one-man show about Dubya, You're Welcome America, has recouped its investment in just a couple of weeks.

- GLAAD Award winning gay comedian Judy Gold plays Joe's Pub on March 20th in Judy Gold Is Mommy Queerest.

- Gilligan's Island: The Musical is touring Florida. Hopefully for more than three hours.

-The fifth annual Broadway Purim Shpiel plays the Hudson Theater on March 7th. Xanadu's Jackie Hoffman will host.

- Christine Jorgensen Reveals, the story of America's first and most famous transsexual, begins previews on February 26th at the Lion Theater. Bradford Louryk stars in the title role.

- Next To Normal comes to Broadway on March 27th at the Longacre Theater. J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, and Alice Ripley will star.

- This Beautiful City, a new musical about the rise of the evangelical movement in Colorado Springs, opens Sunday at the Vineyard Theater. Written by Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis, music and lyrics by Michael Friedman.

This Beautiful City is a play with music, created from interviews with actual persons, that explores the Evangelical movement and its unofficial U.S. capital. Because of the presence of several national Evangelical headquarters, the influential megachurch New Life (formerly led by Ted Haggard), and numerous and diverse churches, questions surrounding religion and civic concerns are brought to the foreground of everyday life in this city. The Civilians’ project looks at Colorado Springs as a microcosm of issues facing the country as a whole—the shifting line between church and state, changing ideas about the nature of Christianity, and how different beliefs can either coexist or conflict within a community.

Tickets for This Beautiful City are available here. Below is a promotional clip. Looks great!

Bookies

Last night I trekked down to Soho to meet From Boys To Men editors Ted Gideonse and Rob Williams at the launch party for Bob Smith's new book Selfish And Perverse. Great party, tons of gay lit bigwigs in attendance, with Michael Musto lurking in a corner. The loft was stiflingly hot, but I lucky enough to spend a few sweaty minutes chatting with Edmund White about his new book Chaos, during which he confessed that he'd read the comments here on JMG when we gave the book away on Swag Tuesday. I also got to chat with comedian Judy Gold about her upcoming appearance at the Commercial Closet Awards. She kills me. By the way, From Boys To Men lost in its category at Thursday's Lambda Literary Awards. Rats. But Famous Author Rob Bynes won in his category, go Rob!