Love, Actually: Our 2013 Couples Issue

Comments (0) By L.A. Weekly Staff Thursday, Feb 7 2013

"Sex alleviates tension," Woody Allen wrote. "Love causes it." Usually around Valentine's Day, we have a special Sex issue. But this year, we found ourselves much more inspired by that glorious tension — the tightrope act that is falling in love and somehow making it last. It seemed much harder, and much more interesting, than the simplicity of hopping into bed and letting nature take over.

So this year, we celebrate not sex (not just sex, at any rate) but rather love. The joy that comes in finding someone who makes your heart sing. The joy of coupling.

We chose six of the L.A. couples who intrigue us the most. We know there are many others we could have chosen. But we never said we were doing this just once. Love is endlessly complicated; surely you don't expect us to cover the whole gamut in just one issue? —Sarah Fenske

Check out our six fascinating couples:

Shawn and Dorian Holley:The Tonight Show singer married Lindsay Lohan's attorney? Only in L.A.!

Marissa Lopez and Gil Gastelum:Her pink wig drew him in; their careers in the music industry make harmony easy.

Dale Vaughn and Elizabeth Menzel:She's 19 years older. But what's a few decades when the energy is right?

John Rabe and Julian Bermudez:The KPCC Off-Ramp host used to be married to a woman. But that was before he moved to L.A. and found the Friendship.

Michael Ritchie and Kate Burton:Yes, her dad was Richard Burton and her stepmom Elizabeth Taylor. But in their long-lasting marriage, the first couple of L.A. theatre keep the drama on stage.

June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer: These underground comedy legends work together -- and play together, too.