Popular Madison East Side gay bar Ray\’s is closing its doors, prompting this story from the Capital Times. This section caught my eye:

Ray\’s Bar patrons remember the tavern fondly as a local gathering place \”for all different kinds of people, straight and gay,\” Jeremy O\’Sullivan, 31, said recently in a phone interview. \”It was like a public sitting room and it\’s definitely going to be missed.\”

O\’Sullivan, a native of Cork, Ireland, has lived in Madison the past seven years and jokes that he frequented Ray\’s despite its lack of Guinness on tap. He said he loved to put the Dixie Chicks\’ \”Cowboy Take Me Away\” on the jukebox and sing along with friends.

That sound you heard is thousands of gay Madisonians cringing. Come on, Jeremy. Seriously. It couldn\’t have been like, \”Jeremy is a computer technician who works with disadvantaged children in his spare time.\” It had to be the most stereotypical quote of all time.

And exactly what do you have to do to be labeled \”the guy to talk to\” about Ray\’s? Like, the bartender was \”oh, man – you totally have to talk to Jeremy.\” If you are \”the gay guy\” at Ray\’s, there is likely a sitcom in development for you. So it will be a soft landing for Jeremy.