"Rob Thomas's "Lesbian Love Affair?"

"I'm just a geek who came to look at the celebrities," said Matchbox 20's 
humble frontman, Rob Thomas, at AMFAR's Boathouse Rock charity gala in 
Central Park.   He was, of course, gawking at the likes of Maxwell, Foxy 
Brown, and Liv Tyler from the primo vantage point of the heavily guarded VIP 
section.  Thomas may be uncomfortable thinking of himself as a star, but 
certainly welcomes the perks--in this case delivering him and his
model/marketing grad student fiancée Marisol Maldonado a silver platter piled 
with bottles of Jim Beam, Tanqueraym and chocolate layer cake.  "I'd rather 
be a songwriter than a rock star," he said, pushing up the brim of his white 
cowboy hat.  "But I'm usually too much of a control freak to let anyone else 
sing my songs."  An exception could be made, however, for public-toilet 
connoisseur George Michael.  "I love his voice; he's soulful without trying.  
He's the man."  "He IS the man," agreed WHAM! fan Maldonado, who Thomas 
joked, "is a lesbian.  It's an arranged marriage."  Actually the happy couple 
have been together for a year and are both optimistic enough to have tattooed 
their ankles with the Japanese symbol for loyalty.  Their wedding is 
scheduled for October at the Santa Barbara ranch of Matchbox 20's manager.  
While awaiting the Big Day, Thomas has been hard at work on new material for 
his band's second album.   "I want to do dance rhythms without the, you know, 
electronica.  Matchbox 20 is a rock band."