Planet Homo

Cha Cha

The news from around the world today starts with: Twitter users are complaining about a debate on the BBC's website which asks 'Should homosexuals be executed?'. It appears on the Have Your Say debate boards.
Reaction is pouring in like static on a cashmere sweater as Out magazine's Gay 100 Albums of all time is being published everywhere. One listener wrote: "What about Songs From the Big Chair by Tears for Fears? Isn't 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' about the homosexual agenda?"
Queerty announces that Tim Burton's upcoming flick, Alice in Wonderland is the gayest film of the next decade: "The story. A young girl traveling to a world of colorful characters, villains, helpful allies, questions of morality, and a giant fancy dinner party? This is practically the gay rights struggle — and every seven-year-old gay boy's dream world — packaged into a single big screen adventure." Nice!

A volcano in the Philippines is ready to blow! But it's beautiful.

 Popular blog Queercents, a site for gays who like coupons, is taking a break from publishing, but promises to come back, someday.

 Interesting story at afterelton called, "Coming Out" In Droves: Eleven Who Did in 2009. Not sure eleven is a drove, but the usual suspects are Adam Lambert, Chris Golfer (Glee), from the Broadway production of Hair, Calvin Creel, and singer Mika.

Vinyl Fetish

 

Oral Roberts is Dead

Evangelist Oral Roberts, founder of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University, died Tuesday from complications of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California, his spokeswoman said. He was 91. Yes, the man with the improbable first name has finally gone to his maker. But in this telling video Oral reveals a much more physical side to his thoughts.

The Greatest, Gayest Albums (of All Time)

 (In what has to be one of the most annoying tricks ever created Out magazine actually forces the reader to click through the gay 100. Fortunately, we have saved you the time, though the top 10 is by any measure pretty good, so here is the number one, gayest album of all time especially if you're over forty):
1 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars David Bowie (1972)It’s ironic that an album with an opener forecasting Earth’s expiration and a closer tackling celebrity excess and self-destruction remains one of the most liberating, uplifting records of all time -- about as ironic as a straight man topping this list. Robust, swaggering anthems “Ziggy Stardust” and “Suffragette City” prove this space odyssey is far from morbid or apocalyptic, yet it is on standouts like the languid, gender-flirting “Lady Stardust” and brash come-on “Moonage Daydream” -- in which the singer asks for a ray gun to be placed to his head with almost masochistic glee -- that Ziggy and his Spiders really shine. When in the grand finale, “Rock ’n‘ Roll Suicide,” Bowie wails “Oh no love! You’re not alone!” over a sea of theatrical strings, you know he was singing for every exiled, dejected, sexually confused young kid who longed for a world of greater possibilities.“At a time when social and sexual taboos were just starting to break down, Bowie as Ziggy created a world where the possibilities were limitless. You could be whatever you wanted to be.”--Boy George

via www.out.com

Eye Candy Golden Iris Award: Physique Model of the Year

This entry comes from our friends at unzipped where 5'6" model Joseph Sayers has won an award for the "physique model of the year". In a flurry of adjectives. unzipped recalls the events surrounding the release of Hudson Wrights images:
Well into October, Edilson Nascimento had this award in the bag. That ended when Abercrombie model Joseph Sayers completed his degree in biology and returned to work full-time. First, Joe was a mouth-watering sensation in Golden Iris nominee Rick Day's photos for the new Rufskin campaign. Then, in November, photographer Hudson Wright took Joe to Palm Springs and shot the game-changing session. As soon as the photos from the desert trip were released, the gay blogosphere lost its shit, and the images spread across the web like a Southern California wildfire driven by Santa Ana winds. Wright's images are perhaps the hottest of the year, and Joe looks unbelievable in them. His level of physical perfection is on par with marble masterpieces in statue collections of the world's finest museums. Joe is clearly the juiciest slice of beefcake this year. He's Eye Candy ju dour, for sure. See more pics of Joe, and find out who earned honorable mentions, after the jump.

via blog.unzipped.net

Precious, Glee Lead Gay Globe Nods

Nominations for the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced Tuesday morning, with Precious receiving a nomination for best dramatic film and Colin Firth garnering a nomination for best actor in a drama for his role in A Single Man.Precious, a tale of life in 1980s Harlem, directed by the openly gay Lee Daniels, will compete in the best drama category with Avatar, The Hurt Locker, and Inglorious Bastards, according to the Los Angeles Times blog, The Envelope.  Firth, who stars in A Single Man, the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford, will compete for best actor in a drama with George Clooney for Up in the Air, Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart, Morgan Freeman for Invictus and Tobey Maguire for Brothers.In television, Glee took home multiple nominations, including Best Comedy Series, Best Actor for Matthew Morrison, Best Actress for Lea Michelle and Best Supporting Actress for Jane Lynch. In the comedy series category, Glee will face off against another very gay breakout hit, Modern Family, 30 Rock, Entourage and The Office.

via www.advocate.com

Beau Bridges on Sex Changes, High Heels

Emmy-winner Beau Bridges plays a transsexual detective on tonight’s episode of The Closer, and Uinterview sat down with the actor to talk about getting into the role, wearing women’s clothing, and his respect for people who are contemplating a sex change.“I had a part in a play called Looking for Normal by Jane Anderson a number of years ago in which I played a man who was contemplating a sex change. In preparation for the role, I did a lot of research on the subject and meeting people who had gone down that road. I have a profound respect for people who have had the courage to take that journey. It’s not an easy one in today’s world. This Closer episode offered me a chance to step into those shoes once again and honor those folks who have taken that path.”Read the full interview here.

via www.advocate.com

"A Single Man" Doesn't Reach "Brokeback Mountain" Heights in Opening Weekend

For those of you who track these sorts of things, the box office for A Single Man didn't exactly hit a home run over the weekend. Call it more of a double. Opening in just nine theaters, A Single Man grossed $216,000 for a a per screen average of $24,000. That's not terrible by any means especially for an art house movie. In comparison, Disney's The Princess and the Frog opened Friday on 3,434 screens totaling nearly $28 million for a per screen average of $7,280.

via www.afterelton.com

Turnabout is Fair Play

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Dec. 12) -- Sarah Palin made a surprise appearance on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" on Friday - and turned the tables on actor William Shatner. In recent appearances on the late-night television show, Shatner has adopted a serious pose and recited some of Palin's less serious observations. He was brought out again Friday to read passages from Palin's blockbuster "Going Rogue." The carefully selected passages included ones about rapper Kid Rock and stalking sheep. Afterward, it was Palin's turn to read from Shatner's autobiography, "Up Till Now." The former Alaska governor's selections included one in which Shatner talks about visiting an African elephant "in my underwear." After the readings, there appeared to be no hard feelings. The two left the stage arm-in-arm.

Gone Too Soon: Eighteen Gays on Television We Would’ve Liked to See More Of | AfterElton.com

We've all had that friendship that was cut short for whatever reason — because your family moved, because you switched jobs, because you were a "greaser" and they were a "soc" — and we're left to wonder: what might have been? Continue here:

via www.afterelton.com

Thoughts on the Web

By now, you've certainly seen at least one earnest documentary talking about the profound effects the Internet is having on society. That's why Cassetteboy's "The Web for Beginners" mashup video of uncut footage for a forthcoming four-part BBC documentary about the Internet is so funny - it takes all the usual talking heads and cuts their interviews into wonderfully absurdist statements like "It turns out that the Internet is just fax machines that think the thoughts of somebody who lived 8,000 years ago." via http://db.tidbits.com

A Single Man:

Perhaps the most elegant gay film ever made, Tom Ford's adaption of Christopher Isherwood's novel, A Single Man, should make film schools nervous. In what has to be one of the most startling debuts as a director, fashion designer Tom Ford manages to create a complex mélange of style and substance with a sexy blend of images and sound—all with the confidence of someone making movies for a long time.

The 1964 novel is about an English professor in Los Angeles who has lost his lover of sixteen years in an auto accident. Forward eight months and professor George Falconer (Colin Firth) is preparing to commit suicide. Everything about Falconer is elegant—his dress, his house, his car and even his gun as he prepares for his own death as he neatly lays out everything, leaving notes for his funeral, noting that his tie should be a Windsor knot. On an ordinary day, George delivers a lecture on minorities and fear, and is confronted by a beautiful student (About a Boy's Nicholas Hoult), a Spanish rent boy and the peculiar musings of a neighbors young daughter in a bank. And yet is taken back by memories of his lover Jim (Matthew Goode) through the most seemingly inconsequential of moments— a random encounter with a dog, for example.

His best friend Charlotte (Julianne Moore) is equally elegant and lonely as the two recall their momentary sexual relationship that she has never quite gotten over. She is torn between sympathy for him and regret about what might have been if he hadn’t turned into a “fucking poof”. Suffice to say we see the return of the beautiful student and George's life takes on a new clarity and calamity—all beautifully art directed and photographed and accompanied by a lush score by Abel Korzeniowski.

Certainly Tom Ford pays homage to directors Ang Lee and Todd Haynes, but it is Douglas Sirk who most comes to mind as the score and visuals seem to rise up in melodramatic fashion. Ford stays just shy of "fashion" delivering an emotional film that is completely homoerotic in both sound and silences. It is Colin Firth, who is already winning many film awards, that singularly holds the film together in a performance that is as complex as it is stylish. Firth moves through a series of emotions like a hand in water and for a film that takes place in 1962, his homosexuality is shockingly confidant. But that would be Christopher Isherwood after all. In a reminder of the inequality of that period, George is told he cannot attend the funeral of his dead partner, because it is "for family only."  How we deal with grief is always an entirely private matter and indeed, the ending may be a little convenient, but the journey getting there is one beautiful ride.

 It would be easy to dismiss Tom Ford as there is little evidence in his past triumphs to indicate that his directorial debut would be so accomplished. He was the creative director for Gucci from1994 to 2004. His ad campaigns have have been famous and provocative for pushing advertising to a new level of creativity in artistic expression and commercial impact. Leaving Gucci he created his own fashion house, Tom Ford and concentrated his efforts on menswear, beauty, eyewear, and both men and women's accessories. All highly successful. One would have easily thought his first film would be like a commercial, but that is not the case, at all. Yes, there are stylish, cinematic moments that hint at his past, but the sincerity and honesty that are revealed, due in great part to magnificent performances and a dazzling musical score, all reveal Tom Ford to be someone we did not really know.

http://planethomo.com

Curious icandy Video

Ad Rant: Dockers ads claim "soft" khakis will make men more manly

Evidently, men's testosterone levels have been dropping, and so have sales of khaki pants. Coincidence? Dockers thinks not. Dockers, the clothing manufacturer that once put the "casual" in casual Fridays, sees a connection-at least the kind you can use to fuel an ad campaign. They're planning to reverse society's terrible double trend by teaching today's men how to be men and how to dress with a slogan that flirts with being sexist: "Wear the Pants." "It's time to answer the call of manhood," proclaims one of the new ads. It's nice to know that answering the call of manhood no longer has to involve winning at arm-wrestling when all you have to do is buy more khakis from Dockers. Manning up has never been simpler. The campaign debuted in early December, and the roll-out will include print, TV and billboards, plus a return to airtime during the Holy Grail of manly-man spectaculars: the Superbowl. Here's the full "Man-ifesto" posted on the Dockers website: "Once upon a time, men wore the pants, and wore them well. Women rarely had to open doors and little old ladies never crossed the street alone. Men took charge because that's what they did. But somewhere along the way, the world decided it no longer needed men." Oh, goodie! A return to the grand old days when women weren't allowed to vote! It also sounds suspiciously like the successful media campaign after World War II that sought to convince women that it was more feminine (not to mention patriotic) to give up their jobs to men returning from war, and go back to doing more womanly things, like vacuuming the rug. Just because the Docker ads are tongue in cheek does not mean they're not sexist. It's one thing to encourage men to man up, another to tell them to "wear the pants" -- an expression that taps directly into the old question: "Who wears the pants in this family?" There are only two possible answers: the man of the house, or the woman who has been stealing his thunder. "Wear the pants" is a call to arms, even when used jokingly, that says the only way to be a man is to put women in their place. That's right, women are too weak to open doors for themselves! Do you think the Dockers ad campaign is sexist? The ads also take an unnecessary swipe at gay men through the use of common wink-wink stereotypes. According to Dockers, a real man doesn't eat at salad bars or order non-fat lattes. Read the entire rant at:

via www.walletpop.com

Gay Icons (British version)

From the very British pinknews, this survey of sorts declassifies the mystery of who are gay icons, at least from the British point of view.

Elton John and Judy Garland have been ranked as the top male and female celebrity gay icons respectively.

The poll of 5,000 gay men and lesbians found that the majority of male gay icons were gay themselves, although those on the female list tended to be straight singers such as Kylie and Madonna.

Paul O'Grady made it on to both lists, once as himself and once as his female alter-ego Lily Savage.

Only one straight man, David Beckham, was featured.

A spokesperson from One Poll, which commissioned the survey, said: "Interestingly only one of the men in the top 10 list of male celebrity gay icons isn't gay – David Beckham. And yet most of the women put on a pedestal by the gay community are straight.

"It just shows that to advocate a certain way of living, you don't have to live the lifestyle but simply be more accepting of those around you."

Top ten male gay icons:

1. Elton John
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Stephen Fry
4. George Michael
5. Oscar Wilde
6. Will Young
7. Alan Carr
8. Paul O'Grady
9. Andy Towle
10. David Beckham

Top ten female gay icons:

1. Judy Garland
2. Kylie Minogue
3. Madonna
4. Cher
5. Liza Minnelli
6. Marilyn Monroe
7. Shirley Bassey
8. Lily Savage
9. Dusty Springfield
10. Barbra Streisand

via http://www.pinknews.co.uk/

The Gist: Interview: GLAAD's Barrios on ABC & Lambert

This is from The Gist, Michelangelo Signorile's website:
This is my full interview (clip below) on the show yesterday with Jarrett Barrios of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation regarding the widespread criticism of the group in its handling of the Adam Lambert/ABC controversy, which had GLAAD sending out statement after statement trying to counter reports that it backed ABC in banning Lambert from several shows. Barrios came into the studio to sit down with me and sincerely wanted to clear the air. He accepted responsibility for what happened and admitted that the group's first update after ABC banned Lambert from two more shows was problematic, attributing it to a lack of clarity. But I still believe the explanations given weren't adequate -- and judging from the callers to the show afterward, many people agree -- and that GLAAD is still not taking a forceful stand. Nor do I believe, as I told Barrios, that the decision by The View to book Lambert for a taped segment Thursday was a "partial victory," as he called it, since he's still banned from shows they had dumped him from.Overall I think GLAAD has a long way to go in explaining what happened here and also its larger mission. It is compromised by the fact that it takes money from ABC --something else we discussed -- and that it just doesn't seem to be at the forefront of controversies and defamation, more so focused on giving out awards and patting media on the back.
The interview can be heard here.

via www.signorile.com

Jersey Shore “Guido”: Pierced and ready to show it

Jersey Shore’s self-described “guido” Paul "Pauly D" Delvecchio (far left) isn’t shy about showing off — after all, after just two episodes of the MTV reality series, he and a housemate hit the sheets, after which she announced that his manhood is pierced.

"I wasn't expecting that it was being filmed," Pauly D told E! Online’s Mark Malkin. "But I don't mind. I mean, it's whatever."

"I didn't tell anyone about my piercing," he added, "but I'm not shy."

Now Delvecchio tells Malkin he wouldn’t mind showing more in the pages of Playgirl ... but unlike Levi Johnston, he’d go full-frontal.

Where The Wild Things Are

The new V magazine shows us the wilder side of fashion in this portfolio by Mario Testino.

via vmagazine.com

Perez Hilton is called a "talentles dope"

 
It is a rare sight to see local entertainment reporter Sam Rubin go off on someone but that's exactly what happened when Perez Hilton showed up early for a taping of the KTLA morning news show. Hilton was had arrived to promote his new book, Perez Hilton's Bloggyworld Stories, but he was an hour early and assumed he could get on-air immediately—not so fast. Hilton left the studio without doing the interview and the scolding that followed is seen here in Rubin's rant, followed by the usual chuckles and backslapping of fellow newsroom members.

Time Honors Advocate cover

It was one of this magazine’s most controversial covers of the year—readers either loved it or hated it—but Time magazine has come down on the “loving” side. Time named The Advocate’s May 2009 cover, which featured a screaming blow-up doll to illustrate how the recession is hurting the porn industry, as one of the Top 10 Magazine Covers of the Year.
In describing the cover, Time’s Arthur Hochstein wrote: “This clever and hilarious cover either consciously or unconsciously pays homage to the famous painting The Scream by Edvard Munch. The article it sells is about how the recession has affected the porn industry—hard times indeed! The photo suggests, among other things, that if it gets bad enough, movie producers may have to substitute blow-up dolls for flesh-and-blood actors. The movies may be rated X, but this cover gets an A.”

via www.advocate.com

Researchers say stem cells could be engineered to fight HIV

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that human stem cells could be engineered to kill HIV-infected cells.

A study published yesterday in the peer reviewed online journal PLoS ONE details a demonstration of the process, which is essentially a genetic medicine.

It is thought that the findings could potentially could be used against a range of chronic viral diseases.

The process involved taking CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes, known as "killer" T cells that help fight infection, from an HIV-positive person.

Researchers were able to identify the molecule present in the T cells which allow them to fight cells infected with HIV. T cells exist in the human body but not in large enough quantities to kill the virus completely.

The molecule was then cloned and placed in genetically-engineered stem cells, which were put into the bodies of mice. It was found that the cells developed into mature, HIV-specific CD8 cells which were able to target cells infected with the HIV virus.

Researchers found that human patients undergoing the treatment would have to matched to the HIV-specific T cell receptors in the same way as organ transplants.

Lead investigator Scott G Kitchen, assistant professor of medicine at the university, said: "These studies lay the foundation for further therapeutic development that involves restoring damaged or defective immune responses toward a variety of viruses that cause chronic disease, or even different types of tumours."

Researchers say the next step is to find out whether the process would work in a human patient and find out what other viruses it could be used for.

The Health Protection Agency estimates that more than 80,000 people are now living with HIV in the UK, although around a third of these are thought to be undiagnosed.

High risk groups in the UK include gay and bisexual men and black Africans.

Worldwide, the number of people with HIV is thought to be 33 million.

via www.pinknews.co.uk

Fashion Twins

Tom Ford: " I don't think about being gay"

Tom Ford, director of the stylish A Single Man film has some gay bloggers upset with his remarks about gay life. Queerty, in particular has some thoughts on this: "we're growing increasingly flummoxed by Ford's insistence that he lives and operates in a world where sexuality doesn't exist, because of his "NY-LA-LON" jet-setting lifestyle. This is not something to celebrate. If Ford wants to be a groundbreaking director who makes films and not movies, he will make the effort to engross himself in the lives of everyday people. Including everyday gays, if he's going to make a movie about them. In interview after interview, Ford laments how he just can't see why the gay factor is such a big deal. These are not the words of an enlightened fellow; they are the words of an ignorant one." Slap bitch on you Tom.

Elton’s partner David Furnish: ‘George Michael’s friends say he needs help’

Elton John's civil partner David Furnish has said that many of George Michael's friends contact them for help over his health.

The Wham! star gave an interview to the Guardian last week in which he said John should "shut his mouth".

He said: "He will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying, 'Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab.' It's not going to happen."

Michael admitted he was currently smoking around eight joints a day but would not state when he last did crack cocaine.

Furnish appeared on BBC 5 Live this morning and said he and John were "regularly" contacted by worried friends about Michael's mental and physical health.

Story continues here.

via www.pinknews.co.uk

Lennon

Levi Johnston Nearly Naked - Playgirl Releases Sexy New Shots!

The baby's daddy of Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, said he worked hard on his physique -- i.e. "a lot of time in the gym and a lot of nasty food" -- for the shoot, even having to forgo one of his favorite Alaskan dishes, moose meat. So far, it looks like it paid off.

via www.radaronline.com

Randy Harrison is Andy Warhol

Queer as Folk’s Randy Harrison discusses his new role as late art legend Andy Warhol in Yale Rep’s POP! and his own status as a reluctant “post-gay” pop icon — plus his secret nude photos and the possibility of a QAF reunion. Read the story here.

via www.advocate.com

Adonis Mag: Not for Size Queens

Do you like big men on a little screen? Then this little iPhone application may be for you. Now you can enjoy the world of manly beauty in your hand. Revel in the masculine airbrushed world male erotic photography as you glide up and down on elevators. Each issue of ADONIS will only feature exclusive images by world-famous photographers bringing you their own vision of the male form and exploring beyond fashion, by venturing into the art of the body. The first issue of ADONIS is done by world renowned photographer Fred Goudon from France. So let's be clear: this is an iPhone application that sells for $1.99 and is available at the iTunes store

via www.adonismag.com

Ronaldo Strips and Gets Penalized

Cristiano Ronaldo’s gay fans surely appreciated when the Real Madrid player ripped off his shirt and screamed after scoring a goal… but the referees weren’t as taken with the strip tease. Ronaldo was penalized for the move, even though Real Madrid still managed to win the game against Almeria 4-2."I'm human and I made a mistake,” Ronaldo said after the game. “I have my flaws too, but I am a professional who doesn't like to miss or lose." Watch the video here. 

via www.advocate.com

Levi Gets Nearly Naked

Like a leaky faucet, more images from the Levi Johnston photoshoot for Playgirl have been leaked to the public for consumption. The photos range from mild to mildly wild as Levi show off his young buttocks, his teen-torso and of course, his smoldering good looks. For the near full monty check out more here.

A guide for straight men to shop gay

Today sports fans we tend to that silly little piece of business up ahead called The Holidays. The Holidays are a retail event, created by retailers and it is suggested, strongly suggested that you spend your money! At this time of year we often turn to experts for advice on what to buy and where. We couldn't help but notice that on one Irish website a certain Michael O'Doherty offers this jolly piece of advice: "If you must buy us something to wear, make it something we’d never buy ourselves – cufflinks. Wearing cufflinks is cool; buying cufflinks is gay."

Well then, here we are. How horrible it must be to be a heterosexual: you cannot buy something because it seems gay? This must include moisturizers and hair products, both of which are sorely needy by every straight man—but are too afraid to shop. Well thank goodness for the Internet where all men can discreetly shop for their thongs, cockrings, cufflinks and hopefully, moisturizers. To assist, we found one great place to shop for those gay cufflinks: http://www.cuffart.com/. The cufflinks shown above are Antique American Pen Nib Cufflinks which are are made from antique, American made fountain pen nibs with an average of 75 years! And for two more days they offering a 25% savings on all cufflinks. Next up? Why wearing a wrist watch is so old school and we love it.

George Michael: 'I'm surprised I've survived my own dysfunction'

In an interview published today in the Guardian, a fearlessly honest George Michael opens up and answers some personal questions including many about his notorious public sex life: "Why does he like to cruise when he could get any man he wanted? He seems astonished by the question. "I do get anyone I want. But I like a bit of everything. I have friends up there, I have a laugh." It's a fascinating interview:

"As I reach George Michael's house, a huge Land Rover draws up and a man in shades gets out. At the same time, two women jump out of a little car across the road and run up to him, panting and shaking. They are middle-aged, German and seem to have been waiting a long time – hours, possibly days. "Would you please have a photograph taken with us?" they say. George Michael obliges with a ready smile. It's cold and windy. "Would you please sign these?" the women say. They produce various George Michael paraphernalia. He obliges, but the smile is not quite so effusive. "I have to go inside now, ladies," he says, "thank you." As we retreat, the panting women tell him they feel a little dizzy and overcome, and that this has been the greatest day in their life. "We've heard the new Christmas single," says one, "and it's brilliant." "Yes, brilliant," echoes the other. "Even better than Last Christmas." Read the entire interview here

via www.guardian.co.uk

Let the War Begin...

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4, 2009-In response to the appalling Grammy nomination for Buju Banton, a performer whose music promotes the violent murder of LGBT people, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Public Affairs Officer Jim Key issued the following statement:

"We're shocked that Buju Banton, a singer with a long record of performing a song that glorifies the murder of gay people, would be honored with a Grammy nomination, regardless of the artistic merit of any of his work.

Throughout his career, Banton has performed music that promotes a culture of violence against lesbian and gay people; he sings in "Boom, Bye Bye" that "faggots get up and run" when he comes, that "they have to die," and that he will shoot them in the head or "burn them up bad."

He is completely unrepentant, refuses to stop performing the song, and recently said, "There is no end to the war between me and faggots."

Banton's music has helped foster such an anti-gay culture in his home country of Jamaica-where several prominent gay activists and many other LGBT people have been murdered-that Time magazine recently asked, 'Is Jamaica the most homophobic place on Earth?' Banton himself was charged with a violent anti-gay hate crime.

It's an affront to LGBT people, and to all fair-minded people around the world, that Buju Banton was even nominated. We certainly hope the members of the Recording Academy will not bestow the prestigious honor of a Grammy on someone whose music promotes murder."

Best Gay Bars 2009: Best of GayCities

Which bar will get the bragging rights this year? From stripper clubs to drag bars, you know the best out there. Give us your take and we'll reward you with a chance to win a trip to the bar that garners the most votes. If you don't see your favorite, write it in and campaign for it. Everyone can vote, but you must be a GayCities member to be eligible for the prize, so sign up now. Voting ends on December 31st at midnight ET.

via www.gaycities.com

Eminem Elevator lyrics

Sorry Lance, Mr. Lambert and Aiken ain't gonna make it They get so mad, when I call them both fake it's All these fucking voices in my head I can't take it Someone shut that fucking baby up, 'for I shake it You're standing adjacent to Jason's last slut, they're facing Together makes 'em, a fucking bad combination I lashed at the doctor in my last operation Shoved the weiner snitzel up his ass, hopped away some- Body please stop the patient, get the cops to mase him Homie, I'm the shizer, pass doctor dre some I can't leave the game, I just can't walk away son No not-a now, not a chance, not today son I can't believe I leave for one brief second You pussy queef all over the rap game, naked And use a leaf to clean up the crap stains, feck it I just keep saying the same exact saying, check it

EGG WITH CROSS ON IT?

Pam and Tracy Norrell collect eggs every day from their chickens on a small farm near Fort Worth, Texas. But on Monday, Tracy said he happened upon a misshapen egg. Upon closer inspection, he saw the sign of the cross on the top!

via weeklyworldnews.com

If that's what it means to be gay, I quit by Sky Gilbert

I am no longer gay. I quit. But that doesn't mean I don't still adore my pink high heels (and the questionable stains on them). In fact, my unrepentant love for those smelly old shoes has very much to do with why I am defecting and/or just resigning from the club.

No, it's not just because I'm old and tired (although I am); it's because the love that dare not speak its name is now shouting it out from the rooftops. Gay is everywhere and, paradoxically, gay is also over. But the new gay that is simultaneously invisible and ubiquitous is not the gay I once knew.

I think it was Modern Family that did it. I flicked on the TV – as I always do when I hear of a new sitcom with gay characters – and what a shock! Not only is the gay couple on the show completely accepted by their family as a whole, but there is nothing the least bit gay about them. They are a pair of nice, overweight, unattractive middle-class men obsessed with their adopted Asian daughter. I found myself searching for a camp moment, but I'm afraid neither of them is any nellier than the straight husband on the show.

But, like most mainstream entertainment, Modern Family is merely a symptom of what's really going on. For years, gay neo-con Andrew Sullivan (he's the only gay man you are likely to see on CNN, ever) has been telling us that being gay is all about being a good citizen. In fact, if you speak to the leaders of most gay and lesbian political groups about what it means to be gay today, they will probably answer using the words “love” or “family” or “caring.”

Well, the world of pretty rainbows, church on Sunday, monogamy, respectability and good citizenship is not the world I signed onto when I filled out my gay card.

How did this happen? Well, we live in a cyber-reality of Twitter, blogs and virtual sex. The great movements of the sixties – leftism, feminism, gay liberation and civil rights – are over. That doesn't mean we're done with class inequities, misogyny, racism or homophobia. But political correctness makes us think they're gone – and besides, we have the endlessly satisfying drug of technology to assuage any and all insecurities. Heck, these days no one interacts with anyone in the real world long enough to care about what goes on out there anyway.

In this contradictory era, there is a black U.S. president and yet police officers are still being accused of racial profiling. And Adam Lambert – the gayest American Idol contestant ever – was recently criticized by the gay community for wearing makeup and kissing a guy in his act. (Jennifer Vanasco, editor-in-chief of website 365gay.com, said Mr. Lambert tarnished the reputation of gays in the eyes of middle America, “who think gay life is exactly what he portrayed on the American Music Awards.”)

The contradictions of postmodern culture don't stop there. Though some real-life gay men are adopting Asian children, some are so pressed by the new, perfect, sanitized gay ideal that they end up drowning themselves in suicidal drugs and unsafe sex.

Here's my own personal solution. I reject the gay world. I have a new identity: I'm an ESP (pronounced ESPIE). That means effeminate sexual person. I'm committed to things that are no longer gay: alternative sexual and romantic relationships (promiscuity) and gender play (I prefer my women to act like men and my men to act like women). Don't worry, you can be a butch woman and still be an ESPIE – all you have to do is commit to gender-inappropriate behaviour of any kind and enjoy sex for pleasure alone (please don't do it – yawn – just to beget children).

Lately, Toronto's gay press has been bemoaning straight forecasts of what some have called “the premature death of Church Street.” One gay columnist says that, even if the condos drive the gays out of our neighbourhood, we will always have Church Street (sigh) in our hearts.

But it isn't just Church Street that's on the wane. When being gay is the same as being straight, there's no need for gay anything. Gay bars, books, gay magazines, gay newspapers – gay culture as we know it – will eventually disappear.

But, hey, I'm an ESPIE! So I don't care. And finally I can stop complaining.

Sky Gilbert is University Research Chair in Creative Writing and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph. His latest poetry collection is A Nice Place to Visit.

via www.theglobeandmail.com

ABC Drops Adam Lambert ... Again!

After the fallout from the AMA’s and the following cancellation of Adam Lambert’s Good Morning America concert, it finally looked like all parties were willing to move forward after scheduling Adam for an outdoor concert on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
It seemed his toned-down (and flawless) performances on the CBS Early Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show were enough to sedate the nervous ABC execs, but that didn’t last long …
Adam just tweeted that not only is his Jimmy Kimmel performance canceled, but it appears they’ve also canceled his appearance on New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest.
Adam seems to be taking it in stride though, letting everyone know he’s still scheduled to appear on The Jay Leno Show, and that he’s looking for new plans for New Year’s Eve. With any luck we’ll see him on New Year's Eve with Carson Daly or perhaps perform with fellow Idols David Cook and Daughtry on Fox’s New Year's Eve Live.
Wherever he ends up performing, I’m sure it’ll be well worth tuning in for. And as for ABC, well, you have to question a network that cancels an openly gay performer three times but has no problem with letting woman-beater Chris Brown appear on 20/20.

via www.afterelton.com

Beyoncé, Gaga Get Grammy Nominations

It’s "Single Ladies" versus "Poker Face" in a Grammy Awards smackdown.Nominations for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night, with pop star Beyoncé topping the field with 10 nominations and gay fave Lady Gaga receiving five nods.According to the announcement from The Recording Academy, “Beyoncé topped the nominations with 10, Taylor Swift garnered eight, and the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and Kanye West each earned six nods. David Guetta, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga received five each; and Colbie Caillat, Michael Giacchino, Kings Of Leon, John Newton, RedOne, Bruce Springsteen, T-Pain, and Keith Urban each received four nominations.”Beyoncé and Gaga will compete against each other in categories including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Find the complete list of nominees here. Winners will be announced on January 31.

via www.advocate.com

Post Mortems on a Media Giant

Nothing can get bitchier than a discussion of gay media. With the recent passing of gay media giant, Window Media, the post mortems are streaming in. The general consensus is that Window Media was not nice. My own experience with Window Media would confirm this. But here are the words of some others. Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News writes: " Window Media and their other partners began their course of destruction when Chris Crane discredited and cheapened what was one of the nation's leading LGBT publications (he even included a "Bitch Session" column and hired a former escort as a political columnist). That led to a decline in advertising, which resulted in cutting ad rates to undercut competition.
At the same time, David Unger, head of Window Media, went on a publication-buying spree with money guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. They had a sinking ship and went further in debt.

When Crane was let go/resigned, the Blade began to regain its stature but, still under Unger's leadership it continued to buy other publications and cut benefits. Various business arrangements with other publications, such as HX, entered the Blade world. Who owned what became blurred. Lack of trust from readers and advertisers, a possible fight among partners and an ensuing host of lawsuits spelled the end."

Publishers Jeff Coakely and Sue O'Connell of Boston's Bay Windows write:  "Window Media was blind and deaf to the needs of the local communities they were supposed to be serving. They entered into cities acting like jack-booted thugs, bullying freelance writers, advertisers, and community organizations."

'Family Ties'' Meredith Baxter comes out on 'Today'

Meredith Baxter has been hiding a seven-year secret.

The actress, who is most recognized as Elyse Keaton, the free-spirited mom on the hit ‘80s sitcom "Family Ties," has revealed she is a lesbian.

"I am a lesbian, and it was a later-in-life recognition," Baxter told Matt Lauer on "Today." "Some people would say, well, you're living a lie and, you know, the truth is – not at all. This has only been for the past seven years."

Having been in three failed marriages to men, Baxter explained she intentionally chose to be with male partners with whom she clashed as a reason to place blame for the end of the relationship.

It wasn't until the actress, 62, began a relationship with a woman seven years ago that she realized she was gay.

"I got involved with someone I never expected to get involved with, and it was that kind of awakening," she said. "I never fought it because it was like, oh, I understand why I had the issues I had early in life. I had a great deal of difficulty connecting with men in relationships."

Baxter is currently in a four-year relationship with Nancy Locke, a building contractor whom she met through mutual friends.

Because Locke is openly gay, Baxter said she had to reach a level of comfort so that her partner wouldn't be pushed "back into secrecy," adding that they "live very out lives in Los Angeles."

Though Baxter wasn't hiding her relationship, her sexuality became tabloid talk when the National Enquirer reported that she and a female friend appeared "very relaxed and comfortable" aboard a Caribbean cruise sponsored by lesbian travel company Sweet last month.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, known for bullying stars to out themselves, posted photos on Tuesday of Baxter looking cozy with Locke.

To avoid public scrutiny, Baxter decided to share her story on national television.

She told People, "I feel like I'm being honest for the first time."

Actor Bryan Batt at home in New Orleans

 
NEW ORLEANS — The future is unclear for his character on the hit AMC show "Mad Men," but actor Bryan Batt is taking advantage of the down time here in his hometown since the recent season finale.

Batt — who plays closeted gay art director Sal Romano — is preparing for the holiday shopping season at the home decor and gift shop he runs in New Orleans with his life and business partner, Tom Cianfichi.

They opened their store, Hazelnut, on trendy Magazine Street in 2003. Offering home decorations such as pottery, stemware, fabrics and frames, the store sits in a neighborhood where homes are scattered among antique shops, clothing boutiques, restaurants and bars.

"It's something we always wanted to do," said Batt, as he opened a box of glittery red holiday candles that had just arrived at the store. "I've always loved gifts and shopping and design."

Batt, 46, loves blending and mixing patterns, eras and colors rather than having everything match. His design mottos include, "Don't be afraid of color. What did it ever do to you?" and "If it looks right, it is right."

His personal style is a blend of old and new, he said.

"I love antiques, but I love contemporary and modern things," he said. "I do believe although we can honor the past, we have to live in the present."

One of the popular items at his store is a New Orleans-themed toile that Batt designed himself with streetcar, riverboat and French Quarter images. Hazelnut sells the toile by the yard or as shower curtains, towels, throw pillows, napkins and coasters. The design also can be put on serving trays, tissue boxes and wastebaskets, he said.

His store also carries oyster-shaped serving bowls, pewter alligator letter openers, streetcar and shotgun house ceramics, crab-shaped place card holders and serving trays with painted-on tree frogs.

Story and pictures continue here

Remember

 

Is Twilight anti-gay?

So I had no idea, but Stephenie Meyer, the author of this Twilight Series I’ve VAGUELY heard about, grew up Mormon. Her family is Mormon, she donates to the Mormon church and after the $140 million opening of New Moon this weekend, is now nearing Oprah-rich.

So there’s a database of Prop 8 contributers and Stephenie Meyer is not one of them listed publicly, but the New York Times is currently sleuthing around after a tip off that she is indeed putting her fist into the Prop 8 money bowl. This wouldn’t be the first time that someone has decided to strike their name from the record though is it? I wrote a Saturday Submission back in August, pre-cast member days, on how the president of Cinemark is a contributor towards Prop 8 and how I won’t put my money into the company in good conscience. In it I also mentioned Richard Hayne, owner of Urban Outfitters, and how he has decided to strike his name from the records, probably in an attempt to keep the gays shopping at his chain. Honestly, without them, he’d be a squeegee kid.

Well, Stephenie Meyer has not said a word in favor for or against anything to do with gay marriage, except for one thing. Under Mormon Church tithing, 10% of church donations go to charity and like-minded causes. So in theory, the money Stephenie Meyer is giving to the Mormon Church is going towards publically advocating anti-gay propaganda, as we know the Church does and has done with their tacky and disgusting public service announcements like A Storm is Coming. Kinda busted.

I’m not gonna’ wave my rainbow flag QUITE YET, but it’s all a little iffy, and I hope the Time reporters get more dirt soon.

Does it bother you that someone with so much power could be furthering human rights in a positive light but could be contributing against it? Or do you think that she has a right to believe what she believes in?

Did you see the movie this week, and if so, are you bothered that you could be funding an anti-gay agenda by just buying a ticket? Or is the trickle down effect inevitable no matter where you put your money?

via www.homorazzi.com

Veteran Trans Sportswriter Dies

Veteran Los Angeles Times sportswriter Mike Penner, who made headlines in 2007 when he announced that he was transitioning from male to female—from Mike Penner to Christine Daniels—has died, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 52-year-old, who last year began identifying as a man again, was found dead at his L.A. home. Suicide is the suspected cause of death.“He was one of the most talented writers I’ve ever worked with,” said Times Sports Editor Mike James, adding that Penner covered numerous beats including the National Football League and sports media during his more than two-decade-long career at the paper.In April 2007, Penner wrote a column announcing that she would be transitioning. She received strong support and some criticism from readers. In 2008 he told coworkers that he was returning to his male identity and started using the Mike Penner byline again.

via www.advocate.com

The Politics of a Kiss

Adam Lambert was on CBS this morning and while showing a clip of his Sunday American Music Awards performance, they blurred the moment when Lambert throttled the keyboardist with a deep-tongue kiss, a moment that has raised a lot of controversy. Perhaps Lambert was trying to prove how gay he is to Out magazine editor Aaron Hicklin, who recently wrote an editorial about the lack of gay-friendliness on the part of Lambert's PR machine. Perhaps Lambert, who recently broke up with is boyfriend, was giving his ex a message. Perhaps Lambert thought his first AMA performance should be memorable and wild. Or perhaps Lambert just thought keyboardist Tommy Ratliff was hot.

It doesn't matter. It's hard to believe but in 1968, a young and histrionic actor by the name of William Shatner planted a kiss on the lips of Nichelle Nichols on what would be the first African-American interracial kiss on a network television drama. Shocking, indeed. So listen up America, get ready. For most gay people we have spent a lifetime watching you wiggle your tongues into one another. Lambert, who is certainly not the first, but it may well be because there felt like there was some sexuality behind it, that this kiss has caused some such a stir. We have all seen the exchange of kisses between Kevin and Scotty on Brothers & Sisters, but these are kisses without a penis. 

If it makes America uncomfortable, if it makes American squirm, if it makes a network blur the image because the audience is not ready, get ready. Because in time, with time, we will be in your households, on your TV screens, in your movies, on your streets, making out.

Enrique Iglesias Strips for David LaChapelle

 
Enrique Iglesias come davvero non si era mia visto. 1999, culmine del successo dell'artista, è l'anno, per intenderci del duetto con Whitney Houston "Could I have this kiss forever". C'è un brano però, il secondo singolo di Inglesias, "Sad Eyes", il cui video, girato da David La Chapelle, non era mai stato diffuso. Almeno fino ad oggi. Il filmato lo immortala mentre guarda una chat erotica con protagonista una ragazza, per inciso una vera pornostar. Quindi l'incontro bollente fra i due... il video non lascia quasi nulla all'immaginazione...

Adam Lambert's GMA Performance CANCELED: Good Morning America Calls Off Morning Concert

ABC has called off Adam Lambert's Wednesday morning concert following his controversial performance on the ABC-aired American Music Awards Sunday night.
During that performance, he simulated oral sex, had a dancer on a leash, flipped the bird and kissed a male band member. Lambert has since defended the controversy, while ABC has fielded thousands or angry calls.
A spokesperson for ABC said, "Given his controversial American Music Awards performance, we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Xtube: GONE, not quite

Mega popular Xtube.com seems to have vanished over night to the dismay of porn lovers everywhere. In an Internet world where everything is made news instantly, this is one of those stories that doesn't seem to be capturing people's attention—yet. As for the history:

Xtube is a Canadian pornographic video hosting service which allows unregistered and registered users to share adult video content with others. Among other things, the terms of use of xtube.com state that users must be 18 years of age or older.
Xtube claims that it has over two million registered users and an Alexa Internet traffic rank of global average of 305, and a United States ranking of 175. The site receives 4.5 million unique visits per day. Xtube's main competitors are PornoTube and YouPorn. Amateur content producers can sell their videos and webcam shows, with the website taking a commission. One gay man is known to make $1,300 a week from his Xtube videos, with the site earning the same amount. Xtube distinguishes itself from its competitors by hosting a wiki engine on its site called Xtube Sex Wiki. Xtube was reportedly the first site to allow uploading of home-made adult content to a web site. Previously such content had to be shared either via Usenet newsgroups or via peer to peer file sharing networks.

A reader sends up this update:

I was able to get the following from their site: "Last night our DNS provider screwed up meaning no one could access the site last night between 10pm and 2:30am EST. The error is corrected and don’t worry, XTube is not going anywhere. As of this blog, there are still some connection errors so somethings wont work correctly until all the server errors are cleared, believe me we are just as frustrated as you are about this. We are working on it as I write this and we should have it all sorted out and back to normal shortly."

Tom Ford Hints at New Film and Sparks Controvery

Star fashion designer turned acclaimed director Tom Ford says that he is working on a second film, but he declines to discuss it in light of the whirlwind surrounding his current feature, A Single Man.Ford spoke recently with Marc Malkin of E! Online at the GQ Men of the Year party. "I have something I'm working on but I'm not ready to talk about it," said Ford, according to Malkin. "I just finished [A Single Man] in August and then we went to Toronto, Venice, Tokyo and London promoting it and my head is spinning. Maybe six months after we're finished with all this I'll be able to figure out what I want to do next."However, Ford was clear on his refusal to try acting again. The 48-year-old acted in television commercials early in his career after dropping out of New York University. "You know, I used to act when I was younger, but I quit," said Ford to Malkin. "I did it from about 17 to 24. I was too self-conscious. I didn't like it. I wasn't in control." 

Ford also has stepped into the light of controversy with a recent statement:

"I wasn’t trying to make Terminator 12. But this is not a gay film. I don’t even think about that. There are so many gay characters on TV that it’s almost become a cliché.”

While A Single Man is certainly not Terminator 12, it is one of the best gay films ever made and to to deny it is not only weird it begs the question: what drug are you on Tom Ford?  A single man is about a gay professor who has lost his lover of 16 years, is stalked by a beautiful young male student, is solicited by a handsome male prostitute and forced to listen to his girlfriend moan about his gay life. Yep, that's not a gay film.

via www.advocate.com