Hetrick-Martin Institute Gala: Cory Booker, Veronica Webb, Lance Bass And More! (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Newark Mayor Cory Booker joked that he had a huge "man crush" on his New York City counterpart as he presented Mayor Bloomberg with the Emery Award at the Hetrick-Martin Institute gala on Wednesday night. But while Booker spoke of his man crush on-stage, he sat off-stage with his rumored female crush, model Veronica Webb. (Webb recently denied any romantic relationship.)

Kimora Lee Simmons hosted the celebration of Hetrick-Martin's 30th anniversary and tribute to gay rights activist Harvey Milk. According to its mission statement, HMI, home of New York's Harvey Milk High School, "believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth between the ages of 12 and 21 and their families." The Emery Awards "honor individuals and corporations that exemplify Hetrick-Martin's mission of providing a safe and supportive environment for all young people - regardless of their sexual orientation or identity - as well as those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership within our community."

The evening's other Emery Award recipient was Dr. Joyce Hunter, co-founder of the Harvey Milk High School. Other attendees included Lance Bass, "Milk" screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, Councl Speaker Christine Quinn, Harvey Milk's nephew Stuart Milk, actors Cheyenne Jackson, Heather Matarazzo, Victor Garber, and B.D. Wong.

See photos and video below.

• • • • • • • • • • • • Rumored couple Newark Mayor Cory Booker and model Veronica Webb

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Comments

[Sharmayne]

It's very sad that in 2009 public figures like Cory Booker feel compelled to keep their true sexuality under wraps and expend enormous amounts of energy projecting a false image -- such as posing with beards. The fact is that no one in Newark would really care about whether or not Booker is gay. What they care about is Booker doing the best job he can as Mayor. That was also true about the former gay governor of New Jersey, Jim McGreevey. He wasn't pushed to resign because he was gay and living in a false marriage. He was compelled to quit because of his numerous ethical lapses.

[drjay79]

He is a class act.

[PintoPony]

Cory Booker??????? Never heard of him....New­ark???? As in New Jersey??? Why is this newsworthy????

[Pupster]

Because he's an up-and-coming star of the Democratic Party? You may not have heard of him, but people interested in politics certainly have. There's even a full-length documentary about him.

He and Veronica make a good couple, both attractive and smart. Hope those kids can make it work!

[lisaintexas]

Now really. Not heard of Cory Booker? Cool guy really working hard to make Newark better.

[dteg]

Watch the documentary Street Fight and you will not forget him. It is an excellent documentary on local politics

[iRock]

bubble boy. crawl out

[alarmbell]

He's on the Rachel Maddow show all the time, and he's been on Bill Maher. Mayor of Newark.

[judyx]

Veronica is stunning.

[KeysDan]

When I saw Cory Booker on Bill Maher's show, I thought he sounded like a Republican. But, then, as a mayor he has to kow tow to all those businessmen and bankers. It is too bad, that he can't be himself, and like, Charlie Crist, is now being seen with various women---hopefully, for both (he and she), that he does not go the Crist route for political opportunism. After all, Booker unlike Crist, does not need the winger vote

[OldSchoolLiberal]

Uh yeah.

Those who know, know.

Nothing wrong with it but the beards come and go and likely will.

Until society matures enough or until it is clear governor is the political limit.

[veritas88]

facts? yea, you have none.

[KingCujo]

Cute couple!

[Tressie Mc]

trust me on this, Ms. Webb is not Mr. Booker's style.

[bbbbmer]

i agree -- this is just another pitiful attempt to paint Booker with a 'straight' facade while he's being 'groomed' for public consumption by conservaDe­ms... He may as well be a Republican, with his associations in the group Democrats for Education Reform, and others, seeking to charterize public education and gut what's left of teachers' unions... and is typical of a strategy by conservaDems in cities across the nation to hype 'rising star' black mayors who were swept into office on Obama's coattails as something they're not -- DEMOCRATS.­..

The same sort of thing happened in Sacramento, CA, where Mayor Kevin Johnson was elected last year after a ludicrous campaign where he blamed the incumbent for everything from the mortgage meltdown to world hunger, while he himself faced investigations into past mishandling of fed funds and child sexual abuse. And for whatever quirk of nature, he was elected...­with the backing of an amazing array of local real estate and corporate shills, and now advocates for fundamental changes in our city's charter to grant him unprecedented authority, very much in the style of Karl Rovian tactics.

Frankly, as a member of the LGBT community, it would be nice to have 'out' office holders for so many reasons... who were REAL Democrats, instead of closet cases who thinly veil their Republican agenda.

[Darcman]

Gays think everyone is gay!

[Quilter]

Congratulations, Dr. Hunter!!!!!!

[PlanoBlue]

I'm jealous. Cory Booker is not only HOT, he is smart. Double positive.

[sweetwhine]

Wasn't he married to Gayle King, Oprah's best friend?

[mollybeejay]

No, not at all. She was married to a William Bumpus.

[tangelan]

Will Lance Bass show up to anything?

[veritas88]

i like Booker and Webb together! beautiful couple. and who says Booker is gay? people just define people as they please w/o facts, which is really lame (people keep saying the same about Clooney with no facts, just vain wishful thinking).

[CrissieP]

great looking couple, but isn't Veronica old enough to be his mother? she's been around a long time -

[ApolloniaCreed]

No she is not old enough to be his mother... they are three years apart.

[noudidnt]

She only looks it.

[Pupster]

Harsh, and untrue.

[mollybeejay]

No and even if she were, what of it? She is a beautiful woman. Age doesn't mean anything anymore. Get over it.

[WinterParkMom]

Cory Booker is so darned fiiiiiiinnnnne.

[hudsonette]

Cory Booker is so darned gaaaaaaaayyyyyy. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[WinterParkMom]

I'd still do him even if that were true. : )

[noudidnt]

links please

I know gays like to "claim" everyone.

[sweetwhine]

Wrong.

[capricorndevil]

definitely fiiiiinnnn­e!...compe­ting with POTUS ... LOL