An Exciting Day, A Pointed Evening…
Last Thursday, May 8, was a big day for Hearsay, and its outlying universe. First, it was proud to see the magazine that gave it birth celebrate 15 years of publishing week in, week out, week in, week out. Of course, Hearsay hasn’t been in every issue — an extreme social lifestyle has its disadvantages, such as the retina-burning side-effects of morning light, rendering even the simplest writing assignment into a feat akin to climbing Mount Everest naked with only a rubber band and a toothpick — but that’s okay, Hearsay has had its day in print and is happily now ensconced in this digital world, which suits its excessive, hedonistic lifestyle just fine and dandy.
That said, Thursday was a big day for Hearsay. First, it was proud to see the magazine that gave it… oh, Hearsay already wrote that. See what Hearsay means? Excuse Hearsay while it downs a little hair of the dog….
Finally, Hearsay was thrilled to see its editorial tummy-rubber Randy “I’ll Smile When I’m Good and Ready” Shulman selected by the D.C. society magazine Washington Life as one of Washington’s Power 100. Shulman is on a list that includes Wolf “Arrooo” Blitzer, George “I’ve Been on the Cover of MW” Stephanopolous, Andrew “So Have I, Twice, and with an Interview” Sullivan, Joe “Hey, I’ve Been on that Cover Twice, too!” Solmonese, Eric “Helen, Have You Met Tony?” Schaeffer, Jim “Now We’re Getting Somewhere” Graham, David “You Bet We Are, Jim” Catania, Hillary “Pundrity Is My Music Now” Rosen, Michael “Noel Coward Is My Secret Fetish” Kahn and Karl “The Sentinel” Rove. Okay, so no list is perfect. But Hearsay is astounded — and thrilled — over the preponderance of GLBT-ers on the list. We are indeed everywhere. Sometimes all at once.
So Hearsay decided to celebrate this triumverate of celebratory-worthy events by crashing the Point Foundation Fundraiser at the elegant D.C. furniture showroom of Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams, situated on 14th Street. Hearsay was greeted at the door by a pod of handsomely attired men who, it turned out, were members of that fearless “We’ll Do Anything For Coffee and Donuts” group, The Burgundy Crescent Volunteers. God bless the darlings, you just wanna squeeze ’em until their eyes pop for all the wholesome goodness they do. After obtaining a nametag that bore the scrawl “Hear Say,” Hearsay meandered through the crowd, seeking elite elbows to brush. It found many such elbows, including those of Mitchell “Our Original Family Name Was Bronze, but It Was Changed at Ellis Island” Gold, John “I’ll Show You the Best Way to Manage Your Personnel” Berry, Tim “I Miss E.R.” Price, Cathy “The Last Time I Wore A Dress…” Renna, Congressman Polis’s Chief of Staff Brian “I Went to Jared!” Branton, Andrew “SMYAL When You Say That” Barnett, Eileen “Design Time” Kessler and Margaret “I Only Watch Movies With Homosexuals” Murray.
Glen “OUT Legal Eagle” Ackerman, a ranking board member of Point and a D.C. community advocate nonpareil, also cited by Washington Life as one of D.C.’s Power 100, later confided to Hearsay that the event raised over $30,000 for the Point Foundation, a healthy sum that will help further the organization’s extraordinary work, which is to “provide financial support, mentoring, leadership training and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” Glen also confided that he’s cooking something up for fall for Point that will knock our socks off. Hearsay can’t wait!
Midway through the evening, following a genuinely moving presentation, which included heartfelt speeches by Berry, Gold, Point Foundation E.D. Jorge “Smart Start” Valencia and a few Point Foundation recipients — Hearsay was sobbing into one of Mitchell Gold’s satin throw-pillows by the end, giving it a distinctively fresh, watermarked look — Hearsay found itself face-to-face with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome, a towering hunk (some might say he’s the political equivalent of a tall, cool glass of milk, refreshing, good for you, and eminently drinkable). Hearsay found itself dumbstruck but still managed to burble, “Why hellooooo there, Mister Mayor. I really enjoy Rice-A-Roni.” To which the Mayor may or may not have replied (Hearsay was too starstruck to remember clearly), “Why Hello back, Hearsay. I do, too. It is indeed The San Francisco Treat.” Damn, that guy’s good. No wonder he got elected. Can anyone say, goodbye Gov. Terminator, hello Governor Gavin?….
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