Jamie Crick------Neil Sexton
I've been listening to the London-based gay internet radio station, Gaydar Radio, all day long, during this terrible day for London.
I can't imagine that Gaydar Radio has much of a huge operation, but I'm very impressed by the steady, professional reporting being done by their two on-air personalities, Jamie Crick and Neil Sexton.
Crick and Sexton have been delivering somber, measured and reassuring reports of the situation as the story unfolds. They've provided continuous updates regarding contacting loved ones, contacting the police with tips or clues, and the ongoing problems with cellphone networks.
And in between BBC news flashes and advice about the transportation situation, they have also solicited suggestions for appropriate music selections. The songs have been slow, quiet ballads, which have been slowly growing in tempo through the day, as the announcers began to ask for suggestions of "songs of defiance".
A moment ago, "The Show Must Go On", by Queen.
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on, the show must go on
Inside my heart is breaking, my make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on.
Following that, Sister Sledge's "We Are Family", then, perhaps inevitably, Michael Jackson's "Heal The World."
For reasons I can't quite explain, I'm quietly amused and pleased that the announcers managed to work in the news that the West End theatres and Compton Street gay bars will be closed this evening, both out of respect to the crisis and due to the simple fact that transportation to central London will be unavailable.
Congratulations to the Crick/Sexton team and the Gaydar Radio staff for providing a highly polished, yet uniquely gay take on yet another abomination at the hands of this unending conflict.
You can listen to Gaydar Radio online, for free, by clicking here.
EDIT: It appears that the station has resumed its regular diva-heavy programming, for the moment.