I've been meaning to take note of the seemingly strange, to many, fact that Elton John performed at Rush Limbaugh's recent wedding. Washington Post blogger David Weigel addressed this, quoting Limbaugh biographer Zev Chafets:
On some social issues, like abortion, Limbaugh is a conventional conservative. On others he sounds a lot like Barack Obama. In an interview last summer, he told me that he regards homosexuality as most likely determined by biology, considers other people's sex lives to be none of his business and supports gay civil unions.
Of course, "the LGBT community is none too pleased with Sir Elton," according to gossip site Popeater:
"I'm flabbergasted," Aaron Hicklin, Editor-in-Chief of Out, tells us. "It betrays either ignorance or self-interest or both, and jeopardizes his admirable record on gay rights."
Or this attack by a blogger who thinks the lesson is "It Pays to Hate." Google reveals this is a common response on the LGBT blogosphere.
The real lesson is that Elton John likes to reach out to those who are sometimes our enemies-witness his performance with Eminem, despite the rapper's (at that time) gay-bashing lyrics, at the Grammy's a few years back. In fact, Sir Elton didn't become the wedding singer just because it was a well-paying gig; since meeting Limbaugh earlier this year, he's kept up a fairly regular e-mail exchange, according to conservative talk radio host Mark Levin, a guest at the wedding (as reported by the web site Elton John News). "He's about tearing down walls, not building them," Levin added.
Limbaugh supported California's Prop 8 and mocks Barney Frank. But think about this: if we want to at least modify the Defense of Marriage Act-so that, for instance, federal benefits could be granted to same-sex couples in states that have civil unions/ partnerships, such as California, post Prop. 8- then getting the support of Rush Limbaugh (the "bigoted" voice of the right, who supports civil unions) could be crucial. It's called coalition building-the real kind, not just among groups on the left that all think alike (the current LGBT progressive strategy).
37 Comments for “Elton John and Rush: A Good Thing”
posted by Rodney Hoffman on
I’m all for coalition building, but until Limbaugh urges his listeners to support something I care about, there’s no coalition here; it’s in your dreams. I’ll believe it when I see it.
posted by BobN on
Rush Limbaugh (the “bigoted” voice of the right, who supports civil unions)
Evidence of that support? A second-hand account of an off-handed comment.
On the other hand (we’re all about the hands today), we have him on camera crowing about the dozens of state constitutional amendments passed by “fellow conservatives”, amendments which banned both SSM and civil unions.
How ’bout that for support!!
As for Sir Elton, lifting a cool million off the gasbag would appeal to me, too. What I really don’t get about Rush’s fourth (???) marriage is why this serial abuser of the institution of marriage gets so much support from “social conservatives”.
That said, his new wife seems nice enough. I wish her a generous divorce settlement.
posted by another steve on
Evidence of that support? A second-hand account of an off-handed comment.
The quote about supporting civil unions has been widely reported in the conservative press and blogosphere, and Limbaugh has not denied it. He also is on close terms with the biographer.
But even if it was just a personal viewpoint expressed privately, what is the better way to encourage Limbaugh to be public with that support — denounce him as a “bigot” because, after all, he opposes the “progressive” big government agenda that we’re supposed to be allied with — or praise the remark and treat it as an opening that could lead to something more public.
Well, BoBN, it’s clear which strategy you embrace.
posted by BobN on
The quote about supporting civil unions has been widely reported in the conservative press and blogosphere
Uh… are you saying the conservative media doesn’t understand what a quote is either? We might agree on that.
And thanks for the chuckle about Rush and “personal viewpoints”. The guy bloviates for hours a day, doling out his opinions on everything from Clinton’s willie to Putin’s chest hairs, and you want me to believe he has opinions in support of gay people he just hasn’t had the occasion to share?
Maybe he’s shy. Yes, that’s it! Shy and sensitive!
posted by Bobby on
Imagine if Rush Limbaugh fired somebody for being gay, there would be outrage. Yet when Rush pays Elton $1 million, there’s also outrage. I don’t get it.
posted by dengxixian on
this is very much click here
posted by Tom on
For a million bucks, I’ll “reach out” to the old trog, too. I’d send him e-mails. And maybe even sell him London Bridge. I say good for Elton.
The recent attempts to portray Rush as a secret friend of gays and lesbians is a bit pathetic, though. When Rush stands up in public on behalf of civil unions or any other issue of importance to gays and lesbians, I’ll be less skeptical.
posted by Debrah on
Just skimming the fora…….I don’t think Frank Rich’s latest on the subject has been discussed.
Such a splenetic little man.
The quality of his writing is certainly adequate for an increasingly obsolete print media outlet; however, he doesn’t have the wit and verve of Dowd on any subject…….even on his best day.
Didn’t Rich used to be the NYTimes cover man on Broadway?
Perhaps he should stick to designing new adjectives to describe Nathan Lane’s wardrobe.
In short, Rich is one of those molded, oleaginous Leftists who will invariably ruin any point he’s making by constantly exaggerating the stridence of his culture war “enemies”.
Coming from a man, this trait is always particularly petty.
That’s just the way it is.
You can put a nipple ring or eye shadow on a man; however, in the end, if he cannot or will not step up to the plate for something other than a d!ck rub, he’ll be judged quite differently than the way women are judged.
That’s just the way it is.
And someone please explain.
Why do Frank Rich and others not chastise the president for his views on SSM?
Obama does not recognize it; however, his support for civil unions seems to be enough for the Leftists.
posted by Jorge on
If I remember correctly, Elton John said about the Eminem gig that he would never have done it if he thought Eminem sincerely believed the stuff he rapped.
Elton John and Rush Limbaugh are both super-rich, super-famous people and super-rich, super-famous people cross paths and develop personal relationships once in a while. This isn’t about Elton John accepting a gig. It’s about his personal life, and for most people a person’s personal life isn’t anyone else’s business to comment or make judgments on. The rules are different for celebrities, but Elton John, being a either a has-been or an immortal (I’m not sure which), does not have to follow them.
I remember about a year or so ago it was mentioned that Bill O’Reilly had a personal conversation with Ludacris at the White House Correspondence Dinner. All of a sudden, O’Reilly stopped attacking Ludacris on his show. It’d be interesting to know what happened.
Elton John has a record of following his own personal morality and judgment and I hope he ignores any pressure to provide an explanation.
posted by Throbert McGee on
Don’t miss this dig from Rich:
Debrah writes: “Just skimming the fora…….I don’t think Frank Rich’s latest on the subject has been discussed.”
Don’t miss this bilious detail in Rich’s lede:
I dare say that Elton doesn’t do anything on a second-class scale — but Rich is eager to remind his Upper West Side readership that the billionaire knight is actually a downtrodden house nigger, even if Elton is unaware of this unhappy fact.
posted by Throbert McGee on
Oops — there’s so much not-to-be-missed in Rich’s column that I had to say it twice!
I blame the sultry DC heat.
posted by Jimmy on
Elton is on record with regard to his personal antipathy toward marriage, saying he would rather be in a union of the civil variety. It’s Elton’s right to do with his money as he chooses, and my guess is most of his earnings from this gig went to the Ryan White Foundation, with the balance going to his jeweler.
posted by Bobby on
“I remember about a year or so ago it was mentioned that Bill O’Reilly had a personal conversation with Ludacris at the White House Correspondence Dinner. All of a sudden, O’Reilly stopped attacking Ludacris on his show. It’d be interesting to know what happened.”
—Maybe Ludacris changed his lyrics, maybe the story got old and Bill got tired of milking it. Life is too short to focus on the same thing again and again, you have to move on to new subjects to keep your audience entertained, or you become predictable.
As for Rush, the way other people treat him is far worst than anything he has ever said or done. People call him a drug addict just because he had a thing for oxy-contin, then they bitch that this is his fourth marriage when plenty of Hollywood people have been married more than once. They ridicule him and his wife, they compare him to a nazi, they wish him death.
All Rush has ever done is try to protect his country from the crazy socialist policies that progressives promote. He tried to maintain a moral standard in a world that makes excuses for presidents who commit adultery and lie about it. Rush is never simplistic, he doesn’t tell Jews to get out of Palestine but backs everything he says with FACTS.
I remember the controversy when he said he hoped Obama would fail, the media did not focus on why he said that, but on what he said. They don’t understand that if Obama “succeeds” will end up becoming a socialist country. So yes, if Obama fails to implement his policies and is forced to move to the center like Bill Clinton was, it will be a good thing for the country. However, Obama is the son of crazy intellectuals and Marxists, so he’ll do whatever he can to pomote his agenda even if it costs him reelection. As Glenn Beck says, you have to take the radicals seriously because they mean what they say, and sometimes are willing to die for it.
posted by Throbert McGee on
Yes, I know — but why is this a “second-class” option? Frank Rich doesn’t deign to tell us, because he knows that the Revealed Truth for NY Times op-ed readers is:
10 PRINT "Civil Unions are just like Jim Crow!"
20 PRINT "Rush Limbaugh wants gay people back in the closet!"
30 PRINT "Hey hey, ho ho, heteronormative privileging has got to go!"
40 GOTO 10
posted by Jorge on
Maybe Ludacris changed his lyrics, maybe the story got old and Bill got tired of milking it.
Yes, but which was it? I honestly don’t know, but I do know the timing.
Anyway, it seems some people here know of Elton John.
posted by Jimmy on
“Yes, I know — but why is this a “second-class” option?”
Is a civil union on par, in all ways legal, with marriage in the UK?
posted by Throbert McGee on
If Sir Elton John had married a woman, then his wife would be called by the title “Lady” as a matter of official courtesy, but there is apparently no such provision for his civilly-unioned partner David Furnish to be addressed as anything more elevated than “Mr. Furnish.”
Apart from that (and possibly other peculiarities related to Elton John’s legal status as a knight), UK civil unions seem to be separate but truly equal, as far as I can tell.
There are TWO ways, by my count, in which UK civil unions are better than California-type “same-sex domestic partnerships” OR Massachusetts-type “same-sex marriage”: namely, they are recognized by the national government, and are also recognized by all sub-national levels of government.
Since this “portability” anywhere in the nation does not exist for same-sex couples in California OR Massachusetts, the available options for same-sex couples in either San Francisco or Boston can both be termed “second-class”.
This is why I think that the legal battle against Prop8 is totally retarded — wouldn’t that money and effort to re-attain “same-sex marriage” inside California be better spent on fighting for federal-level “same-sex civil unions”?
posted by Jimmy on
“This is why I think that the legal battle against Prop8 is totally retarded — wouldn’t that money and effort to re-attain “same-sex marriage” inside California be better spent on fighting for federal-level “same-sex civil unions”?”
I guess we’ll see.
posted by BobN on
When Rush stands up in public on behalf of civil unions
First he’ll have to sit down and stop cheering the passage of state constitutional amendments that ban civil unions.
posted by Brian Miller on
The only time Rush stands for anything is during his divorce trials, when the alderman says “please rise.”
I’m not quite sure why we’re supposed to take the marriage-morality ravings of a serial adulterer seriously, let alone “build a coalition” with him.
In practice, Limbaugh, Maggie Gallagher, the Mormons, and even the Catholic Church claim they “favor civil unions” but “want to keep marriage separate.” Yet whenever they’re invited to support a state or federal civil unions compromise, they’re always opposing it and spending money to defeat it. I’m not sure why LGBT people should waste time trying to “align” with such mendacity.
posted by Bobby on
Tell me, Brian, how do you know know Rush committed adultery?
Rush Limbaugh is a decent guy, he doesn’t have sex in public parks, doesn’t solicit strangers in rest rooms, doesn’t lie about his HIV status, doesn’t bareback, doesn’t act as a “gift giver,” doesn’t engage in orgies at the bathhouse, doesn’t film himself masturbating or having sex outside like the gays do on gaytube.com…
Divorce is a joke compared with some of the things gays do.
posted by Brian Miller on
how do you know know Rush committed adultery
He divorced and remarried. In most Christian traditions (and certainly Biblically), that’s adultery.
Divorce is a joke compared with some of the things gays do.
Yep. Why, I’m replying to your comment after spending my lunch break cruising the bathrooms at Grand Central Station, high on crack cocaine, myself. We’re all like that.
posted by Bobby on
“He divorced and remarried. In most Christian traditions (and certainly Biblically), that’s adultery.”
—That’s ridiculous, divorce is accepted in the Christian tradition. In fact, it’s only adultery if you have sex outside your marriage. If you get divorced then the sex is not adulterous. Besides, there are many reasons why people get divorced that have nothing to do with sex or cheating. Elizabeth Taylor has been married 8 times, where are the gays condemning her?
“Yep. Why, I’m replying to your comment after spending my lunch break cruising the bathrooms at Grand Central Station, high on crack cocaine, myself. We’re all like that.”
—No, we’re not all like that, but plenty of men in our community are doing things that are much worse than divorce. Ever been to the Folsom Street Fair? Ever seen people masturbating in public?
Rush is not a hypocrite like the men who condemn him, he has never railed against divorce, he has never judged Barney Frank for having a long term boyfriend and then breaking up with him. 90% of the time he ridicules Frank for his economic policies and not for his annoying lisp. Sure, he did develop a song called “Banking Queen,” but it wasn’t really homophobic, it was funny. Besides, Frank is a queen, so calling him a “Banking King” when he’s stereotypically gay doesn’t make sense.
posted by Brian Miller on
That’s ridiculous, divorce is accepted in the Christian tradition.
It’s accepted in a few, but by no means all.
Considering the penchant that fundamentalists have for quoting their book to make moral judgments about gay people, reflect on the following:
“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.”
plenty of men in our community are doing things that are much worse than divorce
That’s a pretty muddled and arbitrary statement, fraught with various levels of interpretive silliness.
But let’s ignore that for a moment and assume it’s 100% correct.
How is it responsible (or indeed even American) to demand that one man accept responsibility for the independent actions of another man?
It’s a bit ironic that the Republicans like to lecture folks on “personal responsibility” — yet blame their divorces, inability to raise their children, lack of financial prudence, etc. on “immorality” in popular culture and people they don’t like… and insist that entire groups of people are to blame, regardless of their connection.
Not very responsible.
posted by Bobby on
“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.”
—-Where did you get that? The Bible? Rush is not a religious broadcaster you know. If he has ever ridiculed gay activists it’s not because of the bible but because of the way they act. Rush also draws dictinction between normal gays and activists gays who invade churches like St. Patrick Cathedral and cause a ruckus. I’m still embarassed by what ACT-UP did in the 80s, the ends do not justify the means.
“That’s a pretty muddled and arbitrary statement, fraught with various levels of interpretive silliness.”
—I have straight friends, I have compared the things I’ve seen versus what they’ve seen, and there is a difference. For example, sado-masochistic people exist in the straight community, but they don’t march in parades, do they? The closest thing the breeders have to a gay pride parade is the Adult Entertainment Expo, and that takes behind close doors.
“How is it responsible (or indeed even American) to demand that one man accept responsibility for the independent actions of another man?”
—Very well. How is it responsible for you to judge Limbaugh when we don’t know what sins you have committed. Do you have any skeletons in your closet? Are you free of sin to cast that first stone?
“It’s a bit ironic that the Republicans like to lecture folks on “personal responsibility” — yet blame their divorces, inability to raise their children, lack of financial prudence, etc. on “immorality” in popular culture and people they don’t like… and insist that entire groups of people are to blame, regardless of their connection.”
—That is ridiculous, when Bristol Palin got pregnant neither Sarah nor Bristol blamed it on anything but themselves. If republicans complain about the immorality in popular culture is because they have principles, it isn’t because they’re perfect. No Christian ever goes around saying that he’s perfect or without sin, they simply strive towards something greater than just giving in to every temptation.
Some gays are the opposite, they give in to every temptation, they yell “there is no God” and ridicule any sort of morality and decry judgment of any kind. Then they get AIDS and expect the government to bail them out.
What republicans hate is hypocrisy, we hate the Al Gores and their gas-guzzling private jets, the John “war on poverty” Edwards and their sprawling mansions, and anyone who preaches one thing and practices another.
I know what this is about, you’re just jealous because gay people can’t get married and straight people can. You’re so jealous that you’re willing to described a man who has married four times as immoral just because you’re not able to get married once. Interestingly enough, I read a large number of civil unions in Vermont end up in divorce, I also read of lesbians who go “straight” and take their biological children away.
Don’t hate Rush because he’s able to do something you can’t. And don’t you dare think of yourself as better than Rush, because I’ve dated plenty of gays and let me tell you, they’re not that great.
In fact, it’s a lot easier for a man who looks like Rush to find a woman than to find a man. A woman might overlook your physical imperfections, maybe she’ll even find them attractive, or perhaps she’ll fall in love with your personality. A gay man? Never, all they care about is how big your dick is, what’s your percentage of body fat, how straight-acting you are, how much body hair you have, how young are you, what you like to do in bed, and then maybe just maybe they’ll want to get to know you as a person.
As I always say: “gays don’t recruit, they reject.”
posted by Jimmy on
“And don’t you dare think of yourself as better than Rush, because I’ve dated plenty of gays and let me tell you, they’re not that great.”
Don’t cast aspersions on us based on the quality of men you manage to convince to date you, Bobby.
There a plenty of average looking gay guys that I know who have been in long, fulfilling relationships. Maybe, just maybe, it’s about you.
posted by Bobby on
Everyone should read the comments gays left on this story about why Elton John performed on Rush Limbaugh’s wedding.
http://advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Entertainment_News/Elton_Speaks_on_Limbaugh_Wedding_Via_Furnish/
What a hateful community we have, Elton John wanted to build bridges, create dialogue, yet the gays compare Rush to the grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Even poor liberal Elton John is being called a traitor. This is exactly what happens when progressives take control of liberals, our community has been radicalized.
Frankly, there’s a lot more hatred on the left than on the right, way more. I’m just glad Rush has plenty of gay fans that remind him that we’re not all a bunch of hateful progressives. Thank God for that.
Moving on…
“Don’t cast aspersions on us based on the quality of men you manage to convince to date you, Bobby.”
—Sorry, I speak from my experience. You may have a different experience, but I can only speak from what I know, see, read and learn. In a way we all do that, my father for example thinks that if you’re the first one to come to work and the last one to leave you’ll be succesful at work. That’s his experience, it is not mine, and thus I take his comments with a grain of salt.
“There a plenty of average looking gay guys that I know who have been in long, fulfilling relationships. Maybe, just maybe, it’s about you.”
—Were they average looking when they met and fell in love? Either way, you barely challenged my statements.
Do you deny that jealousy doesn’t play a role in the hatred some gays have for Limbaugh marrying again?
Our community needs a reality check, we need to stop judging others so much and take a deep hard look at ourselves. The other side isn’t always wrong, there’s lots we can learn from Limbaugh, Beck, O’Reilly, Coulter and all the others.
posted by Jimmy on
“Do you deny that jealousy doesn’t play a role in the hatred some gays have for Limbaugh marrying again?”
Please explain. Although, since I’m soooo suffused with green-eyed envy about Rush’s 4th marriage, I may not be able to read clearly.
“The other side isn’t always wrong, there’s lots we can learn from Limbaugh, Beck, O’Reilly, Coulter and all the others.”
If I lived in Bizzaro world, where down is up, wrong is right, that may be true.
posted by Bobby on
“Please explain. Although, since I’m soooo suffused with green-eyed envy about Rush’s 4th marriage, I may not be able to read clearly.”
—It’s very simple. 1. Gays can’t get married. 2. Rush can get married. 3. Rush doesn’t kiss gay asses. 4. Progressive gays hate Rush.
If gays could get married do you really think they would not get divorced at the same rates straight people do? Do you really think some gays wouldn’t be getting married four times? Some gays are rich, they make $100k or more a year, some gays can afford multiple marriages.
“If I lived in Bizzaro world, where down is up, wrong is right, that may be true.”
—Funny, that’s the same way I feel when I watch MSNBC.
posted by Jimmy on
That you imagine jealousy comes into the question of why progressive gays, progressives in general, the mentally healthy, bunny rabbits, and yours truly hate Rush, is indicative of that you, Bobby, are one of the most delusional people currently drawing breath.
posted by Bobby on
All you have to do is check out the link at The Advocate and see the mean things people are saying about Elton John and Rush to see how hateful progressives are.
posted by Jimmy on
Aw….teh pwagwessives are so mean to Wushy.
posted by Bobby on
Here’s what Rush Limbaugh had to say about Elton John:
“You’ve heard that Elton John performed at the wedding. This is all true and I’ll tell you about that in just a second. You know, it is very instructive to find out that all of these supposed tolerant, loving, open-minded people on the left have given him such grief for performing at our wedding. He has really caught hell for this. He doesn’t care. We’ve been in contact with him, but he doesn’t care. It was amazing what he did. The performance that he put on for us, it was 75 minutes; it was specifically tailored to our circumstances. How we secured Elton John is an interesting story in and of itself which he told the assembled guests after his first song. He got a standing ovation when he came out. He got a standing ovation after every tune. He did an encore. He darted offstage after what we thought was his final song. Well, I knew he was coming back, he bounced right back, and the final song was Can You Feel the Love Tonight. He just had people enthralled. Very intimate, 420 people in a decorated ballroom to make it look like a lounge, people were on sofas, cocktail tables and chairs and so forth. ”
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/content/home/daily/site_061510/content/01125106.guest.html
Not THAT’S the different between the parasite progressives and freedom-loving Americans.
posted by jimmy on
You mean the freedom loving Americans like Haley Barbour, who would rather shill and engage in apologetics for BP, thereby upholding the principle of privatized profits/socialized losses, rather than speak up for the American people? We can do without those reprobates.
I don’t care that two entertainers wish to engage in a mutual frottage fest. People we endow with accountability, that’s different.
posted by North Dallas Thirty on
Good. Here’s two you can get rid of right now.
Now watch as Jimmy suddenly backpedals, spins, and decides that it’s OK to privatize profits and socialize losses when it directly benefits black and gay Obama Party Congresspersons.
One merely has to know the blind spots to make Obama Party gays like Jimmy look foolish. Jimmy can’t condemn Maxine Waters because that would make him a racist. Jimmy can’t condemn Barney Frank because that would make him a self-loathing homophobe.
posted by Jimmy on
I don’t live or vote in Frank’s or Waters’ respective districts. You still haven’t grasped how it all works, have you, PF?
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