40 Years Ago, I thought That This Was All That

I Can Do A Few Tricks, Some Old & Then Some New Tricks, I'm Very Versatile

I don't presume to speak for him, but I believe The Husband's favorite Sondheim show is A Little Night Music, which he saw in London in 1974, with Jean Simmons. He saw me in this show, before we had been introduced. I still hope he was impressed.

My favorite changes with my considerable moodiness, but because I am a misanthrope & a pessimist, I go for Follies.

This evening, as I consider a lifetime of being moved by his music... I choose this as my favorite Sondheim Song:

Happy Birthday, Liza!

"Reality is something you rise above."

Liza Minnelli

It wouldn’t be a gay day at a gay blog without saying Happy Birthday to Liza Minnelli. I first saw her in The Sterile Cuckoo (Oscar nomination) in 1969 & I was rather astonished by her performance, followed by another in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, & of course there was Cabaret & Liza with a Z in 1971. I once followed her for several blocks until she went into the Russian Tea Room in 1977, but couldn’t bring myself to approach her. I may have seen her at Studio 54 during the same era, but who knows, what with the qualudes & coke, maybe I just thought I saw her with Halston & Andy.


There is no denying the talent; Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Grammy, BAFTA, & Golden Globes are all on her mantle. Through the ups & down & the marriages, & just when she seems a joke, she redeems & reinvents herself with choices like Results, her terrific album with Pet Shop Boys, & her hilarious turn on Arrested Development. Her performing style is so full of “please, love me” that I find it rude not to. At 65 years old she keeps on giving & giving & demanding the love.

Is There Such A Thing As Too Gay?

I really do love Liza. As I mentioned in her birthday post- because she wants love so badly & because she is a wonder of an entertainer, harkening back to the days when a performer (Sammy, Frank, Lena, Marlene. Bette) did it all: movies, Broadway, TV Specials, nightclub acts & Vegas. When do we get to see Meryl Streep's Vegas Act (filling in at Caesar's Palace while Celine is on hiatus) or Sir Ian McKellen's HBO special- Sir Ian does Gershwin with Special Guests Elton John & Elaine Stritch?



Liza had a gay grandfather, a gay father, 3 gay husbands... one would think she might be bitter about the gays, but her support never waivered & she has counted among her best friends: Halston, Andy Warhol, & John Kander & Fred Ebb, among many others. She also dedicated much time to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research: “AmfAR is important to me because I’ve lost so many friends that I knew to AIDS” Liza recorded the Kander & Ebb tune The Day After That & donated the proceeds to AIDS research. That same year she performed the song in front of thousands in Central Park at the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

Last night I woke up at 2am shaking, & sat bolt upright in bed after dreaming of this image:

Husband #4- David Gest & his charming companion.

Born On This Day- March 12th... Gay Icon Miss Liza Minnelli

It wouldn’t be a gay day at a gay blog without saying Happy Birthday to Liza. I first saw her in The Sterile Cuckoo (Oscar nomination) in 1969 & I was rather astonished by her performance, followed by another in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, & of course there was Cabaret & Liza with a Z. I once watched her go into the Russian Tea Room in 1977, but couldn’t bring myself to approach her. I may have seen her at Studio 54 during the same era, but who knows, what with the qualudes & coke, maybe I just thought I saw her with Halston & Andy.

There is no denying the talent; Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Grammy, BAFTA, & Golden Globes are all on her mantle. Through the ups & down & the marriages, & just when she seems a joke, she redeems & reinvents herself with choices like Results, her terrific album with Pet Shop Boys, & her hilarious turn on Arrested Development. Her performing style is so full of “please, love me” that I find it rude not to. At 64 years old she keeps on giving & giving & demanding the love.