Rufus Wainwright's Top 10 Gay Icons
 

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/s...942438,00.html

Gay icons


As chosen by Rufus Wainwright

Sunday November 12, 2006
The Observer


1. Judy Garland
Judy is not a gay icon at all. She is somewhere far beyond that. She is a gay beacon. A gay saint. She has led the way through the darkness for some 50 years. Whether it's the Wizard of Oz or the Judy at Carnegie Hall LP - these are brilliant touchstones for the gay experience. A kind of communion takes place between a gay listener and Judy. And of course there is the drink and drugs counter-story, which is very gay for one reason or another.

In the postwar years in Western culture, it has become somehow socially acceptable to be drunk and stoned. There is such a gay fascination to that story. Gay people understand a party, that's for sure!

There is no level on which Judy Garland doesn't connect with gay men. She married one, for chrissakes!

2. Stevie Nicks

Certain intellectual gay men obsess over Stevie. She is a dinner party conversation in herself, served up as a kind of hors d'oeuvre before a conversation about the Pre-Raphaelites, or something. She separates interesting homosexuals from uninteresting ones.

3. Dusty Springfield

Blessed with great artistry, she never let her lesbianism get in the way of it. Because she wasn't open about it, she gave herself the right to enjoy being a lesbian in private. It didn't diminish her. In the end, cancer claimed her; there's an iconic price for an iconic life.

4. Madonna

There's a dark force at work here - she subverts everything for her own gain. I went to see her London show and it was all so dour and humourless. She surpasses even Joan Crawford in terms of megalomania. Which makes her a kind of dark gay icon in itself.

5. Kylie Minogue

I love Kylie, she's the anti-Madonna. Self-knowledge is a truly beautiful thing and Kylie knows herself inside out. She is what she is and there is no attempt to make quasi-intellectual statements to substantiate it. She is the gay shorthand for joy.

6. Morrissey

Whether he's gay or not, he is the gay Elvis. He is among the greatest entertainers of our time. The banter, the dancing, the stage-craft, it all conspires and you know exactly what Morrissey is. He is heroic. He is a total package, like Dean Martin or Prince.

7. Barbra Streisand

Ugh, Barbra! You've got to hand it to her. She got everything she ever damn wanted and she does manage to maintain her insanity on such a highclass level. I respect her deeply. She's not as sinister as Madonna and she gives us some hope.

8. Pink

She's slightly left-of-centre in this deeply conservative pop world. She's not it, but you'd have more of a chance of finding it by using her as a conduit than you would if you used Britney Spears. You know, Pink is what I would call a 'gateway drug'.

9. Prince

It feels weird talking about Prince as a gay icon now but you have to applaud a black man in the American record industry who could be so playful with androgyny. Justin Timberlake wouldn't do that. He is a marine dressed as a pop star.

10. Kate Bush

She is the older sister that every gay man wants. She connects so well with a gay audience because she is so removed from the real world. She is one of the only artists who makes it appear better to be on the outside than on the inside.

· Rufus Wainwright performs the 1961 Judy Garland Carnegie Hall concert at the London Palladium on 18 February 2007

One out of ten. Still 90% hetero. Whew!

That was great! Thanks for posting that :D

I love Rufus. and he read each of these bitches to a "T" -

I also think Rufus had Landslide on his top 10 iTunes picks. maybe it was Sara. can't remember.

speaking of which, Bleed To Love Her is on Panic! At the Disco's top 10 list.

Really!? Thats cool :cool:

...is the lead singer of this band gay? He just gets that vibe from me, especially after watching them on the VMAs.


....and Jaz....lovin' the lion prance sig!

I don't think so. all these emo boys make my gaydar spew electric shocks though. can't ever tell. I've wondered the same thing about Pete Wentz from FOB, he's so dreamy. :laugh:
I knew you would. :xoxo:

Damn them. I don't like the emo movement anyway. The guys are trying to make the girls like them by being all emotional and sappy....but it makes them look gay and like crybabies.


....and Wentz? What are you thinking?!?!?!?! He looks like he smells like locker room. :shocked:

you really think so? well, I guess on occasion he does. maybe I'm still mezmerized by the leaked photos from his Sidekick.

Oh yeah, I want to see those - PM me?

:D

Too many tats for my taste. :lol:

Never mind - found em :laugh:

:laugh: :lol:

there. that's all I can say.

holy crap, i would make such a better gay boy.

I can't stand listening to Rufus but his analysis is pretty much on the mark.most particularly about Madonna ...a totally calculating megalomanical evil be-yotch indeed:nod: .The difference between her and Crawford is this though: Joan had a tremendous sense of loyalty ..Madonnna ..I don't think so.

I own an album (or more than one) from 7/10 artists on this list. I must be really gay :laugh:

Well I only like a few of those artists. I guess I'm...40% gay. :laugh:

On another note, Pete Wentz is grimey and reminds me waaaaaaay too much of my room mate. :laugh:

Brendan Urie (Panic!'s lead singer), on the other hand is cute as hell. ;)

Kate Bush...?? Seriously? That's... I never really considered her a gay icon, but, hey, cool.

Wonder how much Madonna's people paid him to include her name. :rolleyes: :)

I just think it is kind of frustrating that guys who love stevie are called gay.......But I will say the list WAS funny

Much Love,
Ethan

The only person who does not belong on that list is Pink. She has not stood the test of time, and may have already failed the test of time. It's been like four years since she had a big hit. Pink is on the level of people like Taylor Dayne and Laura Branigan.

Should have been Dolly Parton or Diana Ross.

DP all the way ... DR is just f*ckin' nuts.

I think Paula should be on this list, if not an honorable mention. She IS what every gay man wants to be. :xoxo: :laugh:

I don't think the list means that guys who love Stevie are instantly called gay, but just that she's also a gay icon. It's just a confirmed proof of popularity, nothing too serious to worry about. ;)

Romy

Wow, our Stevie made it pretty high up on his list; only behind Judy. And he worships Judy. I could only dream that Rufus will offer Stevie some songs and/or give her the pep talk that she needs to get her ass back in the studio!

But wherefore Cher? Liza? Whitney?? Dolly??

he forgot Joni Mitchell.....

Only Laura Branigan had talent!

Stevie and Morrissey - how happy can you be??!!?? :D

rbs

lol. no kidding ... i'm surprised to see pink on there.

Just because she looks like a man doesn't mean she's gotta be an icon.

I look forward to meeting her. I am curious what you think she is or has that every gay man wants to be..?????:shrug: ;) :D

I was too..I am revoacking his Gay card!!!:lol:

Im sorry, but that is bull****. P!nk is huge in Europe, UK, Australia and NZ - there are other places besides the US you know....

"Stupid Girls" - released earlier this year - was a Top 20 single and her album I'm Not Dead peaked in the Top 10 on U.S. Billboard. That may not be monstrously successful, but she's far from being a has-been.

"Im Not Dead" actually peaked at #6 in the US, #3 UK, #1 AUS, #1 GER, #1 NZ etc. and has sold over 3 million world-wide - now if someone could tell me how she is a 'has-been', I would really like to know...

And the statement 'has not had a hit in four years' is ridiculous, from 'Im Not Dead" P!nk has had 3 hit singles:

Single #1 - "Stupid Girls" - #13 US Hot 100, #4 Australia, #4 UK, #7 NZ.

Single #2 - "Who Knew" - #2 Australia ,#5 United Kingdom, #11 NZ and #8 World.

Single #3 - "U & Ur Hand" - #3 Austria, #4 Germany, #5 Australia, #10 UK and #10 NZ.

So please, tell me how she is a flop :shrug:

I love that. I hope he means that we are the interesting ones. :cool:

Kudos to Rufus!!- I love this quote, It couldn't be more perfect (esp. as it pertains to the gay community). I've always said any gay man can frivolously like, lets's say a Madonna, or Janet or lame ass Britney for that matter, but it takes a special kind of intellect and disposition to really get and appreciate Stevie!! And I love that Rufus gets that. perfect just perfect.:nod:
And yea, he's definitely is saying we're the interesting ones.

um..yea....:thumbsup:

Rufus sickens me on almost every imaginable level. But, he said a few things here that had some wisdom and insight. So he isn't completely worthless.