Afternoon Greg: Maine House passes gay marriage; “Hairspray” composer honored

I know that this Cinco de Mayo business is all really just an excuse to drink margaritas. That being said, I really want one on the rocks with salt.

I deserve one after blogging all morning then managing to get to the Avalon Hotel in time to interview director Kirby Dick (pictured) about his movie Outrage. Never heard of the Avalon? Me neither! I drive past it three times on W. Olympic Boulevard in Beverly Hills and only found the place because I turned onto a side street and accidentally came upon it.

Then there’s the parking meter that does not take nickels! I had so many of them in my car but no quarters at all. So, five minutes before my scheduled interview with Kirby, I am crawling all over my car looking for dimes. I found just enough of them  and got there with about a minute to spare. Whew. The interview with Kirby will run Thursday and Friday – the latter is when his film opens. Tomorrow, I will post my review of Outrage which I have now watched twice.

MAINE HOUSE PASSES MARRIAGE: Same-sex couples will be able to get married in the state of Maine if Gov. John Baldacci signs a bill that was passed today by the state’s House of Representatives and on Monday by the state Senate.

After an emotional three-hour debate, the Democratically-controlled House voted 89 to 57 in favor of the bill. Baldacci, a Democrat, could still veto it. He had opposed same-sex marriage before the bill was introduced this year, but he has since said he is keeping an open mind, according to the New York Times. He will have 10 days to act on the bill once it is delivered to him.

I feel badly for the lesbian daughter of Rep. Sheryl Briggs whose mom voted against the bill and seemed quite anguished about it in her lengthy remarks.

“I’m so sorry I’m going to hurt my family, friends, citizens of the state of Maine,” she said. “See, my daughter is gay. I have known this for about 15 years. Throughout all this time, I have kept my personal feelings on this matter separate … She has never ever heard me express my opposition to this in her life … I would never hurt her. I would got to end of the earth for her. But because I feel so strongly about opposed to this bill, blame it on my upbringing or the good book. … I can’t change how I feel … But because of who I am and where I am and as a member of this legislative body, ethically it is my duty and responsibility to publicly say to my daughter that I do not support [gay marriage]. I just had to finally confess to her exactly how I feel and now I have no choice. I have to hit that button.”

I’m touched by her honesty but it is very sad – and I speak from experience – to have known your child is gay for 15 years and have grown so little in your acceptance of that child. When Briggs said: “I would never hurt her” she is not being truthful. Her vote hurts every gay and lesbian person in her state.

HAIMAN FETED: Could not pass up this opportunity to do an item on Marc Shaiman because it is Tony nominations day. It is Shaiman who caused quite a stir at the 2003 Tonys when he declared his love for, and kissed, partner Scott Wittman after they took the stage at Radio City Music Hall to accept the songwriting Tony for Hairspray. Shaiman said at the awards: “We’re not allowed to get married but I want to declare I love you and I’d like to be with you the rest of my life.

Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman

The pair then kissed, to the applause of the audience, as the show was going out on live television. The couple is by now well-known for their socially-conscious, and often satirical, material such as their recent Internet sensation Prop. 8: The Musical.

Anyway, on Monday, the Screen Actors Guild Hollywood Singers Committee paid tribute to the composer and lyricist at the Writers Guild Theater.

“Marc is a genius and I think it’s  good thing to honor geniuses in their lifetime,” said writer/performer Bruce Vilanch, who once performed the role of Edna Turnblad on stage in Hairspray. “We’ve worked together since he was a teenager working with Bette Midler,  and thanks to Marc I wound up on Broadway which was a dream I’d always had. He’s such a multi-faceted talent, he writes movie scores, he writes songs, he can get away with the filthiest stuff like ‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.’ He’s got a great combination of being hip and having heart, which very few people have.”