DUFF-STUFF: Karen Duffy

The name "Duff" reminds me of the beer that Homer Simpson drinks. Her actual name: Karen Duffy seems to suit her better.

Dig if you will the picture:

Duff, the goddess of the 30 second attention span, in her downtown Manhattan apartment, wearing something like a simple pair of black platform high heels and a sensible black suit. She's got Ernest Borgnine looking over her, as she tries to finish saying her rosary while keeping the weight of her priorities in perfect balance. When she runs out of breath from unpacking her suitcase and hanging up some new additions to her satanic-looking art collection, she sits down, kicks off her heels, relaxes to some Sinatra, and exhales, knowing that she has kept her equilibrium intact. Indeed.

March 30, 1993

Duff called me from her dressing room at the MTV Studios in New York City.

SPREAD: I saw you this morning on MTV interviewing Chuck Norris.

DUFF: I've never even seen that show that I do.

SPREAD: Really? Have you ever watched yourself on MTV?

Duff: Hardly ever. Actually, I didn't have MTV for... well, I never had it. But I got a job on MTV about a year and a few months ago. It took me another three months to get cable because New York is all backed up, but I didn't pay my cable bill so they shut it off. I think it would drive me mad to watch it.

SPREAD: Where were you when you heard Elvis died?

Duff: Well, I was only a little kid and I was with my grandfather -- who's kinda like Thurston Howell III. I remember we were at a pool. That was like 1976-77, right? So I was just a little kid swimming at somebody's pool and my grandfather told me. He broke the news.

SPREAD: If you were a hooker, what kind of hooker would you be?

Duff: I don't know. That's kind of an interesting question. I don't think... Lets see... I'm trying to think of a way to turn this into a fishing kind of answer. I'd be a hooker way out in Nantucket.

SPREAD: What won't you do on MTV?

Duff: Kiss anybody's butt. They've this whole cheesy thing about how "The New Music Revolution is going to be Televised." I think that's the biggest pile of malarkey I've ever heard. So I refuse to do that, and I refuse to be sycophantic. I'm always stepping on people's toes. Not that I'm intentionally being mean, but I just feel like "Gee, great video. Sorry about the song." I dunno, I'm always getting in trouble. I usually open up my evening show by saying that "MTV is a termite in the timber of integrity." And we're always asking the question, "Will we have to wait until the day that Dolly Parton sleeps on her stomach to see an inspiring video?"

SPREAD: Biting the hand that feeds you?

Duff: Yep.

SPREAD: Will you be on MTV forever?

Duff: Nope. I mean, I feel really lucky to be on MTV. I made a cheeseball, $2.00 production of me being a VJ and sent it in. So this all happened pretty suddenly. I've got other things in the works, and Hey! Anybody who reads this Ñ send in an audition tape! We really need good people Ñ I wanna be in good company.

SPREAD: What films have you worked on?

Duff: Well, most recentlyÑI had a cameo in Last Action Hero, which is a Schwartzenegger movie, I worked on Who's the Man. I've worked on two Woody Allen films.

SPREAD: Which ones?

Duff: Husbands and Wives, and Alice.

SPREAD: Who did you play in Alice?

Duff: I played a secretary. He shoots so many different scenes, so it's not really anything to toot my horn about. But the fact that I've worked with him a few times has been great. I also worked on 29th Street. I've done about half a dozen films.

SPREAD: Which films have you turned down?

Duff: I've walked away from a couple of things that really kinda cheesed women out. Right now I've got a picture deal with a studio Ñ so they're giving me scripts and I can kinda choose which ones I wanna do. And I'm just in the process of that. So I'm really not ya know big enough to be turning stuff down. I haven't really been offered that much, its just getting rolling now.

SPREAD: Are there any plans for a big singing-n-dancing career?

Duff: Hell no! I've got Van Gogh's ear for music Ñ the one he chopped off. And when I dance, I look like a dying gangster with flailing appendages. No. Not at all. I don't dance, don't sing, don't watch MTV. (laughs)

SPREAD: What's hanging on the walls of your apartment?

Duff: Well, nothing right now because it's being painted. But I travel all the time for MTV, so I've been buying art. Like really satanic scary art. I was just in Utah for the NBA All Star Game and I got this really satanic pumpkin oil-painting. When I'm on tour with a band or whatever, I like to check out little galleries or local art. I've got a big picture of Ernest Borgnine because I just won an Ernest Borgnine look-alike contest. My best friend and I dressed up as a two-headed Ernest Borgnine from McCale's Navy and we gave a dramatic recitation from his award-winning film Marty. I have those pictures, plus gold records from my boyfriend [Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe] because he doesn't have a house.

SPREAD: What do you mean when you say satanic art?

Duff: Scary-looking, like, really primitive. Mark Kostabi the artist, he made me two beautiful paintings 'cuz I interviewed him Ñ which was awesome. The best thing about MTV is the swag that you accumulate, and Kostabi makes these original paintings while you're talking and then flips them over. And I like to just buy a lot of quirky thrift store art.

SPREAD: So whatcha reading?

Duff: This book by Paul Fussell called Class, and there's another book called Head Hunting In the Solomon Islands Around the Coral Sea by Caroline Mytinger, who's a physical anthropologist. They're non-fiction.

SPREAD: As an Irish Catholic, what did you think of the whole Sinead O'Connor incident on Saturday Night Live?

Duff: I was there! I was there in the audience and it rocked my world! I gotta tell you Ñ when she did it (ripped-up a picture of Pope John Paul II), she was freaking! It wasn't like she did it with a whole lota conviction. She was trembling, and everyone just shut the hell up. No one laughed for the rest of the night. Then after every Saturday Night Live, there's big hootenanny at some big bar. And it was soooo down. On Sunday I felt really bombed. It really hurt me. All day I just couldn't forget what had happened. It rocked my world. The next week I was at the Bob Dylan tribute where she got booed. So that thing has had a lingering effect.

SPREAD: I'm really glad she did it for a whole bunch of different reasons. I just think she has a different perspective as an catholic from Ireland.

Duff: But that whole night, just crashed! Everybody was freaked!

SPREAD: Do you remember when the cast from Saturday Night Live did the SPIN issue?

Duff: Yeah

SPREAD: Well, I found it strange that the cast were surprised that Sinead O'Connor did that on live television. I think that you would sort of expect that sort of thing from her because she's so outspoken. But it's upsetting that they re-aired it, and showed the taped rehearsal of her song instead of what really went out over the air. It'll be the 3rd most remembered moment in TV history, next to the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald, and Crispin Glover trying to kick David Letterman in the head. But I could understand it bringing the whole evening down.

Duff: It was, you didn't expect it at all. The way she did it, she was freaking and trembling, and her voice was quivering. Ya know how it is, when you're rude to somebody and you don't really mean it? That feeling that you're like "Oh my god!" That was what it was like.

SPREAD: Do you still go to church?

Duff: Yep.

SPREAD: How often?

Duff: I'd say every Sunday, and I usually try to go once or twice mid-week.

SPREAD: Wow! Dedicated.

Duff: I try. I try to say the rosary every day too. I also have my little novenas, and candles. I visit a nursing home three times a week -- so it's a big Catholic thing I'm lugging around.

SPREAD: If you won the lottery would you quit working?

Duff: I'd quit MTVÑbut I can't Ôcuz I'm under contract. No, I wouldn't. Because before I was working MTV, I was working at a nursing home -- I didn't have any money. And now: 10 movies, 30 commercials, a TV pilot, and a movie deal Ñ I'm my bank account is a lot fatter. Nothing's changed. I'd definitely keep working, because you just fall apart. You gotta keep yourself inspired. I wouldn't necessarily punch a clock. But I would definitely be developing projects.

SPREAD: Name three good music videos.

Duff: Faith No More's "I'm Easy", Guns-n-Roses "Garden of Eden." Boy, you asked for three? I didn't mind Green Jello's "Three Little Pigs" -- the song sucks, but the video is cool. Actually I liked Ugly Kid Joe's new one "Busy Bee". The thing is about Ugly Kid Joe is their music is actually better than it sounds.

SPREAD: You mean "live" than what gets out on album?

Duff: Yeah.

SPREAD: What effect did you think MTV had on the '92 presidential election?

Duff: I think we have to grovel to get voters. I think MTV got a lot of people to vote -- younger people because they were guilted into it. I hope that the people who did go ahead and vote, thought about issues rather than just having a knee-jerk reaction to "Choose or Lose, Choose or Lose, Choose or Lose. I think Tabitha Soren did a great job by having President Clinton on MTV, as well as Ross Perot. I think it opened people's eyes and really hit a lot of people. At the inauguration President Clinton said thank you to MTV. If it wasn't for MTV, he thought he wouldn't've be there. I was just in Washington last week, and there was this big "hoity-toity" Horatio Alger event that I was co-hosting with Maya Angelou. Ross Perot, Gerald Ford, and even Jack Kemp said, 'I wanna be on MTV,' so certainly people are paying attention.

SPREAD: What was one of your biggest mistakes?

Duff: God they're million of 'em. After I graduated from the University of Colorado. I lived in Washington, D.C. for a year and a half. It was the worst year and a half of my life! Stay away from D.C.! It was too conservative. If you have any amount of passion they think that you're crazy. It was a miserable time. I regret that.

SPREAD: Who are three of your favorite celebrities?

Duff: Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Ernest Borgnine.

SPREAD: What do you use in your hair?

Duff: (laughs) I just came back from Bora Bora, so I use this Tahitian coconut oil that all the natives stick in their hair.

SPREAD: What advice can you give from the wealth of your experiences?

Duff: My dad gave me some good advice: he said, "Life is like the three rings of a Ballantine Ale can. One ring represents your family and friends. One ring represents your spiritual life. And one represents your professional life. You should keep all rings the same size and in balance so you'll stay a balanced person. But if you throw too much focus on your career, or your boyfriend, or blind religious abandon -- then boom! You just gotta keep equal amounts of focus on each one of 'em. 

Right-wing mama: PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY

Daniel Kusner

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MOM’S DAY ROEMAGGEDON: That time I interviewed PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY 5/8/2022 0 Comments Mommie dearest Even militant conservative Phyllis Schlafly admits she’s a proud mom who loves her gay son SCHLAFLY: “...the alliance of the gays and the abortionists, who really have nothing in common.” By DANIEL KUSNER | May 11, 2001 Don’t expect to find Phyllis Schlafly, 76, bearing her soul at a PFLAG rally. The ultra­conservative pro-life activist launched the Stop-ERA crusade in the ’70s and leads The Eagle Forum, a volunteer organization that favors punishing gay sex with imprisonment. But ever since her eldest son, John Schlafly, a lawyer, was pub­licly outed in 1992, Phyllis has been an easy target for gays to ridicule. SCHLAFLY — THE GOP’S GAYEST LAST NAME: Phyllis and John. [Photo: PhyllisSchlafly.com] Countless others would make a better Mother’s Day spokesperson for parents of gay children. But Phyllis Schlafly stands out as some­one who’s probably had to strongly re-exam­ine the bond between a mom and her queer kid. In interviews with gay media, Schlafly remains an even-tempered, albeit tight-lipped subject. Her prime agenda on the topic of motherhood mostly deals with her fierce advocacy for breastfeeding and disposable diapers. “Paper diapers are the greatest invention that ever happened,” she beams. Beneath her stridently anti-gay Radical Right exterior lies the undeniably warm heart of a mom with six kids and grandmother of 14 who loves her gay son no matter what. “There’s a point when you have to let your children live their own lives when they become adults,” Schlafly says during a phone interview from the Schlafly’s St. Louis home. MORRISSEY SANG: “When you’re tied to your Mother's apron / No one talks about castration.” [Photo: PhyllisSchalfly.com] And when it comes to controversies and disappointments, Schlafly says a mother’s love should overcome those difficulties. “I have a close friend whose son was bounced from the Navy for drug use. And the Navy is real tough on drugs. This was a terri­ble affront to her husband, who had had a fine Navy career. And the Navy was so important in his life,” Schlafly explains. “But she was going to tell the son never to come home again. And I told my friend, ‘No. No. You welcomehim home.’ And she’s thanked me 1,000 times for that. And her son has turned out to be a very fine young man.” According to Schlafly, being a strong role model is the most important thing a parent can do when their children have reached adulthood. She admits the Schlaflys have the same problems other families experience. “But we have no illegal drug use. Nobody smokes. We don’t have any divorce. We don’t have illegitimate preg­nancies. And we’re workaholics,” Schlafly lists. However, there’s at least one surprise that’s come out of the closet. And when John Schlafly was outed, it was mostly done to take Phyllis down a few pegs. “I didn’t have any other problem — other than the media asking nosy questions. And, of course, it was all done to embarrass me,” she explains. “This is the alliance of the gays and the abortionists, who really have nothing in common except a political alliance. So they created this national media controversy.” THE TEXAS ALLIANCE OF THE GAYS AND ABORTIONISTS. “The harassment of the media is a terrible annoyance,” Schlafly continues. “They invited me on shows who would not otherwise have invited me. Because that’s all they wanted to talk about. And it was all done to embarrass me. I mean, my son doesn’t have any enemies.” “It just made a big national news story that went on for weeks — about something that wasn’t anybody’s business,” the mom continues. “He was deliberately outed by somebody who went around brag­ging that he didn’t believe in outing.” ​ Did her son being gay change any­thing between them? “No. He’s a wonderful young man. He’s my first born. And I love him,” she assures. Was she ever afraid for her son being a member of the gay community? “No. I’m not a person who’s afraid of things,” she quickly answers. Did the fact that her son is gay ever chal­lenge her political ideology? “No. Not really. Actually, he’s very support­ive of practically all of my work. He believes in the traditional family and most of the things I work for. We’re just a private family. And we don’t air all our personal problems out for the public. Now, I think that’s about enough of me and my son. Let’s finish this topic,” she orders. But she did give one last piece of advice to the gay community for this Mother’s Day. “I hope all the gays and lesbians love their mother and respect her,” she says. And for what it’s worth, Mrs. Schlafly, most of the gay community probably wishes you a Happy Mother’s Day. AGGIELAND & AIDS On Nov. 19, 1987, Schlafly spoke in College Station to lecture — clip from Texas A&M’s newspaper, The Battalion. When you look in the audience that is in the public schools, it’s a very different audience from what we have here tonight,” Schlafly said. “In the public schools in this country, we have minor children who are pretty much a captive audience, and it seems that over the last few years, two movements have developed,” she said. “One point of view is that whoever has control over the school establishment can do whatever he wants to with the captive children who are at the public school,” she said. “There is another point of view, that the child in the public school, being a minor and being a captive audience, does enjoy certain rights in that classroom that can’t be taken away,” she said. Those rights, she said, demand that anything they are taught about acquired immune deficiency syndrome be “true, healthy, legal and constitutional.” “There is a great effort at the present time to come into the public schools and teach what is called ‘safe sex,’ ” she said. “I would contest that the way that is taught today does not meet the four criteria. “In fact, there is only one teaching that meets all those four tasks, and that is the teaching in regard to sex, that we should have and should promote sexual abstinence before marriage.” Schlafly’s remarks met with applause, mainly from older members of the audience of more than 250, and hissing from others, mostly students. 0 Comments Leave a Reply.

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Radio ham: GEORGE TAKEI

Never too old

Finally out, ‘Star Trek’ legend George Takei takes on a new adventure. But can the 68-year-old activist curb Howard Stern’s use of the word ‘fag?’

By Daniel A. Kusner Apr 20, 2006

His voice is unmistakable. In the lobby of the Melrose Hotel, George Takei greets me with a warm “Hello.” His distinctively rich timbre sounds more impressive in person than it does on TV or radio. It must have taken years to develop, and it’s paid off.

Takei is most famous for playing Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, helmsman for the starship Enterprise on “Star Trek.” He’s also has scored some high-profile gigs as voice-over narrator: Disney’s “Mulan,” “The Simpsons” and “Futurama,” to name a few.

And now Takei is using his voice to speak out for gays and lesbians.
Earlier this month, Takei stopped in Dallas as the newest spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s “Coming Out Project.” Last year, in an interview with the California bi-weekly magazine Frontiers, Takei officially confirmed his sexuality. Takei and his partner, Brad Altman, have been together for two decades — they met while jogging with the California chapter of the gay running club, Front Runners.

The news wasn’t the least shocking. But it was news — especially since Takei said he was publicly coming out to let Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger know that, as a California resident, he was appalled that a fellow actor vetoed the state’s same-sex marriage bill.

Like Ian McKellen and Richard Chamberlain, Takei is a welcome addition to the ranks of queer celebrities who came out in their golden years. His newly out status is also revitalizing his career. Four weeks ago, Takei appeared on an episode of “Will & Grace” — working with guest star Britney Spears.

His work with HRC is certainly commendable. With his speaking appearances, Takei hopes to “energize the base” membership of HRC but more importantly, to reach the suburban and rural folks of Red State America: When they see Sulu’s familiar face, they might be able to relate to someone who happens to be gay.

But Takei’s most impressive gig as a gay man is his freelance job as the official announcer for the Howard Stern show on Sirius satellite radio.

Long before he “officially” came out, Takei was a Stern show favorite. His recognizable voice added a wonderful presence, and Stern’s madcap crew often interviewed Takei — joshing around about his often-speculated sexuality and his rather uppity ways: Takei’s Papillion doggie is named “La Reina Blanca,” (the White Queen).

A frequent on-air contest was for callers to imitate Stern’s mash-up song “Sulu Dance:” a parody of the Men Without Hats hit “Safety Dance” spliced together with Takei-isms. And last year, when Howard turned 51, Takei was the “surprise” caller wishing him happy birthday. After that call their friendship was solidified, and Takei proved he had a terrific sense of humor. Stern’s gay fans were delighted.

As Stern’s official announcer, Takei is the most prominent openly gay person Stern has ever aligned himself with. Next in line would probably be flamboyant decorator and regular call-in guest Bobby Trendy, and Mark Harris, the starved-for-attention gay man who married Martha Raye.

The general public probably doesn’t realize it, but avid Stern listeners know that Howard is pro-gay — especially when it comes to same-sex marriage issues. In February 2004, when President Bush called for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, Stern did a 180 on Bush.

Following 9/11, the radio jock praised the president and was an enormous supporter. But as soon as Bush called for the “amendment protecting marriage,” Stern said Bush was crazy and became one of the president’s loudest detractors during the 2004 election campaign.

Immediately after he started his anti-Bush crusade, Stern’s troubles with the FCC began. And after the Super Bowl incident with Janet Jackson, Stern became the FCC’s number-one enemy in the war over on-air indecency. The radio host was at the frontline battle for freedom of speech. Losing this battle was the reason the King of All Media moved to Sirius.

While he hopes to revolutionize satellite radio, Howard Stern will probably go down in history a master broadcaster and free speech activist. But gay listeners can’t help notice how often Stern and co-host Artie Lange use the word “fag.”

Some may argue that plenty of disparaging words used to describe minorities make their way onto Stern’s broadcasts. Callers often say, “nigger,” “gook,” “spick,” “kike” and, of course, “faggot.” But except for the word “faggot,” you never hear Stern use such despicable terms (although he does often refer to himself as a “hook-nosed Jew bastard.”)

So how come the word “fag” is fair game? And how come it’s used so liberally?

When I ask Takei about it, the beaming senior citizen suddenly morphs into a confused old man.

“He does? Well, I’ve never heard him say that,” Takei says.

Yeah, Stern and Artie Lange say the word “fag” all the time.

“I don’t listen to the show. When I’m on, they don’t use … [the word].”

So you didn’t know he hurls the word “fag” on-air?

“No, I didn’t know that,” Takei says.

Well, now you do, George Takei. Consider yourself informed.

“I don’t listen to the show,” Takei explains. “Frankly, I find it kind of boring. Brad is addicted to the show. His car radio has Sirius. Occasionally, I listen to it. But it’s boring. All this talk about ‘that stripper is snorting this and that.’”

Takei doesn’t find it fascinating when Stern rails against Bush and former FCC chairman Michael Powell?

“I don’t hear that part,” Takei says.

Is he kidding?

In December 2005, after years of refusing press requests, Stern finally allowed himself to be interviewed. His massive publicity campaign included features on “60 Minutes,” “The Today Show,” “David Letterman,” a two-night appearance on “The O’Reilly Factor” and countless newspaper articles and magazines. If Takei wasn’t aware of Stern’s tirades against Bush and the FCC, he must have been deaf and blind — especially since he was about to work for him starting Jan. 9.

On June 10, Howard Stern will be awarded the 2006 Freedom of Speech Award at the New Media Seminar in New York. Stern has asked Takei to accept the award on his behalf. In the meantime, let’s hope Takei’s gay activism takes a bold new step forward and he confronts Stern on the word “faggot.” And if anyone asks Takei about the “fag” matter again, at least he can’t say he wasn’t aware of it.

STERN COMPLIMENTS ROSIE AGAIN

If Howard Stern, pictured, and Rosie O’Donnell buried the hatchet and joined forces, the world would be a better place. When O’Donnell was daytime TV’s Queen of Nice, Stern couldn’t stand her. In fact, one contest was for Stern listeners to guess how many jellybeans would fit into a glass jar in the shape of Rosie’s head.

But when Rosie married former Dallasite Kelli O’Donnell, Stern gave her props for coming out and standing up for herself. On her prolific blog, Rosie.com, O’Donnell has admitted that she knows Stern is a regular reader.

After watching the HBO documentary “All Aboard,” Stern had these kind words to say about O’Donnell: “It’s so, like, kind of beautiful, and she put together this cruise where they could all be together and not feel so abnormal all the time and be goofed on. And I thought it was great … I gotta hand it to the broad. She did a good job, and she did a good thing for people. You know. And at one point, they pull into, like, the Bahamas, and there’s a religious group protesting them, and — it’s pretty upsetting. But Rosie was like very, very cool about it, and you see her working with these kids, and it was, you know, hey — you can goof on her all you want, but she’s doing more than most. She’s doing something for people.”

— Daniel A. Kusner

'Brokeback' beat: LARRY MCMURTRY

Can Texas brave ‘Brokeback’

Lone Star scribe Larry McMurtry is confident
that his gay cowboy movie will change
the way Gov Perry and Proposition 2 supporters
think about queer issues

By Daniel A. Kusner Dec. 12, 2005

A tragedy about lost opportunity, repression, finding love and the importance of never letting it go, “Brokeback Mountain” is a powerful drama. And the momentum behind the film builds on a day-to-day basis.

Critics groups in Boston, Los Angeles and New York recently named the gay cowboy drama as the year’s best film. And on Tuesday, it dominated the Golden Globes with seven nominations, including one for best screenplay, written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana.

A lifelong Texan, McMurtry is a Pulitzer Prize winner and the literary treasure who created “The Last Picture Show,” “Lonesome Dove,” “Hud” and “Terms of Endearment.” A few hours after the Golden Globe nominations were announced, McMurtry conducted phone interviews while in Austin promoting the film.

Based on Annie Proulx’s 1997 near-perfect short story, “Brokeback” is about the doomed love between two men who fall in love while herding sheep together. It’s also partially set in the Lone Star State.

And just as the film’s marketing campaign was gearing up, Texas was hit with two historical anti-gay blows: the overwhelming victory of a state amendment to ban same-sex marriages and Governor Rick Perry essentially telling gay soldiers returning from Iraq that a more “lenient” state would be a better place to live.

“If the governor wants to say foolish things, I can’t stop him. And it’s too bad about the proposition. But that’s not forever,” McMurtry says. “Five years from now, Governor Perry won’t be there. And we’ll see about the rest.”

When it comes to statements on Western culture and history, McMurtry is perhaps the most qualified authority. Even Governor Perry seems to agree — in 2003 and 2004, he declared May as Texas Writers Month and, fittingly, McMurtry’s image emblazoned the campaign’s commemorative posters for those years. But in 2005, is Texas’ image shifting toward intolerance and homophobia?

“I don’t see it that way. I’m not pessimistic. I’m from the plains of Texas — the part that connects the Midwest with the Rocky Mountains,” McMurtry says. “I think there’s more decency in the great American middle class than most homophobic legislation would indicate. Sure, right now these are hot-button issues, but these things are not permanent.”

Raised in Wichita Falls, McMurtry became familiar with gay cowboys when he was 8 years old. That’s when he was introduced to his gay cousin’s boyfriend. Coincidently, McMurtry’s cousin resembles Jack Twist, the fictitious “Brokeback Mountain” character played by Jake Gyllenhaal: Both worked the rodeo circuit and both were from the same area of Texas — near Childress, a small town not far from Wichita Falls.

His cousin came to mind while working on the screenplay. “I was supposed to say ‘gentleman friend’ when referring to my cousin’s lover,” McMurtry remembers.

McMurtry’s parents encouraged him to be nice to his cousin’s partner.

“We had no reason not to be nice to him. He was a perfectly nice man,” McMurtry says. “There might have been a little awkwardness, maybe. But my parents were never angry about my cousin. Everyone’s lives went on. And they went on for 20 years.”

That’s the attitude that shapes McMurtry’s vision of the acceptance of gays in Texas.

“Many American families, millions, have a gay member — like our vice president,” he says. “I’m not going to give up on the capacity of Texans to deal with controversy in a fair and compassionate way.”

The big challenge for the film is for people like Governor Perry and the folks who voted for Proposition 2 to actually watch “Brokeback Mountain.”

“I absolutely believe the film will challenge their views,” McMurtry says. “If they go see it, it will have to give them pause.”

Even with a truckload of film critics’ awards, McMurtry says the success of “Brokeback Mountain” depends solely on one thing: word of mouth. Already, word of mouth is spreading — and some right-wing critics have blasted the film, saying it should win an Oscar for promoting the “gay agenda.” That type of criticism fuels McMurtry’s ire.

“I know what I’m confident of, and I’m totally confident,” he says. “The right wing will not win on this issue. This movie is stronger than they are.”

Even if “Brokeback Mountain” wins an Oscar for best picture, is strong enough to play in Crawford, Texas?

“Well, the screening room is actually in the White House,” McMurtry says. “The president and his wife have gay friends. In fact, they have gay friends who stay in the White House. So I’m sure they’ll see it.”

Art boss: KENNY GOSS

First ladies’ man

Dallas gallerist Kenny Goss unveils creepy, kitschy, almost supernatural portraits of president spouses, and discovers parallels between ‘first lady’ mantle and his role as the partner of a celebrated figure

By Daniel A. Kusner Jul 13, 2006, 19:07

Kenny Goss greets me in the office of his Uptown gallery and asks if I want a glass of wine.

“No, thank you,” I say.

It’s two o’clock in the afternoon on a Tuesday. But Goss begins sipping a glass of white, which is a surprise. It’s been widely reported that in 2003 he checked himself into the Meadows, an Arizona rehab facility, to battle an alcohol addiction.

Just around the corner from Goss’ office is a gorgeous 62-inch by 47-inch photo of Betty Ford. She’s smiling, looking tipsy and carefree. Betty dances by herself while wearing a flowing purple-blue gown amid a sparkling backdrop that seems inspired by a Lawrence Welk dream. You can almost hear her humming some delightfully saccharine hymn.

“That’s my favorite one,” Goss says. “Betty was famously alcoholic and addicted to pills. And I can relate. My mom was also addicted to pills and did similar things, like go off and dance by herself.”

The Ford image is part of a seven-piece exhibit created by French artist Jean-Pierre Khazem called “First Ladies.” Khazem originally photographed the project for a “Washington Wives” spread in the November 2004 issue of W magazine. He created portraits of every first lady since Jacqueline Kennedy, plus Teresa Heinz Kerry, which was wishful thinking in 2004.

Using women who were physically similar to the various first ladies, Khazem dressed his models in designer outfits and had them wear silicone masks. The masks produce an eerie doll-like effect, but the result is a near-perfect resemblance. There’s a hyper-glitzed Nancy Reagan casting her famous gaze. A bouffant-encrusted Pat Nixon rests a hand on her narrow chin. But seated alone on a big couch with folded newspapers at her side, the humbly attired Rosalynn Carter is right out of a David Lynch film.

“Rosalynn” is by far the most nightmarish portrait. But why? Isn’t she known as one of the sweetest liberal wives to ever reside in the White House?

According to Goss’ right-hand man, gallery director Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi, Khazem wasn’t necessarily commenting on the individual first ladies’ political reputations. The “success” of each portrait comes down to an aesthetic appeal.

Goss says he and his partner, George Michael, have bought one of the “Betty” reproductions — each portrait has been issued in a series of six. They also purchased the “Lady Bird” piece — featuring a matronly Claudia Johnson in white gloves with the Washington Monument peering from behind her shoulder.

The Goss gallery doesn’t contain a portrait of Hillary Rodham Clinton, but one was produced: About to make an address from a podium, “Hillary” is dwarfed by a ginormous image of herself projected on a series of video screens. It’s a rather boring and predictable depiction — especially for such a fascinating figure.

Tattoni-Marcozzi further explains that most of the first ladies are themselves like “masks — or mysterious statues.” The unofficial position is primarily about being our country’s finest “hostess” — and not about issuing opinions regarding controversial social issues or telling what they really think. Of course, some wives transcend the back-seat role. But they’re not expected to.

Goss and Tattoni-Marcozzi first saw a portion of the “First Ladies” collection last year, during an exhibit at the Sperone Westwater gallery in New York. The Goss Gallery is highlighting the Lone Star connection: For the first time, Lady Bird and both Bush wives will be on display.

Switching to coffee, Goss strolls the gallery and comments on the portraits. Instead of carrying on like stuffed shirt, fine art purveyor, Goss spills forth freewheeling comments.

We get to the image of a white-haired Barbara Bush — sporting a “don’t mess with me” vibe, and wearing layers of pearls and a long-sleeved floral print.

Across from her mother-in-law is a narcotized-looking “Laura,” bathed in weird shadows standing on a red carpet. She’s waving at … no one.

Goss and Tattoni-Marcozzi say this is the first time “Laura” has been on display. Neither of them thinks the image is very successful, and the portrait hasn’t lured any buyers. Not that anyone would want to look at it very often, but it’s obvious that “Laura” speaks volumes.

Some would say Goss is a bit of a first lady himself.

“Oh, I’m sure a lot of people would say that,” he laughs.

Goss says being in a high-profile relationship comes with some obligations. Goss and Michael are involved with HIV charities: In Dallas, they’ve worked with the Lone Star Ride Fighting AIDS and the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS. And they’re getting married.

“It will probably happen later this year. We had to postpone it because of all the recent stuff with George’s arrest,” Goss says, referring to Michael’s troubles in February, when he was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs after being found slumped at the wheel of a car in central London.

That incident was followed by another sloppy behind-the-wheel episode in April, when Michael crashed into three parked cars and just drove off. This string of careless driving could have spelled a much worse tabloid hell for the couple. During the mess, Goss says he assumed a first-lady-like role: He encouraged his partner to admit fault and just take full responsibility. Smart decision.

Both Goss and Michael have been refreshingly candid about their relationship and personal lives. Goss has discussed his own substance abuse and his mother’s addictions. And last year, in an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Goss talked about his sense of overwhelming guilt after his father, who died of a stroke, tried to commit suicide in 2003 by shooting himself.

And while the couple might be getting hitched, they’re not trying to present some super-idealized public image. In interviews, Michael has repeatedly said that he and Goss are not monogamous.

“To be perfectly honest with you, neither George nor I really believe in marriage as a concept. But we feel like we need to get married to lead by example,” Goss says. “There was no big proposal. I found out we were getting married after George had mentioned it in an interview in Japan.”

Goss says he’s leaving Dallas for a couple of months. But he and Michael recently bought a house in Highland Park. And coincidentally, the “First Ladies” exhibit might end up hitting closer to home “The Bushes are moving back to Highland Park,” Goss says. “They’re actually looking to build a house across the street from where George and I had just bought.”

Now there’s a portrait.

“First Ladies.” Goss Gallery, 2500 Cedar Springs Road. Through Aug. 19. Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 214-696-0555.

Mommie Fearest: NANCY HECHE

MOMMY FEAREST: Nancy Heche’s book makes “Call Me Crazy” Anne appear more credible than ever.

By DANIEL KUSNER | Oct. 13, 2006

Anne’s mom, Nancy Heche, visited North Texas last week to promote a new memoir, “The Truth Comes Out: The Story of My Heart’s Transformation” (Regan Books, 2006). 

About a month ago, her publicist started jerking me around — asking if I wanted to interview Nancy Heche, knowing I write for a queer newspaper. 

The publicist explained that Nancy had a new message of “respect” and “love” for the gay community.

An interview would certainly be newsworthy.

Nancy’s a popular speaker on the ex-gay circuit.

Just last year, she appeared at a Focus on the Family event that explored curing “preventable and treatable” homosexuality.

THE ADVOCATE: July 19, 2005. Page 26.

Not only is Nancy the mom of a famous actress, she’s a psychotherapist and has a doctorate in theology from a seminary in Evanston, Ill. — not Northwestern University, which her book would have you believe if you didn’t pay close enough attention. 

Has Nancy changed her anti-gay stripes? 

Hardly.

I quickly got the gist of her message while reading the one-sheet that accompanied her book. 

This phrase leaped off the page: “[Nancy] Heche was forced to deal with disdain toward the homosexual lifestyle.” 

Anytime you catch someone using a buzz-term like “homosexual lifestyle,” you know you’re dealing with an ignoramus who’s smart enough to know better. 

An interview with Dallas Voice was never scheduled — I suspect because in the past few weeks, gay media outlets across the country had already been tipped off about the “hate the sin” tone of the book, which has been rightfully slammed.

The Heche family history is sordid. 

Nancy’s husband and Anne’s father, Don Heche, was a DL nightmare and one of the first cases of AIDS diagnosed.

PICTURE-PERFECT LIFESTYLE: The Heches, from left, Nancy, Abigail, Nathan, Donald and Anne.

He died in 1983 at the age of 45.

Religion dominated the Heche family’s every move: bible study, church choir, summer ecumenical conferences, Methodism, Baptism, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, Calvinism and something called “the heretical Arminian doctrine of free will.” 

By all accounts, Don was a rotten and weird dad: physically attractive, exceptionally creative and a mind-game expert. 

When she’s not thoroughly detailing the minutiae of Don and Nancy’s budding romance at Bible camp, Nancy’s book primarily focuses on Don’s deception. 

She continually explains that even though Don was a raging freak and obvious liar, she never answered the constant ringing of the Clue Phone. 

Faith in her Bible-sanctioned marriage made Nancy blind, deaf and stupid. 

Nancy and Don had five kids to care for, Anne being the youngest.

They were always broke. And Don routinely made decisions that ended in financial disaster.

The Heches were the family that left town in middle of the night with a wake of debt behind them.

What’s the “disdain” Nancy had to deal with? 

She married a man who liked sex with other men — or “bisexual,” which is how Nancy describes Don — who could never admit it. 

So Don cheated and lied. 

He even turned Nancy on to poppers and cocaine to spice up their sex life. 

CLUE: poppers, a small vial of amyl nitrite used for inhalation that makes a popping sound when opened.

When Nancy finally figured things out, she was pissed. 

And whom did she blame? 

The “homosexual community.”

So when her talented movie-star daughter announced that she was dating Ellen DeGeneres, Nancy began to detest gays even more. 

And she was angry with Anne. 

How could Nancy’s daughter become a lesbian? 

Hadn’t the gay community ruined the Heche family? 

Wait a minute. 

Angry?  

With... Anne? 

Anne wrote a book, too: “Call Me Crazy,” which Nancy makes a cruel reference to in her book.

Hardly anyone read Anne’s book, which was released right after 9/11. 

And the mountain of horrible reviews didn’t boost sales. 

But I read every shocking word.

And I loved it.

I’ll never forget that day —Aug. 20, 2000 — when the news broke that an Ecstasy-laden Anne Heche had broken up with Ellen DeGeneres. 

Anne thought she was the New Messiah and had wandered the California desert like John the Baptist looking to board The Spaceship of Love.

A year later, Anne released “Call Me Crazy,” revealing she had an alter-ego named “Celestia,” who spoke in her own trippy-cool language whenever she communicated with God.

But the focus of Anne’s book wasn’t about the DeGeneres affair or Celestia. 

It was about her spineless, heartless mom. 

The very beginning of “Call Me Crazy” is a conversation where Anne tells Nancy that her dad sexually abused her.

But Nancy refuses to acknowledge Anne’s pain.

What Don Heche did to Anne is unspeakable. 

During the filming of “Six Days, Seven Nights,” Anne tried to prove to Nancy that the abuse actually happened — like recalling that Anne had herpes sores when she was 8.

In this conversation, Nancy told Anne that when she was a baby, Anne had terrible “diaper rash.”

That the sores on Anne’s vagina were so bad, they couldn’t put diapers on her. 

There was also a health scare when Don was diagnosed with hepatitis, which is recounted in both memoirs.

However, Anne’s version wins the authenticity prize. 

SOUNDS FISHY... “The Truth Comes Out,” by Nancy Heche, page 85.

But Nancy said she couldn’t think about Anne’s childhood “back then.” 

And Nancy never apologized to Anne for not protecting her.

That’s why Anne went “crazy.” 

When your dad dies of AIDS in the early ’80s and he was sexually molesting you, it takes a while for the “Do I have AIDS, too?” panic to wear off. 

For years, when Anne was an adult, she underwent intense psychological and even drug therapy.

And each therapist told Anne that — although her dad was evil — dealing with her mom’s disregard of the incest is the root of Anne’s problems. 

Anne says she fell in love with Ellen DeGeneres because she saw a gay person who was free, open and happy about who she was — the polar opposite of her dad. 

Nancy couldn’t accept Anne and Ellen’s relationship. 

And when Ellen went into a depression after her show was cancelled, the relationship fell apart. 

Feeling desperate, unloved and confused, Anne had her much-publicized episode in the Fresno desert. 

In “Call Me Crazy,” Anne says she doesn’t identify as straight or gay — that she has transcended those labels. 

Anne also refuses to disavow any of the work she and Ellen did to bolster gay rights. 

Nowhere in “The Truth Comes Out” does Nancy even mention the Heche family incest.

Somewhere buried inside Nancy’s book is a message about not being angry at people who “live homosexually” — an adverbial phrase I’ve never come across before. 

Nancy has been interviewed.

There’s a clip of her as Bill O’Reilly’s guest on YouTube where Nancy acts like she and Anne are old pals.

But last September, Anne issued the following statement on her website: 

“This nonsense about my mother praying for me is really making me angry. My mother never approved of my relationship with Ellen. Her hatred for our relationship is one of the many things that ultimately led to my breaking off all communication with her. (My mother, that is, not Ellen.)”

Nancy’s publicist recently told me that mother and daughter were on speaking terms. 

When I specifically asked if they’ve spoken to each other within the last 13 months, he said he was unable to confirm that. 

At press time, I emailed him again for confirmation and got a cryptic response that said, “they’ve spoken and they do speak...”

Oct. 27, 2006

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Oct. 27, 2006 

Article unfair to Heche 

I wanted to respond after reading the article by Daniel Kushner regarding Nancy Heche’s memoir (“Maybe Anne Heche wasn’t so crazy after all,” Dallas Voice, Oct. 13). 

I did contact him to forward information on Nancy Heche’s book as she was traveling to Dallas for some media interviews.

Mr. Kushner’s interpretation of being “jerked around” is humorous to me as he was never promised an interview, and after the first conversation I found him to be short on patience and long on accusations.

I could have ignored his phone calls, emails and request for the book, but I did not. 

I had a suspicion that Mr. Kushner would not write a favorable article because of his over-aggressive and pushy attitude toward me. 

He may not realize that, as a publicity firm, we have several clients and are in contact with countless media outlets and in most cases, other firms would have ignored him after his attitude and tone became negative. 

I understand journalism (I worked for several years as a journalist) and I understand his desire for attention, and not necessarily gaining respect, through his column I am surprised that a “legitimate journalist” would have the negative feelings toward an individual that he does not know or has not met as he does toward Nancy Heche. 

That only makes me question if Mr. Kushner embodies the prejudicial attitude that many in the gay community believe the Christian community demonstrates. 

It is apparent that Mr. Kushner did not understand the message of Nancy’s memoir — how she survived many trials in her life (including the death of three of her children which he failed to include) and her own heart’s transformation toward the homosexual community. 

She also boldly shares the many mistakes and the pain she dealt with from choices she made and how they impacted her family. 

Her message is not judgmental or preachy, but one of love and understanding. 

I believe Mr. Kushner’s personal bias tainted his view of her message and is apparent in his article which is a dis- service to your readers. 

Mr. Kushner wrote: “An interview with Dallas Voice was never scheduled — I suspect because in the past few weeks, gay media outlets across the country had already been tipped off about the “hate the sin” tone of the book, which has been rightfully slammed.” 

He knows the reason I did not schedule an interview, and his suspicions are inaccurate. 

I answered his question regarding Nancy and Anne’s communication. 

He apparently has trouble retaining answers that have been provided to him. 

Rather than focusing on a “she said — she said” article between Anne and Nancy's individual books and the fact he has not personally interviewed either one of them and has no idea what has changed since the release of Anne's book, he might have been better suited to limit his judgments and better understand the true message of the book 

Ben Laurro, Pure Publicity 

Photo via Twitter.

Editor’s response

Life+ Style Editor Daniel Kusner — whose name is correctly spelled “Kusner” and not “Kushner” — stands by his original report and his assertion that Nancy Heche still promotes the ex-gay movement and is now trying to infiltrate gay media outlets with anti-gay bigotry disguised as love and acceptance.

To support his assertion, Kusner notes that over the course of six weeks, Ben Laurro sent him a hand-written note and at least nine emails and spoke with him three times on the phone in an effort to schedule an interview with Nancy Heche during her Oct. 2-3 visit to North Texas.

During this exchange, Laurro requested Kusner send him a list of questions he had in mind for the interview. 

Kusner told Laurro he only had one: Why doesn’t Nancy address the primary point of Anne Heche’s memoir — “Call Me Crazy” — that Anne was incestuously abused by her closeted father, Don Heche, and that Nancy never apologized for, dealt with or acknowledged her daughter’s anguish? 

Laurro said he couldn’t subject Nancy — a college-level instructor and a practicing psychotherapist, who apparently has a doctorate in theology — to such a question, that Nancy has been through too much already. 

And as for Nancy’s message of “love and understanding” for the gay community, here’s a quote from Nancy’s book: “Don’s father [Anne’s grandfather] was a bum. He was unshaven and reeked of beer and cigarettes — the classic profile of the father of a homosexual man, as I learned much later.” 

PAGE 37:“The Truth Comes Out: When Someone You Love is in A Same Sex Relationship.”

BUSINESS BRIEFS | Sept. 21, 2001

Heche’s publisher may face suit

One of America’s most famous estranged gay couples Anne Heche andEllen DeGeneres could face off in court if members of Heche’s family proceed with a planned lawsuit against the publisher of Heche’s confessional memoirs Call MeCrazy. 

In the 250-page autobiography pushlished by Simon & Schuster Heche accuses her late father of repeated sexual abuse and her mother of knowing about it but failing to prevent it. 

She also accuses her mother of indoctrinating her daughters in a form of anti-Semitic religious fundamentalism and even trying to snatch Heche’s cast-off lover comedian Steve Martin. 

Earlier this month Nancy Heche rejected her daughter’s claims saying she could “find no place for myself in the lies and blasphemes of this book.” 

She and her other daughters Susan and Abigail are taking legal advice on how to persuade the publisher to delete the offending passages in an upcoming British edition and any further printings of the American edition.
Heche was involved with DeGeneres for three years before walking out on her in August of last year. 

A day later Heche was found wandering semi-naked in the California desert high on be picked up by a spaceship that would take her to another dimension. 

In her memoir Heche said her romance with DeGeneres was her only lesbian relationship. 

“I left her,” Heche wrote. “I realized I was not a lesbian — I was just crazy.” 

Those close to Heche remain skepticalabout her claims of insanity reported the London Times.
“As we can all attest, having witnessed her brilliant exploits over the years, Anne has many ways of getting the attention she wants,” her older sister Susan told the newspaper.

— From Staff and Wire Reports 

Sept 23, 2005 

Heche furious over mom’s anti-gay crusade 

It’s been awhile since Anne Heche, former girlfriend of talkshow host and lesbian icon Ellen DeGeneres, has been in the Spotlight.

But now Anne has come out of hiding to sound off about her mother’s anti-gay crusade. 

Heche and DeGeneres’ highly publicized relationship came to an equally highly publicized end after a disoriented and incoherent Heche stumbled up to a home near Ojai, Calif., mumbling about space aliens and her alter-ego Celestia. 

A year later, Heche had married Coley Laffoon, a cameraman who had worked on DeGeneres’ last comedy tour, and was pregnant with his baby. 

Even though she is now back in the heterosexual fold, Heche is blasting statements by her mother, Nancy Heche, who is claiming that she cured Anne of her homosexuality through prayer. 

Anne Heche told The New York Daily News she is furious that her mother would use Anne’s name and life experience to promote Christian ex-gay events. 

“This nonsense about my mother praying for me is really making me angry,” Anne Heche said. “My mother never approved of my relationship with Ellen. Her hatred for our relationship is one of the many things that ultimately led to my breaking off all communication with” Nancy Heche. 

Anne Heche also told the New York newspaper that the ex-gay events her mother is helping promote “make me sick.” 

“And for anyone who ever thought that Ellen and I broke it off because of sexuality, you couldn’t be more mistaken. And for anyone who thought my mother’s prayers had anything to do with me marrying a man, forget it,” Anne declared.