Planet Homo

GLEE - Sneak Peek at "Start Me Up/ Livin' On A Prayer"

GQ's Glee Pics Create Controversy

  Looking at the photos yesterday in my copy of GQ and I was thinking, “these girls have abs!” Some of the photos, while racy, are pretty much a straight man’s vision of high school girls gone bad (a reoccurring porn motif). The remarkable cultural footnote is not that these girls got dressed down but that anyone expected anything different from a publication like GQ. If you think about it, magazines are in in fact, kind of gay. Guys who read magazines are kind of gay, so the editors of magazines like Esquire, GQ and Details make a concerted efforts to appear mega-heterosexual. There was a time, when GQ was run by gay editors and an entire issue was photographed by Bruce Weber (in a homage to a USC swimmer no less). Like Playgirl, GQ decided not to acknowledge its gay readers in any significant way (because the advertisers didn’t want to appear too gay) and instead went for the main, motivating force behind nearly everything but war on this planet: pussy.
So when we look at Dianna Agron and Lea Michele with their tighty whiteys fitting snugly up against their girlthing, it is what the editors, the photographer want us to think about: sex. Sex, for parents is always something to complain about because parents don’t want to become grandparents too early in life, it signals a whole new shift in the timelife continuum.
So while parents may beat the moral drum, because....the show takes place in high school, where there is supposedly no sex going on, the curious fact is that sex really does propel the world, especially cultural and media worlds. And magazines in particular, with attendance down need to reach into the grapbag of controversy and novelty to attract readers.
For gay men this produces an enormous amount of ennui; straight couples fondling, kissing, tongue diving and butt-clenching on television and in  movies does not move us. We are not tormented by the Glee girls in their sexual poses with the near camel-toe embrace of their underwear like a straight man is. If the tables were turned and it was Chord Overstreet (the new boy with a mouth like a pomengrante) or Mark Stalling in tight white underwear hinting at the state of their circumcision, we might be moved, we might be upset because it is an image we could carry over into the loneliness of the night.
This is the very reason that two men kissing still holds such power of revulsion and intrigue: we don’t see it very often.
So of course, we aren’t offended by the GQ images. To us, they are sexy, artsy photos about some cast members of a television show clearly produced by homosexuals. The fact is, gay men are not easily offended because we live a part of our lives in the shadows. The shadows that are of men kissing or having sex. To the untrained eye, gay men might appear desparate as we horde  any image that has some sexual innuendo from sports figures with bulges to up-close shots of Taylor Lautner in revealing sweat pants. Men, especially celebrated men, have to be sexy in an unsexy way or its, well, you know...gay.
Until that time, when we are offended by the images of young male stars being photographed as sex objects by famous photographers in a major magazine, in a story called the The Boys of Glee, we are not easily offended. We are amused at such controversies because clearly they push some button, that we don't possess.

Gay TV Now: The 'Real' Fall Season

Today Show Allows Same-Sex Couples to Apply

NEW YORK — NBC's "Today" show says it is changing the rules for its annual wedding contest to allow same-sex couples to apply.

The network made the determination after a meeting with gay and lesbian activists on Thursday, and extended the deadline for applications.

The morning show runs a contest every year where viewers choose a couple to get married on the show. Viewers plan every aspect of the wedding, from the cake to decorations, and it takes place live on the air sometime in the fall.

NBC says it abided by New York state rules, where same-sex marriages aren't allowed. But after activists pointed out that a couple could still get a marriage license in another state and have the ceremony at the "Today" show, the network said it would allow same sex couples to apply.

There's still no guarantee that viewers will be able to choose a same-sex couple. NBC ultimately culls through thousands of applicants to give viewers a choice of four couples.

CNN: Gary and Tony Have a Baby

The Fabulous Beekman Boys Premieres Tonight

The Fabulous Beekman Boys from mike goubeaux on Vimeo.

What do you get when you combine a former Martha Stewart Vice President, a drag queen turned ad exec and New York Times bestselling author, an estate and farm in upstate New York, a few quirky neighbors and goats, pigs and a llama to boot? In the case of Planet Green, it's their next primetime docu-series The Fabulous Beekman Boys, scheduled to premiere tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET. "We believe that a farm can be much larger than its fences. If someone told us that we'd trade in New York City for eighty goats, two pigs, a dozen chickens and a narcissistic llama, we would have told them that they were crazy," said Kilmer-Purcell and Ridge. "It turns out that we are." "The Fabulous Beekman Boys is an amusing look into Josh and Brent's very unique relationship, their desire to create a business and to transform their lives. Watching it unfold in real time is hilarious and entertaining" said Laura Michalchyshyn, Planet Green, Health, and Fit TV President and General Manager (who recently bought a farm of her own!). "Brent is a quintessential type A personality with a 'my way or the highway' attitude while Josh is a laid back, genteel kind of guy who spends weekends on the farm but is still commuting to work in the city during the week. Their eccentric, extended friends and family dynamic reveals to viewers that trying to live the simple life isn't so simple after all. We can't wait to bring these charismatic new personalities to television."

Glee to Get Christian Character

 

High school comedy Glee will gain a Christian character next season who disapproves of homosexuality.

Glee writer Ryan Murphy said he wrote in the female character to rebalance "jabs" made at America's right-wing.

The Fox show has been praised for its sensitive yet direct handling of topics such as homosexuality, sex and teen pregnancy and applauded for its message of tolerance.

Murphy told TV Guide magazine: "I'm adding a Christian character. We've taken a couple jabs at the right wing this year, so what I want to do with this character is have someone who Christian kids and parents can recognise and say, 'Oh, look – I'm represented there, too!'.

"If we're trying to form a world of inclusiveness, we've got to include that point of view as well."

He added that the unnamed character would disagree with gay character Kurt Hummel's sexuality, as well as objecting to some of the more sexually-charged performances by the Glee Club.

Murphy also revealed that Rachel Berry's gay dads will stay in the background for at least another season, saying: "I like feeling their parenting influence without meeting them."

Story here

Bill O'Reilly's Silly Slip of the Tongue

Gay groups tossed Fox's Bill O'Reilly into the deep fryer Thursday for mocking a gay-friendly McDonald's airing in France - and burning up the web. The ad features a teen chatting his boyfriend on the phone while his dad is at the Mickey D's food counter. He hurriedly hangs up and smiles wryly when his dad sits down and tells him he can have any girl he wants. "Do they have an Al-Qaeda ad?" O'Reilly asked Wednesday night on his Fox show. Gay groups were outraged but O'Reilly's producer called the brouhaha "silly." "Bill O'Reilly should be ashamed for equating a family with a gay son to terrorists," said the Human Rights Campaign's Michael Cole. And the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation sent out an action alert to its followers urging them to flood Fox with demands for an apology. David Tabacoff, the senior executive producer for The O'Reilly Factor hit back: "This is a very silly controversy. The quote was taken totally out of context." "If you look at the full segment and think he's actually equating gays with Al Qaeda, you must be crazy." "By seizing on a handful of words, they have made a really ridiculous argument." Lisa Howard, a spokeswoman for McDonald's, said the advertisement would run only in France and is part of a series of ads celebrating diversity called "Come as you are." "The ad... recognizes the diversity of the McDonald's customers in France," she said. O'Reilly, bantering with Fox anchor Jane Skinner about the TV spot asked if it made her "hungry for a Big Mac." She held back her opinion of the ad and replied that she's always hungry for McDonalds. "Ok, they want to make a political statement selling burgers, they are entitled to it," O'Reilly said. "It will never run in the USA."

And speaking of voices...Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer visits The View and shares his shares his history of being bullied in high school. Describing his own voice as "sucking on helium", in one of life's better turnarounds, his naturally high voice is a perfect for singing.

McDonald's Ad: come as you are, stay as you are?

OK. We don't get it. This new TV ad from McDonald's in France sets up a situation where a boy gets a phone call from his lover and ends the conversation short when his father returns with the food. In other words, we have a closeted boy who has not told his father about his sexuality. How this serves the gay community or McDonald's for that matter is a mystery. But we do love his voice and accent. Oh La La.

Gaga Performance: Gay Bathhouse from Hell

I love a good writer who can review and The Washington Post certainly has a great writer in Lisa de Moraes. Her particular take on last nights American Idol performance by the Gaga is very funny: "in honor of Cinco de Mayo, Lady Gaga is here to sing her tune "Alejandro." For her performance, Gaga is dressed as a widowed hooker who runs a fitness club for men who are working through body-image issues; they are all dressed only in black Spanx. She delivers the tune's spoken bits in a beginner's Spanish accent. Then, the accent becomes fake-French -- Gaga is definitely having accent-control issues tonight, and her voice sounds worn out, like she's been shouting at dancers, set designers and costumers right up till show time." Scene change and Gaga's accent is now Russian; she's still the slutty widow, but now she's the wife who is going to inherit all the money and is celebrating at a gay bath house from hell which is decorated with a statue of an angel that throws out flames when it's irked, which is often. Read her entire review here.

Gleeful

Glee's latest episode, "Home" seems to have departed from the cultural phenomenon of Madonna and pop culture and delved into some weighty issues such as loneliness, acceptance and of course, the meaning of home. It's a peculiar pairing, American Idol and Glee (they follow one another) as it reveals some peculiar idiosyncrasies about culture at the moment. American Idol's mission is to reveal the latest musical talent, a talent that can sell songs. Each week they have showcased a "songbook" of other peoples work such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and last night, Shania Twain. These songbooks have been largely unsuccessful (the Beatles and Rolling Stones in particular) but they do demand of the performer to re-imagine, or reinvent the songs in some fashion that speaks to a current audience. Ironically, this is exactly what Glee does — effortlessly. Last night was no exception as they touched on the Burt Bacharach/Hal David songbook with results, that can only be called tearful. Chris Colfer's version of "A House is not a Home" sung in a blissfully androgynous alto voice, was nothing short of a revelation, mostly about how good the song is. Later, Bacharach/David's "One Less Bell to Answer" would be coupled with "A House is not a Home" in a duet that recalled some of Hollywood's finest musical moments. That said, these are songs that American Idol seems to dare not touch. All to often, especially from Simon Cowell, a contestant is derided for appearing too musical, too Broadway, as if acknowledging the power of such great melodies (the Bacharach/David songs were visited on the first season) aren't au courant. Instead, last night, American Idol visited the Shania Twain song book which is needless to say, limited. The emotional difference between the shows was palpable: one fast forwarded through much of American Idol while the mind lingered over the storylines and songs of Glee. American Idol may declare that its intent is to reveal the next singing sensation but like all music, theater and film it is only as good as the person writing it. There has never been a Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen or Rufus Wainwright night of songs, though each, in their own way would provide a rich catalog of vocal highlights. And yet, this year more than any other, American Idol seems to be reveling in contestants, who by any stretch of the imagination don't seem particularly modern; they all seem to reference someone in the past (just weird that Ellen's referring to Michael Lynche as Luther Vandross would be construed as news!). So while the American Idol contestants struggle to find modernity, Glee flourishes in its homages to the past, by doing what Andrew Garcia only (and painfully) hinted at: the past is always  a reinvention the future.

Kindle Swindle?

With just two weeks before the iPad goes on sale, its closest competitor, the Kindle has released a new commercial, once again using stop motion. Everything about the commercial is sweet, but like all things commercial today, there is controversy. While the Kindle commercials have garnered awards and acclaim, the original concept seems to generate from Israeli singer and director Oren Levie, who directed a commercial called "Her Morning Elegance" a year ago. Toss into the mix a Target commercial that completely borrows from Levie's vision, you get a lot of people imitating one another. Which is why it makes Kindle commercial creator, Angela Kohler seems a little disingenuous when she talks about how the commercial was created on an airplane from Thailand to Japan with her boyfriend. Regardless, the boy is extremely cute and the commercial charming.

The Eloquent Dan Choi

Strange Days

Breaking Bad is many things, but the new season began with such a delightfully artistic opening that it bears repeating. The episode entitle, "No Mas" begins with "the cousins" joining the crawl. The cousins are actors and brothers Luis and Daniel Moncada. The episode was directed by star Bryan Cranston.

Urban Thriller

 
America faces some great questions: will healthcare reform pass? Will Tim Urban survive another week on American Idol. If he's smart, he will perform shirtless. For anyone over 50, Urban is a throwback to another era—he's like a slightly taller Davy Jones of The Monkees, complete with the cocky grin that he flashes whenever in doubt, which is often. He reminds us of what a shag haircut looked like before Jane Fonda stole it. And if this picture is any indication, he seems to following Jane into the world of fitness. Could the video be next? It may have to be.

Urban slipped into the competition by default and has managed to week after week, shock himself by remaining a contestant. His theme song should be "Against All Odds." His talent is in his appearance and he is working every teen girl into a frenzy, which only proves that American Idol is actually part beauty contest, part talent show. His performance last week of the Rolling Stones, "Under my Thumb", was met with universal lack of acclaim, as he invoked a "Wasting away in Margaritaville" attitude by going reggae. The Rolling Stones as inspiration was curious. Most the of songs, with the exception of Wild Horses, don't hold up well. The entire evening was like a flashback, and not a particularly good one. The only exception was Siobhan Magnus, who in a wild rendition of "Paint it Black" hit a note so weird, so audacious, that even Simon Cowell, who is not easily shocked, was shocked.

Ugly Betty: Justin Gets Kissed

As the delightful TV show, Ugly Betty winds to down to a halt, there seems to a lot of kissing going on. Betty made out with Zachary Boule, a hot young playwright (played by Aaron Tveit) and young Justin, in a quirky, sweet piece of television writing, gets kissed by his friend Austin.

Vieira Sorry for Post-Oscar Gay Joke

Today Show host Meredith Vieira has apologized for comments she made during Monday’s Academy Awards coverage in which she suggested a hug between Hurt Locker stars Anthony Mackie and Jeremy Renner might give her cause to worry.Referencing an emotional hug between the two actors on the the day the film and Renner were both nominated for Oscars, Vieira said: “You hugged him pretty tight, I must say, in the moment. There was a lot of man lovin’ goin’ on last night. Do I have reason to be worried?”Co-host Al Roker seemed immediately shocked, asking Vieira, “Why would you ask that?” Mackie then assured Vieira that there was nothing strange about a passionate hug between men and that the two actors had simply become very close making the film.Vieira released the following statement to GLAAD: “During an interview with the cast of the hurt locker on Monday, I turned to actor Anthony Mackie and made a joke about “man hugging” in reference to a hug he and fellow actor Jeremy Renner had shared a few weeks earlier on our air. It was meant to be lighthearted, but some were offended by what they believed to be a homophobic comment. That was never my intent, but that doesn’t matter. Words are extremely powerful and should never be chosen lightly, even in a lighthearted moment. I apologize to any and all that I offended. My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented. It has not and will never waver.”Watch the Today Show exchange here.  

via www.advocate.com

Dan Savage and Keith Olbermann on Miss Beverly Hills

Author Dan Savage and Keith Olbermann discuss Miss Beverly Hills beauty contestant Lauren Ashley's gay-hating remarks based on Biblical scripture. A few facts: The city of Beverly Hills has denounced Ms. Ashley and said she has no claim to that little tiara whatsoever. She doesn't live in Beverly Hills. She was participating in a show about plastic surgery, but she was there for a consult herself. So far, none of her "gay friends" has stepped forward to defend her.

In Case You Missed...

You will be hearing from director Daniel Cox. His PSA "Embrace Life" for Sussex Safer Roads in the UK is artfully done and rather simple in the message, and scored with lush, sad music, it is a worldwide hit.

It's the guy in the Old Spice commercial: Isaiah Mustafa

 
"I just tried to create this lovable, oblivious [buffoon], who's a little bit smug," he said. (OK, Isaiah didn't really say "buffoon." Nobody says "buffoon" except maybe for the guy on the horse. You get the idea, though. In a lovable way, of course.)

We looked at him. We looked away. We looked back at him. And dangit if we couldn't stop looking at him. Seriously, he's on a horse.
He, of course, is actor Isaiah Mustafa, otherwise known as "the guy who stars in that Old Spice commercial" -- a spot that's been cracking folks up for a couple of weeks now.
"I just tried to create this lovable, oblivious [buffoon], who's a little bit smug," he said. (OK, Isaiah didn't really say "buffoon." Nobody says "buffoon" except maybe for the guy on the horse. You get the idea, though. In a lovable way, of course.)
"But he really just wants to help."

Read entire here:
via latimesblogs.latimes.com

American Idol: The 24

 
 American Idol represents something about America. Now in season 9, the hallowed 24 have been selected. We have been witness to the tears; the sorrow of defeat and once in a while the defiance of contestants who are purposefully made to endure and wait (extreme tiredness is a trick every cult knows how to use) until their “verdict” comes in. This year, an extremely annoying thing is happening and there doesn’t seem to be an appropriate word for it. It comes close to something like irony, but the judges are pretending the opposite of what is actually happening. In other words, new judge Ellen DeGeneres walks into the room looking sad and downtrodden only to reveal that it is the winning room! Hooray! This seems to have become the staple trick of nearly all the judges as they attempt to create drama where often there simply is none. American Idol is big on drama. We are treated to the stories of many of the contestants: the girl with the dying grandma, the guy who wants to pay his bills with his celebrity, the guy who missed the birth of a child to remain in competition, and on and on and on. Only today we learned that “adoption boy” Chris Golightly (no relation to Holly) has been replaced because he failed to mention that he had a contract with some other musical enterprise. These short “Lifetime” stories fail to engage but they do fill up space on the complete unnecessary two-hour shows that are punctuated with more commercials than even the Logo channel.

There is a lot talent in this years contestants. One suspects that many have been practicing and performing for a long, long time. Some are polished, some fail to remember lyrics, some have charm, some have good looks, some are goofy, some are lovable. They run the gamut of American culture and this year is like a United Nations of races and ethnicities.

As for the judges, this may be Simon Cowell’s last season, apparently not be replaced by Howard Stern (genius!!!) Kara continues to annoy as she took one dismissed contestant and sat next to her in the chair and in her best mommy impression, begging her not to give up. Mercy. As for Ellen, ah, well, she is really nice. Her contributions so far have been more than her fair share of that “irony” humor and she has not been very funny. One suspects she might end up a one-season judge because the hurt is too much for her to bear. Randy Jackson has refrained from his litany of colloquialisms and yet he remains the lightest of fingerprints barely scratching the surface of any significance. Simon does seem a little annoyed with the show, perpetually tossing his “I’ve seen this movie too many times” look to the camera as he continues to be the voice of reality for many of the deluded would-be singers.

 As the 24 finalists were chosen after an exhausting (even for the audience) two night extravaganza, the highlights would be Haeley Vaughn, a 16 year old who redefines wacky. Aaron Kelly, who brings out the pederast in all of us, sex symbol rocker Casey James and our favorite, Andrew Garcia, who despite an annoying personality sings unlike anyone on the show.

 

Johnny Weir Sings!

Johnny Weir, the delightful star of his own documentary, Pop Star on Ice, sings Carrie Underwood. While Weir's vocal talents are dubious, his talent to amuse remains full force as he prepares for the Winter Olympics in a week. Recent controversy over his love of dead animals was referenced in a recent Advocate interview: "It's a dirty business, but it's a business; someone has to do it ... I appreciate a beautiful fur coat, I appreciate products made out of animals. I eat steak, I wear ice skates made out of leather. I have Ugg boots, so I guess I'm wearing sheep. I just don't like how animal groups go crazy about a fox or a beaver but say nothing about cows dying for shoes. They always seem to pick the cutest animals." The might-be-gay-skater then announced he would be wearing only faux fur as he didn't want anything disrupting his chances for a medal. As the National Post put it: "So much for his proclamation to The Advocate when they double-checked and asked if he's "not putting down the fur coat any time soon?" The 25-year-old Olympian said this: "Not until I see a chinchilla wearing me." The Sundance documentary is midway and Weir never fails to entertain. A recent outing where he taught young girls how to ice skate was memorable as he remarked to one tall girl: "I was once a tall girl."

John Stewart on Bill O' Reilly: The Full Edit

It may be called a "No Spin Zone" the Bill O' Reilly Fox show "The O'Reilly Zone", but is apparently the heavily edited zone. A recent exchange between Bill and comedian John Stewart made it to air, at least 42 minutes of it, but there was more. Bill has graciously published the entire interview so the public can decide if the edit is fair or not. As Gawker put it: "If by "fair cut" O'Reilly means "cut in a manner that left some of Stewart's best lines, most effective arguments, and most convincing evidence out of the interview and hidden from the broadcast audience," then he's absolutely right."

SNL Plays Fox

SNL opened with a parody of "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren," last night as the Fox News host (Kristen Wiig) welcomed a panel consisting of Karl Rove, Col. Oliver North, and an attractive blonde lady. Also joined by an obligatory Democrat, Robert Gibbs, Van Susteren tackled the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, posing the question, "Should homosexuals be allowed to prance around our military like it's Cirque Du Soilel?" The views of the guests were as homophobic as you'd expect. Rove (Bobby Moynihan) put it bluntly: "DADT allows members of our military to be gay, but not too gay. So we get the Wills from Will and Grace, but not the Jacks." North (Will Forte) agreed, adding, 'The Neil Patrick Harrises, but not the Elton Johns."

RuPaul's Dragrace Get Reviewed

Hedda Lettuce didn't make it onto RuPaul's 2nd Season of Dragrace and as Lettuce reports, she may be better off. If you haven't seen the Logo series, what Lettuce says is actually kinda true. In one scene they bring out celebrity photographer Mike Ruis, who doesn't get to say much, but shows off his enormous 18" biceps and as they indeed turn a blasting fan onto the faces of each contestant, the casual observer does have to wonder if this wasn't some kind of humiliation. It was really funny.

Pink Does Vegas in Grammy Act

If the Grammy Awards are a cultural weather vane, the winds seem to be blowing out of nowhere. Last nights 50 something awards ceremony started off with Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga performing "Poker Face" and "Your Song" in matching dirtied suits and glasses. Unfortunately, we would not see Elton or Lady again on stage. Which cannot be said of Taylor Swift, who seemed to dominate the evening and after a strange introduction by Mr. blandness himself, Ryan Seacrest, who suggested she was a heavy hitter in the lyric department, preceded into "Today was a Fairytale". Swift is 20 years old and 'Fairytale" seems exactly like the kind of song a 20 year old would write: "You've got a smile that takes me to another planet/Every move you make everything you say is right." Heavy. A real heavy hitter in the lyric department, Leonard Cohen, was given a lifetime achievement award, with a 12 second acknowledgment, as singer Pink took to the stage in a bathrobe and leapt into a swirling, burlesque Las Vegas act. Pink coyly dropped the robe to reveal a nude-colored bodysuit with silver spangles and white straps covering her naughty bits. She sang "Glitter in the Air" suspended in the air, sometimes upside down and twirling round, all the while spraying water onto the stage. By songs end she was pulled up from the abyss like a drowned rat and received a standing ovation.

Back on stage the ubiquitous Taylor Swift was overshadowing poor Stevie Nicks who on the second song was reduced to just tambourine. Swift, who looks like an angel, was predictably shocked each time (four, including album of the year) she won. She seems a little packaged, a little too good to be true and her music like a diet of cake frosting. And this may be the future of popular music, a music that is without edge or real danger and certainly as lyrically vapid as it can get.

And a big thanks to the producers of the Grammy’s that reminded us of what a television on its way out is like. The Michael Jackson tribute, in a tribute to Avatar is in 3-d. Most of America forgot to put their 3D glasses on, so we were treated to dizzying array of images that made little sense. The song, Earth Song, is beautiful nonetheless. The Jackson kids are marched out afterwards and in a Chris Matthews moment, one had to ask: who are the real parents of these children? The Jackson tribute did prove one thing: singers Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Smokey Robinson could not match the pure excitement of Michael Jackson's voice. There were a lot costumes, mostly futuristic, a lot of dancing, dancers, smoke, mirrors and spectacle, but little connection. The notable exception being Dave Matthew’s “You and Me” which with a total of 45 musicians built its way into an anthem-like ending.

Update: Gay Ad Rejected

Update: CBS has rejected an ad from gay dating site ManCrunch, telling the site that the ad "is not within the Network's Broadcast Standards for Super Bowl Sunday.", James Hibberd reports at The Live Feed CBS released the following statement: "After reviewing the ad - which is entirely commercial in nature - our Standards and Practices department decided not to accept this particular spot. As always, we are open to working with the client on alternative submissions." Hibberd reports that CBS believed ManCrunch was trying to generate free publicity by submitting an ad that was likely to be rejected. "We're 100% serious," ManCrunch spokesperson Elissa Buchter said. "We have the money to pay for it. If the ad showed a man and woman kissing it would have been accepted. You see ads for erectile dysfunction morning, noon and night. It's discriminatory that they wont show this....They should call our bluff. If the ad doesn't air on the Super Bowl, it will air on another network. It's not like it plays like Adam Lambert [kissing another man on the AMAs].

BREAKING: ABC cancels "Ugly Betty"

In a sad but unsurprising move, ABC announced this afternoon that they are canceling Ugly Betty. In fact, they've asked the writers to trim down the fourth season from 22 to 20 episodes. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello broke the news with the following joint statement from network and Betty execs:

"We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.

Betty's ratings last season were dismal, and they didn't get any better when ABC moved the show to the Friday night death slot this season. In a last ditch effort to revive the flailing telenovela, they gave it a chance on Wednesday night with their breakout sitcoms Cougar Town and Modern Family — but it never could recapture its original audience.
It's a bummer to see the end of Betty for a lot of reasons. It is one of the most ethnically-diverse, women-friendly shows to ever air on network television. It includes a positive (and positively hilarious) gay male portrayal in Michael Urie's Marc St. James. And during this season's creative resurgence, we also got a peek into Justin's world as he battled with (probably) being a gay teen.

via www.afterellen.com

CBS Considering Airing Gay Dating Site Ad During Super Bowl

 
 The network says it is reviewing an ad from ManCrunch.com, a dating site specifically for gay men.
After days of deliberations on whether to run a controversial Super Bowl ad from gay dating site ManCrunch.com, CBS has not yet reached a decision.
The 30-second spot shows two men excitedly watching the game, before their hands brush as they both reach into a bowl of chips. Suddenly, the two begin making out, much to the shock of a guy sitting close by. 
According to a rep for the dating site, which operates under the slogan “Where Many Many Many Men Come Out to Play,” the ad was submitted on Monday, January 18th. When the site followed up on the status of the ad on Friday, January 22nd, they were told by CBS that “the spot hadn’t been officially approved yet" by network standards, and that "all the Super Bowl spots were sold out.”
“ManCrunch requested the spot get reviewed anyway just in case another advertiser drops out and a spot becomes available, as often happens, and CBS agreed,” added the site’s rep.
ManCrunch officials said they believe CBS has no intention of airing a commercial for their gay dating service, "but do not want to officially ‘reject’ the spot out of fear there may be a backlash from gay advocacy groups.”
However, a representative from the network told Pop Tarts that advertising spots were still open, and was unsure where that comment originated.
“The ad is still under review, the process takes a little while,” a rep from CBS said. “We still have a lot of ads we have yet to review.”
ManCrunch’s submission is not the only controversial ad CBS has had to review this year. On Wednesday, the network announced that they had approved a pro-life commercial starring Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, funded by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, to air during the game.
“CBS’s recent decision to air an anti-choice advertisement during Super Bowl XLIV was outrageous,” a rep from advocacy group The Women’s Media Center said. “Even worse is the network’s about face from its own policy of rejecting controversial Super Bowl ads.  
"The Women’s Media Center and organizations dedicated to reproductive rights, tolerance, and social justice, are urging the network to immediately cancel this ad.”
CBS is reportedly standing by their decision, and producers said they would consider accepting any other "responsibly produced" advocacy ads for broadcast.

via www.foxnews.com

Gay Character Dropped from Mad Men

 
Salvatore Romano, the gay character on Mad Men played by Bryan Batt, was fired for being open about his sexual orientation at the end of last season, and now it appears that he won’t be returning to the series on AMC. According to TV Guide, Batt, who is gay, says that he has not been called yet to shooting for season four, which is set to begin in March. Series creator Matthew Weiner tried to explain the decision to TV Guide.“We don’t murder people on our show, but for there to be any stakes, there have to be consequences,” said Weiner. He called the loss “a tough moment for the show, but that’s where we are. I know how people felt about Bryan. I obviously love working with him, and he has been an indelible character since the pilot. But I felt it was an expression of the times that he couldn’t work there anymore. It’s the ultimate case of sexual harassment.”

Salvatore "Sal" Romano (Bryan Batt) is the Italian-American head art director at Sterling Cooper. He is originally from Baltimore. He is gay and in the closet. Sal turned down a proposition from a Belle Jolie lipstick male employee midway through the first season, admitting that he has thought about having relationships with men but never acted on his impulse, implying it was out of fear of discovery. He joins the other men of Sterling Cooper in their flirtations with the women in the workplace, in order to keep up the appearance that he is as interested in the opposite sex as they are. He speaks to his mother in Italian. In between Seasons One and Two, Sal marries a childhood friend, Kitty (Sarah Drew), who is unaware of his true orientation. The two entertain Ken for dinner during the second season during which Sal seems taken with his male guest. In the third season premiere, Don Draper becomes aware of Sal's orientation after catching him with a bellhop in a hotel room by accident, but subtly assures him that he'll keep silent by bringing up an ad campaign with the slogan "limit your exposure." Later in the third season with Don's encouragement, Sal branches out into directing commercials for the company while his wife becomes increasingly suspicious of him. Unfortunately, Sal is fired from Sterling Cooper when he rejects the advances of a powerful male client.

via www.advocate.com

Johnny Weir is Good

The Sundance Channel premiere of "Be Good Johnny Weir" last night was titled "Pop Star on Ice" and as produced by James Pellerito and David Barba, it was a fascinating entree into the world of ice skating and one its colorful members, Johnny Weir. Johnny is a three-time U.S. National Figure Skating Champion and World Medalist. Now 24, the documentary is an eight part exploration of his persona as he faces the challenges of one the most rigorous sports. There are some revelations in the first episode: Ice skating is tricky business with inherit complicated demands put upon each skater. Johnny Weir is really sexy in many ways, the show opens with a visual exploration of his body and as suspected, ice skaters have great, lean, tight bodies. Weir also has some the longest eyelashes and he knows how to bat them about. Weir has drawn ire from the militant "out" police because he is vague about his sexuality: "People talk. Figure skating is thought of as a female sport, something that only girly men compete in. I don't feel the need to express my sexual being because it's not part of my sport and it's private. I can sleep with whomever I choose and it doesn't affect what I'm doing on the ice, so speculation is speculation." "Pop Star on Ice" is a strong indicator that Weir is gay as he and best friend Paris Childers camp it up in scene after scene. Weir is a natural actor and comedian and loves attention. All the craziness disappears when his feet touch the ice where he instantly becomes and artist and an athlete. He is also good on camera because he is always emoting something and very often it is tears, anger and fatigue. And the fact is, Weir tends to break under pressure. What makes this documentary so good is that is about a man who chooses to be who he is, on and off the ice. And that offends many.

Gay romance expected for Glee

Producers of the comedy are casting for three more characters, one of whom will be a love interest for gay student Kurt.

Ryan Murphy told Entertainment Weekly: "We just announced we're doing a nationwide search for the season two cast, and [a love interest for Kurt is] one of the three roles that we're adding. And we're going to make them a power couple.

"We're not going to do the whole hiding in the shadows thing. We're going to make them popular, and out and proud and glamorous. Like prom king and king. We're doing the opposite of what's been done."

Glee, described as High School Musical for adults, has been praised for its handling of issues such as homosexuality, disability and race. Last week, it was nominated for a GLAAD award.

Murphy also revealed that Jennifer Lopez and Olivia Newton John were being lined up to appear in the show.

via www.pinknews.co.uk

Holy Cowell

With the recent announcement that Simon Cowell plans to leave American Idol it may be time to reconsider his importance not just as a judge but also as a celebrity.

Reports are that he has turned down $100 million to remain as the epicenter of America’s most popular program to bring to the states his own “X Factor”, another musical competition show extremely popular in England.

Cowell admits he was frustrated with the "Idol" judging, saying: "On 'X Factor,' you get to mentor the artists, so you have more of a role. It's frustrating sometimes when you sit there [as a judge] and you haven't been able to change their songs, or how they perform, or what they wear.”

It was evident watching some of the new season auditions (the 9^th season) that Cowell’s patience was beginning to run thin with the multitude of crazies, deluded and often angry contestants who paraded in front of the judges in two cities. But Cowell has always had the ability to see the big picture. In one Boston audition, heavily bespeckeckled contestant Andrew Fenlon quickly wore his welcome thin with his constant irritation and arrogance about the process. Fact is, he could sing, even if his audition seemed to display an extraordinary boredom, all of which seemed to bother the lady judges to no end. In the end, it was Cowell who wanted to send him to Hollywood, because Cowell knew Fenlon was great TV, while the lady judges quickly dismissed him and suggested that he needed “a spanking.”

Cowell has great instincts for talent and a penchant for telling the truth. The other judges, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson and on this show, Victoria Beckham all display the usual kindness towards strangers, but it is always Cowell who zeroes in on reality, which is often not kind. And while her role on the show can be debated, Paula Abdul was a presence and with her penchant for erratic behavior, she was unpredictable and fun. The same cannot be said for the other judges who are in turn, one bore after another. Victoria Beckham, as the stand in for Ellen DeGeneres, was about as eventful as a flag in the wind, while Kara DioGuardi continues to be a sedative to the proceedings. Randy Jackson, while he has become slightly more aggressive in each season continues to pepper his remarks with own brand of colloquialisms, tending to feel bad about dismissing contestants.

Cowell is more than just a judge on a hit TV reality show; he is in his own right a celebrity. As Kara said: “you have attitude, but you also have charm”, which is why despite his frankness, one senses that Cowell has some sense of what becoming a celebrity is all about. As celebrities go, he is uniquely boring. With little fashion sense, a perpetual marine haircut and a life generally gossip free, Cowell despite his excessive wealth, does seem humble. He simply the guy who likes to tell it like it is.

The chatter has begun as to who might replace Simon Cowell and so far, the list contains Ryan Seacrest (milquetoast), Piers Morgan (America’s Got Talent), Sean “Diddy” Combs and host of other uneventful figures in popular culture. Thankfully no one has mentioned Nigel Lythgoe, from Fox’s other hit show, So You Think You Can Dance. What the show needs, of course, is someone like RuPaul or anyone who could countervail the tedium of politeness that the judges already possess. The fact is, Simon Cowell may actually break the show. Musical oddities and peculiar human behavior are simply not enough to engage the audience to the degree that Cowell’s presence has.

We shall see.

21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Announced

Ugly Betty Gets Real

The move to Wednesdays for ABC's Ugly Betty hasn't seemed to hurt, in fact, the show itself is better than ever. Last nights episode, "Back in Her Place" cannot be called just a comedy because rather than it being funny, it was poignant on so many levels. There were funny moments though, mostly from the mouth of Marc, who said: "I hated 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' If you tell one gay person I said that, I will deny it. I will." And more importantly, when Betty decided to start her own blog, Marc sneered: "That's so two years ago.!" Old news or not, we found Betty's blog, which is supported in total by ABC (nice work for a new blog).
Ugly Betty was created by a gay man, Silvio Horta in 2006. In addition to Marc, who is flamboyantly gay, Betty's sister, Hilda, has a son, Justin,  who would seem to be gay. If it were stated so, it would make Justin Suarez, one of the youngest gay characters ever presented in prime time. Horta has commented more definitively on Justin's sexuality, saying, "[Justin]'s twelve and we want to let things proceed as they would normally. There's so much to explore with this kid as he comes into adolescence and what it would be like if he were gay...which he probably is."

“Idol” Judges Talk Gay Jokes, Ellen’s Music Smarts in New Interview

When young singers hoping for their big break aren’t covering Motown songs or plugging Coca-Cola on the stage of American Idol, the show’s star personalities are usually squabbling over petty slights in an attempt to fill air time. A lot of these seemingly pointless disagreements came care of Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, but it seems new judge Ellen DeGeneres is game to carry on the tradition. “Simon really is mean to people sometimes,” DeGeneres said in the next issue of Entertainment Weekly, out Friday. “If he’s rude, I’m going to let him know he’s rude.”

via www.rollingstone.com

National Drag History Month

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

"Nurse Jackie" going into a "new gear of gay" in second season

In our brief follow-up interview with Nurse Jackie co-creator Linda Wallem, we learn that the second season of Showtime's critically acclaimed series is going into a "new gear of gay" when it premieres in March, complete with a big gay love triangle and a musical contribution from out rocker Melissa Etheridge.Read entire story at afterellen.com

via www.afterellen.com

The Kissing Family: James Franco MAKES OUT With Will Forte In SNL Sketch

The last time it aired, guest host Paul Rudd locked lips with his family (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig) much to his friend Andy Samberg's dismay. This time James Franco took it to a whole new level, actually tonguing his grandfather (Will Forte).

via www.huffingtonpost.com

RuPaul Does Palin

Is RuPaul going "vogue"?

The hilarious photo, which spoofs former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue: An American Life, promotes the return of RuPaul's hit Logo series.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" returns for another season on Monday, February 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Logo.

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

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

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.

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.

Rating the Networks

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has released a list of the top US television networks for the representation of gay and lesbian characters.

The third annual Network Responsibility Index found that HBO, which airs True Blood, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Entourage, came out top for representation among the 15 networks surveyed.

ABC came out top of the broadcast networks for LGBT inclusion. Of its 1,146.5 total hours of primetime programming, 24 per cent were representative of LGBT people, including nine per cent which were trans-inclusive.

Fox, which received a failing grade last year, has risen to third out of the five broadcast networks, with 11 per cent of its programming being representative. However, GLAAD suggested that it had aired some "problematic" representations.

CBS came bottom, with just five per cent LGBT-inclusive content.

Among the ten cable networks, TBS came bottom with just half an hour of LGBT-inclusive broadcasting. A&E aired two hours.

GLAAD reviewed 4,901 hours of primetime broadcasting for inclusion of LGBT characters or issues on the five major networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) between June 1st, 2008 to May 31st, 2009.

It also examined all original primetime programming - 1,212.5 hours - on ten cable networks (A&E, FX, HBO, Lifetime, MTV, Showtime, Sci Fi, TBS, TNT, and USA).

Each network was given a grade of excellent, good, adequate or failing.

Among the five broadcast networks, ABC and The CW ranked first and second respectively, as they have done since the index began.

Nurse Jackie

Nurse Jackie premiered last night and from the moment the song, Valley of the Dolls reached the screen, many of us were hooked. Hooked is an interesting idea here, for Nurse Jackie is certainly hooked on speed and pain killers. Edie Falco (of Soprano fame) is brilliant as Nurse Jackie; a good nurse with some big problems. Her problems come in the form of substance abuse, incompetent doctors (Dr. Cooper, played by Peter Facinelli) who has a peculiar sexual issue, a sexual relationship with the hospital pharmacist and a boss who is keeping her eye on her. What is so great about Nurse Jackie is that she is in many ways played out like a guy. She has casual sex, though she is married with two children, and is unapologetic about it. She has a hot friend, Mo-Mo, played by the sizzling Haaz Sleiman, a friendship with the very droll, Dr. O'Hara, and of course her best friends, the pills. I'm not sure if this was an hour show or half hour, but it ended too soon. Written by Liz Brixius & Linda Wallem, both out lesbians, Nurse Jackie has bite, edge and a lot of character. Indeed, life is full of little pricks, but this is not one them.

The Tony Awards

Broadway. The Tony Awards. Theater. What is it about American Theater that makes one sentimental and believe in the beauty of human ability? The musical theater in particular is something of an aberration: it is not real. People do not sing on rooftops, or form peculiar tribes that sing adoration of their hair. But that is just the ticket that makes musical theater so special: we wish it were so. We are reminded of the Oscars, the film industries tribute to their own special management of reality. With film, you have performances embedded in flickering images, edited and directed by directors. It is a director’s medium, they control what you ultimately see. Theater on the other hand, is really about performance. It is live, which means it is prone to accident, mood, and circumstance. And therein lies the difference. Theater is immediate, and despite its flight into imaginary circumstance, it is hopelessly human. It is one of the few arts unaffected by our modern age. There is no Internet influence, no financial confluence that can make or break it. It just is. Year after year, the Tony Awards present a show that is the polar opposite of the Oscars. People seem genuine. Joy seems real. Exuberance is expected. And so it was, on the 63rd Tony Awards, a show brilliantly hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. As he said sang at the end of the show, it was the gayest of shows. That aside, The Tony’s always seem to touch the heart, to reach deep inside all of us and remind us, that we are capable of greatness and art. And we all leave singing.

Bette Davis as The Decorator

Bette Davis was the star of this pilot, produced by Aaron Spelling, in 1964. It was never shown on TV.