Will Bill Clinton's nemesis be taking on California marriage equality advocates next year in California's Supreme Court battle over Proposition 8?

Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian non-profit, was overheard last week in D.C. saying, "We've all but confirmed that Ken Starr is going to take the case."

The former Independent Counsel is something of a fame whore, like a modern-day Clarence Darrow in reverse, defending a public school's right to ban free speech or writing amicus briefs for the Mormon Church that were used in previous California gay marriage litigation.

His response to being asked whether he would lead the Prop 8 defense? "No comment", but Mother Jones' legal affairs and domestic policy expert, Stephanie Mencimer confirms that no Alliance Defense Fund lawyers plan on arguing the case and that she takes "all this to mean that Starr is likely to take the case."

And she didn't even need the cover of People to do it.

Having never (so?) publicly discussed her sexual orientation — but having made light of it on stage and on The New Adventures of Old Christine, where her character remains married to Julia Louis-Dreyfus — comedian Wanda Sykes surprised Las Vegas Prop 8 protesters by announcing she is gay and married her wife on Oct. 25. Why speak up now? Because of Prop 8's passage. "I felt like I was being attacked, personally attacked — our community was attacked. … Now, I gotta get in their face. … I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay. … Instead of having gay marriage in California — no — we're going to get it across the country."

At 4:25, listen to an interview with Wanda about coming out. (She says she's talked about being gay on stage before; this we didn't know.) She also disagrees with the exit polling saying 70 percent of blacks voted for Prop 8. [Photo and audio via The Strip Podcast]

Update: Additional video below.

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Were Sunday's religious sermons, just two days before a Tuesday Election Day, responsible for the conservative push behind Proposition 8? With Joy Behar guesting Larry King Live, guest Cynthia Nixon theorizes as much, while also delving into her own personal dilemma: Her girlfriend Christine Marinoni, who Cynthia wants to marry, has no legal rights to their children.

Say what you will about Ashton Kutcher — What Happens In Vegas, Guess Who, and the list goes on — but it's nice to see the guy's on the side of gay folk, and willing to drill down the entire notion of Proposition 8 so succinctly: That in a country founded on the separation of church and state, we refuse to separate church and state. (Oh, and the religious guy in the beginning is hell-a interesting too.)

Photo: Jonathan Alcorn

In what more than one protester has described as "the second Stonewall", Californians across the state have taken to the streets in spontaneous demonstrations to protest the passage of Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling in May that allowed it. Here's a brief rundown of the past five days:

Day One (Nov. 5th):

While the rest of the world celebrated the election of Barack Obama, opponents of Proposition 8 gathered in gay enclaves like West Hollywood and San Francisco to hold impromptu rallies. In Los Angeles, a group of approximately 1,500 people, mostly younger, left the rally while it was still ongoing and marched up to Sunset Boulevard, forcing street closures. Police managed to divide the group, keeping 2/3 within West Hollywood.

The remaining group marched to the CNN building in Hollywood and then up to Hollywood & Highland, L.A.'s version of Times Square, where police barricading the group from entering the intersection. A tense standoff ensued, with some protesters breaking through the police lines and two being beaten by the police with billy clubs.

In all, four separate groups, about 3,000 people total, marched throughout Hollywood, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood throughout the night, with protesters holding a sit down protest at Sunset and La Cienega til 2:30am. Seven people were arrested.

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Gay Grey's Anatomy actor TR Knight threw his heart and soul into this year's election, so you can be sure he's feeling pretty blue about all the anti-gay electoral action, like the fact that Proposition 8 passed:

As I write this, I just read the concession from No on Prop. 8. I find it difficult to put the sadness I feel into words.

I know that gay people will one day gain all the rights due us as American citizens. I know that the people who stand in our way today will be the people the majority will later mock as foolish and bigoted. I was speaking to an African-American friend tonight. She told me, “It takes so long. But people will come around. You have to continue to fight. It just takes a very long time.”

I hope I can muster the patience and keep my anger focused so I can continue to fight. Fight clean. Fight with just the truth. And never let myself spew the kind of hate I encountered on that Tuesday in November as we peacefully fought for our civil rights.

George Takei, who played Sulu on Star Trek, also vowed to keep on fighting: "There are going to be heartbreaks, setbacks and sacrifices to be made. But we will soldier on." Indeed we will. And what a fabulous army we make!

Californian queers are still burning up over this week's passage of Proposition 8, which overturned gay marriage in the Golden State.

In addition to Wednesday's protests, die-hard activists are now turning their attention on the Church of Latter-day Saints, which played a pivotal role in rallying their troops behind the discriminatory ballot measure.

Crowds of gays gathered yesterday outside a Mormon temple in Westwood, California, where they brandished signs decrying the group's anti-gay lobbying. Then, as the sun went down, about 3,000 people flooded into the street and tangling traffic. Though the action was mostly peaceful, there were three arrests, according to the Associated Press.

In addition to these protests - and three lawsuits - gay marriage activists are also hoping to hit the Mormon church where it hurts: they've launched a petition to strip the group of their tax-exempt status. That status stipulates that religious groups not use their organization and power for political purposes.

To restore the right stolen from us, we must correct the amendment to California's constitution. To do this requires another statewide proposition. Yet how will we avoid another election season of deception, when the Mormon Church can pour limitless, tax-free money into advancing their platform?
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In this country, you can be a church. You can be a political action committee. You cannot be both. The Mormon Church stands in direct defiance of the spirit of our laws by actively campaigning to change California law.

You can be sure California hasn't heard the last of these cries - in fact, there are scores of protests planned for this weekend. We gays are tenacious - as we should be!

Thanks to reader Marco for these pictures!

Understandably upset over her fellow Californian's decision to prohibit gay marriage, aurally-inclined lesbian Melissa Etheridge has vowed to withhold the buckets of money the state would have reaped from her taxes. Writes Etheridge at the Daily Beast:

Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now.
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Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.

Okay, cool I don't mean to get too personal here but there is a lot I can do with the extra half a million dollars that I will be keeping instead of handing it over to the state of California. Oh, and I am sure Ellen will be a little excited to keep her bazillion bucks that she pays in taxes too. Wow, come to think of it, there are quite a few of us fortunate gay folks that will be having some extra cash this year. What recession? We're gay!

Oooo, California, Etheridge sure told you!