Macy's Thanksgiving Parade to Celebrate Gay Marriage

Newsmax.com ^ | 11/26/03 | Carl Limbacher

[truthandlife]

A float in New York City's widely watched Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade will feature an open celebration of gay marriage, unless parade officials step in to block the performance.

Writing on the op-ed page of Wednesday's New York Times, Broadway star Harvey Fierstein announced that he'll be cross-dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus on a float dedicated to his hit Broadway show "Hairspray."

"According to legend, New York lore and two major Hollywood flicks, Macy's Santa is the real deal," Fierstein began, before dropping his bombshell news. "And tomorrow, to the delight of millions of little children [not to mention the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court], the Santa in New York's great parade will be half of a same-sex couple."

The actor continued:

"And guess who the other half will be? Me! Harvey Fierstein, nice Jewish boy from Bensonhurst, dressed in holiday finery portraying the one and only Mrs. Claus."

Early morning reaction to Fierstein's revelation was strongly negative, with even gay and lesbian callers to WABC Radio's Curtis & Kuby Show denouncing the stunt as inappropriate.

Co-host Curtis Sliwa predicted that either city or parade officials will step in to block the politicization of the traditional holiday event.

[dead]

If you can show me just once where I defended a pervert, I won't call you a liar.

But you can't and you are a liar. A liar who has an obsession with lips and men's asses.

[billl]

Update
Spent the last 45 minutes burning up the wires.
Contacted Federated Department Stores' Investor Relations in Ohio, paged people at the balloon inflation (got a call back), left about 10 messages politely telling them about the terrible hijacking of their custodianship of an American Icon. Suggested that just like the Macy's man who saw the drunken Santa Claus on the float before the parade started, they should shoo Mr. Fiersten off the float and put a real Mrs. Claus on.
Mentioned Federated's shareholder equity is a risk ... regardless of where you stand on the political issue he has inappropriately inserted into the parade.

Macy's PR is issuing a statement he misrepresented his involvement in the parade. He is appearing as his character in Hairspray in another float.

Said that's nice, but you know this has already cost you big time and you should fire him entirely to avoid any possibility it gets brought up by the commentators and in case he has some other stunt lined up. Also a law suit might give you a chance to recoup some of the money he has cost you.

Called NYT OpEd to ask where was their fact-checker and gave them the number of their PR department that was reading the statement.

To make it clearer, however you wish to express your opinion, here are some of those numbers ...

Macy's PR 212-494-5245 or 5450 or 4660 or 4624
Federated corp office 513-579-7000
NYTOped 212-556-4985 or 3652

[BriarBey]

Let them know how you feel: http://www.macys.com/service/contact/index.ognc?bhcp=1


I let them know how I feel....NOT HAPPY!!

[bvw]

Sure you defend a pervert. Like a Gregargos, too. Spin up another issue and waste no time smearing any messenger againt your interest.

It's MACY's parade. It's their repsonsibility to stop this public celebration of perversion in a family venue.

Got up on the wrong side of the bed, this AM? Hungover? What IS your problem?

[dead]

I knew you couldn't find any quote where I defended a pervert.

And it is proven - you are, in fact, a liar.

Have a nice day.

[Mercat]

Sadly, whatever happens now, this is what the commentary tomorrow will probably focus on.

[bvw]

There's a lie to yourself in those last two lines. A lie to say "have a nice day", after defaming. Is that the state of the dead, today? Take a break, man.

There's no sense in creating a break between us, as old denizens of this liar.

[bvw]

"lair", that is.

[bvw]

And what the eight year olds and twelve year olds gone to see the parade will be reading about in the papers' reports the next day, and wathcing on the high-lights.

Macy's needs to have the strongest response to this crap.

[GSWarrior]

"I just want to be Mrs. Claus. Is that so wrong?"

[dead]

All I suggested was that we give Macy's a chance to respond to Harvey's ridiculous column that was only printed this morning!

Next thing I know, you're telling me to kiss the CEO of Macy's fat naked ass.

That preturbed me a bit, but I really don't care.

Harvey's a fat queen loudmouth scumbag, but I'll wait to see the response Macy's has before I start attacking them. They are innocent in this, so far.

[bvw]

That's fine. Not everyhing that a person becomes responsible for is directly -- or even indirectly -- by his doing. I'm not holding Macy's to blame, if they respond forcefully.

[Petronski]

Dear Mr. Petr------,
Please accept our most sincere apologies for any confusion caused by Mr. Fierstein's comments. 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. Its mission is to spread joy as well as to kick off the holiday season. In today’s New York Times Mr. Harvey Fierstein mistakenly communicated his role in the 77th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade as Mrs. Claus. This is untrue. Mr. Fierstein will be appearing in the Parade but as his beloved character Mrs. Edna Turnblad of the Broadway hit musical Hairspray.

We greatly appreciate the choice you made to shop at Macy's and regret that the comments made by Mr. Fierstein have caused such concern. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond and clarify our position.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Sue McMahon
VP Customer and Store Services
Macy's East

[Northern Yankee]

Semper Fi, my friend!

Thank you for your service to our Country.

A hearty salute to you.

In regards to the Gay Marriage float. WE almost expect that knd of nonsense.

What next?... A float with Michael Jackson in bed with his "Children"?

[hapc]

Not a dime spent at Macy's anymore..

[longtermmemmory]

If the public boos, will the network edit it out?

Does anyone have rush 24/7 so we could let him know about this while he is on the air? He is on the trangender/male/female humor kick.

[GSWarrior]

Harvey Fierstein dressing up as Mrs. Claus is just sacriligious.

[longtermmemmory]

This is sad. This makes a traditional macey parade NOT for children.

Sickos are after our children.

[ladtx]

Semper Fi, my friend!

Thank you for your service to our Country.

A hearty salute to you.

Thanks for you service also. My oldest is in the Air Force and is making it a career. He was dropping bombs on Baghdad while his younger brother was (and still is) on the ground.

[RichInOC]

...hmmm...I thought Harvey was appearing as one of the balloons.

Never mind.