Douglas Coupland is a big ole 'mo

If he hasn't already, Douglas Coupland is soon to hit middle age. He's not allowed to be the precocious young literary genius anymore. Coupland, of course, hit the big time with his first book, "Generation X," which defined an age. More tomes followed ("Hey Nostradamus" and "Eleanor Rigby," to name only two), and an additional career as an artist and designer. He comes out in the Feb. 1 Advocate (er, it had some "The L Word" actors on the cover -- the gals are a bit overexposed these last couple of weeks -- and so I left it lying around for ages before finally reading it last night).

I wonder whether the Vancouver-based Coupland ignored Canadian gay media on purpose, or if he was just never asked.
Advocate reporter: Doug, are you gay?
Coupland: Well, only if you'll be my date at the Tonys.
Reporter: It's a date.
Coupland: [Laughs] There was a funny... do you ever watch "Will and Grace"? The minstrel show?
Reporter: Occasionally.
Coupland: Karen says to Jack, "You're gayer than a clutch purse at the Tonys." [Laughs] I thought that was one of the best lines. How come The Advocate has never called up before?
Reporter: Well, frankly, it's because you've never gone there in interviews before. But I heard you had a new book coming out, and I thought, 'Damn it, I want to ask.'

As for same-sex marriage, Coupland isn't gonna get hitched, and he's also a bit squeamish about discussing it: "You go into this and you get all these e-mails. I don't like to get political that way. I don't know anyone who is getting married. God makes you different in some way; why would you want to ape the conventions of people who are different from you?" (He doesn't seem to be against marriage, however.) Interview outtakes can be found here.