Oh, that Cheney family...aren't they a riot? Dick hides in the basement, runs the country, and collects huge checks from Halliburton, contrary to his agreement not to have any financial dealings with them. Mary, his gay daughter, has suddenly become mute when it comes to her father's opposition to equal rights for gay citizens. But most interesting of all is Lynne, who in 1981 wrote--get ready--a lesbian romance novel! Her book, Sisters, apparently is about as bad--and as funny--as genre novels can get.

Lucky for us, author and radio personality Laura Flanders is celebrating the release of her new book, Bushwomen: Tales of a Cynical Species by presenting a theatrical version of Cheney's romance novel.

Unfortunately, Dick just isn't as into gay issues as Mary and Lynne are. He was one of only a handful of Congresspeople who voted in 1988 against funding for AIDS testing and research at a time when AIDS was considered an exclusively gay problem. He also voted against the Hate Crimes Statistics Act, and he has stated that he would support a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

What a family. Dick appears about a homophobic as they come. Mary runs away when her civil rights are about to be violated by her father. But at least we can count on Lynne for lines like "In the evenings I shall read to you while you work your cross-stitch in the firelight. And then we shall go to bed, our bed, my dearest girl."

Poor Lynne. In 2001, a New York Times reporter asked her about Sisters, and her reply was "I don't remember the plot." Well, who can blame her?