January 20, 2007


Florida awaits answer to the Crist Cross quiz

THE revelation that the Republican successor to Job Bush as governor of Florida had been invited to judge a talent competition at the state's only nightclub permitted to feature fully naked male strippers was hidden away on page 7.

Whether he accepts or not poses an intriguing political dilemma for the new Governor, very early in his first term.

If he attends, he potentially upsets many of Florida's staunch right GOP supporters. If he doesn't, he could alienate the state's growing, and economically important, gay community.

Within months of going off the air, the writers of The West Wing would have had yet another fact-is-stranger-than-fiction storyline handed to them on a plate.

Finding another, more important, electorally acceptable way of spending Valentine's Day could be the governor's only way out - of the political mire, rather than the closet.

A Cupid stunt
AJ Cross, the general manager of Cupid's in West Palm Beach, e-mailed the invitation to the governor 10 days ago, according to Express Gay News, a weekly paper published in nearby Fort Lauderdale.

Cross has asked the Governor to be either a celebrity judge or guest speaker at the club's seventh 'Mr Cupid's' contest, the paper said.

The talent part of the contest includes singing, performing magic, reading poetry or lap dancing, added EGN, as well as appearing in evening wear and swimwear and answering questions.

Governor Crist faced rumours about his sexuality during last year's gubernatorial election, denying an opponent's allegation of being gay.

Cross has also issued a denial, telling EGN that the speculation wasn't why he issued the invitation.

'I believe (Crist) is a governor who understands the needs of the gay and lesbian communities,' he said.

'A good person'
EGN also quoted Cross as saying that Crist had maintained his focus and stayed true to issues that were dear to him during the campaign, and that he (Crist) had represented himself with 'dignity, humility and kindness'.

The story ends with Cross saying: 'I don't know if he's gay and I don't care. I don't have an interest in gossip and rumor. I just think he's a good person.'

The Governor has been busy in the state capital of Tallahassee all week, where the bicameral state legislature has been debating measures to try to limit rapidly increasing hurricane insurance costs.

Although he can string a sentence together, making an impression has been harder for Charlie Crist than for a president's brother and he has yet to make a more significant mark on the national or international stage.

However, with fewer than 10 days between the invitation going out and EGN going to press, Florida's voters and talent show entrants look set to have to wait a little longer to find out who does actually win the 'Crist-Cross' quiz.

If Crist can sidestep this one with acumen, and he has sufficiently adept staff around him to avoid the Floridian political alligators snapping at him from all sides, the strip club manager's well-intentioned gesture could see him come out of Valentine's night truly smelling of roses.

And with so many opportunities for word play, the story just has to be a gift to the world's journalists, surely?

Adam Christie

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