Rumors Swirling for Years
The revelation that Larry Craig engages in homosexual behavior shouldn't come as a shock to anyone. Stories and investigations have been circling for decades. The phrase "where there's smoke, there's fire" has never been truer with this closet flamer. It's only been through sheer luck and good legal wrangling that it's been kept under wraps for as long as it has. From unofficial reports, Sen. Craig has never been terribly discreet.
Anti-Gay Agenda to the Core
Sen. Craig has, time and time again, supported measures designed to limit the equality of gay men and women. Federal Marriage Amendment, Don't Ask Don't Tell, and the Defense of Marriage Act were all pet projects. Obviously after this conviction we see that his decisions weren't based on personal morality. Rather perhaps he sees them as a way to atone for his own behavior or to protect some skewed vision of homosexuality. In his elected role, he couldn't ignore these issues, but he had years of opportunity to shape the conversation for more positive public policy. For him to not only go along with this anti-gay agenda, but specifically support it is unconscionable.
One of Many
As we see with Ed Schrock, David Dreier, Bob Allen, David Vitter, Mark Foley, Glenn Murphy, Jr., Tommy Tester, Ted Haggard, etc. Republicans and conservative ranks are filled with influential individuals willing to sell out moral, upstanding gay men and women while still indulging in their private, and sometimes illegal, behavior. That's not including the host of other well known Republicans and conservatives with convictions or skeletons rattling around of heterosexual or financial misconduct.
Religious Conservatives
It's really time for the general public to understand that religious and/or conservative values aren't necessarily morally upstanding values in a modern context. Frankly, I'd argue just the opposite. A political party and movement that prefer to keep society as it is, or more preferentially as it was, represents even more strongly the negative aspects of the past. Worse yet, these individuals not only prefer it, they advocate it. Think of the kind of society we'd be without secular progressives leading the way in social reform, education, science, medicine, etc. Now think of the society we'd have after religious conservatives had devolved those advances. A society is defined more by what it aspires to be than what it safely protects.
Individual Advocacy and Government Reform
It's clear that on an official level, individuals like Craig et al. will never be seriously investigated when allegations like this arise, and I say this impartially as we see scandals and crimes continue to happen on both sides of the aisle. As we see so clearly, like with the Foley scandal, officials will obfuscate, deny, block, and often lie to protect their own, and most effectively. Imagine if Larry Craig's behavior had been dealt with once and for all in 1982. It's so important then to promote and protect the rights of citizen advocacy and demand government transparency to shine a light on hypocrisy and outright illegal behavior from our elected officials. Institutions that police public officials also help politicians help themselves. Government law enforcement needs to again become unpoliticized. And we need real reform in government that stems from re-envisioning government as a service, not a career.
I had seen Broadway's The Drowsy Chaperone a while ago shortly after it opened. The charming story portrays a theater-obsessed, flamboyant recluse's explanation of his obsession with the fictional 1920's Broadway musical titled "The Drowsy Chaperone." Over the course of the show, the scenes of the musical come to life in his drab apartment all accompanied by his many, knowing asides. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and light-hearted piece, almost too intimate and unusual to be truly appreciated by anyone not familiar with the theater business. Nonetheless, it's still entertaining for all.
I was determined to see it again because an actor from one of my favorite TV movies growing up took over the lead recently in preparation to head the North American tour company. Since the 1980s, when it first debuted on PBS, I've always loved the Canadian movie version of the Anne of Green Gables story. The romantic lead, Gilbert Blythe, was played by Jonathan Crombie, at that time an unassuming young actor, the son of a former mayor of Toronto, Ontario. I've always tried to keep track of the actors involved in the show and catch their new projects, always difficult with Canadian performers who typically stay north of the border. Mr. Crombie has worked mostly in Toronto splitting time between theater projects, improv comedy and some feature television projects, so I was truly excited to see that he would be performing live here in New York.
Because of his association with the co-author and debut lead actor of the show, Bob Martin, Crombie has been involved in a couple of Martin's projects. He has appeared in episodes of the Canadian television series Slings and Arrows, which Mr. Martin created. But it was his involvement in The Drowsy Chaperone at it's beginning that foreshadowed his current role. Starting at the fringe theater festival in Toronto, the show grew and blossomed into the current Broadway production. Likewise, Crombie acted in a secondary role in that original production but now heads the cast in the upcoming North America tour.
Crombie covered the role of "Man in Chair" for several week back in March of this year but I never realized until after he was well gone (argh!). Now thanks to Google alerts, I was able to catch his solid performance tonight before the tour starts in September. Bob Martin as the original "Man in Chair" was manic, zipping back and forth between commentary, introspection and stage business. Crombie's performance never quite achieves that same breathless and exuberant flow--his performance seems a more deliberate and mincing version of Martin's interpretation--but he still successfully carries the plot through on good instinct and well-paced timing.
Not that he's outshone by the rest of the cast unfortunately. After several replacements in key roles, at least at this performance, the show simply isn't as tight or sparkling when it first debuted. Mara Davi, taking on the role of Janet Van De Graff, is an excellent singer, dancer and actress (fresh from her debut as Maggie in Chorus Line) and carries the part well. Unfortunately, like a photocopy of a picture, you lose something of the knowing charm of Sutton Foster's original portrayal. Stacia Fernandez, stepping in for an absence of Beth Leavel, is again a triple threat, chewing the scenery when she's on stage and belting to the back of the house. But she also misses the subtle, boozy comedic timing of Ms. Leavel, who won a Tony award for the role. This Chaperone is much too sober. Without these key elements, neither of the roles is half as successful. Jo Anne Worley is also a poor replacement in the sweet but dotty role of Mrs. Tottendale. Georgia Engels' original was endearing. Ms. Worley's much broader comedic style, while still funny, suits the role less well in such an intimate setting.
Two standouts from the original cast however are Danny Burstein and Jennifer Smith. Mr. Burstein, as the dim Latin lothario Adolpho, is still hilarious, bringing down the house with his namesake song. Ms. Smith also delights with her ditzy Kitty. Kudos also to original cast member Jason Kravits' Gangster #1--still sharp but would have been sharper with his regular Gangster #2, brother Garth Kravits. The height joke just doesn't work when one of the pair isn't short! And Troy Britton Johnson's handsome charm and mellow voice still gleams as bright as his pearly whites.
All in all, while still an entertaining show, the champagne of opening night has gone a little flat. It's a compact evening--the quick runtime will never have you looking at your watch--but it makes every element of the show that more important. I wish Jonathan Crombie all the best for the upcoming tour, which I predict will be as successful as the tenured Broadway production, and am sure to hear good thing about his performances, as well as the rest of the tour cast, as they "stumble along."
I don't know why, but costumes on animals, especially ones with funny captions make me laugh like an Ozark hillbilly looped up on too much moonshine.
My favorites sites, which are updated frequently, are Stuff on My Cat and it's companion site Stuff on My Mutt, and the venerable I Can Has Cheezburger? If you haven't already, check em out!
Can someone please explain to me the effect of spring weather encouraging people to bathe in cologne and perfume in the morning before getting on to the subways? The spring brings me enough problems with pollen but do I need more headache (literally!) from your cheap Estée Lauder and Ralph Lauren crap stuffing up my sinuses!?! Save it for after work, or frankly don't use it at all you bunch of pro-allergy radicals!
If it were something from cool from Christopher Brosius' awesome I Hate Perfume line or Demeter Fragrances wacky scents, I would suffer through. But you're killing me with the roses and lilacs and "musk" already. You know where "musk" comes from, right?
