Posted 9:11 AM by Gene

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:

Mr. Mordden, 58, has written eight novels of modern gay life, including the popular “Buddies” series....

This is one reason -- not an unimportant one -- why the musical's dead. It's a gay thing. Oh yes, there've been gays in theater so long as there's been theater, but millions did not go to buy the cast album of My Fair Lady because it was a gay thing. But it became a gay thing because as the musical died there was nothing else left save for $500 seats. Now we're not being (to use The Lord God PINCH's favorite word) HOMOPHOBIC, but the fact theater's gay is a limiting trait to those who might otherwise want to see it -- not because they HATE GAYS (as The Lord God PINCH imagines in the depth of His RIGHTEOUS ANGER, thinking the whole rest of the world outside Noo Yawk unrelievedly CHRISTIAN), but because they figure it's a seal of approval, a cultural sterilizer, and anything that's so much about one thing is as likely to reflect an ossified attitude as speeches in the Politburo.

Of course there are other reasons the musical died, not the least of which is the talent isn't there anymore -- a notion we suspect Mr. Mordden may not entirely agree with -- and his list perhaps reflects a certain sterility too, but we can afford that when we're talking about a tourist trap, and historic artifacts. Only we wish they weren't our CULTURE.