It was announced today that Celeb!/ the news and media magazine, has done an exclusive deal (in excess of $1.5 million) for sole publishing rights on the ‘marriage’ of controversial American bishop Gene Robinson to his long time partner, Mark Andrews.
The nuptials will take place in June at a secret luxury rendezvous in /\lew Hampshire. (‘I always wanted to be a June bride/ says the media-conscious bishop. And we timed it just right for the Lambeth Conference/)
Celeb will be footing the bill for an extravaganza which will bring together friends, well-wishers and stars of stage and screen. The ceremony itself will be performed by Sir Ian McKellen, costumed in his famous role as Gandalf the White from the film Lord of the Rings. The happy couple will wear matching outfits designed not long before his tragic death by gay icon Gianni Versace. The bridesmaids (in leather shorts and full body harness) will be the Revd Susan Russell of the US gay rights group Integrity and from UK’s Changing Attitude the Revd Colin Coward.
Music will be provided by Sir Elton John, whose ‘Candle in the Wind’ is expectecB to repeat the success of his gig in Westminster Abbey for the funeral of Princess Diana. In what promises to be a moving moment, George Michael (a particular favourite and old friend of /V\ark Andrews) will sing the torch song from La Cage aux Folles ‘I Am What I Am’. The ceremony will end with a vignette appearance of the Presiding Bishop, Katharine J efferts Schori, leading the whole congregation in what has been called the Battle Hymn of The Episcopal Church, ‘I Did It My Way’.
The forty-five minute service will be followed by a wedding breakfast at which television presenter and international camp-follower Graham /slortcm will read traditional accounts of the abuse of gay people by the bishops of the Anglican Church of Nigeria.
‘We are so happy,’ Robinson told the Church Times ‘that, through the very generous cooperation of Celeb our special day will be shared with so many’