mayor pete buttigieg and his husband met on hinge

Mayor Pete Buttigieg and his husband met on Hinge

USA

Broadway musical “Hadestown.” Some smarter than I say it’s brilliant, so . . . OK.

Opening night resembled Woodstock. Long dresses with Army boots topped with lacy socks. Guy with a red purse, pants above his ankles and multicolored silk suit.

Back of one white dress open so the black bra showed. Jujamcyn’s Jordan Roth — high heels, long hair braided around his head — escorted the marital partner of the youngest in the chorus hustling to waltz into the White House.

Me: Tell me about Indiana’s contender Bootleg — or however his name’s pronounced.

Him: “Pete Buttigieg’s last name is Maltese. His father is from Malta. And my name’s Chasten Glezman Buttigieg. I’m his husband. And I’m from Michigan and have been a schoolteacher.”

Dressed in proper blue suit, shirt and tie, he spoke softly, clearly enjoying his new somebodyness. So where did he and the candidate meet?

“Pete and I got together through the Internet. There’s a widely known dating app called Hinge. Many use it as a social gathering together because it’s a good way to connect to lots of people who are happy to meet you.”

“And I’m here to meet more people, more Democrats, new friends who think as we do and are interested in fostering peace, helping the country and working against poverty.”

Right. Great. Today’s theater is politics. The stage, America. The players, amateurs. In the chorus, Buttigieg — from thriving metropolis South Bend where 11 humans knew him. So young his mother won’t let him cross the street by himself, so future Chief of State savvy that he met his life partner on a dating app.

This Chasten Glezman husband, who also does improv comedy, said: “If we win, one thing I can tell you is, it’ll be lots of comedy albums and big music blasting from the White House.”

What could be a better political platform to run for president?

Clinton play is top of the Hill

Another big Broadway opening?

“Hillary and Clinton.” It’s magnificent, fabulous, teriffic, great. The Golden Theater was OD’ing on award winners. Award winner Glenn Close arriving. Award winner director Jerry Zaks applauding. Award winner Laurie Metcalf and award winner John Lithgow starring. Award winner director Joe Mantello, award winner producer Scott Rudin and award winner playwright Lucas Hnath are the genies behind it.

But backstage? Serene. Lunch tasties awaited the doorkeeper. A sign said: “No street shoes on white carpet.” Flowers delivered. On an interview, Zak Orth, who plays Mark Penn, shushed people. One person sat mutely on a bench outside the door. And decorating the wall? A color print of Jackie Mason. Can’t imagine anyone — including the real Hillary and Clinton — pleased to expose their deepest blackest angst, albeit the play’s dialogue is a writer’s creation. But if she sees it, only HRC who has climbed up and down Mount Everest could handle it. Only she whom many of us treasured, and all of us know, and now has a play written about her could smile and scoff off answers like: “I never said those tough things to my husband — but it does give me an idea!” Hillary Clinton is special. And so is “Hillary and Clinton.”

Pay attention

FYI: New Jersey’s former governor, Jim McGreevey, could be the next candidate running for mayor of Jersey City . . . SCARLETT Johansson and boyfriend Colin Jost did Polo Bar . . . A John Travolta quote: “All these upsurges and attacks worldwide will turn more people to Scientology.” . . . AND, get your shmattas ready — May 6 is the Met Museum’s annual dress-up thing.


Talk of a famous painting being a forgery, although it sold for big money: “Could’ve brought more, but corners got torn off from where his mom hung it on the refrigerator.”

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.

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