Really, though, Dale, anything that happens with y'all is drama to me,
I wish you wouldn't include me in the "y'all". Aside from milking the occasional muffin crisis for humorous effect, I find the drama tedious. I often walk away when I see the megaphones come out. I've even taken a fairly Swiss approach to the political vs. apolitical debates lately. People still reference me in those and I wince a little when I hear my name.
But, you are included in it (the soap opera, I mean). You're the gay guy who's everybody's friend (or, at least frenemy) and, as you point out, is never at the epicenter of the drama. You're a Tier 1 character with your own storyline, but you also have a major role in adding depth to the other characters in their interactions with you.
I don't think the story would be the same without you. I think it would be much more two-dimensional.