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From the Editor:
Queer Top 10 of 1995

Fred Kuhr

WINOOSKI -- Wait a minute, didn't we just do this? Didn't we
just celebrate New Year's? 1995 is almost over? The year just got
started! I checked last year's "Queer Top 10," and screamed to
myself, "What? The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
was over a year ago? Go Fish was l994?"

Now that I'm totally depressed, here's an attempt to turn New
Year's back into a celebration. Once again, with the knowledge
that mainstream popular culture usually finds its roots in the g/1/b
community, here is a Queer Top 10 of 1995.

10. The Brady Bunch Movie (Betty Thomas, Director)

None of the lead characters were gay, but this was perhaps the
queerest movie of the year. Keeping true to their 70s TV identity,
the Bradys were plopped into the 90s —— in groovy technicolor
splendor. In the movie's queer mix were an interracial gay couple
as neighbors, Marcia's lesbian best friend, and RuPaul as Jan's
guidance counselor. If only my high school counselor had told me,
"You betta work!"

9. I Kissed A Girl (Jill Sobule) -

Is this a true confession or a cash—in to lesbian chic? Who cares.‘
This song is too fun and the video is even better. As the story
goes, two women who are bored with their boyfriends decide to
spice up their dull yuppy lives by flinging with each other instead.
In the video, Sobule even gets to dump romance novel
supermodel Fabio, who plays her boyfriend. WYHY, a Nashville
radio station broadcast parental advisories before playing the
ditty. Thankfully, Vermont stations such as Manchester's WEQX
and Barre's WORK didn't feel the need.

8. Candace Gingrich

Who would have thought that having the Newtster as Speaker of
the House would bring a lesbian into the national spotlight. Not
only did that happen, but she's his sister! According to the
Washington, DC—based Human Rights Campaign, Newt failed to
cast even one pro—gay vote in 1994, but Sister Candace's outness
brings the issues close to home. As she said herself, "At the very
least, my being openly lesbian will make him think twice before
aligning himself with some of the bigots out there."

7. Boys On The Side. (Herb Ross, Director)

Ally and lesbian—wannabe Whoopi Goldberg got to whoop it up in
this ‘I laughed, I cried’ road movie from earlier this year. This time
‘round, Goldberg goes on the road with Drew Barrymore and the
object of her character's affection, played by Mary-Louise Parker
(who starred in the lesbian undertoned Fried Green Tomatoes).
When reminded that this is her second big screen role as a lesbian,
she blurted, ,"Everyone seems to be quite shocked at this role. I
keep saying, ‘Did you not see The Color Purple?”

6. Priest (Antonio Bird, Director)

Most Vermonters would not have even heard of this movie if not
for the pudgy nun on the Inspiration Network telling us not only
to avoid the flick but to boycott all things Disney (the film's
distributor). Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole even
took a swing at the movie on NBC's Meet The Press as evidence
of Hollywood's lack of "family values." Well, this BBC produced
film is about a young priest who questions his faith because
(among other things) he's. gay. Yeah, like that never happens.

5. Greg Louganis

A Barbara Walters interview on ABC's 20/20 and publication of his
autobiography Breaking The Surface, together with his coming out
as a gay man with AIDS, thrust this Olympic diver back into the
national spotlight. Although he started coming out a couple of years
ago, his true confession was his knowledge of being HIV+ when he
hit his head on the diving board while competing in Seoul in 1988.
Personally I grew tired of seeing that damn dive over and over
again on TV, but he is a role model to many.

4. Friends (NBC)
The central cast of daffy twentysomethings is not what brings this

_ popular sitcom to the list, but one of its subplots. You see, Ross

(played 'by David Schwimmer) had a wife, Carol, who left him --

for another woman, Susan. Soon after, Carol informed ‘Ross that .

she was pregnant with his baby —— and she was planning on keeping
it. Since then, a baby boy was born and both Ross and Susan not
only battle for the baby's affections but also for Carol's. As Phoebe
(Lisa Kudrow) said in the birthing episode, "So many kids don't
even have two parents who love them. This baby has three fighting
over who loves him more. Wow, he's lucky."

3. To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (Beeban
Kidron, Director)

I heard the complaints —— "It wasn't gay enough," "I hate it when
straights play gay," "Priscilla was better." But you can't argue the
power of this movie —- nor the fact that it shot up to #1 at the box
office. Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo star in
this “fairy tale in the truest sense.—;_. complete with simple message,
happy ending, arid plenty‘ of ‘make-"bel1év‘e‘,'-“ according to a review
in the DC—based Washington Blade. The message here for the
g/l/b community is wrapped up in leading a double life, wearing
the mask, and being caught in-;a situation where you can't take the
mask off.

   

2. Serving In Sil‘é5:n;t‘'éT‘(lNlB€‘) '  3'

Hot on the heels ‘of étshe‘. »§aysiin‘=;theéiri1'1ita§y controversy, partially.

brought on by Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer herself, came the
TV movie of the year. Named for the autobiography it's based on,
the film cast Glenn Close as the discharged Cammermeyer and
Judy Davis as her partner Diane.‘Executively produced by Close
and Barbra Streisand, it brought an enlightened and sympathetic
view of the issue (and lesbianism itself) into the homes of middle
America. Close reported that her child's nanny said that the movie
"makes it so attractive to have a relationship with a woman (that)
closet doors are gonna ‘be slappin' open all over the country." Not
likely, but impressive.

1. Melissa Etheridge P

Truly the dyke diva of popular culture —— no less than six songs
("Come To My Window," "I'm The Only One," "IfI Wanted To,"
"Bring Me Some Water," "Like The Way I Do," "Your Little
Secret") flooded radio airwaves all over the state all year long.
Bruce Springsteen showed up at her MTV Unplugged taping for a
duet. Her 1993 album Yes I Am passed the four million sales mark.
She just released her new album Your Little Secret. She posed
nude with her partner, Julie Cypher, for a PETA (People for the

Ethical Treatment of Animals) ad campaign. And she became the
first out lesbian featured on a Rolling Stone cover. As RS music

editor David Fricke said, "You turn on VH1, and it's like Melissa
TV!" What more could you ask for?

Once again, have a happy and safe Christmas, Channukah,
Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Generic Holiday, and New Year's.
Mazel Tov. V

 

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