Hanging out with Lt. Dangle of "Reno 911!: Miami"

by Richard Kravitz

After seeing the stirring mockumentary "Reno 911!: Miami," the TV Gay Guide's Richard Kravitz had the privilege of talking, in character and full uniform, for PlanetOut with the film's undeniable star, Reno sheriff's Lt. James Dangle.

The film documents the lieutenant's time in Florida with the rest of the Reno force as an unexpected biohazard quarantines not only the entire Miami Police Department but also police departments from throughout the country that are in the city for a law enforcement conference. The brave officers from Reno, miraculously spared from the hazard, are thrust into action to protect the good citizens of Miami.

I'm from Gay.com.

Yes, I know. I'm very excited. There are many ads I've seen for Gay.com . . . it's a biggie. It's the largest gay men's Web site in the world.

How has your stay in San Francisco been so far?

It's fantastic! I don't know if it's the uniform with my 11-inch tactical shorts or my Ray-Bans or . . . my blond mustache, but I do feel that the town is embracing me . . . in a very direct sort of way.

When I'm here, I'm often out of uniform. And I don't just mean in my casual attire. Sometimes I'll do background work for vice. I will practice sometimes at the Tranny Shack, just to see if I am in, say, a micro-miniskirt or some leather, can I blend in and disappear and become a fly on the wall to become a better officer.

What prompted you to go into law enforcement?

Basically, I got into this when it didn't work out at the Washoe County dinner theater where I had been working for a while. I had been there for probably about seven years and was yet to really have a speaking role. The closest I probably came was playing the Ghost of Christmas Future. Are you familiar with "A Christmas Carol"?

I am familiar. Even though I am Jewish, I am familiar. . .

The Ghost of Christmas Future doesn't, technically, have any lines.

He points a lot.

Exactly! He points at Scrooge's mossy, unkempt grave; he points at Tiny Tim's crutch . . . that was me. I did a pretty good job.

So you were probably good in traffic control.

When people have said, "That guy can't direct traffic," I can direct traffic. And I do it with pizzazz-ma-tazz.

And how did you get through the ranks? How did you become a lieutenant? As a gay man.

As gay man, as an out gay man, first off, I would love to say that it was harder for me, but the fact is, if you look around, I'm a very big fish in a very, very small pond. Most of the people I am working with range from barely functional to grossly incompetent. And while I might have some hangups, I'm the smart . . . I'm running circles around these guys. I'm running circles around almost everybody in the workplace.

Next: Lt. Dangle's self-image problem