San Francisco’s “Camelot Couple”
But this is no fairy tale to be emulated.
That’s how Matier & Ross of the S.F. Chronicle describe “The on-again, off-again marriage of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom.”
The couple filed for divorce in January but never finalized the papers. Since then, Guilfoyle Newsom has been leaving her Court TV perch in New York more and more often to drop into town.”
And whether planned or just by coincidence, the two always seem to show up as a couple during important events — be it the mayor’s birthday party, last month’s American Express golf championship or, most recently, the royal visit by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
In fact, it’s become something of a sport among insiders to watch how the couple interact — or don’t interact, as is at times the case.
In politics, it’s referred to as keeping up appearances. Just like Bill & Hillary.
For example, the Camelot couple were all smiles for the cameras during the royal visit. Off camera, however, the buzz among observers was how Gavin and Kimberly often appeared to be in separate worlds, even when seated next to each other.
Just a few days back, according to The Chronicle’s Leah Garchik, the mayor ran into filmmaker Robert Greenwald and referred to Guilfoyle Newsom as “my soon-to-be-ex-wife.”
And each perspective is shaped for the particular audience.
Sunday night, however, there was Kimberly, front and center with Gavin, greeting all who walked in the door of the “Beach Blanket” event — the picture-perfect image of a first lady.
The next afternoon, the pair was visibly cozy when they showed up to greet the royals at San Francisco’s Ferry Building. And that night, there was Guilfoyle Newsom again, at the dinner for the royals at the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, being photographed with the mayor while they chatted it up with the prince.
The “Camelot couple,” indeed. And how fitting for San Francisco.
When Sugerman ran across the mayor that day, he couldn’t help but chide Newsom for not telling him that his nominally estranged wife was, indeed, going to be his “date” at “Beach Blanket.”
“I didn’t go with Kimberly,” Newsom told him. “Kimberly was there.”
Spoken like a true Prince Charming.
Guilfoyle Newsom’s take on the weekend?
“All I know is Gavin and I once again had an incredible weekend, and he was happy to have me by his side,” she said from New York.
For some, life is but a series of photo-ops.
Confused?
Don’t be — such ambiguities are pretty much par for the course with the two. Sometimes they stay together, sometimes they don’t.
Sometimes he’s out with other women here — but never as official escorts. Sometimes she goes out with other men in New York, but never here.
And often — at least in recent months, when there are cameras around — the two are together.
Sounds a lot like the other Camelot. And, hopefully, we won’t be seeing it in the White House again.
November 16th, 2005 at 1:04 am
Gavin’s as genuine as a three dollar bill.
December 8th, 2005 at 8:23 am
[...] Oh, Gavin. Why don’t you just come out of the closet, finally? Your fake wife is no longer necessary. [Fong] said command staff would fan into all the district stations and investigative bureaus starting today to make clear that the department has no tolerance for conduct that makes fun of others. The department already requires that all officers undergo sensitivity training. [...]