I’ve been called a lot of things.

Never a racist . . . till now.

You see, new City Councilman Allan Jennings from Southeast Queens didn’t like something in the paper and declared I was a racist.

What a shame that race should be an issue in this one.

For Jennings to state his disagreement with the content of our newspaper by branding as racist those who he feels offended him, demeans Jennings, but more importantly diminishes the essential fight against racist elements that certainly still exist in our society.

Here’s the story.

We publish in the Tribune and  PRESS a page called QConfidential, which is our “Page 6” containing a bit of gossip, celebrity, humor, politics and satire. In one form or another, the page has been part of our publication for more than five years (it originally ran as NYConfidential in a group with six other city papers). But we’ve tried to bring it home — to Queens. Although some of the celebrity is still a bit Manhattan-centric for our liking (Queens celebrity is often hard to find), most of the page shares a bit of gossip, sparkle, humor and pokes fun at our home — Queens.

The page, which I edit and have done so for more than five years (guilty as charged, Allan), is written by the staff of the Tribune, Press and some half a dozen contributing freelancers, each with an ear to the ground and a tongue in the cheek. We have always done our best to keep you informed, entertained, chuckling and maybe even stimulated with our composite of QConfidential briefs and pix.

As a matter of fact, we welcome participation from our readers. If you have a QConf item or pic or ideas, email it to me at the address at the end of this column.

Back to Allan Jennings.

Several weeks ago, we ran the item printed at the top of this column – The Naked Truth. It was written by a Trib reporter and edited by me. No malice was intended. Some fun was. The facts are true. Read it and judge for yourself.

Now, call us insensitive if you think we touched on an inappropriate subject. Accuse us of bad taste, if you wish.

Maybe, you might call us humorous or creative.

But Allan, racist?

Black, white, green or yellow, we would have run the item.

When we first heard of Jennings vicious attack in reaction to the item, we asked editor Tamara Hartman (who also edits the page) whether she thought we had gone too far.

“If there was a gay porn star named Mike Bloomberg would you have gone with it?” she asked.

Tamara put it all into perspective.

Of course we would have gone with it if it were the Mayor — especially if it was the Mayor.

We didn’t pick on Jennings because he’s more pickable-on than most. We didn’t pick on him because he was perhaps a bit different from most of the elected officials — black, white or green — that we’ve met. We picked on him because one of our reporters, in doing her research, came upon a gay porn star with his name.

That’s it. That’s all. That simple!

And the reference at the end of the item, “Hmmm! Does the Councilman have any secrets he’s hiding?” was a plain and simple reaction to the fact that Councilman Allan Jennings had recently, on two different occasions, quickly jumped off the phone during interviews when asked if he was recently married. Again, no malice was intended. We just found it very strange that community members reported to us that Jennings was married after the election but before he took office and Jennings was avoiding any discussion about his marital status.

Bad taste? Perhaps. But we don’t think so. Did we mean to offend Jennings? No. Are we upset that he’s off the wall? His problem.

Other Council members have told us: “Jennings wants blood.” “He’s going to war with you.” “He’s going to sue you.” “He’s off the wall.” “Jennings protests too much.”

Jennings hasn’t called us. No one on his staff has. His office has indicated that they are going to reevaluate how they deal with us.

With no intent of offending, we frequently poke fun on the QConfidential page.

One item in particular that ran this past November comes to mind. It was titled:  “Euro Teen Sluts and Queens Politics.”

It began, “Question — What Does Flushing Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza do in her spare time? Answer — She’s a Euro Teen Slut. At least, that’s what District 19 City Councilman elect Tony Avella thinks. Well sort of.”

The item which contained a graphic of Avella’s campaign website with his picture as well as Carrozza’s and others, poked fun at the fact when you clicked on Carrozza’s name or picture, you were linked to the Euro Teen Slut pornographic website.

The error or sabotage was explained by the omission of a single letter in the web address link, “turning a respectable Assemblywoman into a morally challenged European teen,” we wrote.

And we closed with, “For those who want to see the error, don’t bother. Avella’s site was taken down, indefinitely.

Too bad Tony, it might have helped party enrollment.”

After the item ran, Tony came to our office, shook our hand and laughed with us. We didn’t hear a word from Carrozza. (We’re not going to suggest that she was too busy with her web pursuits. Ann-Margaret, that’s humor.)

Well we’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.

This week, on QConfidential (see page 8) in an item titled “Toilet Humor,” we poke fun at the irony of the new Councilman from Flushing, John Liu (loo) having both a first and last name meaning toilet. It was Liu who gave us this item laughing all the way to the bathroom.

Elsewhere on the page, we also poked fun at our old friend, the Congressman, in an item titled, “Gary Who?” Not only did his constituent, women’s skating phenom Great Neck’s Sarah Hughes, not know Ackerman’s name after speaking with him on the phone moments after winning Olympic Gold, but Ackerman’s staff sent out pictures of the Congressman on a cell phone, presumably talking to Hughes. We thought it funny.

We haven’t heard from Ackerman . . .yet.

There is also a slight, slight about former Guv Mario Cuomo of Queens being upstaged by Queens boy Donald Trump.

Our point is simple. We are a non-discriminatory fun poker.

Elected officials are merely people with the same foibles as the rest of us.

They are not perfect. They do funny things; they say funny things. Sometimes circumstances around them are interesting or humorous. It’s the job of the QConfidential page to be there to share them with you.

The job isn’t easy, but we feel it is important.

Gossip, humor and fun compose the grease that keeps government from emitting an unbearable, constant, high- pitch shriek.

If you can’t laugh at the process and process makers, you don’t live in a democracy.

If we’ve offended Jennings, I guess we’re sorry.

But anyone in politics as tall as Allan, with skin as thin as Allan’s, is certain to one day have his head crash into a low-hanging bureaucratically bungled blockade and watch it roll slowly down the floor, unable to laugh at the scene.

We’re really sorry about that prospect.

Allan, racist?

C’mon! You better glue your head back on straight.

The Naked Truth?

While leisurely conducting an internet search on District 28 City Councilman Allan Jennings, we discovered that the politician shares a name with a well-known and gay porn star.

Both men spell their names the same way and are in the public arena — in slightly different capacities. Allan Jennings the porn star has performed in dozens of erotic movies, including many titles that cannot be repeated here. Allan Jennings the politician has given dozens of speeches and held dozens of fundraisers leading up to his unlikely November election.

After searching a bit more, the Conf scribe couldn’t find a photo of Jennings the porn star. Could it be these two men are the same person? Could this be a case of, “I was young. I needed the money”? According to a member of Allan Jennings’ City Hall office, “Absolutely, positively, for certain, no way on this Earth. No way, no way, no way.”

Hmmm! Does the Councilman have any secrets he’s hiding?

– reprinted from the Queens Tribune, QConfidential, Feb 7, 2002

He Was So Far Right, He’s Wrong

Last week, as I flew from New York to Florida, I shared with you the exclusive story that the Northeast Queens Democratic leadership had decided to support longtime Flushing Community Board 7 Chairman Adrian Joyce for the newly drawn Assembly seat representing downtown Flushing.

We explained that labor leader Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin and newly elected Councilman John Liu, the fair-haired lad of the Asian community, had lined up support for Joyce to waltz into the new seat. That was the accurate scoop when I took off last Thursday.

Things unraveled for Joyce quickly.

It seems while we were just settling in for our week in Florida, things were unsettling for the northeast Queens Democratic coalition. They sat down with their candidate-to-be and discovered beneath Joyce sweet and smart demeanor there was a man with a small cold heart.

Now, no one who was in the room is talking openly, but word has leaked out and has

been confirmed by party insiders who describe several of Joyce’s positions as “Neanderthal.”

The first blow came when the progressive leadership of the area heard that Joyce was pro-life — he would vote to deny women the right to choose.

Then, he was found to be an avid, pro-gun, NRA supporter.

Next, they touched on the topic of AIDS and it seems that Joyce felt that the dreaded disease struck many who deserved it because of their behaviors.

Joyce was unacceptable to the Democratic leadership and although no announcement has been made, you can go to the bank with this one: Adrian Joyce will not be the candidate of the progressive Democratic coalition of the area. McLaughlin, Liu and the other elected and party officials will not associate with the hate from the right.

Joyce has obviously received some tutoring in presenting his position since that meeting, and is trying to keep his candidacy alive by responding to AIDS questions with a discussion of the innocent babies who must be cared for. As far as those individuals who have contracted AIDS through unwise behaviors, it seems Joyce has no more compassion towards them then we do towards Joyce.

The positive aspect of this sad tale is that issues do matter and convenient political marriages occasionally require a meeting of the minds on the basic issues concerning people, their needs and worth.

Now, McLaughlin, Liu and company will begin the search anew to find a candidate who can represent the needs of the people of the area while continuing to build their power base.

Others will scurry to fill the newly created vacuum.

As far as Joyce, he may still run, after all, in his area, quality hasn’t always been important at the ballot box.