Gay Games Chicago!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/14/06 at 9:46pm

It looks like this is THE place to be this week! Tomorrow is opening ceremony at Soldier Field with Margaret Cho, Andy Bell and Megan Mullaly...anyone going? Competing? Cruising?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/14/06 at 11:48pm

Hey, on the 17th you can go meet Ty Giordano. :)
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=12058

[RENTingFAME]

Posted: 7/15/06 at 12:46am

I have rehearsal or a show every night of the games... but maybe I can go during the day? I hope?

[Dancinqueen123]

Posted: 7/15/06 at 3:00pm

Might go to the rowing competition, not sure though. It's on the lake in my town.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 3:38am

Did anyone else go to the opening ceremony? It was quite a spectacularanza. Lots of famous people...and some Broadway people, too.

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 8:24am

If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 12:51pm

After all the athletes filled the playing field at Soldier Field, the lights went out to reveal the rainbow flag done with glow sticks (one stick per athlete, just to give you an idea of how many are participating) to the Anthem from Chess. It was done so well and happened so quickly it was truly stunning.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 7:16pm

I went today and saw a few colorguard performances and caught the rest of the Sondheim in the Park celebration. It was a fun time, until after the final performance when the bible thumpers appeared.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 9:46pm

Suleen, was the opening ceremoiny broadcast anywhere? I was hoping it would have turned up on youtube, but nothing "official" as of yet. Just some amateur home-made video of people applauding and the fireworks.

How was Billy Porter?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:39am

Billy Porter sang a Steve Lutvak song called "Shoulder to Shoulder" that was immediately outshone by the next--and unbilled!--singer who sang "Anthem" while the athletes held their flashlights, as in Sueleen's picture.

I was astonished that the rainbow flag, something that has become almost cliche, could be rendered so movingly. But 12,000 athletes holding flashlights in the dark--and that amazing song from Chess--was awe-inspiring.

[vbplayer]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:51am

Why are the Gay Games NOT a part of any broadcast(s)? I thought LOGO was going to take the helm and broadcast part of the gaymes.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 4:02am

Over on DL, someone offered the plausible theory that the failed QTV network out of S. California had the TV rights, and because of that, only Sirius radio has been doing the live coverage this weekend.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 8:42am

I think there were cameras from Logo there

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 9:29am

I don't know if anyone is airing the games. There seemed to be were cameras everywhere on Saturday night. Billy was fine. All the vocals suffered a bit from the stadium sound system, but not too bad considering.

Updated On: 7/17/06 at 09:29 AM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 9:36am

Did anyone catch cutie Howie Michael Smith from "Avenue Q" at the opening ceremonies?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 9:48am

Q didn't play too well in the large stadium, I am sorry to say. If I didn't know the song, I probably wouldn't have understood what they were doing. In fact my friends took that time for a potty break.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:12am

They would have done better with "You Can Be As Loud As the Hell You Want." You have to be as loud as the hell as you can when you're playing to 40,000 gays.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:34am

Didn't catch the Opening Ceremony, but we did see Margaret Cho's performance at the Chicago Theatre last night. Fantastic show including a great mix of new and old material. Sold out show to a HUGE gay audience. We stood next to George Takei at the box office. Sulu looks pretty good.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:46am

Margaret Cho on fundamentalist Christians (paraphrasing from memory but her timing and delivery are flawless):

"If Jesus came back today, he would look at the people who call themselves Christians and say, 'NO!!! YOU GOT IT AAAAAAAALLLLLL WROOOOOOOOONG!' You just KNOW there's something wrong with Christians if the Satanists look at them and say, "Wow! You guys are being REALLY mean!'"

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 10:47am

I'm sorry - and I don't mean to sound bitchy or anything - but why are there gay games? What is the point? Besides obviously celebrating the gay and lesbian community in a light that they're not normally cast into - what is the purpose?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:00am

The Gay Games is the only international GLBT celebration. Like the Olympics, it's not just about sports, but also bringing countries and cultures together using the medium of competitive sports. It also brings positive international focus to gays and lesbians for a week-long event. I think the bigger question is, why shouldn't there be a Gay Games?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:07am

Well, it's not like the Gay Games are doing anyone any harm - I'm not saying there shouldn't be one - I just think it's kind of...alienating.

The entire Gay community - or any oppressed group, for that matter - seems to constantly strive for rights and equality. Understandable. I am, after all, gay. What I don't understand is how the core of the GLBT community doesn't understand that by doing something like The Gay Games, it pushes the community farther out of the "norm." By saying "Here we are, we're gay, and we're athletes," they are alienating and cutting themselves off from just "people."

A huge qualm of mine with some gay groups and/or people are people who define themselves by their sexuality. It's one thing to be proud - but it's quite another to just obsess over your sexuality. I not accussing anyone or saying this has much of anything to do with the Gay Games, but I just don't understand.

Instead of saying "GAY GAMES!!!", why can't it just be "Summer Games?" Why does it HAVE to be about being gay? Acceptance will only occur on the outside if the torch holders of the community stop trying to be so different.

I'm probably wrong. Please correct me!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:14am

One word, Munk. Something you may never understand, which would be terribly sad:

Pride.

You may just as bitchily say, "Why does there have to be Gay Day at DisneyWorld?" or "Why does there have to be Gay Pride at all?"

Imagine, if you can, a city full of 12,000 athletes, some of whom come from countries where they can be imprisoned or tortured or killed for whom they love, others from countries that allow them to marry whom they love, some of whom come from families who reject them, others come from families who cheer them on.

Imagine 12,000 athletes, training for 2 years or more so they can come together and achieve their "personal best."

Imagine 12,000 athletes coming together in a weeklong show of athleticism and grace to say, "We're here, we're queer--and we're athletes. Get over your hatred--and your self-hatred--now."

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:20am

I just don't understand why those 12,000 athletes have to perform in the name of being Gay.

I do understand pride, but just because I don't walk down the street wearing rainbow colors doesn't mean I'm not prideful.

I also believe that people DO take this "pride" to the extremes - therefore alienating themselves from the general population. Self alienation.

It's like PETA. People would respond better to PETA if they wouldn't throw tofu pies in people's faces and would stop dressing up like rats to oppose animal testing.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:25am

You are totally off base in this thread. The Gay Games are NOT "taking pride to extremes."

Updated On: 7/17/06 at 11:25 AM