If there was criticism about [Oscar Wilde], it was because it was written by a straight man who wasn't very educated about the gay world.

I don't like the vulgarity of Oscars weekend, but it's also sweet. It's prom weekend for anyone who didn't experience the real prom: the nerds, gay, arty outsiders. Hollywood is high school with money.

Calvin [Trillin] has never done anything majorly objectionable.

In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy narratives of God and the Devil. I now believe in this greater overarching spiritual thing. We are the light and the dark, and have to own the darkness. It's part of us. It's not evil. It's needed. You need to own both of them to be whole. Absorb it, and live it as part of your life.

I believe we really became friends [with Larry Kramer] when we bonded at our fifteenth class reunion in 1972.

[Larry Kramer] said, when it was all about to fall through, "You betrayed me, Calvin." And I said, "I resent that. I was against you from the beginning."

It's always been hard to be gay in Washington.