Gay & Lesbian Times: What made you decide to buy the GLT?

Michael G. Portantino: I was an advertiser in the paper, and it worked well for me. At the time, I felt that there was a need for more inclusiveness in a gay newspaper. I felt that the Times was heading in the right direction, and I had a lot of ideas I wanted to implement. So when it came up for sale, I thought that this could be something that I could put my activism and passion for the community into, and so I bought it.

GLT: What did you do before being a publisher?

MGP: I was a stockbroker. When I first bought the paper I wore two hats, but I slowly started spending less and less time at my brokerage office and more and more time with the newspaper and being involved in the community. Early on there were some big struggles going on like the AIDS crisis, and at the time we were fighting to pass the Human Dignity Ordinance. It began to take up more and more of my time, and I loved it – ink had gotten into my blood.

GLT: Describe your family life. Who lives at home with you?

MGP: Well, I have a 19-year-old daughter and I have a new baby, who is 3 months old. I have a partner, also named Mike, who is a school principal. Today is a pretty normal day. I just finished interviewing for a nanny, and I’m going to pick my mother up at the dentist. Then later I’m going to go for a bike ride. For dinner I think we’re going to have leftovers from a family barbecue we had last night – kind of a regular life.

GLT: You’re a fairly public figure and yet perhaps not personally known by most. How do you think you’re seen by the community? Do you think you get a fair shake?

MGP: I would say that most people judge me by the editorial positions that the paper has taken. I think I’m just as comfortable on the floor playing tea party with my daughter as I am correcting the president of the United States. It’s interesting, I’ve got really strong beliefs and I stand up for them. I’m uncompromising when fighting for the community’s rights. I think that nature preys on weakness. I’ve always tried to stand up for things. I have a philosophy that if you stand up for nothing, you fall for everything. Add all of that to my New Jersey upbringing and I’m a little rough around the edges. I’ve been told more than once that you either love me or hate me. There’s no middle ground.

GLT: Which of your editorials are you most proud of? Which one do you think was most important to write?

MGP: I think the most important editorial was “The Fish Stinks at the Head.” It was during a time of crisis at The Center. The Center was really heading down the wrong road. It had a lot of support from the community, but it was hemorrhaging money and horribly mismanaged. These days it is one of the best Centers in the country. It’s one of the most financially secure Centers and has the best management and one of the strongest boards of any Center in the country. I think that at the time we took a lot of heat when we wrote the editorial demanding management changes and calling for board resignations. I think people look back and realize that that was what started the turnaround at The Center.

GLT: Aside from publishing a weekly paper, what are some other ways you are involved in the community?

MGP: I was on the national board of the Family Pride Coalition. I’ve been on some other boards. I’ve done a lot of fund raising for politicians and HIV/AIDS organizations. I was on Chris Kehoe’s finance committee, and I held Councilmember Toni Atkins’ first fund-raiser at my house. I was a soccer dad and on the board of the North Park soccer league, and I was on the board of my daughter’s Catholic school. So I’ve been a part of the larger community as well as the GLBT community.

GLT: If you could go back in time to when you bought the paper, what advice would you give your younger self?

MGP: Stay a stockbroker [laughs]! Seriously, though, I would tell myself to focus more on the business end. We’ve had a philosophy the whole time I’ve had the paper that it wasn’t about making money, it was about being a resource for the community. That hasn’t always been in our best financial interest. It’s certainly been in the best interest of making me feel good about what I do for a living. We probably give away more than any other GLBT newspaper in the country, and I’m proud of that. But it’s probably not always been in our best business interest.

GLT: What’s your proudest moment?

MGP: When I dropped my daughter off for her first day of college and saw the wonderful young lady she’s grown up to be. I told her how happy and proud I was of her and how wonderful it was that she was going away to school. Then I pulled away and as soon as I was out of her sight, I pulled over and cried like a baby.

GLT: What are some of your favorite nonprofit organizations?

MGP: Stepping Stone is one of them. Although I’ve disagreed with some of the decisions they’ve made and some of things they’ve done, I marvel at the number of people that they’ve helped. The Center is amazing. It’s unbelievable how many people they help every month. We have one of the best Centers in the country. Mama’s Kitchen, because of how many people’s lives they make better. Auntie Helen’s which does laundry for families of people with HIV. For years my partner and I made Easter, Valentine’s and Christmas baskets for the people Auntie Helen’s helps.

GLT: Who would win in a fight, you or Fred Phelps?

MGP: Me, definitely. I could definitely kick his f*!%ing a*#!

GLT: Who’s more dangerous to the community, George Bush or James Hartline?

MGP: George Bush. George Bush is one of the most harmful people of the last 50 years – for the whole world, not just the gay community.

GLT: What was your favorite hangout back in the day which has disappeared?

MGP: Peacock Alley. It was located where the sports bar is on University Avenue between the Med Grill and the Alibi. It used to be a gay bar. Hal, don’t tell any stories.

GLT: Do you see a queer “generation gap” in the community? What differences do you see between today’s gays and the GLBT community when you bought the publication?

MGP: I don’t really see it as a “gap.” I think that the younger community has so many more options than we did. On any given weekend, there are a number of activities going on for GLBT people, from softball to swimming to political organizations. There are so many more options today. They can walk down the street or in a coffee house and be openly gay.

GLT: Do you think GLBT youth today take a lot of things for granted that the older generation had to fight for?

MGP: Yes, but I wouldn’t say “taking for granted.” I would say they are enjoying the benefits of a lot of hard work. But that’s good because that’s why we did it.

GLT: What do you think is the most important issue facing GLBT people today?

MGP: Lack of self-esteem. Nature preys on weakness, and I think low self-esteem is the No. 1 problem in our community. Today, crystal meth is running rampant in our community because people don’t feel good about themselves.

GLT: Where do you see the GLT 1000 issues from now?

MGP: Hopefully in someone else’s hands! I want to be retired and living in Italy on my vineyard by then.

GLT: Of the current candidates running for District 3 in 2008, who are you leaning toward voting for?

MGP: I’m not particularly enthusiastic about any of them at this point. I want a maverick and a leader. I’ve yet to see any of the candidates distinguish themselves as leaders. My advice to them is people follow leaders. Start leading!

GLT: Has there been a time when the publication was more or less unpopular?

MGP: There have been times when we’ve taken a stand and people tend to shoot the messenger instead of listening to the message. The recent City Council debacle is an example. The community sometimes has this mentality that our leaders should be given a pass. They don’t understand our job because I’ve always said that if our leaders don’t want us to write about them, then they shouldn’t get caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

GLT: How do you feel about hitting the 1,000-issue milestone?

MGP: I feel a lot of pride. I like to think that a lot of people who have worked with us have gone on to great things. I’m proud of that. I’m also proud seeing some of the organizations we helped early on and the number of people they’re helping today.