Sue-Bee’s Busy Weekend
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Sue-Bee Laginess was on the stage greeting Mayor Buddy Dyer and emceeing the Come Out With Pride parade with John “Tweeka” Barber. If she seemed (hilariously) punchy, it was with good reason. She’d flown in that morning after attending the star-studded 14th Annual Human Rights Campaign Annual Dinner the night before in Washington, D.C. At the sold-out event, Bette Midler presented Pink with the “Ally for Equality Award.” Mo’nique gave Precious director Lee Daniels the “Visibility Award.” And the cast of Modern Family received the “National Arts & Culture Award.” Laginess was joined in D.C. by Orlando HRC steering committee members Jennifer Foster and Mary Anne Metaxis, who kept locals abreast of their busy weekend—Beacon Bar & Grill, Newseum—via Facebook while they simultaneously monitored COWP. It seems in 2010 you can be everywhere. But as Laginess will attest, you still need sleep.
Against the Grain
Sporting a new Harvey Milk Foundation t-shirt, Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart was everywhere during Come Out With Pride. Green to the core, she rode her bicycle to the event and then in the parade, where she was greeted warmly at every turn. Later, she walked the bike against traffic through crowded Lake Eola Park. “I’m going against the grain, as usual,” she laughed. When asked by one bystander when she would endorse fellow Commissioner Bill Segal for Orange County Mayor, she replied, “I’m an environmentalist. I’m not going to endorse either one. Hell, I may not even vote!” Stewart was narrowly edged out of the election in the primary. But as she walked away, one wistful supporter said, “Well, if you were still running, I’d vote for you.” But by that time, Stewart had been lost in the crowd.
Parade Pink and Black
Like an explosion of pink and black, the Mister Sisters unit may have been the most memorable at Come Out With Pride. With gloriously muscle-bound owner Brian Humphries front-and-center in a skimpy swimsuit and Mad Hatter chapeau, the huge float housed several scantily clad sex kittens in glitter makeup. And there were dozens more scampering up and down the street. No word yet as to the exact opening date of the much-anticipated mega-bar on East Colonial Drive. Humphries appears to be taking his time to get it right. Recent ads announce: “You can’t rush perfection.” Word is that Mister Sisters will have technological advancements—like electronic drink ordering—never before seen in this area.
