She said, “Okay, you can look up.”

I almost peed myself on the corner of 51st and 6th. Diana Ross. DIANA ROSS people. Crying and shaking, urinary incontinence was not far behind. Divas with Heart were at Radio City Music Hall: Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and my fairy God Mother Diana Ross. It was Sunday — she had brought me to church!

I sat in my seat watching all of the children filling in the pews.

The church ladies — who reasoned that their tithes for a few weeks would be better spent on these tickets — strutted down the aisle in hats and dresses a stitch to tight.

Gay boys a plenty, switch, swaying and sashaying down the aisle like they were running things... ‘cause they were. Every church in every borough was missing their choir director.

A pack of white men in suits — visitors from a sister parish — where seated in two of the rows in front of me. Stiff-backed and waiting. The watch checking continued until church started a half-hour late — I wanted to settle them by saying, “A service with Divas isn’t about to start on time. Just read your program till we begin and, heads up, we’re not going to get out of here on time either.”

Paul and Emily from the Upper East Side: "I can wait another week for this perm." Barbara from Harlem: "I just got my hair done." Beverly from Brooklyn, the Puerto Rican Annie Leibowitz with her camera from the Bronx and countless unidentifiables sat in their seats waiting for the service to begin.

Gladys Knight began the service in testimony, “I’ve never sung at Radio City Music Hall. I’ve been doing this for 59 years. We used to get together and pray and say, ‘If it’s not too much trouble, we’d like to go on tour. If it’s not too much trouble, we’d like to make an album. It’s not that we’re ungrateful, but Lord we’d like to win a Grammy.’” Haven’t been to church in a long time so I leaned over, the heathen that I am, and whispered, “She hasn’t sang in Radio City before? A crime, this witch is under-rated-un-der-rated. I need me another drink. Don’t they give out wine in here?”
Shortly after, Chaka Khan hit the stage screaming and mumbling — maybe this is what is meant by speaking in tongues. Imploring “If you’re a woman or if you feel like a woman, this song's for you.” She screamed and screeched out “I’m Every Woman” and we were up on our feet. Perhaps this is a universal church that I’m in, but I’m sure that it’s church.

As happy and entertained as I was, I was beginning to grow impatient. Where is Diana? Will she get a costume change? Is she even in the building?

My impatience was squelched by the hollering of Ms. Patti LaBelle who quipped, “Don’t play yet. I gotta talk to the people. You not going to rush me.” Then Patti unleashed with a vocal variety unmatched. I knew she would unleash, but I couldn’t have expected an unleashing like this: “We are just two steps away from having the right person in the White House. We are just two steps away from having justice for Sean Bell’s family. We are just two steps away from bringing our soldiers back. We are just two steps away from… Black or white, man or woman, gay or straight — some people want to hate on the gays saying they can’t get married. Why not? You just jealous cause you can’t find you nobody to marry.” Patti was on the loose. A shoeless diva floored me then resurrected me with song. She brought up Sean Bell’s parents and hugged them and told the audience who they were and most of the church was in tears. After the Right Reverend Patti finished up her sermon, like most sinners, I’d been saved and was making my way down to the altar.
I made my way down to the altar to stand among the adoring gay boys only to find that Ms. Ross was beginning the Benediction from the back. “I’m comin’ out. I’m comin’ out. There’s a new me comin’ out…” A red-dressed diva with ruffles and glitter — touching the audience and tossing her hair, she was everything we needed to end the service and to right all of my personal wrongs in the world. She was all love and light and the church said Amen.
I called my mother and left her a message, “ Hey Mommy, I finally went to church. It was a hell of a service.”