US comedian Rosie O'Donnell wed her lesbian partner last night amid festive cheers from hundreds of onlookers and declared that her wedding was inspired by outrage over President George W. Bush's call to ban gay marriage.
The former talk-show host rushed to San Francisco a day before California's attorney general is set to file a lawsuit that may end the controversial weddings. She returned to New York almost immediately.
"We were both inspired to come here after the sitting president said the vile and vicious and hateful comments he did," O'Donnell said after kissing her bride, Kelli Carpenter.
On Tuesday U.S. President George W. Bush proposed a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex weddings, citing the recent flood of gay marriages in San Francisco in his remarks.
O'Donnell, who has appeared in movies including the 1992 "A League of Their Own" and the 1994 "Flintstones", became America's most famous same sex spouse since San Francisco started issuing gay wedding certificates two weeks ago.
"We really did, we got married," O'Donnell said shortly after the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus sang "Chapel of Love" to mark her arrival down the internal courtyard steps. She introduced her partner as "My brand new wife."
A ceremonial gateway rose behind the majestic stairway where the newlyweds stood, with statues of a naked man and a naked woman flanking a crest beneath City Hall's 300-foot high dome. The building was also the setting for one of the 20th century's most famous celebrity marriages, that of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and screen icon Marilyn Monroe.
"Some people asked us where we will be going on our honeymoon. With four kids under the age of eight, there will be no honeymoon," O'Donnell said, adding that she was rushing back to New York to attend parents' day at her children's school.
The former stand-up comic and actress ended a six-year stint as host of "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" in 2002 to spend more time with her adopted children.
San Francisco, long a center of gay rights, has seen more than 3,300 gay couples over the past two weeks since new Mayor Gavin Newsom, 36, allowed gay nuptials.