The Gayly Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 1, 2003 Page: 1 of 24
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Statewide GLBT News Source since 1983
. . • ■
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OKLAHOMA CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14th
BANNER PROGRAM DISCUSION
OKLAHOMA CITY - Un-Holy Night, a turnabout show benefiting the Winds
House, at Angles raised $1,101 for the organization. Pictured are a few
of the shows performers. Regan Bryce, Julienne Fryyes, Mary Christmas,
Victorola & Annie. This was a very special evening for Mary Christmas
(played by Angles manager Tom Shaller). It took 20 years, but Tom over
came severe stage fright and agreed to be in the show. “I really
understand what these people go through to put on this show,” Tom
said “I wanted to do this to say thank you to all the people that have
worked so hard over the year* doing this benefit for such a qreat cause.”
TULSA- Rene Leone, 1st runner-up, and Kandy Cain, winner of the Miss
Midwestern Plains US of A pageant held at the Silver Star.
PNI Participates in Holiday Parades
The Pride Network’s entry, “Peace Train”. Costumes were provided courtesy
of Jeffery at DisGuy’s in Oklahoma City.
By Paula Sophia
OKLAHOMA CITY - Edward
Kromer of the Oklahoma Pride
Network is excited. He and the
Pride Network recently partici-
pated for the first time ever in the
Christmas parades in Norman
and Oklahoma City. The Pride
Network entered a float in both
parades and actually won honor-
able mention in the Norman pa-
rade.
"We decided to start getting
involved in mainstream commu-
nity events to show people that
we are not these radical activists
trying to push our sexuality in
people's faces," Mr. Kromer said.
He went on to explain that the
float did not have anything overt-
ly gay about it. "Of course we flew
the rainbow colors," Mr. Kromer
said. "But we were more about the
theme than about being gay."
The Pride Network construct-
ed the float based on the theme
"Peace through Pride" and select-
ed the motif of a "Peace Train"
based upon Dolly Parton's ver-
sion of the song Peace Train. Iron-
ically, the song was written by Cat
Stevens who became a Muslim in
the 1970's, which speaks volumes
about the need for the acceptance
of diversity and understanding of
differences in today's society.
The Pride Network first de-
cided to enter a float in the Nor-
man Christmas parade at the en-
couragement of Jeanne Flanigan,
a Pride Network member and a
local merchant in Norman. They
were able to assemble the float
and make the entry deadline.
"There were about 8000 people
who attended the event on down-
town Main Street in Norman, and
there were about 450 people in the
parade." The Pride Network
handed out candy and glow sticks
while moving along the parade
route. "It was so positive. There
were no negative reactions to hav-
ing a gay float in the parade."
Reeling from their success in
the Norman parade, the Pride
Network also entered their float
in the Oklahoma City Christmas
parade. "We were somewhat
afraid because it is the mayor's
parade," Kromer admitted. He
explained that the application
process went well. At the last
meeting before the parade one of
the officials asked what the Pride
Network represented. Upon be-
ing informed, the unidentified
official frowned and went pale.
"But they couldn't exclude us
unless we violated the rules of the
parade."
On parade day everything
went well according to Kromer.
"It was a repeat of Norman. No
body gave us any trouble, and
again, we were not being overtly
gay. We were citizens denoting
our civic pride and participating
in the holiday festivities."
The Pride Network will be
using the "Peace Train" float in
upcoming events including the
Martin Luther King parade on
January 20, 2003. It will be avail-
able for Norman's Mardi Gras
(continued on page 4)
Grandson of Legendary
Designers To Visit Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY -
Eames Dcmetrios will be in
Oklahoma City on Friday, Jan-
uary 17, to speak on his life and
work as an author and film-
maker, and as principal of the
Eames Office, a family busi-
ness dedicated to communicat-
ing, preserving, and extending
the work of Mr. Demetrios'
grandparents, legendary de-
signers Charles and Ray
Eames. According to local de-
signer Keith Reding of Keith
Reding Designs, "Charles and
Ray Eames were two of the
20th century's most revered in-
dustrial designers. Their inno-
vative modern style furnish-
ings are destined to remain
classics for years to come. They
are best known for their furniture,
but made important contributions
in many fields. Their evolution
from furniture designers to cul-
tural ambassadors demonstrated
their boundless talents."
What impressed me most
was the Eames philosophy that
modern industry had a responsi-
bility 'to get the most of the best
to the greatest number of people
for the least.' They advocated
mass production as a means of
providing high-quality, affordable
products to the general public.
These are unusual goals when
you consider how often design
professionals limit their talents to
serving only the elite," says
Reding. "Even if vou've never
heard of Charles and Ray
Eames, you've probably seen
their work — the molded ply-
wood and fiberglass chairs that
have populated waiting rooms
for the last half-century "
An example of the work of
Eames' grandparents, Charle=
and Ray Eames, can be seen
weekly on the TV sitcom, Frasi-
er as noted by Keith Reding. "If
you are a fan of the TV sitcom,
Frazier, you will be familiar
with the Eames sleek black
leather and molded wood
chair and ottoman that is the
show's sophisticated counter-
point to Dad's tacky duct-
taped recliner. The chair is near
the glass doors to the balcony.
This chair is my personal favorite
and was the first design for the
luxury end of the market by
Charles and Ray Eames. Designed
in 1956, it retailed for $634 in 1957.
The Lounge chair is unashamed-
(continued on page 10)
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Hawkins, Don. The Gayly Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 1, 2003, newspaper, January 1, 2003; Oklahoma City, Okla.. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc825019/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.