You Better Watch Out (Harvey Fierstein as “Mrs. Claus” in Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade)

NY Times ^ | November 26, 2003 | HARVEY FIERSTEIN

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According to legend, New York lore and two major Hollywood flicks, Macy's Santa is the real deal. And tomorrow, to the delight of millions of little children (not to mention the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court), the Santa in New York's great parade will be half of a same-sex couple.

And guess who the other half will be? Me! Harvey Fierstein, nice Jewish boy from Bensonhurst, dressed in holiday finery portraying the one and only Mrs. Claus.

Won't America get a kick out of that? But what if Santa really was gay? Could there be a another Mr. Claus? Would those grinches who, as we speak, are fashioning legislation to deny marriage to gay and lesbian Americans make an exception for the jolly old soul? What has Santa ever done except bring joy and gifts to all? Just the sight of his face is enough to bring a smile to the Scroogiest of politicians. Would his gifts of love and goodwill be answered with exclusion and derision?

The answer, history tells us, is "of course." Consider the Americans who have rained nothing but glory on our nation. Think about the magnificent works of Walt Whitman, James Baldwin and Hart Crane. They're just a handful of writers who shaped the American vision and yet could not achieve full citizenship because they were homosexual. How many wedding parties have walked down the aisle to the music of Virgil Thompson, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman or Aaron Copland? Yes, we get to provide the music, but we are not allowed to get married ourselves. The next time you stand, hand on your heart, and sing "America the Beautiful," remind yourself that we owe those towering words to Katharine Lee Bates, a lesbian.

Remind yourself, too, of the Rev. Mychal F. Judge, the fire department chaplain who was killed on September 11. There was hardly a religious leader in our city who did not glorify his name and hold him up as someone to emulate. But remind them that he was a proud and openly gay man and those same moralists will turn their backs in denial.

The unhappy tradition continues today. The Bush administration spends billions spreading freedom abroad while at home it devises legislation to deny equal rights to gays and lesbians. What is it with you people, anyway? Are you so insecure about the way you handle marriage that you're scared gay folk will show you up? Trust me, we will make as much of a mess out of matrimony as you do. Just give us a chance.

In the end all I can say is this: If I really was Santa's life partner, you can believe that he would ask and I would tell about who has been naughty or nice on this issue. Still, as we approach the holiday season I'd like to imagine that fear and bigotry will not prevail in this land. Maybe this holiday season we can toss out some of the intolerance that nests in our hearts and make room for more love and acceptance.

Of course, there will be those who say, Santa Claus lives near Canada and isn't even an American. To them I reply, neither is anyone who would deny a person full citizenship because of whom he or she loves. Besides, we've been looking at a time share on the Cape. Happy holiday and remember to wave to me on my float. I'll be the man in the big red dress.

Harvey Fierstein won the 2003 Tony Award for his performance in "Hairspray."

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How would you like to be working in Macy's PR (or legal) department this morning? It's going to be a very long day for them.

[Mercat]

The scam that Father Judge was gay has been admitted by the gay activist who began it and still he is trotted out as a gay saint. sigh.

[Constitution Day]

I hope Harvey gets run over by a reindeer.

[steplock]

ALL I can say about THIS is...

[leadpencil1]

I heard Curtis and Kuby discussing this topic this morning. Harvey lives in my town and there have been a number of articles in the local paper extolling his many talents. Seems like Harvey and ilk are crawling out of the woodwork lately. I can barely stand it. I wish he would STFU and just live his life the way he wants to without trying to get me and eveyone else to come out and celebrate his twisted life style.

[LurkedLongEnough]

You think this is sick. I have to put up with it all year.

Harvey himself LIVES in my town. He's featured in the Arts & Leisure section of the local paper ad nauseum. One time I saw him in the grocery store with a young boy, at the deli. I had to leave before he started asking about the salamis.

He may be very good at pretending, but so is Michael Jackson.

[dead]

I was watching some old Sesame Street tape with my two-year-old, and guess who they trotted out - as the Easter Bunny, no less?

Yes, it was Harvey. In a bunny suit. Gay as the 1890s. With all the kiddies and muppets gathered round.

The tape went right in the garbage.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I had to leave before he started asking about the salamis

Boowahaha!

[LoneConservative]

Do we have a website/Email address/Phone # for MAcy's??? I think it's time for a freep.

[longtermmemmory]

The NYT sinks further into the abyss. soon they will have to be whereever they store the other homosexual magazines.

The homosexuals have always claimed the dead. They can't respond and they can't deny. Relatives object? We understand they feeelings, its ok they are just in denial. We feel their pain. The dead guy had to suffer in the closet too.

If you are dead, your "gay". Queer eye for the dead guy. Can't slander the dead.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

My local talk show host (WRKO Boston) has been covering this story all morning. He just read a statement "for immediate release" from Macy's about this and I can't seem to find it anywhere on the Internet. In any case, Macy's is saying that this is not true and that Harvey Fierstein is just going to be there as his character from Hairspray along with the other actors. I don't know if this is true, but it could be. I did find this link that seems to confirm this:

http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_news_falloons.htm

Candi

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

My local talk show host (WRKO Boston) has been covering this story all morning. He just read a statement "for immediate release" from Macy's about this and I can't seem to find it anywhere on the Internet. In any case, Macy's is saying that this is not true and that Harvey Fierstein is just going to be there as his character from Hairspray along with the other actors. I don't know if this is true, but it could be. I did find this link that seems to confirm this:

http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_news_falloons.htm

Candi

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Harvey is on the right.

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He is such a dick for putting Macy’s in this position. They have the Broadway floats, which promote the shows and bring tourist dollars to the city. It’s basically a gift to the city from Macy’s to the theater industry which employs thousands of people.

And this little queen has to make his big flashy statement. Now they are going to have to monitor him to see how he dresses up tomorrow and whether he brings some faggy Santa with him.

Then if he does, they either have to let it slide and enrage tons of people, or they have to kick him out which will enable him to blather on about oppression or whatever and give himself a big forum to promote his agenda.

So Macy’s gets screwed either way, when they were only trying to promote the theater industry in New York. What a scumbag.

[Coleus]

heard it on Curtis and Kuby this morning...What a sleaze bag. NOTHING is sacred anymore. Happy Thanksgiving......and I hope most parents are forewarned to change the channel near the end of the parade.

[Coleus]

He also besmirched the name of Fr. Mychal Judge.

[CyberCowboy777]

I cannot find one statement that he was gay or not gay.

What is the actual fact of the matter?

[CyberCowboy777]

http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=4044

[Tax-chick]

I believe I read in "St. Anthony Messenger," the pretty-liberal Franciscans' magazine, that Fr. Judge acknowledged, in a low-key way (not "proudly and openly") that he experienced homosexual attraction. If that's correct, then he's an example of heroic chastity, as well as self-sacrificing service.

[CyberCowboy777]

Thanks.

Unless someone has a statement by him I really do not want to jump to a conclusion.

I find it interesting that as a priest he was celibate, yet the entirety of the gay lifestyle is built upon sexual orientation.

Sexual temptations – hetro or homo are not a sin.