COLUMBIA, S.C.—In late June, travel agent Matthew DeGuire got a call from a customer about an ad in London’s subway.”South Carolina is so gay” read the ad, alongside others touting Las Vegas, New Orleans, Boston and Atlanta as also being “so gay.” The ads were timed with London’s annual gay pride festival.

“He was pleasantly surprised about it,” DeGuire said of his client.

But several state officials, including Gov. Mark Sanford, think the ad went too far. While the state’s tourism agency initially agreed to pay $5,000 for the ad, the governor and other officials are now refusing to pickup that tab, saying taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used to promote any group with a particular social or political agenda.

Well no shit. it sounds like someone accidentally hired a moderate into SC government. What were they thinking?

“South Carolina is not typically known as a gay travel destination,” said John Tanzella, executive director of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. “But there are things for gay people to do there.”

Basically, ‘run’ or ‘remain in the closet’. Or sit and stew in the smoke filled splendor of a SC gay bar and see for yourself what a lifetime of cigs and fried foods can do to the face.

Thomas did not return telephone messages left at his Greenville law office last week seeking comment. He told Time magazine for an article last week that he thought the ad might mislead gay travelers about what is in South Carolina for them. “They’ll get off the plane and say, ‘Where are the gay beaches?’ and no one will know what they are talking about.”

To get to the gay beach, such as it is, in Charleston, follow Folly Road until it dead ends into the beach, hang a right, go down as far as you can, park in the Folly Beach Park parking lot, then go out to the beach, take a right, and walk until the coast begins to curve inland. It isn’t worth it, trust me.