Planet Homo

Breaking News: Male Model Tom Nicon Found Dead

 

Just as the men's shows are about to start in Milano comes tragic news: French male model and catwalk regular Tom Nicon, 22, was found dead after falling from his window in his Milanese apartment. Nicon, who has posed for everyone from Costume National to Louis Vuitton and Gareth Pugh, had just returned from a Versace fitting and was scheduled to visit his agency that afternoon. Insiders are wondering if it was suicide, but the notoriously slow and corrupt Italian police have not made a statement.

SOURCE

Joran van der Sloot: Har en lille penis

 
Oh dear. In the eternal struggle to bring meaning to a meaningless world, comes this report that confessed murderer Joran van der Sloot has a very small penis. Back  in  2008 a Dutch publication printed a story about Sloot showing him frolicking on the beaches of Thailand while in the midst of the Natalie Holloway disappearance. The story goes: He “posed” for the photo, drinking from a bucket full alcohol, and also stark naked. He is anonymously partying with other tourists on the island of Koh Samet, where tourists shot the photos.

“I am king of the Ocean”, Joran yelled, according to a witness, when he was abandoning the island on a speedboat. Joran supposedly put himself in the care of a psychiatric institution, for therapy destined for people who are stuck in normal life and confront problems of behavior and psychiatric problems." Fun blog, tabloidprodigy got out the magnifying glass (apparently it was needed) to check out his geslachtsorgan and returned this report: "He’s tiny, tiny, tiny. MICROPEEN TERRITORY."

It should be noted that this wonderful site also treats viewers to the private parts of O.J. and supposedly Jon Gosselin.

Good Friday

Keith Haring would be nearing 53 (May 4, 1958) if it hadn't been for his death in 1990 from AIDS. If you lived in New York City in the 80s, you were familiar with his paintings and quick-chalk drawings that would haunt the subways. A few people, with vision, took those drawings and kept them and today they are worth a lot of money. Haring drew them for free. A graphic designer, schooled at the School for Visual Arts in NYC., Haring became famous for his "Radiant Baby" illustration that featured strong black outlines and stark visual imagery.

There is hole in the world from that period in New York City. In July of 1982, there would be less than 500 reported cases of what was then called GRIDS (Gay Related Immune Deficiency Syndrome) that would in one year triple and become to be called AIDS.

Keith Haring died at 31. Jesus at 33.

Supreme Court to Listen

The Supreme Court is getting involved in the legal fight over the anti-gay protesters who show up at military funerals with inflammatory messages like "Thank God for dead soldiers."

The court agreed Monday to consider whether the protesters' message, no matter how provocative and upsetting, is protected by the First Amendment. Members of a Kansas-based church have picketed military funerals to spread their belief that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

The justices will hear an appeal from the father of a Marine killed in Iraq to reinstate a $5 million verdict against the protesters, after they picketed outside his son's funeral in Maryland.

A jury in Baltimore awarded Albert Snyder damages for emotional distress and invasion of privacy, but a federal appeals court threw out the verdict. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the signs contained "imaginative and hyperbolic rhetoric" protected by the First Amendment.

The funeral for Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder in Westminster, Md., was among many that have been picketed by members of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. Westboro pastor Fred Phelps and other members have used the funeral protests to spread their belief that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. One of the signs at Snyder's funeral combined the U.S. Marine Corps motto with a slur against gay men.

Other signs carred by members of the Topeka, Kan.-based church said, "America is Doomed," "God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11," "Priests Rape Boys" and "Thank God for IEDs," a reference to the roadside bombs that have killed many U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The case will be argued in the fall.

The case is Snyder v. Phelps, 09-751.

The Law in Your Heart

Once upon a time, gay men died of AIDS. It was rarely made-for-movie in terms of its unpleasantness: it was horrible, brutal and it pulled the best and the worst out in all of us. Ray Gosling, a veteran BBC presenter recently confessed to the pillow smothering death of a lover in the early 80s because of his suffering from AIDS. Some may view Gosling as a murderer, some a saint. He has held onto this secret for a long time and he was arrested yesterday and released on bail today. He revealed the incident while presenting a program about mercy killings.

NYC: Death to Clubs and Bars in the last Decade

Next magazine reports on demise of gay bars and clubs in New York City in the past ten years.  Gay bars and clubs have been disappearing faster than print media according to their map. Gay bars like pop romantic ballads are markers for periods of our lives. Though no mention is made as to the cause of such widespread closings, it would appear evident that the Internet clearly has taken its toll on public meeting places (just like media!) as people are glued to their facebook, manhunt and other social interaction websites for community. And it's a lot cheaper.

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.

Lennon

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."

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

Walter Cronkite dies at 92

Walter Cronkite, the former CBS news anchor whose steady baritone informed, reassured and guided the nation during the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s, died today, the network announced. He was 92. Full obituary here.
For those of an age who remember, Cronkite walked us through history, lending assurance in the uneasiest of times. Beginning with  the Kennedy assassination, it was his confidant though occasionally emotional voice that we heard from 1962 to 1981 on CBS, that become the voice of reason and respect.
And that's the way it was.

Notes on a Funeral

The funeral of Michael Jackson. Watching it from numerous points of view, it was interesting to follow some thoughts on Facebook, as Brooke, Magic, Smokey, Jermaine and the child scored points while Al Sharpton seemed to annoy everyone. Perhaps it was the hour, it was morning and everything seemed oddly out of place. Mariah Carey sang what felt like a raw voice. One half expected commercials. Salon did a great job in having Mary Elizabeth Williams write a minute-by-minute account of the show:

2:35 p.m. John Mayer does Lite FM guitar version of "Human Nature." Eyes closed.

Jackson rolls over in coffin.

2:30 p.m. Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan offer a dignified reminder of Jackson’s charity work, and assure his children they’ll always have family.

As they depart the stage, let us take a moment to note that we will likely not see another lineup of grieving brothers in sunglasses and single, sparkly gloves in our time.

Unless it catches on.

Read it all here.

Final Rehearsal

Notes on a Private Moment of a Public Death

  Michael Jackson dead at fifty. There are so many shocks contained in that statement: when did he become fifty? With no disrespect Jerry Lee Lewis is 73, Little Richard is reportedly 76, Eric Clapton is a surprising 64, Brian Wilson is 67. It is largely the improbability of the event that is the most shocking. As the circus winds its way up to Neverland or the Staple Center, the story itself is on the verge of exhaustion. Air travel is a great time to reflect and listen and I did coming back from Mexico City.

It must be noted that as to question of where were you when you heard the news of Michael Jackson’s death, it is a strange story. In the sub-tropical jungle of Alta Vista in Mexico, a location known as a highly spiritual junction with ancient petroglyph markings, a guide who spoke very little English broke the news as we headed down an extremely long road.  For over two hours the question lurked in every step: was this real? Only upon arrival in the Puerto Vallarta, did verification come from a somewhat lackadaisical hotel manager.

Celebrity deaths affect us in different ways. Farah Fawcett, who died the same day, did not provoke the same disbelief and sadness, perhaps because we were much better prepared for her departure. Jackson’s death seeped into dreams and it has taken days to accept. There was and is, something astonishing about his death. Where were the psychics? (LeToya Jackson claims to be psychic.)

Michael Jackson had a fierce, gifted energy, and though I cannot claim to own any CDs (ironically, I do now) I was in many ways a fan. It began for me on that night in 1982, when on television, live from the Apollo Theatre Michael took the stage and the world by storm. It was as if he had come out of nowhere at least for me. I was never a fan of the Jackson Five, the music, the songs, even Michael voice just  seemed adolescent. And it was. That night at the Apollo was Michael’s coming out party; he made the transition from boy to star in three short minutes. And it remained that way: we always had to watch, no matter what, Michael was a star, in so many ways. He was compelling as public figure: a changing face and image, court battles, peculiar marriages and always, his stage presence. There was only one Michael Jackson.

Musically, Michael’s music was driving, kinetic and relentlessly rhythm driven. His songs were operatic moments. What I always remember about listening to Michael Jackson was that his sound was the best in the world: the best producer, musicians, engineers and songwriters that money could buy. The production values were and still are are, simply the best. And then there was the voice,  His singing voice was the polar opposite of his speaking voice. The speaking voice was always demure, shy, slightly feminine and predictably young. The singing voice was defiant,  aggressive and confident. For some curious reason, I t was hard to believe Michael Jackson in interviews. His speaking voice seemed disingenuous. But the singing voice, even if if it was singing about a loving a girl or saving the world, somehow, you believed every second of it.

As a songwriter, it was difficult to understand his process He was not known to play piano or guitar, although he was rumored to play bongos as a child. And yet he managed some of the greatest pop songs ever written, though unlike most pop songs, they are not particularly karaoke-kind. His songs were ultimately written for his unique voice and talent, even when he wasn’t the songwriter. The other factor, which mentioned is usually mentioned in a casual way is the Michael’s producer on his major hits was the legendary Quincy Jones. Without Quincy, one can seriously doubt we would have been so moved by his music.

 Michael Jackson was in the end, that thing that celebrity becomes—­aloof, eccentric and unwilling to see the rules that most of us play by. His sexuality, which has been discussed very little in the press, should have been something detected in his music. Maybe it was. “Remember the Time” is an urgent, passionate song. It is laced with numerous “girl” as are almost all Jackson songs. But biographical? One wonders.

That Jackson was a kind of pederast is not in doubt. To what extent, we may never know. What is certain is that in his lyrics, one never suspects adult love. It was part of his persona, one that he created, of never growing up. What has escaped the public’s attention in this tragedy is Michael Jackson’s responsibility in creating it. Diprivan? His superstar appetite wouldn’t allow for a normal sleeping pill?

I am going to confess that I cried at times, and I’m not sure why. Walking through the parks in Mexico City, people would have televisions playing his videos, with small groups huddled watching. It was just sad, completely, painfully sad. For most us, he represented an era, a time, and a sound.  Yet he came and went with a larger message.  A message about celebrity, the unrelenting desire to change one’s appearance (where were these so-called good friends?) because being genuine was never part of his personality in his later years. There has been a chorus recently of  “leave him alone”, which suggests that we end speculation and investigation into his life as we mourn his death. Why should he get off so easily? It wasn’t as first reported, a heart attack. It was a man, apparently deep into drugs most of us have never even heard have. So yes, while we mourn, we should not forget this was not an act of God, no matter what anyone thinks.

"MIchael was Homosexual..."

 This is to be expected. Days after Michael Jackson's death, the ponderings, investigations and wonderings of every person with a keyboard are beginning. Of note though, is this entry from the Dailymail in London.
Writer Ian Halperin suggests a story about Michael Jackson that is extremely revealing. Entitled, " 'I'm better off dead. I'm done': Michael Jackson's fateful prediction just a week before his death", the story explores Jackson's decline in his final weeks. But there is also this:
It is clear to me that Michael was homosexual and that his taste was for young men, albeit not as young as Jordan Chandler or Gavin Arvizo.

In the course of my investigations, I spoke to two of his gay lovers, one a Hollywood waiter, the other an aspiring actor. The waiter had remained friends, perhaps more, with the singer until his death last week. He had served Jackson at a restaurant, Jackson made his interest plain and the two slept together the following night. According to the waiter, Jackson fell in love.

The actor, who has been given solid but uninspiring film parts, saw Jackson in the middle of 2007. He told me they had spent nearly every night together during their affair – an easy claim to make, you might think. But this lover produced corroboration in the form of photographs of the two of them together, and a witness.

Other witnesses speak of strings of young men visiting his house at all hours, even in the period of his decline. Some stayed overnight.

Read the story in its entirety here.

Luke Smalley RIP

Luke Smalley, the art photographer famous for his playful images that explored the intersections between fashion and masculinity, died unexpectedly on May 17, at the age of 53.

Smalley’s work cultivated an aura of lighthearted manliness by lifting from an array of masculine ideals — 20th-century fitness manuals, vintage school portraits, antique exercise equipment. Although Smalley was not a household name, he was revered among leading men’s-wear image makers, most notably his frequent collaborator and friend, the designer Kim Jones. (In 2004, Smalley teamed up with Jones on a book chronicling American youth culture, and a year later for a fashion story in T.)

 Smalley’s work appeared in progressive men’s fashion publications such as Dazed & Confused, V Magazine, Vogue Hommes International, Another Man and Arena Homme Plus. His two books, “Exercise at Home” and “Gymnasium,” were showcases for his tongue-in-cheek take on adolescence. (A final book on his work, “Sunday Drive,” will come out later this year.) While certainly homoerotic, Smalley’s images were never perverse. Instead, through the imaginative use of props, costumes and staging, Smalley helped bridge the gap between whimsy, sensuality and machismo — a viewpoint men all too seldom see reflected in popular culture

Final Exit: Bea Arthur

Beatrice Arthur, best known as the acerbic Maude Findlay on Norman Lear's sitcom "Maude" and as the strong-willed Dorothy Zbornak on the long-running "The Golden Girls," died Saturday. She was 86.
While often rumored to be a lesbian, Bea was actually married twice and to Gene Saks for 25 years.
What she was in fact, was funny. A dead-pan kind of humor that tended to stall the moment with laughter, Arthur was primarily a stage actress when Norman Lear spotted her in an off Broadway musical, "The Shoestring Revue" in 1971 singing "Garbage". Lear brought her to Hollywood where she had a guest role on "All in the Family" as Maude, a loud-mouth cousin to Edith Bunker. She soon had her own show, "Maude" which ran for six years. In 1985, she returned as Dorothy on "The Golden Girls", which ran from 1985 to 1992, twice winning the Emmy for best comedy.