San Francisco Gay Pride Parade 2: Celebrities

"What was your favorite edition of the gay parade?" I asked one 67-year-old veteran.



"The first one in 1970, definitely. I lived downtown then, and the route went up O'Farrell Street. It was such a shock. Plus, George Maharis from 'Route 66' was the Grand Marshal that year which took a lot of courage."



For an entertaining paean to the openly out gay actor, click here for D. Stephen Heersink's "Gay Species" blog.



Besides touring musical stars marketing their show...



...there were plenty of politicians in convertibles...



...though I was sorry to miss Gavin Newsom being harassed by leftists protesting his public health budget cuts (click here for an account in Fog City Journal).



The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were on an unusually downbeat float...



...with a death bell tolling while they held up ironic tombstones.



They seemed to be making political points, but it was a bit too high concept.



They could have just held up signs with pictures of Michael and Farrah and it would have worked as well.