Sean Penn and Senator Mark Leno's press conference for Harvey Milk birthday

Sean Penn and Senator Mark Leno's press conference for Harvey Milk birthday bill

by Strange de Jim

March 3, 2009

Last year State Senator Mark Leno introduced a bill to make charismatic gay activist Harvey Milk's birthday (May 22) a "day of significance" in California, but Governor Arnold de Schwarzenegger vetoed it on the grounds that it should be a local San Francisco celebration. Now that Milk has won Best Actor and Best Screenplay, Leno is reintroducing the bill. This time the press is very interested. Said Mark Leno: "If there's one thing Arnold Schwarzenegger understands, it's box office. And Harvey Milk now has box office."

Outside Tosca before the event are Frank Robinson (author of The Towering Inferno and Harvey Milk's speechwriter), photographer Dan Nicoletta (one of Harvey's closest friends, played in Milk by Lucas Grabeel of High School Musical fame), and Pat Murphy (publisher and editor of the San Francisco Sentinel www.sanfranciscosentinel.com).

Frank Robinson played himself in Milk, and I told him I really enjoyed his nude swimming scene. It was actually James Franco, but Frank was happy to take credit.

Jeanette Etheredge, legendary owner of Tosca, 242 Columbus Ave. in North Beach. The press conference was held here because Tosca was Harvey Milk's favorite opera, and Tosca is Sean Penn's favorite bar.

Dan Nicoletta, with Supervisor Bevan Dufty, spots Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk's nephew.

It wouldn't be an event without fund raiser and columnist Donna Sachet.

(l to r) State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Harvey Milk protege Cleve Jones, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Sean Penn, Harvey aide Anne Kronenberg, Sen. Mark Leno, Harvey's nephew Stuart Milk

Senator Mark Leno leads off.

(l to r) Cleve Jones, Sean Penn, Anne Kronenberg, Tom Ammiano, Mark Leno

State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano speaks. He plays himself in Milk.

(l to r) Cleve Jones, Sean Penn, Anne Kronenberg, Stuart Milk, Assessor Phil Ting

Harvey's nephew Stuart Milk speaks.

(l to r) Cleve Jones, Sean Penn, Anne Kronenberg, Stuart Milk,
Mark Leno, Phil Ting

Sean Penn takes the mic.

(l to r) Wayne Friday, Sean Penn, Anne Kronenberg, Stuart Milk, Mark Leno

Sean Penn takes questions from the audience.

(l to r) Cleve Jones, Wayne Friday, Sean Penn, Anne Kronenberg, Stuart Milk, Mark Leno

SEAN PENN NOTICES ME!!!

Oops! l'd thought it would be silent.

(l to r) Sean Penn, Pat Murphy

Afterwards Sean Penn poses for a cell phone camera while Pat Murphy looks on.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARVEY MILK!!!

Note: If you have photos of the making of Milk or of the subsequent awards ceremonies or events such as the above, you're invited to post them on www.flickr.com in the group "Milk, the Harvey Milk movie." It's www.flickr.com/groups/milkmovie/

Milk is out on DVD (Left) and Blu-ray (right)