Michael Patrick King: Rehab

It’s made clear in the film that the big wedding takes place in
Connecticut, so therefore it’s legal. Anthony and Stanford also reveal
to the girls that they’re allowed to cheat in the 45 states in which
gay marriage is still illegal. Was that your way of sneaking in a
personal political commentary on marriage equality?
Sex and the City reflects
the world as I see it, so that joke is in there because it’s current
and hopefully funny. It’s emotional more than it’s political. As I was
writing it, I was thinking it would be nice if that number was
inaccurate when the movie came out, but my hunch was that it wasn’t
going to change this year. I try to write things that are sort of
timeless, but that was the one joke that people watching in 20 years
will see and be like, “Remember when you could only get married in five
states?” It also shows that Stanford and Anthony have made a
nontraditional rule in their traditional marriage. It’s all about
breaking or honoring tradition when you choose to but not being
crippled by it.

Do you believe that open gay marriages can work?
I’ve seen marriages work that you couldn’t imagine would ever work. I’ve seen the most bizarre twists and unique turns in relationships that work. My philosophy is that you don’t know what happens behind closed doors, so no matter how close you are to people, you never know what their real relationship is.

Why do we never really see or hear about your partner? I couldn’t even find a picture of you two together on a red carpet.

Well, first of all, he’s not in show business, and he doesn’t like that stuff. At one point, I said, “Do you want to go with me to this premiere tonight?” He said, “No, I’m not in the mood to be Jackie Kennedy.” He’s just a cool cat. We’ve been together nine years, we met in a bar, and — it’s so obviously funny, but we didn’t meet because of this — he works in women’s footwear.

But you won’t say his name?
Oh, no. He wouldn’t want me to. I imagine him! He’s a fantasy, like Harvey the rabbit — only I see him, and he’s fantastic! [Laughs] No, he’s sexy, he’s cute, he’s nice, he’s funny, but he’s very private.

What about visibility being the key to progress and all that?
But I’m out there! I’m on fuckin’ Jon Stewart saying I’m gay, so why does he need to come out? He’s out every night in our house.

Yes, your Daily Show interview was pretty terrific. Are all your celebrity coming-out stories so charming?
No, that was just magical. That was so fun, and I didn’t have a clue where we were going to go, and Jon was just giggling. It was great to see him being so supportive and loving like that.

To which couple in the new movie do you and your partner currently relate?
Oh, he goes, “My whole life’s in this movie,” but he won’t specify which parts of it. We’re all looking at these characters like they’re parts of our lives. I’m a writer, so of course we’re Carrie and Big. We’re also Miranda and Steve, but he’s definitely Mr. Big.