Earlier today, with little ceremony, pomp or circumstance, the California Supreme Court denied a request for a "stay" of its ruling lifting the "ban" on gay marriage.In a 4-3 ruling, the Justices stood by their controversial decision legalizing same-sex marriage in California and in the process a hurdle was straddled for gay couples to start tying the knot this month.
In fact, I just received word from a fellow "blogger" that on the heels of the news Jay Leno agreed to act as a Master of Ceremonies to preside over 250 Gay Weddings slated for June 17th, 2008.
Or am I being punked by you-know-who?
However, news reports are filtering in this afternoon that Jay definitely intends to make an appearance tomorrow night at "The Abbey" - one of West Hollywood's trendiest "it" bars - for a gay marriage celebration alongside Grey's Anatomy star T.R. Knight. (happy - um - gay).
There has been some speculation that it is Leno's good-guy gay attempt to make ammends to the LGBT community for what they deemed inappropriate behavior on the Tonight Show a short while ago.
The popular night-time talk show host cum-car-enthusiast sparked outrage among gay rights groups when he asked actor Ryan Phillippe to give him his "gayest look" during an interview.
Ouch!
Let's move on...
If you recall from a post a couple of days ago, this blog reported that Conservative religious groups previously asked the California Supreme Court to "stay" its order allowing state and local officials to start issuing wedding licenses mid-June until the issue could be voted on in a fall election.
In fact, the bold-faced efforts of those anti-gay-marriage "task forces" proved to be successful in recent days. Shortly after the initial ruling was handed down - in a wink - organizers snapped up enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 4 ballot.
If the initiative passes muster in the fall it would overrule the court's decision by amending the state constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman.
In spite of the fact an attorney strenuously argued that failure to grant the "stay" would result in great chaos across the nation, the Justices stuck by their gavels.
In fact - the four justices who rendered the decision today - were part 'n parcel of a majority opinion that found withholding marriage from same-sex couples constituted discrimination in the initial ruling.
In spite of the fact the hold-out dissenters on the bench thought a hearing on whether the stay should be granted was warranted, their pleas fell on deaf ears in the final hours.
As is usually the case in such high-profile court rulings, the majority did not elaborate on its reasons for denying the stay.
The one-page order saying its original ruling on marriage will stand and be final at 5 p.m. on June 16th will obviously become a treasured historical document for many.
Hillary and Obama not only public figures under glass...
