Well, it certainly looks like my friend, Leslie, had a GRAND TIME once again as the special guest of honor at the 19th Annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade this past weekend. He is now considered such a goddamned DEITY in that town, that he can hardly walk down the street without being lovingly accosted by every fabulous posse of passing queens.

But, of course, she FUCKING LOVES IT.

Man, can that bitch hold court.

Full of pride, enthusiasm
Parade and festival attract about 30,000 to city streets

Kakie Urch
The Desert Sun
November 7, 2005

PALM SPRINGS – It was steadily raining rainbows on Palm Canyon Drive for two hours on Sunday.

Rainbow tattoos. Rainbow Mardi Gras beads. Rainbow dog scarves.

Six men in bright-colored poodle skirts, one for each stripe of the rainbow.

About 30,000 proud people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, heterosexual and others filled the streets and sidewalks for the 19th annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade. The cheered on floats, politicians, celebrities, bands, Realtors, drag queens, retired clubs, rodeo clubs, square dance clubs and cheerleaders.

Tom Parent of Redding, who’s retired, says, “I come down every year to see friends and to go to cocktail parties.”

Parent, who has been out as gay for 32 years – more than half his life – said he liked the Palm Springs event because it is still “fun.”

“When I lived in San Francisco, I was ‘prided’ out,” Parent said, as his friends chuckled in agreement. Unlike the San Francisco parade, which feels like it can go as long as 7 hours, Parent said, the Palm Springs event is “mellow,” and not as “political.”

The Palm Springs parade, which featured 144 entries, attracted 25,000 to 30,000 spectators along its route, Greater Palm Springs Pride President Jack Schloeder estimated Sunday afternoon.

“Our numbers are up 20 percent across the board,” Schloeder said in a telephone interview. Organizers had to turn down two dozen entries for the parade and 30 vendors for the festival – spaces were completely full, Schloeder said.

Bob Poulsen, a 7-year Palm Springs resident, who is also retired, sat with Parent and a group of friends on Palm Canyon. He wore the kilt that he bought at Pride London – and a bright pink polo shirt.

Poulsen is a veteran of Pride events around the world – including England’s largest – the Brighton Pride parade that draws 150,000 a year to that British city, he said.

Not everyone there supported the parade. A handful of protesters stood with large signs in front of the Desert Fashion Plaza.

A man with a bullhorn issuing “wakeup calls” to gay people and holding a sign reading “God Abhors You” was drowned out by the LGBT 25-Year Band’s All-American brass section, marching briskly by as the parade’s first entry.

Police in charge of the event reported little trouble with protesters or other problems.

Celebrities ride along

Celebrities were out and about – and in the parade too. Actor Leslie Jordan, who plays Beverley Leslie on “Will and Grace” and Bernard Ferrion on “Boston Legal,” rode in a giant “Q” sedan chair provided by the Q Network. The 4’11” Jordan waved a feather boa, and was as patient as possible with his eight bearers, who were clad only in orange hot pants.

Rosemary Alexander, who played Dr. Eve in “Sordid Lives,” rode in a pickup truck with her husband, actor Newell Alexander, who is also in the film.

Rosemary Alexander said, “We came down for the parade because Palm Springs was so incredibly receptive and support of ‘Sordid Lives.’ It played for like five years down here.”

And William Gregory Lee, an actor who stars in “Dante’s Cove,” on the Here! gay television network on Time Warner cable, rode waving in a convertible.

Good for business, families

Business was good for the many merchants on Palm Canyon Drive who kept their doors open on Sunday for the parade.

Outdoor seating was full at restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops along the parade route.

“It’s the first time we’ve opened (for the parade),” said Tony Morris, owner of the Crosswalk Cafe. “It’s been tremendous. Above all expectation,” he said.

Phyllis Silver, the owner of Tony’s Pasta Mia, expected to open her restaurant at 4 p.m.

She said “This parade is much, much better” than previous versions. “People are bringing their kids. It’s more appropriate, not as outrageous.”

Tim Kendall, who came to Palm Springs from Atlanta to raise money and awareness of the Team Greater Palm Springs effort for the Gay Games 2006 next year in Chicago, wore a brightly colored Gianni Versace vest and a fundraising attitude.

Kendall is a soccer player and coach for Atlanta’s Gay Games team. He’s part of a group of volunteers helping with beverages at the festival and raising money for the local team’s trip to the Gay Games.

“The wilder the costume, the better the tips,” he said.