Frank DeCaro is responsible for my partner getting a Sirius Satellite radio receiver and subscription from me last Christmas.

Yes that cherubic bear of all things gay, is what brought satellite radio to my attention. Last February I received a press release from Sirus Satellite radio announcing that Frank DeCaro was joining their line up of glbt programming on Sirius OutQ. I have always found Frank DeCaro to be one of the funniest and most entertaining gay comics that has broken into mainstream entertainment.

Up to that point I had pretty much ignored any releases that combined gay and radio. After all previous ventures, usually Internet based, had been little more than all rave music all the time or people who really liked the sound of their voices but had little to say. Learning that DeCaro would be broadcasting his humor each weeknight told me, that this was going to be really gay radio.

I quickly found that Sirius OutQ can be heard without charge through the web site. (www.sirius.com/outq) I was amazed with the quality of all of the stations programming and found myself listening to the station all during the work day.

It was during this time that I realized that my partner, who enjoys talk radio, had to listen to Buffalo radio. Have you ever listened to Tom Bauerle or Sandy Beach? Sirius offers 65 channels of commercial-free music, featuring multiple categories of pop, rock, country, hip-hop, R&B, dance, jazz, classical and Latin music, along with more than 50 channels of sports, news, talk entertainment, traffic and weather for a monthly subscription fee of $12.95. Frank DeCaro, shares his bi-coastal show with Doria Biddle, and “The Doria Biddle Dancers”

Reflecting the outrageous personality of its host Frank DeCaro – a dyedin- the-salon New Yorker who honed his skills as a “sit-down comedian” as the “Out at the Movies” Guy on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” – the “show so gay its guests don’t have to be” has attracted an astounding assortment of quirky guests from the worlds of television, theatre, fashion, food, music, publishing, and comedy.

Since its February 2004 debut, DeCaro and his sidekick Doria Biddle, who co-hosts the show from Hollywood, have welcomed such guests as filmmakers John Waters and Stephen Fry, “Anchorman” actor Steve Carell, “Saturday Night Live” alums Ana Gasteyer and Jim Breuer, collectibles designer Christopher Radko, cult favorites Tura Satana (“Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!”) and Mary Woronov (“Eating Raoul”).

The show’s popular “Dial-An-Icon” segment has allowed listeners access to such entertainment legends as Penny Marshall, June Lockhart, Bob Mackie, and Billie “Witchiepoo” Hayes. Other weekly features include “The Paul Lynde Bitter Queen Memorial Multiplex,” in which Frank channels the famous Hollywood Square, “Schaden-Friday,” in which Doria discovers what happens when bad things happen to stupid people, and the musical countdown “

Michelangelo Signorile, is heard each week day on Sirius OutQ. Signorile pretty much invented “outing” as a co-founding editor and columnist of the now-defunct OutWeek magazine. Signorile is also the author of glbt favorite books “Queer in America” and “Outing Yourself” On the radio, Signorile is the best antidote to Rush Limbaugh that glbt people could dream of. Signorile reports, rants and obsesses about politics, media, popular culture and a host of other things that irk and interest him. Signorile hosts a lively four-hour radio program each weekday. In his words the show is "Four hours of his own brand of conversion therapy — converting people from that nasty, vicious, perverted and insane right-wing agenda to a more fun, fabulous and enlightened one.”

Sirus OutQ garnered national attention during last summer’s Republican National Convention in New York City. Then U.S. Senate Candidate Alan Keyes told Signorile on air that homosexuality is “selfish hedonism,”

Signorile followed by asking whether Mary Cheney is a “selfish hedonist.” “Of course she is,” Keyes replied. “That goes by definition. Of course she is.” Needless to say Keyes, who was a soundly defeated in a race for the United States Senate in Illinois, helped Sirius OutQ make it’s mark in the 2004 Presidential campaign.

During the GOP convention Signorile also interviewed right wing icon Patrick Buchanan and California Congressman David Dreier who when asked about his sexual orientation and the long-held rumors about him, twice refused to clarify whether he was heterosexual or not.

Sirius OutQ provides listeners with a great balance of entertainment, politics, gay issues public and personal as well as sexy and silly.

The morning wake up show is hosted by music maven Larry Flick and Cheryl Barcenas. Flick is a former writer for Billboard Magazine as well as an irreverent funny guy. Gay comics who are performing in New York City often join the duo. Barcenas, who is also a comic has what seems to be an endless supply of the most original and funny friends that always seem to, thankfully, carry things way too far.

Did you ever get the urge to listen to rather than watch gay porn stars? Yves Carradine and Tommy Hanson from Bel Ami’s Greek Holiday, Part I and Part II were live and in person with Derek Hartley and Romaine Patterson on one of their recent show. (These are the guys on the cover of this issue)

Each night Derek & Romaine tackle callers’ relationship issues, the more outrageous and naughty the better.

One funny thing about Sirius OutQ that is apparent on “The Derek & Romaine Show.” Sirius OutQ was one of the first live talk shows that Sirus produced when they began their service. Many of the first listeners were truckers who found the fact that you never know what gay people will talk about next to be fun and entertaining. (Also probably, helps keeping you from falling asleep while driving a big rig.) It is worth the cost of Sirius just to listen to big hetero truckers talk about their interest in homo life and support of our issues.

OutQ rounds out it’s programming with music programming featuring an emphasis on gay artists and other programming directed to the GLBT community.

Satellite radio, because it requires a subscription is not subject to FCC regulations on content. This allows Larry Flick to talk about blowjobs in the morning and Romaine Phillips to talk about strap-on’s in the evenings. It is also great fun to listen to gay people and gay conversation on the radio without being afraid of offending the precious ears of those poor folks born hetro. It is great fun to watch my partner listen to Sirius OutQ’s programming. I am starting to get hooked on Sirius’s really gay radio station, Broadways Best, where you can hear round-the-clock musical entertainment from Broadway’s past and present. - Tim Moran

For more information on Sirius and Sirius OutQ go to their web site (www.sirius.com/outq).