He’s impossible to pronounce, but possibly not that hard to vote for. Pete Buttigieg is the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and a Harvard grad, a war veteran, and a trained pianist, and he’s running for the Democratic nomination for President. Oh, and did I mention that he happens to be openly gay and married? (And refreshingly, he met his husband on Hinge, not on Unhinged, where Trump apparently met Melania.)

What’s more, Pete Buttigieg's extremely articulate and has emerged as one of our greatest hopes to bring down Trump next year. True, a fiery activist he’s not—and yes, there was that tricky moment where Buttigieg questioned the validity of a Chick-fil-A boycott (it's complicated). There have also been complaints about his views on Medicare, Israel, and education, though some of the complaints against him can provoke easy shutdowns. Like:

* “He doesn’t have enough political experience.” Can I remind you that Trump had none?

* "He’s too young.” Really? But didn’t you just say that Biden and Bernie were too old? Kindly alert me of the perfect age you think a president should be and also make sure to invite me to the wedding!

* “He’s not gay enough." Well, gay comes in all forms, and though I’d love a drag queen for president, that doesn’t happen to be who Buttigieg is. Meanwhile, if you want a drag queen for President, maybe you should vote for Giuliani.

* “He can’t win because he’s gay!” Wait, what happened to, “He’s not gay enough”? My head is spinning from this crap.

* “He’s religious.” So? That’s allowed, especially since Buttigieg is a non-discrimination-based Episcopalian. And he used religion brilliantly to say that if Mike Pence has a problem with who he is, he should take it up with their creator. My only concern is that Buttigieg seems to be pushing his religion too much into things. Let’s stick to science, and let’s remember separation of church and state, please.

* Karen Pence said that Buttigieg is using her husband for notoriety. No, Karen, that’s what you’re doing.

* “Buttigieg said that, as a teen, he wished he could have taken a pill to not be gay! He’s self loathing!” No, he isn’t. Many queers—including myself—experienced the same feelings in our youth, thanks to a sense of isolation and the massive homophobia out there, only to ultimately find happiness and pride in a more accepting community. And Buttigieg ended his story by saying he’s thrilled that there was no such pill. That’s actually a great message to kids—that they shouldn’t harm themselves or wish they were straight, because they will ultimately find success. Buttigieg is out, proud, and happy. So what’s the problem, idiots?

* “Buttigieg has no policies! But he says they will come in due time and meanwhile, he’s given his opinion on many major issues. But he has no policies!” STFU.

* Furthermore, Buttigieg casually speaks scads of foreign languages (and some sign language) and quotes James Joyce, not See Spot Run or Mein Kampf.

I asked a handful of drag and other fabulosities what they think about pesky Pete, and they lined up to mouth off.

Stephanie Stone: First of all, I feel weird calling a homosexual, Rhodes Scholar, Harvard graduate that speaks seven languages "Pete." Pretty sure he's a "Peter." The bar is set so low it is beneath ground. So, appearing more presidential and viable as a candidate at this point is pretty easy. Tara Reid is more viable than what we have currently, and she fights fake sharks so...The candidate I'm picking needs to prove to me they are a political monster that will not only fight to restore our democracy, civility, humanity and decency worldwide, but "cut a bitch" who tries to stop them. Period.

Lauren Ordair: I love him. I think he’s so cute. Adorable! Also down to earth. He’s almost like the Waltons, but gay. Did you write down where I said he’s hot?

Cacophany Daniels: While it’s way too early to get too attached to any one Democratic candidate, I’m extremely excited about Mayor Pete’s candidacy. I never thought that in my lifetime, an openly gay man might have a chance to become president. It means so much to me just that he’s out there running. I do worry about his physical safety. (The Republicans are the ones with the guns, and the real terrorists are white Evangelical men, so I always worry about sane Democrats’ safety). As a dad, and the dad of a gay pre-teen, it means even more. Whenever my son is called a "faggot" in school (Yes, it still happens in 2019, even in New York), I know there’s a part of his brain that thinks, "I may be a faggot, but a faggot is running for president, so I guess it can’t be all that bad!" On a less personal level, I think it’s really great how Mayor Pete is giving a voice to non-conservative Christians. There are lots of Christian people out there who support gay marriage, who want justice for people of color, who care about the poor, who believe a woman does have a right to make her own reproductive decisions. Those people haven’t had a loud voice in politics, because they actually follow the Bible and believe in humility.

Honey Davenport: It’s really amazing to see him officially announce his candidacy. I am inspired by his openness and pride in his faith and sexuality, and I absolutely love the way he has spoken truth to power. Politically, he’s a bit centrist for my taste and would love to see him move to the left on issues like health care. It’s rare you find a candidate you can agree with everything on, though, and I’d be incredibly proud to call him my president.

Dina Martina (drag comic): I like him! It’s high time we get a BLT in the White House. I always have trouble with his name, but then I just think "Booty Judge" and that makes everything okay. Plus, he’s real easy on the eye. (I currently have pink eye, but I’m pretty sure he’d be easy on the left eye, too).

Gloria Swansong: Mayor Pete interests me a lot—probably more than any candidate—because he’s so incredibly qualified, he’s amazingly eloquent, and he isn’t encumbered by a bad track record on social issues. His gayness almost seems like a side note to everything else, which is good, I think. Queer people shouldn’t be reduced to their queerness alone.

Marti Gould Cummings: It’s nice that we’re not focusing on him being gay, but on his policies. But it was fun to see his husband tweeting about Lady Gaga!

Miss Guy: Although I’m really, really, really ready for a woman to be president, I’d be just as happy to have an openly gay President. Pete Buttigieg seems smart and he’s young (and good looking), which would be a nice change after the moron we have now. I don’t know a lot about him, but I love that he has Butt in his last name.

Cherry Jubilee: It was the first time I’ve felt a real authenticity from a 2020 Democratic candidate. He didn’t just repeat the same rehearsed lines over and over again in every interview. Each one seemed unique and real. ... There is something so honest, thoughtful, and intelligent in the way he speaks. I got the same vibe I got from Obama. And I’ve never donated to a candidate before, but I felt compelled to with Pete!

Being the intrepid reporter that I am, I didn’t want to rest on the accolades, so I put a request out for nightlife stars who don’t automatically adore Buttigieg or are being cautious about this whole situation. Here’s what I got:

Chandilier: It’s very important to not just support him because he’s gay. It should be because his ideals match up with my ideals, not just because he’s gay.

Gusty Winds: Butt whatever-his-name-is is being treated like the gay Jesus. I know he’s the HRC’s wet dream. But I fear for those on the fringes. The "deviants" of the gay community, will they be pushed aside in favor of the "picket fence" gays? I need to know if he’s gonna be there for all of us or just the $100-a-plate gays.

Brent McGee (pianist at the Duplex): As a more feminine gay guy, I’m a little triggered by him. As a fit, butch, cookie-cutter white gay, he immediately inspires a kind of mistrust from me—not his fault and certainly it’s my own insecurity, but it’s real. Since I feel I’m an expert in white gay guys from small towns and their subtle closeted ways, his being gay isn’t necessarily enough to sway me from a woman candidate. Also, his whole rise of the religious left thing sounds terrifying. How about no religion? He’s such a smooth, eloquent speaker, I find myself thinking that if it turns out there are bodies in his basement, I’ll be the one saying, "I told you, I didn’t trust the guy."

Tabitha Ciccone (trans socialize): His ideas and proposed policies are as centrist as Hillary's were, and we saw where that got her. People are more concerned with identity politics than actual politics. Voting for him just because he's gay is ludicrous. He's against Medicare for all, against free college tuition, praised Israel's actions against Palestinians, and wants a year of national service for everyone at the age of 18. He has also stated that Chelsea Manning's sentence should not have been commuted. What a great way to show LGBTQ solidarity, huh?

Anonymous musical theater actor: He’s being immediately loved by a lot of people in our community, I believe because he’s gay, which I find incredibly ironic, because a lot of these queens wouldn’t look twice at him if he weren’t running for president. I’ve yet to hear any really exciting progressive ideas from him. He’s a vet and that may be appealing to a lot of people, but I actually don’t think it’s a good idea for a president to be a member of or a former member of the military. He’s kind of non-communicative about race issues and I haven’t heard him talk about the opioid crisis. Also, just on a personal level, I don’t see the star quality, and I grab a task that other people do when he talks. He seems like a wet noodle.”

A centrist wet noodle for president? Better than an overbaked Cheeto, I say. And finally, I asked drag performer Flotilla DeBarge if she has any thoughts on Pete, and here’s what she messaged back: “No!...I mean no. The exclamation point sounds a little harsh.”

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Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat

And now, on to the world of Tony voting, where everyone’s gay and left of center: The annual Easter Bonnet Competition—a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS—filled the Minskoff stage with dancers, headdresses, and good works the other afternoon. Among the highlights: The Cher Show’s Micaela Diamond said that the musical “makes everyone take note. Even Kanye.” “When he stops texting,” interjected co-star Jarrod Spector. Those two also remarked that, like Trump, Cher was born in 1946, “but Cher is half as old and a billion times prettier.”

Gideon Glick from To Kill a Mockingbird did a shtick where he crowed about the celebrities he’s met backstage. “Kathie Lee Gifford is a celebrity,” he said. “Frankie Grande is a celebrity. But the holy trinity are Hillary. Oprah. Gayle.” And he met them all!

And the folks from Network trotted out a recurring sketch where they auditioned people to replace crazed anchorman Howard Beale. Each one read maddening bits of news and faux news, then screamed “I’m mad as hell…” as their veins bulged. Lena Hall (Tony winner for Hedwig) fumed that to play the theater royalty roles in Fosse/Verdon, “They got Hollywood royalty! Watching it, I felt like a Native American looking at a diorama in the Museum of Natural History!!” And finally, Bryan Cranston (who plays Beale to great acclaim) started auditioning, then was told to stop; they’d seen enough. “But I can do this in my sleep,” he replied. “And I have.”

At the end of the event, the formidable quartet of Cranston, Glenda Jackson, Jeff Daniels, and Kelli O’Hara gave out honors for creativity and fundraising. The award for best presentation went to the cast of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, which had performed a glorious medley of other shows if they were done in Yiddish, from West Side Story to Legally Blonde. Which reminds me: If Pete Buttigieg knows Yiddish, too, it might really help.