CommuniKate: Blog Archives
« February 2008 | Main | April 2008 »
March 28, 2008
It Ain’t Over
Hillary Clinton is like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. She just keeps coming back for more. She’s a fighter and you’ve got to love that. No really, you’ve got to love that. Don’t make me have to come over there.
She hasn’t asked me, but I don’t think Hillary should get out of the race. I do think she should take maybe a couple of days off. Go down to Florida where the state motto translated from the Latin is: Florida, where your primary vote doesn’t count either. She should sit in the sun with a big straw hat on and read a big fat Danielle Steele book cover to cover. Chill.
Barack Obama went to the islands for Easter, heck, he couldn’t go to his old church, and he played some hoops while Hillary was trying to avoid non-sniper fire. Maybe rope-a-dope is his new strategy.
The campaign has gone on so long we’ve cycled through seasons of sports metaphors: the symbology of football Bowls, basketball bracketology, baseball spring training. Why stop before the Summer Olympics? The torch is on the way from Greece to China by way of Mt. Everest, through some got-nothing-to-lose monk riots. Let the games continue!
In a recent poll, and I don’t know about you, I can’t get enough of those recent polls, 38% of Democrats said that if their candidate isn’t the Presidential nominee they are going to vote for McCain. The poll was translated from scratchy Arabic on a cassette tape dropped off at CNN.
Based on that poll, everybody, even Fickle Friends of Hillary [FFOH] are calling for Hillary to get out of the race. I even heard someone invoke Tonya Harding. That is cold. Hey, we’ve come this far in the presidential marathon, why make Hillary pull a reverse Rosie Ruiz?
Fighters are made better by good sparring partners. Tennis players improve by with hard-hitting practice partners. My niece, who doesn’t get a lot of game time, takes her role in practice on her division-leading college lacrosse team very seriously.
If Barack Obama thinks the Clintons are relentless, petty and dirty double-teamers, I’m sure there’s a Yogi Berra saying that applies here to indicate that he ain’t seen nothing yet.
McCain is a reckless kamikazi for freedom. He has the grudging support of his fellow Republicans and their machine. McCain also has the full-larynxed support of the media boys he’s curried for years. They love his ass.
The Loserland television networks are invested in keeping the campaign going, despite their disingenuous goading of Hillary to quit. They say do the delegate math. There’s no way. They must have forgotten what Harvard’s Larry Summers said about women and math.
Like the print media, the networks are hemorrhaging audience to the Internet. This is their last campaign hurrah. And they desperately want to elect one more president for the Gipper.
So Obama/Michael Douglas quit your whining. Hillary is doing you a favor. Don’t be caught flat-footed. Get your cup on. Wear your head and mouth gear.
And watch for her knock out punch.
Video: Kate Clinton 25th anniversary clips on LOGOonline
Check out these Kate Clinton 25th anniversary clips from LOGOonline!
Kate Clinton - Segment 1
Kate Clinton - Segment 2
Kate Clinton - Segment 3
Kate Clinton - Segment 4
Kate Clinton - Segment 5
Kate Clinton - Segment 6
Kate Clinton pre-tour Interview
Kate Clinton Interviewed by Jennifer Corday
Kate Clinton & Urvashi Vaid backstage Interview
Kate Clinton End of Tour Interview
Kate Clinton on Katrina, Bushs and Dykes
March 25, 2008
Passion Weekend
Because of my lapsed Catholic state, just as I was leaving for the airport I realized that I was going to be traveling on Easter weekend. I’m still thrown off by the three weeks earlier than usual spring-ahead clock change and, excuse me, but it seems like Jesus got here at Christmas and just three months later, he’s outta here. It would inspire the faithful a bit more, if he wouldn’t busta move out so soon.
So it was me, Easter pilgrims and spring breakers headed out to the Southwest. I landed in Phoenix, AZ and got a quick ride to Tempe with Barbara McCullough who caught me up over lunch on local politics and the schemes of Equality Arizona. That night I performed at their amazing new Arts Center. Neil Giuliano, now executive director of GLAAD, was in the audience. When he was mayor of Tempe, he had secured the funds and broken ground for the theater. It was great to see him in his old home town.
For a few years, I’ve been talking about a rumor I’d heard about a gang of old dames, circling up the silver airstreams and making a community north of Phoenix. Well, dang if 96 of them didn’t come down from AJ, short for the p.i. Apache Junction, and come to the show. I was surrounded by them after the show in a jostling, scrum of radiant crones. Next time I’m out that way, I have to make a pilgrimage. I don’t know what they’re doing up there in their sweat lodge, but they all look amazing, transcendent.
The next day I went to the state next door, New Mexico and did a show at The Human Rights Alliance dinner in Santa Fe. The dinner is an annual tradition by activists and for activists who are working to transform their state. They transformed a huge tennis center into a festive catered meal and a huge silent auction space. After that, the state should be easy.
One of their awards went to their Governor, Bill Richardson, just two days after he’d announced that he was supporting Barack Obama. It was the talk of the dinner. He graciously accepted the award, midst a too-small chorus of hisses. He was sporting a new beard. I think he was hoping it would disguise him.
While in booming Santa Fe, I stayed at the new Rainbow Visions a retirement community for senior LGBTs. My favorite amenity was the Billie Jean King recreation center housed in the main building with full restaurant and a lovely theater. The staff was friendly and fun, and I wanted to sit and hear the life-stories of many of the residents I met.
Even though the amateurs were traveling back home on Sunday, I made it time to see the last episode of the L-Word season. Talk about a perfect end to Passion Week. And thank goodness for another season, even if it’s a shortened one. A lot of old story lines were resurrected and I don’t know about you, but I need some closure.
Newly Wed in New York
Newly Wed in New York is a celebration of the recent court decision to recognize in NY marriages between same-sex couples performed elsewhere. Events include a renewal of vows and commitment ceremony, a wedding reception and Rochesters 1st Annual LGBT Wedding Expo. A significant turnout is expected and proceeds go to LGBT Friends of Good Government, a political committee dedicated to supporting LGBT affirming political candidates.
SATURDAY - APRIL 26, 2008
More info: www.LGBTFOGG.com
March 24, 2008
K8T Asks: What's the best spring break vacation you ever took?
Kate wants to hear from you! The next question of the week, straight from Kate, is: What's the best spring break vacation you ever took?
To get your voice heard, simply hit the Comment link below and tell her what you think! No registration is necessary, and you can post anonymously if you want.
March 20, 2008
CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE THE CD
HAS ARRIVED
ORDER NOW IN KATEMART
March 18, 2008
K8T Asks: Lawrence King trial opinions?
Kate wants to hear from you! The next question of the week, straight from Kate, is: The young killer of Lawrence "Larry" King, an openly gay student in junior high school in Oxnard, CA, could get 42 years in jail. If you were the sentencing judge, what would you recommend?
To get your voice heard, simply hit the Comment link below and tell her what you think! No registration is necessary, and you can post anonymously if you want.
Two In Twenty
I first saw you on "Two and Twenty" in 1985. I loved the
tongue-and-cheek advertisement. What prompted you to do this gig? I was
disappointed that the community access station in Somerville only
produced 6 episodes. It was cheesy but it was fun TV and somehow
representative of the lesbian community. Now we have The L Word with
lesbian characters I've never had the pleasure to meet. Did you ever get
to view any of the 2 in 20 episodes?
Missy Buck
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Moi? Something fromagy? Mais non!
Dig those episodes out of the vault!!
We'll add it to our justly famous "History of Hair" reel.
I remember more doing "The World According to Us" for WGBH.
Given the darling sexism of this election, we should bring that show back.
Thanks for the reminder and for paying attention all these years.
Best,
Kate
GLAAD
Just as everyone was sobering up from the St. Patrick’s Day parade and march, the big NYC GLAAD dinner was held at the mid-town Marriott Marquis. It was a dangerous but cuddly gay gridlock alert, color code level rainbow. Because of, or in spite of, a wild week of market, governor, construction crane up-then-down news, GLAAD fired up the jumbo-trons, poured the vodka, and put on a party.
There were stars aplenty, jammed corporate sponsored tables, pharma-fonted teleprompters, and a dinner din that registered a ten on the Can You Hear Me Now scale. No I can’t, but your lips are gorgeous. You can check out all the results at GLAAD.org, but allow me to report a few highlights.
The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, a dramatic compilation of the 1950s lesbian pulp novels of Ann Bannon won a GLAAD Media Award in the “Most Fun Off-Broadway Lesbian Entertainment, L-Word Eat Your Heart Out, Written by Kate Moira Ryan and Linda Chapman, Friends of Kate Clinton, And She is as Proud as Can Be of Them, You Should Go See It, Tell Your Friends” category. I’m not sure if that was the category, but yippee!
Despite the major comic temptations of Eliot Spitzer, the Jim McGreevy Trio, and George W’s market reassurances to the Economic Club as Bear Stearns collapsed a few blocks away, I had the serious task of presenting the GLAAD Excellence in Media Award to Judy Shephard.
It has been ten years since Judy’s son Matthew was brutally killed in Laramie, Wyoming for being gay and out. Judy has been a tireless witness against anti-gay violence. Each new anti-gay atrocity is both a raw reminder to her of what happened to her son and a further spur to her activism. She graciously accepted the award, and said she would of course rather have her son.
Her activism has impact. On the way out of the ballroom I ran into an old friend who told me that her Catholic High School had just dis-invited her to her reunion, even though she was class president and is one of their largest donors. She had just sent them updates on her partner and their three kids. Apparently she’d been stewing in her juices about it until she attended the GLAAD dinner and heard Judy Shepard. She said as she listened to Judy, she was texting the reunion committee and planning to use her own successful, mainstream publicity company for her media campaign.
Despite the big Bear Stearns weekend, the gays were out
Much Absolut vodka was consumed,
Not so much Bear Week
Bear Stearns week
Just as the gay people have their Bear Week, the copycat straight people had a big Bear Stearns weekend.
March 14, 2008
Time To Vote
Curve Magazine is holding it's " Funniest Lesbian In America" contest and we would love for you to head on over to curvemag.com and cast your vote for Kate Clinton.
Thank you for your support.
March 13, 2008
New Progressive Column: The Unconflicted White Man
Check out Kate's new column in the Progressive, The Unconflicted White Man:
My Indian girlfriend makes me capture crickets using a humane catch and release program, that would make a Lou Dobbs Minuteman Border Patrol pitch an epi. I go quickly to the door and, at a decent distance from the house, release the critter into the wild. I can be driven to violence by night sounds, but when it comes to crickets, I bow to my skittish, delegative partner's wishes. I honor her loosely held belief in reincarnation.... (Read more)
Did you know all of Kate's articles and essays are archived right here on the site? Click here to see the archive - and don't forget Kate's radio interviews and other audio and video spots are archived, too!
March 12, 2008
Vatican Upgrade: Sins 8.0
Who says that gifts are only given at Christmas time? Just when I was tiring of the dizzying permutations of race and gender, ticket tops and bottoms, and those double warheads McCain and Bush, along comes Eliot Spitzer violating the Mann Act AND a Vatican update of the seven deadly sins. All in one day! It’s better than a double row of purple Easter Peeps.
I will let my secular brethren wax high-larious with their inevitable Client 9, Room 871, Emperor’s Club jokes. Let The Hooker Joke Fest begin! Okay, continue. Ho ho! Let me turn your attention to the Vatican’s recently released, upgraded list of the seven deadly sins. Turn your head from those secular hooker jokes, sinner, this is divine!
A recent Lenten Apostolic Penitentiary Seminar was a major bummer at the Vatican’t. Some of the low-lights: powerpoint presentations showed that 60% of Catholics in Italy no longer go to confession; a graph showed today’s secularized world has a decreasing sense of sin; and increasing numbers of people in the secularized West are making do-do without God.
Pope Benedict, sporting those devilish Prada pumps, addressed the Vatican body. Employing impeccable ex-cathedra logic, the Papal plan is to get people back to confession with a whole new class of upgraded sins. There are now even more ways to offend God! And sinning isn’t just for individuals anymore. Sins now have “social resonance.” Think social networking but with hell time. I know I do. It was not clear if confessionals would be renovated for higher occupancy.
To review, those seven single-words sins are: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and my personal favorite, sloth. They are now joined by multi-word sins: carrying out morally debatable scientific experiments, allowing genetic manipulation which alter DNA or comprimise embryos, taking or dealing in drugs, excessive accumulation of wealth by a few, abortion and pedophilia. They’re shorter and yet scarier in the Latin.
If you don’t confess these mortal sins before death, you go to hell. You do not pass Limbo, because they got rid of that about five years ago. The Pope had laid out the plans to deal with the more venial sins of road rage, drunkenness and rudeness in an earlier address. It is unclear if he had anything to do with the new Italian law that men cannot fondle their own genitals through their clothes in public. The pope wears layers.
I confess to reading the list, looking for the sin of homosexuality. It wasn’t there! Maybe it’s understood. Is it just me, or does any other LGBT feel left out? It’s like being dropped from the big annual Papal Magazine “Sinniest Sins Alive!” double issue. For a while there, homosexuality was like coverboy Matthew Mcconaughey doing his beach workout. Nunc nihil.
The punishments for the single-word sins were simply noted in a New York Times online article: Pride: broken on the wheel. Envy: put in freezing water. Catholics have done waterboarding for years. We call it baptism. Gluttony: forced to eat rats, toads, and snakes. Lust: smothered in fire and brimstone. Poor Eliot. Anger: dismembered alive. Greed: put in cauldrons of boiling oil. Sloth: thrown in snake pits. Simple and strict.
Nowhere have I read about the sin of making wicked fun of the Pope and all his works. Yet. So I offer new socially resonant punishment suggestions:
Drug Pushers: forced to attend a daily DA meeting. Rush Limbaugh’s in your home group and he won’t stop cross-talking.
Obscenely Rich: you and your geeky cohorts must ring the opening and closing bell on Wall Street for the rest of your born days.
Polluters: run the Crocs Kiosk at the Atlanta airport. The one next to a loud Rosetta Stone tower of Babel kiosk.
Morally Debatable Scientific Experimenters: forced to judge all middle school science fairs.
Abortionists: forced to move to Binghamton, NY, home of Randall Terry.
Pedophiliacs: all of the above, including single-word sin punishments.
March 10, 2008
Vote for Kate in '08
Curve Magazine is holding it's " Funniest Lesbian In America" contest and we would love for you to head on over to curvemag.com and cast your vote for Kate Clinton.
Thank you for your support.
March 03, 2008
Ben and Jimmy: Gay No-Shows
In addition to its fabled lilacs, Rochester is becoming justly famous for its LGBT Film Festival, presented by ImageOut. They had a benefit concert to advertise and subsidize their wonderful festival and they invited me! We brought the Hilarity Clinton ’08 Tour to upstate New York. Rochester is also famous for “lake effect” snow and there was a foot of it, so no lilacs, dang.
At a reception before the show for special benefactors and the board of ImageOut, I met lots of wonderful upstate NY LGBTs. One was a daughter of one of my fellow classmates at LeMoyne College, Syracuse, NY, Class of 69. Another recent LeMoyne alum was member of the ImageOut Board. Lesbian owned, Hedonist Chocolatiers provided refreshments, and I partook. By the time I hit the stage I was just peaking on my performance enhancement drug of choice. Michael Gamilla, the board co-chair was an excellent host and an indefatigable promoter of the Film Festival.
The next day I flew to Boston for the Men’s Event, a benefit dinner for the Fenway Community Health. I have emceed the Women’s Event many times and was happy to be asked to emcee the men’s dinner. I’m the Ryan Seacrest of Fenway Events.
Fourteen hundred extremely handsome men in tuxedos were there and we raised a lot of money. One attendee that night pledged $75,000 for the building fund for the almost completed Fenway Center, a fourteen floor state of the art builiding providing state of the heart care for LGBT people in New England.
Longtime mayor and great friend of the LGBT Community, Mayor Menino was in attendance. Ben Aflleck and Jimmy Kimmel were not. MA Gov. Patrick couldn’t attend; he was writing new lines for Barack Obama. Sen. Ted Kennedy received the Gerry Studds Pioneer Award and was his usual gracious and funny self in his acceptance speech.
When he asked me how I was doing, I told him, “Well, I’m a 60 year old white woman, last name Clinton, how do you think I’m doing?” He laughed and gave me a big hearty clap on the back.
K8T Asks: International Women's Day?
Kate wants to hear from you! The next question of the week, straight from Kate, is: What are you planning to do to celebrate March 8, International Women's Day? I am going to toilet paper Maureen Dowd's house.
To get your voice heard, simply hit the Comment link below and tell her what you think! No registration is necessary, and you can post anonymously if you want.
Categories
Archives
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- November 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
Search
Join CommuniKate
KateMart
All of Kate's DVDs, CDs, books, and other merch - it's a one-stop shop! Stay warm and cozy this winter with all-new Hilarity Clinton '08 apparel. We've also whipped up tons of new items, including a 2008 Kate Clinton "Resolutions" calendar and an "I'm for Hillary" coffee mug. Visit KateMart.
Booking & Publicity
If you're interested in booking Kate, or if you're looking for a press kit, or high-res photos and logos, come check out the Booking & Publicity section. You'll find everything you need, including complete contact details.