and you thought all Mrs. Claus did was bake cookies and iron that red outfit?

November 26, 2003 3:22 PM

Mr. and Mr. Claus -- Harvey Fierstein, fabulous star of Hairspray and three-time Tony winner, is planning an homage to that happy couple--the Clauses--in tomorrow's Thanksgiving Parade. His NYT op-ed (reg.reqd) today says it all: 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.
posted by amberglow (34 comments total)

Brilliant! Thanks, amberglow - I'll be watching from afar. Are you going to be in the crowd?
posted by stonerose at 4:13 PM on November 26, 2003

nah, I'll be watching it on tv--I've done it in the past alot, but it's really too early in the am, and every year they get stricter and stricter, security-wise. But, I am going out later to watch the blowing up uptown--which is a more fun adult tradition my friends and i have been doing for a while. : >
posted by amberglow at 4:23 PM on November 26, 2003

here's a cheesy link about it.
posted by amberglow at 4:28 PM on November 26, 2003

I think co-opting an important children's icon to promote one's sexual orientation is, you know, just a little inappropriate.
posted by five fresh fish at 4:39 PM on November 26, 2003

1. Parents shouldn't be lying to their children and telling them this crazy old man is jumping down chimneys. Frankly, the whole thing would scare the shit out of me. After all, isn't that breaking and entering?

2. It's not to promote a "sexual orientation", but rather to promote tolerance and acceptance. Does anyone complain when there is a black Santa?

3. It's really not that important of a children's icon, and more and more children these days accept it as a story of fancy, and not of fact.
posted by benjh at 4:43 PM on November 26, 2003

Related to the Macy's Balloon Inflation:
When I used to live in one of the smaller SoCal cities that had their own float in the Rose Parade, I used to volunteer to paste flowers on it a day or two before the march. More fun than watching the parade pass by (half the floats in the parade were being prepped in the same building), and the other volunteers were great people to spend holiday-adjacent time with. And that eighteen layers of glue on the fingers that won't wash off become really helpful after the seventh Happy New Year toast...

As for the "Mrs. Claus" controversy... I think Harvey's gonna get burnt by this. I really don't wanna see it happen that way, but this is a "polarizing issue", and I don't mean the North Pole.
posted by wendell at 4:50 PM on November 26, 2003

I think it's cool. That is all.
posted by The God Complex at 4:59 PM on November 26, 2003

We r qweer. All ur parades r belong 2 us.
posted by stonerose at 5:12 PM on November 26, 2003

Sigh. I knew I was stepping on a landmine. Now allow me to leap up and down on it:

Let's have a gay Jesus celebration, too! Where, you know, we can get rid of that horrid Mary Magdelene whore and replace her with some nubile young man. We can create dioramas showing what took place after The Last Supper -- I'm not sure whether it should be The Last Gangbang, involving all the disciples, or just Christ and his boyfriend -- and I think we can swing a bit of a rewrite of John 19 and maybe get a little fetish-play out of that gash in his side when he's cut down from the cross.

Because, you know, there's never an inappropriate line to cross.

Anyway, for me, I dislike seeing Santa used to promote a political agenda. There are so many other ways to promote tolerance and equality: why choose the ones that aren't the result of stupid laws or business practices?

Apologies to the Christians who've just read that nasty idea, above. I do not, in any way, ever want such a thing to occur. I am appalled that I even conceived such a grotesque exaggeration.
posted by five fresh fish at 5:12 PM on November 26, 2003

I'd be fine with gay jesus, just as I'd be fine with black jesus.
posted by The God Complex at 5:15 PM on November 26, 2003

or bling bling jesus.
posted by The God Complex at 5:15 PM on November 26, 2003

a disabled jesus in a wheelchair would be cool too. all possible variations would be, actually.

and five fresh fish has obviously not heard about bert and ernie--another pair of beloved and important children's icons. ; >
posted by amberglow at 5:23 PM on November 26, 2003

real jesus would *so* be about a parade featuring gay jesus and the hiv+ 'lepers.' if anything, fff, harvey is being a little bit meek, apolitical and banal-playful.
posted by stonerose at 5:26 PM on November 26, 2003

Uhh...let's see: a Catholic saint moves to one of the geomagnetic poles, where he gets married and becomes a jolly old elf who endorses consumer products. He is nearly found to be delusional by the City of New York's judicial system, and later gains acclaim for repelling extraterrestial miscreants.

Oh, yeah - in addition to his duties as the patron diety of sailors, our hero still has time to partol the shores. Sometimes, the U.S. Central Air Command helps him out, as do the nice overnight express delivery people. And even a cute little doggie.

And people laugh in me because I like Doctor Who...
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:27 PM on November 26, 2003

Because of increased security, police have banned backpacks and knapsacks from the parade route.

This is a sad, depressing statement of the times we live in and the ridiculous reactions of authorities to perceived risks.
posted by dg at 5:37 PM on November 26, 2003

or maybe pagan jesus?
posted by kickingtheground at 5:43 PM on November 26, 2003

Where, you know, we can get rid of that horrid Mary Magdelene whore and replace her with some nubile young man.

Why not? Mary-Magdelene-as-whore appears to have been a political invention as well.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 6:15 PM on November 26, 2003

I just saw Harvey perform in Hairspray. He was fantastic, the true star of the show, somehow both channeling Divine and bringing his own warmth and fun to the character. He's the star of the hottest show on Broadway right now - why would he not make a great Mrs. Claus?
posted by Nelson at 6:24 PM on November 26, 2003

Thanks, amberglow. This is very good. L'chaim, Harvey, er, Mrs. Claus!
posted by moonbird at 8:31 PM on November 26, 2003

I'm going to take it all back now. I'm feeling better, having eaten (first time, really, in three days.)

I think a campy Mrs. Claus, especially if he's hooked with a campy Mr. Claus, will be just fine. Especially in New York.

Beware the flu.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:39 PM on November 26, 2003

I knew you'd come around.
posted by The God Complex at 11:09 PM on November 26, 2003

You shake that booty of yours, TGC, and I can't help but come around.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:32 PM on November 26, 2003

Hmm. Throw some synth beats on that line and you might have yourself a club anthem.
posted by The God Complex at 11:59 PM on November 26, 2003

In the morning, Macy's officials quickly issued their first statement: "The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is the icon of the Thanksgiving Holiday. It has delighted and entertained families throughout the world for 76 years. The parade has never and will never be a platform for political and social issues and opinions." The statement emphasized that Mr. Fierstein would be dressed not as Mrs. Claus but as "his beloved character Mrs. Edna Turnblad of the Broadway hit musical `Hairspray.' "

Macy's Informs 'Mrs. Claus': It's a Parade; It's Not a Pulpit
posted by xowie at 6:31 AM on November 27, 2003

well, harvey's still going as mrs. claus--He added that the notion of the identity of Mrs. Claus would be further complicated because, just as in "Hairspray," those viewing Mr. Fierstein's costume would be expected to suspend their disbelief and see only Mrs. Turnblad dressed as Mrs. Claus, not Mr. Fierstein dressed as Mrs. Turnblad dressed as Mrs. Claus.

How dare anything detract from the immense publicity for Macy's and product placement for all the corporately-owned characters floating overhead and depicted on floats all during the parade. It's not just a parade--it's a marketing bonanza, and Macy's should be ashamed.
posted by amberglow at 7:42 AM on November 27, 2003

The parade has never and will never be a platform for political and social issues and opinions.
hmmm (from 2001)
posted by amberglow at 7:56 AM on November 27, 2003

My favourite bit from the NYT article:

The names of the other floats in the parade make clear that the celebration is thoroughly devoid of political and social advocacy. These include Amica Insurance's American Classic Malt Shop Float, Hershey Foods' Kids Candy Creation Lab, Amerada Hess's Bridge to the Future, ... and Macy's Percy & the P-Birds.

No politics or social commentary, but plenty of advocacy for Corporate America! Which, of course, is politically and socially neutral.

Bah. Happy Thanksgiving!
posted by Nelson at 8:57 AM on November 27, 2003

was i in the bathroom when Harvey came on tv or did they not show him?
posted by amberglow at 9:06 AM on November 27, 2003

Photos of Mrs. Claus here and here.


posted by Nelson at 10:45 AM on November 27, 2003

yay! thanks nelson--and have a great thanksgiving all!
posted by amberglow at 10:59 AM on November 27, 2003

Hey! I just saw Harvey on the news, looking just like above. That's hella good-looking Mrs. Santa. Good on Harv.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:59 PM on December 6, 2003

where ff? how come now, a week and a half after?
posted by amberglow at 11:04 PM on December 6, 2003

It was on BCTV news. It was a clip in an overall segment on the shoddy treatment of Santa in some awful new movie. I wasn't listening to the newscast, so I'm not sure if the news reporter knew that Ms. Claus wasn't a she. Harvey did look pretty damn good.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:02 PM on December 7, 2003

ahh...must have been the Bad Santa movie : >
posted by amberglow at 12:17 PM on December 7, 2003