Couples battle for New York wedding

Nova’s breakfast radio hosts Merrick and Dools (aka Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley) are in the final days of a search for Sydney’s most loved up gay couple, with one of three finalists to be chosen on Monday morning as the winner of their Same Sex and the City competition.

The winning couple – one of either Maroubra couple Lauren and Suzanne, Quakers Hill pair Craig and Rodney and Sydney couple Brendan and Damien – will be awarded with a dream holiday and wedding in New York.

“We saw the New York legislation change and wanted to reflect it in some way. We came up with what we think is the best pun title of the year, and it just became too undeniable – we had to do it,” Dooley told the Star Observer.

The competition opened last week and Nova were immediately inundated with entries, but hit a snag when organisers realised that the Australian government is not allowing its citizens to legally enter same-sex unions in New York.

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They soon found a way around it, though, and the winning couple’s trip will now include a quick trip to the Canadian state of Ontario, where same-sex couples are free to marry without the express permission of their home countries.

“We were really conscious of not making it your typical FM Radio ‘You’re gay: tell us how many Kylie songs you know and you’ll get to meet Lady Gaga’ kind of thing,” said Dooley (although to us, that doesn’t sound like such an awful competition).

“We didn’t want it to be seen as us lampooning or making light of a serious issue.”

PLAY AUDIO: SSATC Loop Hole & Ian Hunter

While Merrick and Dools’ competition is in direct opposition to the government’s stance on same-sex unions, Dooley was hesitant to attach a political element to the stunt.

“This isn’t an overtly political statement n any way shape or form. The debate is raging, particularly amongst people who are, for want of a better word, in our demographic. Younger people are speaking out against the government’s position, and we are reflecting that to a certain extent,” he said.

“But I’d feel sick to the stomach if Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley started effecting political change in this country. If that ever happened, may god have mercy on our souls!”

info: www.novafm.com.au