Dear Dan: Apologies From an Imperfect World - Softcover

Woog, Dan

9781555835538: Dear Dan: Apologies From an Imperfect World

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1555835538 ISBN 13: 9781555835538

Publisher: Alyson Books, 2000

What if Fred Phelps wrote a letter to gay men and lesbians apologizing for his odious existence? ("I apologize for having authored a pamphlet titled 'Mother Teresa in Hell.' ") Or if George W. Bush gave a speech explaining his compassionate conservatism to an audience of homosexuals? ("Against my better judgment I partied like a rich, white frat boy so I could empathize with gay men.") This collection of imaginary letters, speeches, and interviews from the perpetrators of the most offensive, homophobic, or just plain stupid rhetoric of all time is a dream not quite come true!

Dan Woogis the author of Friends & Family, Jocks and Schools Out. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and The Advocate. He lives and works in Westport, Conn.

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Review:

Sort of along the speculative lines of that Separated at Birth? photo book (now out of print) that lampooned the strange likenesses of unlikely celebrity pairs, this is a collection of mock gay-related recant letters by everyone from Rep. Dick Armey (for calling Barney Frank "Barney Fag"), the Boy Scouts (for banning gay troop leaders and members) and ballplayer John Rocker (for maligning virtually every minority group in New York City in one quote), to the drag queens who started the Stonewall riots (for spawning such embarrassments of gay lib as The Village People and Log Cabin Republicans), Ellen DeGeneres (for making her TV show "too gay"), and Tinky Winky of the Teletubbies (for appearing "too gay" to Rev. Jerry Falwell). Dan Woog (author of such other gay-themed books as Friends & Family and School's Out) seems to be aiming for the kind of sassy yet politically loaded satire of fellow gay funny-guys David Sedaris and Paul Rudnick, but his pitch isn't near as sharp, and some of the mea culpas that aim to be serious and poignant (like from a grown-up straight man to the gay boyhood friend he bullied, or from the noxious "Reverend" Fred Phelps of "God Hates Fags" renown) are just downright cheesy and read like wish fulfillments penned by a gay utopian preaching to the converted. The fake Time magazine expose revealing shocking evidence that not just a few but every U.S. president has been gay, however, is a riot, and worth the price of the book. To wit, George Washington: "While crossing Delaware River in rowboat, stood up to strike pose." --Timothy Murphy

About the Author:

Dan Woog's three previous books have examined gay and lesbian issues in American education, among gay athletes and coaches, and among straight allies to lesbians and gay men. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and The Advocate. He lives and works in Westport, Conn.

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