Theater of Protest

Come for the homophobia, stay for the show: After a Fort Lauderdale theater announced their production of the gay-themed play The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told earlier this month, word spread that performances would be picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church—the organization well-known for protesting military funerals because America supposedly supports homosexuals. However, when gay-friendly organizations arrived at the theater to counter-protest, the Church was nowhere to be found. The South Florida Blade reports that someone from the theater started the rumor to drum up publicity for the new show. Artistic director David Goldyn, who denies involvement in the protest, told the paper, “You can’t buy this kind of publicity.” This might be the first time the Westboro Church was not to blame.