This made me sad when I heard about it. Window Media has shut down due to tax debt — taking with it several gay newspapers and magazines including the Southern Voice, David, The Washington Blade, Houston Voice, South Florida Blade, and 411 Magazine.

“Pulling up early to the Topeka Performing Arts Center, a large, gray building in the heart of a dismal downtown in a culturally repressed part of the planet, fans of standup comedy slowly trickle in for the show.”

Actually, Topeka’s the big city ’round here. And the building in question is made out of light tan limestone with art decco trim. Art decco seemed like a good idea back in the 30’s when the place was built. I can remember going to Topeka a few years ago to see the new Unitarian minister have her installation ceremony. I told my fellow carpoolers that all we had to do was look for the church with the Phelps people protesting out in front. Little did I know that on Sunday morning, that meant ALL the churches in Topeka! We finally found the Unitarian Fellowship, then had to walk a sidewalk gauntlet of the Phelps protestors. Two women friends of mine joined hand to walk the gauntlet. Have any of us done anything that brave?

“He has drinking breath!” Priceless.

Another Code Red! A girthy guy jumps on the top of the stairs and slowly undoes the belt on his jeans. “Everyone turn your heads!” screams Shirley. There’s much fanfare. The Westboro Baptist Church covers their eyes like it was Raiders of the Lost Ark right before all the Nazis melt.

#85 (blush!) I’ll be glad to tune your guitar.

#87 ..and the Zhu Zhu pets come with accessories! Wonder if Doc Winicott would be interested?
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=4171&ic=48_0&search_query=zhu+zhu+pet&Find.x=0&Find.y=0&Find=Find&adid=1500000000000006955330

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPixneR.r4jE&pos=7

PETA would approve.

No cage to clean, no offspring to offload. Moms definitely would approve.

It reminds me of the scene in “Sleeper” where the robotic dog comes in and announces, “Hi, my name is Rags. Woof woof.” Woody Allen’s character questions, “Does it leave little batteries around?”

http://trueslant.com/harmonleon/2009/11/09/westboro-baptist-church-picket-obama-girls-and-blue-collar-comedy-tours-ron-white/

Quoting from the article:

—
Two redneck guys act like they’re a couple, planting a kiss on each other’s cheek, achieving the opposite of the WBC intended actions — encouraging small-city gay tolerance, while not a single damn passerby agrees with their statements.
—

Even in Topeka, they ignore the Phelps clan. Hooray for Kansas.

Hey, I’ve seen your videos, you can play my fretboard anytime… .

(… goes back to staring at her own hands …)

But hey, don’t those youngsters do well in the above video?

Peace, brother.