Where the boys are?

The 1960 film Where the Boys Are gave moviegoers everywhere a taste of the not-so-innocent Spring Break scene in Fort Lauderdale. Ahead of its time in its allusions to pre-marital sex and drinking, it's probably even too risque for current Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle. He's only too willing to share his views on sex (among other things), which are definitely reminiscent of the '60s ... the 1860s, that is.

Naugle (right ... I mean far right) believes that a $250,000 "robotic toilet" will prevent "illegal sex." And by "illegal sex," he means -- and these are his words -- "a couple of men in there engaged in a sex act."

But that's not all he believes. He's a veritable living, breathing Neanderthal:

The robo-john the city might buy for $250,000 or more allows occupants to stay inside for only a short time before the door opens. Probably not enough time for "illegal sex," Naugle figures.

The restroom, already in use in Atlanta, Seattle and New York, also plays music and cleans the seat automatically.

"We're trying to provide a family environment where people can take their children who need to use the bathroom," he said, "without having to worry about a couple of men in there engaged in a sex act."

Though police say sex in restrooms is no longer a hot crime, the mayor thinks it is. He talked about the illicit sex recently in public meetings, in an interview and in e-mails to residents.

Naugle, not a stranger to public controversy, particularly on the issue of gays, said public restrooms are pickup places for "homosexuals. ... They're engaging in sex, anonymous sex, illegal sex."

The proposed location for the city's experimental automated toilet is the parking lot at Sebastian Street, at what many locals call the "gay beach." Naugle told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that the intelligent commode's security features are vital at this location, which he called "the rainbow parking lot."

"The homosexual newspaper said it's the 'gay parking lot.' That's not me saying that," Naugle said in the interview, "that's what they said. I don't use the word 'gay.' I use the word 'homosexual.' Most of them aren't gay. They're unhappy."

Naugle doesn't single out gays for his noxious statements. He's an equal opportunity dickhead:

Naugle has been outspoken as a Christian and a social and political conservative.

When the Christian outreach event Beachfest came to town in 2003, he said anyone who had a problem with the city's official embrace of the religious festival "can move to Iraq."

He angered middle class residents last year when he said housing prices would be affordable if people worked more hours instead of sitting on the couch drinking beer. Earlier this year, he refused to sign a mayor's pact to reduce greenhouse gases. Naugle said global warming is not caused by humans and that the pact contained "hate-America stuff that the environmental wackos want in."

Excuse me, Fort Lauderdale, but when did you become a haven for intolerance? I graduated from high school in Broward County, and back then (the early 1980s) Fort Lauderdale was a mecca for Spring Breakers and vacationers of all persuasions. Even today, as I travel to Fort Lauderdale regularly, I don't see a city that would condone, much less vote for, a mouth-breathing, borderline insane bigot like Naugle. To paraphrase Brian Griffin, whose leg did he have to hump to get elected mayor around there?

Perhaps it's time to do another movie about Fort Lauderdale: Where the Lunatics Are. I can think of one scene that would have to be included ...

Fort Lauderdale mayor Jim Naugle looks on as Davie mayor Tom Truex greets Drunky McStagger at the start of a visit in May 2006.

UPDATE (10:52 am 8/6/07): I see the photo of Naugle with Drunky is no longer available. Bummer. If you Google Image search "Naugle Bush," you can see a smaller version, but apparently the City of Davie pulled it ... my fault, you think? Li'l ol' me? ;)

UPDATE (12:32 pm 8/29/07): Picture's back.