The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 5, 1994 - 3 .Med school parody results in protest from gay group By JUDITH KAFKA DAILY STAFF REPORTER "Star Wards," the Galens Medical Society's 76th annual Smoker, produced controversy along with laughter last weekend. During the intermission of Satur- day night's performance, a group of students passed out a flyer accusing the show of denigrating gays and'singling out gay people for ridicule and stereo- typing. The flyer was a response to Friday night's performance and was signed by "Concerned medical students of the University of Michigan." Galens' Smoker is a student-writ- ten, performed and produced show that makes fun of faculty and staff in the medical school. The show is a musical parody that is traditionally lewd. Carrie Bree, a medical student who helped distribute the flyers, explained that the group wanted to raise aware- ness of the insensitivity of some skits in the Smoker. "We didn't want to disrupt the show," she said. "Our point was to point out what we felt was blatantly offensive." "Co-director Czar" Rusty Brand said no one in the show meant to single out gays for ridicule. "Being sensitive is not one of the goals of the show," he said, adding, "but we in no way intended to denigrate gays." Mark Zawisa, president of Galens, said, "While no one in Galens intended to offend gays and lesbians, I would like to apologize on behalf of Galens." Zawisa said the appropriateness of the Smoker would be brought up at the group's next meeting. "We will discuss if it is necessary to continue the show in its present form." Brand said some problems may have been the result of misunderstandings. For instance, the flyer states that a dinosaur's comment in the show about wanting "to be gay all day" could lead to negative stereotyping. However, Brand explained the di- nosaur, who was an imitation of the fictional television star "Barney," was making fun of a friendly, jolly doctor at the medical school. "We meant it in 'happy' gay," he said. The flyer also protested the use of the word "homo," claiming it was an epithet. The word was used with nega- tive connotations by characters imitat- ing "Beavis 'n' Butt-Head," who called themselves "Penis 'n' Butt-Head." One warned against being a "homo" and the other responded with, "yeah - Homo Erectus." "We used dialogue that Beavis and Butt-Head use," Brand said. In addi- tion, he said the line fit in with penis jokes running throughout the show, such as a character named "Hung So Low." "We have a lot of jokes about pe- nises - it's medical school humor," he said. Lou Cubba, another medical stu- dent who helped pass out the flyers, said the one skit that was the most disturbing was of an effeminate male psychiatrist named "Bo Vee" who sang a parody of a Bee-Gees song. The role was played by Brand, and was pointed out in the flyer as particu- larly offensive. The flyer cited "the historically adversarial relationship of psychiatry and homosexuality ... the pernicious stereotype of gay men as lisping, frivo- lous and effeminate ... and the role of dance in gay culture" as evidence that Brand's character was a negative gay stereotype. Brand said he tried to imitate char- acters like Surge in "Beverly Hills Cop" or Martin Short on "Saturday Night Live" since he had to sing the song falsetto. "I didn't mean to be offen- sive," he added. The flyer stressed that jokes or ste- reotyping against other classes, such as Jews or African Americans, was not allowed, but gays were singled out "for amusement via stereotypes." Brand disagreed, saying that Inteflex students were made fun of as well. "People in the Smoker are not homophobic or anti-gay," he said. "There are homosexuals involved in the show and some people (in the show) have gay friends." Stein resigns from SACUA; committee looks to fill spot THE GREENERY BEHIND THE GRAFTTI kI By LISA DINES DAILY STAFF REPORTER * Despite the recent election of three hew members to the Senate Advisory Committee for University Affairs (SACUA), the committee is again left with a vacancy. At yesterday's meeting of SACUA, Music Prof. Louise Stein resigned from her position. SACUA Chair Henry Griffin said that Stein offered no explanation for her resig- *nation in a letter to the committee. Stein could not be reached for comment yesterday. Griffin said there is no standard procedure for the replacement of fac- ulty who resign from SACUA. A new member is usually chosen at the dis- cretion of current committee mem- bers. "There are two traditions and we want to look at both of them," SACUA member Tom Moore said. "There is a candidate from the recent election who was the next highest vote getter, and there is a need for the representa- tion of women on SACUA to reflect the number of women in the senate." SACUA Executive Assistant Jayne Thorson will compose a list of women eligible for the position. The committee then has a choice to select a replacement for Stein based on the list. If SACUA is unable to agree on an eligible female faculty member to fill the seat, then the fourth- highest ranked candidate from the March 21 election will receive the position. Currently, the 10-member com- mittee contains only two female mem- bers. There were no female candi- dates in the last election. "If we can identify a women who meets the eligibility requirement, then we should have her name on the table. But it should not preclude the other precedent," SACUA member Jean Loup said. For a faculty member to be eli- gible for a position on SACUA, he or she must be a current Senate Assem- bly member or a past member who has chaired a Senate Assembly com- mittee in the last five years. "If there is a highly qualified woman with those criteria, my incli- nation is to vote in that direction," Moore said. ELIZABETH LIPPMAN/Daily Flowers and plants reach for the sunlight that beams through the Natural Science greenhouse yesterday. *City Council eyes vacant building for cable offices Panel to tackle myths about Asian Americans By JAMES R. CHO DAILY STAFF REPORTER Some members of the University community say that being a minority - especially an Asian American - leads to preferential treatment in graduate schools' admissions pro- cesses. Others take issue with this stereo- type. Representatives of the University's graduate schools and ad- mission officers will participate in a panel discussion tonight at the Law school to debate the issue of "over- representation" of Asian Americans on campus and its implications on admissions, financial aid and minor- ity status. Sponsored by the United Asian American Organizations - an um- brella group for many of the Asian American student groups on campus - the panelists will discuss the im- pact of race in the admissions process as well as minority status and attempt to dispel stereotypes held about Asian Americans, said Colin Owyang, one of the panelists and co-president of the Asian Pacific American Law Stu- dents Association (APALSA). The list of panelists include: Owyang; Holly Oh, a first-year medical student and member of the United Asian American Medical Students Association; James Van Hecke, assistant director for under- graduate admissions and Aiko Nakatani, director of graduate ad- missions at Rackham. The discussion's original title, "Over-representation of Asian Ameri- cans and its ramifications on admis- sions, financial aid, and minority sta- tus," so incensed members of APALSA that its members threat- ened to withdraw their support. APALSA is one of the groups that is sponsoring the discussion. "We considered withdrawing be- cause by stressing over-representa- tion of Asian Americans, we would be working away from the problem," Owyang said. "If anything, we have too few Asian Americans in the Law school." Asian Americans now make up about 5 percent of the student popula- tion at the Law school. But under- graduate enrollment of Asian Ameri- cans reached a historic high of nearly 10 percent last year. Asian Americans comprise nearly 2 percent of the population in the state of Michigan. The panel discussion will be held from 5-7 p.m. at 250 Hutchins Hall in the Law school. By JAMES M. NASH DAILY STAFF REPORTER For sale: One abandoned armory building, 80 years old, 8,000 square feet. Ideal for cable television offices. Price $1. To most Ann Arbor City Council nembers, the deal looks too sweet to pass up. * The council voted last night to examine the purchase of the building to locate the city's Office of Cable Communications. The former Na- tional Guard Armory is located on Ann Street across from the current cable offices near City Hall and the central fire station. It would make a better home for the city's cable television offices, said Councilmember Larry Hunter, who introduced the resolution to consider purchasing the structure. "It holds tremendous promises and possibili- ties for the city," said the 1st Ward Democrat. But other council members balked at the price tag for renovation. Fixing up the historic building - vacant for two years - would cost about $934,000, according to a recent study. "To me it seems premature to let the state know that we want to buy the 'building for $1 when we don't have a financing plan in place," said Councilmember Jane Lumm (R-2nd Ward). She said the city is examining other properties that could be reha- bilitated for half the cost. The current cable facilities are lo- cated on the second floor of the fire station. They fit 2,000 square feet for cable equipment and offices. The space is cramped, said Cable Admin- istrator Harry Haasch. The city originally considered 30 properties to house the upgraded cable offices, Haasch said. The list has been pared to four, he added. Haasch and Hunter said the former National Guard Armory currently is favored over the alternatives, prima- rily because of the low acquisition price. But the $1 figure is not guaran- teed. If the state were to raise the price, "I think it would change the attrac- tiveness of the building to us," Haasch said. While the state has not formally advertised the building, other poten- tial buyers are eyeing it, council mem- bers said. The city would be wise to move quickly, Haasch said. Lumm's resolution to delay a vote on studying the property was shot down by the council. In introducing the original resolution, Hunter stressed it would "not commit us to anything." State may face suit in abortion-funding dispute LANSING (AP) - Planned Par- enthood Affiliates of Michigan filed suit yesterday seeking to force Michi- gan to follow a federal mandate to pay for abortions for poor women preg- nant as a result of rape or incest. Judy Karandjeff, spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan, said the suit filed in federal court in Kalamazoo would affect only a few women, but said denying them aid is cruel. "Once again it is clear that the far right wants to force every woman to carry her pregnancy to term and cares nothing about the women involved," she said. A spokesperson for Gov. John Engler said the governor continues to oppose the use of tax funds for abor- tions in cases of rape and incest and supports Michigan's constitutional provision banning funding. "He supports the prohibition. It's always been his position," John Truscott said. He added that the state still plans to pursue legal questions with the U.S. Department of Health and Hu- man Services about whether the fed- eral government can order a state to ignore a provision of its constitution. Roger Evans, director of litigation for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said that was a losing argu- ment. "That argument has been rejected time and again by the federal courts and it will be rejected again in this context," he said. Planned Parenthood filed a simi- lar suit yesterday in Montana and another may be filed in Utah within a few days as the group seeks to force states to comply with the federal re- quirement, he said. Michigan stopped paying for abor- tions for poor women under its Med- icaid program in 1988. That is when voters approved an amendment to the state constitution banning use of state funds for abortions except to save the life of the mother. Last year, Congress authorized the use of federal funds for abortions in cases of rape and incest, as well as to save the life of the mother. President Clinton issued an order in December telling states to add rape and incest Robyn Menin, executive direct6r of Planned Parenthood of Mid-Micli- gan in Ann Arbor, said the restriction discriminates against poor women. "Poor women should be allowed the same choices all other women have under these horrendous circum- stances. By not complying with the federal law, Michigan continues to discriminate against poor women," she said. I U EASY AS PIE. Group Meetings " American Movement for Is- rael, Hillel, 7 p.m. Q Arab-American Students' As- sociation, Michigan League, Room C, 7:30 p.m. Q Asian Pacific Lesbian-Gay-Bi- sexual Support Group, 3116 Michigan Union, 5:30 p.m. Q Folk Dance Club, North Cam- pus Commons, Atrium, 7:30 p.m. f. Orthodox Christian Fellowship, 1209 Michigan Union, 7 p.m. Q People Opposing Weapons Research and Proponents of Economic Conservation, An- gell Hall, Room 444C, 8 p.m. sembly, Michigan Union, Baits Room, 9 p.m. Events " Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, sponsored by the School of Music, Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m. " Early Music Ensemble, Blanche Anderson Moore Hall, School of Music, North Campus, 8p.m. " Howard Wolpe - gubernato- rial candidate, Hillel, 7:30 p.m. " "Medieval Persian Panegyric," Julie Scott-Meisami, sponsored by the Department of Near East- ern Studies, 3050 Frieze Build- ing, 9 a.m. " Sydney Lea - reading from his work, sponsored by the Depart- Q Campus Information Center, Michigan Union, 763-INFO; events info., 76-EVENT; film info., 763-FILM. Q Deciding Your Career, Career Planning and Placement, 3200 Student Activities Building, 4:10 p.m. Q Federal Tax Workshop, Inter- national Center, come early, 1 p.m. Q Free Tax Assistance, 3909 Michigan Union, 10 a.m.- 6p.m. Q International Center, health insurance, 9 a.m.; practical training, 10 a.m. Q North Campus Information Center, North Campus Com- mons, 763-NCIC, 7:30 a.m.- Hey, She was out 'tIIShe's gonna wreck 3:00 a.m. last nightl Cool I'll bet she the grading curve How'd she do all this? COors! spent a fortune! for the rest of us! ThII;