Q about Maupin's "Tales of the City" book (spoilers)

In the first book of the series (which, as we all know, was originally released in serialized newspaper installments), there is a particular moment that I’ve always been curious about.

In one chapter, Dede is in Dr. Jon Fielding’s waiting room, and has apparently been there for a while. She approaches the reception desk to ask how much longer she has to wait. The receptionist “shushes” her, engrossed in a particular news column. Once she’s done reading it, she turns to Dede and asks if she’s read it yet. Dede haughtily responds “That’s trash! I had a friend who almost sued him!” Later, after her appointment, Dede sees Jon grab the paper and hurriedly open it to the same page, read it, then snicker over it.

I’ve always assumed this was a bit of meta-humor; that the un-identified column was really Armistead Maupin’s “Tales” story. But I’ve always been piqued by Dede’s response about her friend. I know Maupin has always been cagey about who were the real-life inspirations for his characters (although I also assume that “Mouse” is himself), but DID someone try to sue him for defamation of character (or similar charge?)

The fact that the Dede character spoke that line, I have the feeling that someone in RL thought Dede was based on her. What’s the scoop on this little episode? Was there a society gal married to a closet case who had an…obvious out-of-wedlock baby (or babies?) Just wondering.

Certainly a possibility, there.

It’s also possibly a reference to Herb Caen, who had a daily “gossip” column in the SF Chronicle.

I don’t know the answer, but Dede Wilsey is a real person, a San Francisco socialite and philanthropist. I don’t think she fits the other criteria (I doubt if either of her husbands was a closet case, but I suppose one never knows), but I wonder really if the name similarity could possibly be accidental?
Roddy

There’s actually a (pretty minor) character who seems to be loosely based off of Caen in “Tales” - Carson Callas, a scathingly witty society columnist who attends a party hosted by Dede’s mother. Late in the first book, Caen - err, Callas learns about Dede’s pregnancy by a Chinese grocery delivery boy. Dede (who’s only a few months along at the time) has sex with him to keep him from reporting it.

Given the nature of that storyline, I’m sure Caen wouldn’t have liked that portrayal. But that episode takes place later on in the book, and was presumably printed months after, the incident I mentioned in my OP.