Madonna's new Louis ads...fabulous

Mama Madonna has finished a new round of pictures for new Louis Vuitton ads. The new ads are for fall and winter. The ads are among the best yet. Visit PEOPLE for the story.

Ashford & Simpson - 'Solid'

I've been singing this song all night. I can't get it out of my head. Enjoy...and don't say I never gave you anything...

Is Obama stonewalling on DADT?

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60

Happy days are here again and the Democratic Party can retire its well-worn list of excuses. The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that Al Franken is the winner of the contested Senate race there. The court has ordered that his election be certified so that he may claim his seat in Washington. Senator-elect Franken defeated incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman by a little more than 300 votes.

(A quick aside: Al Franken is quite a character. He has come a long way from his days on SNL. Be sure to read Howard Fineman's on-point analysis.)

Franken will become the 60th member of the Senate Democratic caucus. With Democrats now controlling 60 votes, if they vote as a block, they can defeat any attempt by the Republicans to filibuster.

With absolute control of the House, Senate and White House, Democrats can now approve legislation at will with no fear that the Republicans can stop them. The GOP is literally powerless to impede progress.

Now is the time for the Democrats to pass universal health care and a host of other bills. No more excuses. It's time to deliver whole-sale change.

The pathetic Wall Street Journal

Unlike some other sites, I've made a conscious decision not to out or comment on queer people who have chosen to stay in the closet. I'm an old-fashioned queen; I believe that coming out is personal and the decision to live openly and honestly should be left to each person to decide for themselves.

Perhaps this is a standard that The Wall Street Journal should consider adopting.

In an editorial the conservative newspaper referred to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (pictured) as "the Republican Barney Frank." Congressman Frank is a well-known queer icon as the first openly-gay man elected to the House of Representatives. Gov. Crist has been married to a woman for less than a year and he has long been rumored to be gay. He is running for the U.S. Senate next year and he was even considered by John McCain for the Republican vice presidential nomination last year.

The Journal, which is owned by Dow Jones, claims that in comparing Crist to Frank it was simply referring to the fact that both men share moderate positions on economic policies. But to anyone who didn't fall off the turnip truck this morning, the reference is clearly a veiled outing of Gov. Crist -- or at least the suggestion that he is gay. Every member of the Journal's editorial board has a computer, so certainly they knew about the wide-spread rumors about Crist's sexuality. And their point about his centrist views could have just as easily been made by comparing him to any number of centrist politicians.

You might be wondering why the conservative The Wall Street Journal would do anything to harm the political future of a Republican? Answer: There are two Republicans running for the GOP Senate nomination in Florida with Gov. Crist being the more moderate candidate. The other candidate is much more conservative -- just like the Journal editorial page. As disgusting as that scenario sounds, I'm of the mind that it's highly probable.

The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of itself. Trading in gossip and innuendo is beneath any serious news publication. Perhaps the Journal is no longer a distinguished newspaper at all. If the publishers had any decency they would apology to Gov. Crist and reprimand their foolish editors.

Court adjourned for Justice Souter

Today was Associate Justice David Souter's last day on the Supreme Court. As the term ends and his replacement looking all but certain to be confirmed well before the court reconvenes in October, Justice Souter's service is over.

The notoriously shy justice opened up a little bit today as he read a prepared farewell letter to his colleagues.

Though appointed by a Republican, Souter became a reliably liberal vote on the court. Case after case, Justice Souter took a progressive eye to the Constitution. There were not many cases on our issues during his term, but on the few that did come up, Souter always sided with us. As I mentioned previously, he almost resigned from the Supreme Court completely in 2001 following Bush v. Gore. He was appalled that the court had intervened to stop the recount in Florida.

Justice Souter was never big on Washington. It's said that he detests the city and its ways. He talks nonstop about returning to his native New Hampshire for a well-deserved rest. I guess I've found something redeeming about New Hampshire after all.

Janet's tribute to MJ

From last night's BET Awards...

Obama and gay promises

The president issued remarks nearly 20 minutes long earlier today during the East Room reception honoring pride month. President Obama insisted that he is an LGBT ally and that he understands why some of us have been impatient with his administration. Thank God for small favors.

As I've said previously, receptions and pleasantries are nice, but I don't care much for them. Substantive change would be much better. I'm still waiting on that.

Here's a brief clip from today's reception:



To read the president's full remarks, click here.

If you don't feel like reading the president's remarks in full, you can watch this segment from today's "Hardball." Openly-gay Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) was the guest.

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The legacy of Stonewall

Same-sex people dancing together was illegal. By law, all people had to wear at least three garments that were "gender-appropriate." And sex between consenting same-sex couples was so far out of the question that it was forbidden entirely -- punishable by imprisonment.

It was amid this backdrop that the civil rights movement for LGBT people began on June 28, 1969.

The Stonewall Inn was a dump -- an old, rundown hotel operated by the Mafia. Its bar was nothing special either, with lousy decor and watered-down drinks. But what this Greenwich Village establishment lacked in appearances, it made up for in atmosphere. The clientele that frequented the Stonewall Inn was a true melting pot: businessmen, married men, butch lesbians, transsexuals, cross dressers, trans people, drag queens, black men, white men, gay women, effeminate men.

The people who went to the Stonewall Inn did so because it was one of the few places where they could safely congregate and socialize with similar folk. Though still against the law, two men could dance together at the Stonewall Inn and not worry about being hit in the head or carried off to jail.

On June 28, 1969, the people gathered at the Stonewall Inn were doing the usual -- drinking and having a good time. The police were doing their usual too -- harassing gay people. The raid of the Stonewall that began shortly after 1 a.m. on June 28 was not unusual. The New York Police routinely raided "gay" bars; and the Stonewall had been raided earlier in the week. Once the raids were underway, anyone could be jailed based on a long list of petty offenses. For some people at the Stonewall Inn, public acknowledgment of their presence there was worse than jail. It could mean the loss of a wife, a job or even personal safety.

What happened next is a mix of mystery, outrage and embellishment.

There were hundreds of people involved in the riots that erupted after the police raided Stonewall. And depending on who you ask, you could get any number of stories. For reasons that will never be known for sure, someone threw a brick and sparked a riot in the streets surrounding the Stonewall Inn. Police quickly lost control of the situation and even barricaded themselves in the bar!

But why such the response now amid what had become a routine occurrence? Why did our community decide the fight back at Stonewall?

Again, the answer to that question isn't at all clear. Some have speculated that the patrons at Stonewall were already dejected following the death of gay icon Judy Garland six days prior, and decided to take it out on the police. Others speculate that the police simply fell victim to the proverbial "last straw."

I suspect the answer is altogether more simple.

When Rosa Parks was questioned as to why she famously refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955, she said it was because she was simply tired. She had worked all day; she paid her fare; and she was not going to move for someone else. (Parks was actually seated in the first row designated for blacks.) Rosa's story is not a glamorous one by any means. She never sought fame or recognition, but her simple act sparked a movement.

My guess is that the people at Stonewall in June 1969 were not at all concerned about their place in LGBT history. I imagine that they too were tired...from a long day's work and a lifetime of injustice. Their actions on the streets of New York City would give birth to a new movement and a generation of queer leaders.

The Stonewall riots lasted for a few days. But the end of the riots was just the beginning. Within weeks, the first gay organizations began to pop up in New York and later, in California. In June 1970, queer people organized a march in New York City to commemorate the Stonewall riots. Within just a few years, there were marches in many major cities every June. And now gay pride is celebrated around the world every June -- a commemoration and celebration of the events that took place at the Stonewall Inn.

"Stonewall" has become synonymous with the LGBT community, from the Stonewall Democrats to the Stonewall Veterans' Association. Many people, especially those who lived through the 60s and 70s, felt a connection to what happened. They felt compelled to remember how ordinary people took extraordinary steps to secure liberation.

Remembrance is the key. Whether or not transgender people are a part of our community was answered at Stonewall, when trans people fought back against unjustified physical searches. Whether or not drag queens are a part of our community was answered at Stonewall, when drag queens took off their pumps and hurled them at police officers. Whether or not our community is truly diverse was answered at Stonewall, when black men, white men and butch lesbians stood side-by-side to fight armed police with their bare hands.

Long before some us would make a career out of activism, average people who simply wanted to go about their way, became pioneers for everything that followed. Long before we had too many queer organizations to count or multiple all-gay cruises to choose from for vacation, our people literally fought in the streets to be free. Remarkable.

Forty years later, Stonewall is still standing where it always has, in the heart of the Village on Christopher Street. Stonewall is now a gay bar owned by gay people. The drinks aren't so watered-down any more, though the decor is still simple. Nowadays, New York City offers bigger, flashier queer bars, but they all owe their very existence to Stonewall and the people who fought back there.

The days and times I've written about here may seem foreign and incomprehensible to those of us born long after the Stonewall riots. Such is life. It's beyond comprehension to me that people once drank from fountains marked "colored" and "white." But surely a generation yet to be born will look back on these times with bewilderment as they try to figure out why society fought so hard over something so petty as "marriage."

You don't have to be a seasoned activist to appreciate Stonewall. You don't have to be an older, white gay man to celebrate the sacrifices of those days. If you consider yourself a member or an ally of the LGBT community, you owe it to yourself to know about Stonewall and its place in our history.

One of the best resources about Stonewall is David Carter's book, "Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution," published by St. Martin's Press in 2004. Read the book, then share it with someone else.

Madonna on the loss of MJ

"I can't stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless," said Madonna upon learning of the death of fellow pop icon Michael Jackson.

Click here for the full story.

The King of Pop is gone...

I'm in shock. There's so much to say, but for now, let's start with remembering one of the most talented people God ever gave us...

Exorcism: Church attempts to remove 'homosexual demon' from teen's belly

UPDATE: Wow. This just keeps getting better and better! A recovering "crack head," who just happens to be the senior pastor at Manifested Glory Church, has come out defending her church's attempt to exorcise a "homosexual demon." Grab the popcorn, this is true entertainment...

Farewell, Farrah

Farrah Fawcett, an original member of TV's "Charlie's Angels" and a sex icon of the 1970s, has died of cancer. She was 62. The Associated Press began reporting on her death just moments ago.

I was never a huge fan of "Charlie's Angels," but I remember Fawcett from her TV movie "The Burning Bed," a true tale about how a battered wife eventually kills her husband by setting his bed on fire while he slept. Classic.

My mom, my sisters and I would watch that movie, over and over again, no matter how many times it came on Lifetime.

Farrah Fawcett had suffered so much recently in her battle against anal cancer, so it's a relief to know that she is now at peace.

Review: 'I Am...' tour (Beyonce)

I'm wore out. And there wasn't even a man involved.

Last night, Beyonce made a stop in Washington on her "I Am..." world tour. Sitting fourth row, my expectations were sky high and Beyonce Knowles exceeded all of them. Outside of Madonna and Tina Turner, I've never seen a show better than Beyonce's. From the moment she emerged at the smokey center of the stage to sing "Crazy in Love," I was struck by her beauty. The woman is truly striking.

Though she was helped by some serious back-up tracks at times, it sounded as though Beyonce sang at least some of every song. And she went out of her way to include nearly every popular song. She even worked in two Destiny's Child medleys.

As you might expect, the costumes were on point. Beyonce made six costume changes throughout the show, but she was her most striking wearing a white princess-themed dress for a series of ballads during the second set.

The only drawback came during the fourth set when Beyonce took to the air as she hovered over the crowd on her way to "stage B," which was located in the middle of Verizon Center. She sang some of her best songs from there, including "Irreplaceable." I was bitter because my fourth row seat was of no use as long as Beyonce performed from the middle of the arena. Though I understand why she did it, the set was way too long -- 5 songs!

I was happy once she ran through the crowd and back to center stage to close out the show with "At Last," "Listen," "Single Ladies," and encore "Halo." During the encore she actually left the stage again to shake hands and hug people sitting in the front row! This woman truly loves her fans.

Before leaving the stage for good, Beyonce acknowledged first lady Michelle Obama, who was in attendance with Sasha and Malia.

I've always admired Beyonce's talent and determination. She was born into a middle class family with not much in the way of silver spoons. Everything she has now is because she has worked so hard for it. She loves performing and it shows. Her voice is getting stronger...and it shows even more.

"I Am..." is one of the best concerts I've ever seen! (All photos are 30/Male exclusives from last night's show.)

Rating: 30/30

Pride coming to the White House

From one extreme to the other. Just two weeks after comparing our relationships to incest (in a DOJ brief), President Obama will host a gay pride reception at the White House on Monday! In announcing the event today, the White House said that it was inviting more than 200 gay activists to a reception in commemoration of Stonewall's 40th anniversary.

Vice President Joe Biden is still scheduled to attend a DNC gay fundraiser this weekend, even though several bigwigs within the movement have indicated that they will not be there.

Following last week's domestic partner benefits memo, it appears the White House is now making a concerted effort to reach out to the LGBTQ community -- if not on policy, than at least in an attempt to keep a valued cash cow happy.

With the hate crimes bill still stuck in the Senate, and Congressman Frank planning to introduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) tomorrow, I'm still waiting for President Obama to do something substantive for our community. However, I suppose tea time with the president and first lady will just have to suffice for now.

Flaming tits!

Madonna may have originated the cone bra, but Lady Gaga is taking it to a whole other level. This was her performing last night at the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto. I'm not as big a fan of Gaga as Mark, but this is just plain fabulous!

(Click on the image to see it larger.)

Review: 'Renegade' by Richard Wolffe

I just finished reading Richard Wolffe's "Renegade: The Making of a President," which was published earlier this month by Crown. The book offers a behind-the-scenes account of Barack Obama's entire presidential campaign and transition. It's based, at least in part, on a a series of exclusive interviews with Obama. According to Wolffe, the president urged him to write the book. This book is somewhat noteworthy because it is the first book about the campaign to be published by a distinguished journalist.

Unless you are a political junkie like myself, you are probably unfamiliar with Richard Wolffe, who got his start in journalism at the Financial Times. He currently writes for Newsweek and it's through the news magazine that he got access to the Obama campaign. Wolffe is also a political contributor for MSNBC, and he can be seen frequently on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" or "Hardball with Chris Matthews."

After reading the 328-page book, I was surprised at how little I learned. And the best passages in the book are the ones that were released in advance of its publishing. Of course, it's common practice to release riveting excerpts to help sell a book, but in this case, the excerpts were truly the best part.

Even though I'm a slow reader, I was able to get through it quickly, so the book is certainly an easy read. Do yourself a favor and skip over all the background that Wolffe included about Obama's life and growing up. This book is suppose to be about the campaign; and besides, there are much better books about Obama's life. Might I suggest "Dreams of My Father," written by Barack H. Obama?

The one thing I truly hated about last year's coverage of the election is the degree to which the media took sides. And this book reads like it was written by someone who worked for Obama. There is little criticism of the candidate or his team; and when Wolffe does criticize the Obama campaign, it's mild at best. (This is in sharp contrast to how Wolffe criticized both Hillary Clinton and John McCain throughout 2008 on shows like "Countdown.")

Unless you're a political junkie or a politico "inside in the beltway," you would be well-advised to just read the published excerpts and skip over this mediocre book.

Rating: 15/30

Barbra Streisand - 'A Piece of Sky'

OK, I'm four months into this blog and I haven't yet posted anything about Barbra Streisand -- and I think I deserve great credit for that. But, alas, I could not hold off any longer. I've been listening to Babs all morning and the woman is simply gifted.

I am probably one of the few people who prefers "Yentl" over "Funny Girl." (I know, I know.) But here's my favorite tune from "Yentl" -- it's the finale "A Piece of Sky." OMG...

Get well soon, Hillary

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton fractured her right elbow last night during a fall. She was on her way to a meeting at the White House when the accident happened. According to her chief of staff, the secretary will have surgery to repair her elbow next week.

This marks the first major injury or illness for Hillary, who turns 61 in October.

Get well soon, Madam Secretary!

(More on Hillary's condition later...)

UPDATE 6/19/09: Hillary has had a successful surgery to repair her fractured elbow. The Associated Press is reporting that she underwent surgery earlier today and had no complications. She is expected to make a full recovery with no permanent damage.

UPDATE 6/22/09: The White House released this photo today. It is the first time that Hillary's cast has been seen in public. Get well soon, Hillary!

The president's petty handout

After nearly 5 full months of complete silence on our issues, President Barack Obama actually mentioned LGBT issues today and even put his signature to a memorandum that will extend domestic partner benefits to federal employees. The president's actions were completely reactionary and designed to pacify us after an all-out war erupted following the Justice Department's defense of DOMA on Friday.

The memo that the president signed today should have been an executive order. This memo will expire the day this presidency ends. In other words, the president's actions today are, literally, the least he could do.

As far as gay issues, this president is shaping up to be a shameful disappointment. No one I've talked to is happy with this memo and no one is thrilled that President Obama only throws us the smallest table scraps AFTER we throw public fits. So sad.

These two clips are extremely telling. Watch them both.

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'That first dude is a tool'

OMG. When Kathy is on top of her game, there is no one funnier! Enjoy.

Bruno on GQ

We should have seen this coming.

Bruno graces the July cover of GQ Magazine in a parody of the infamous Jennifer Aniston cover. Sacha Baron Cohen has been heavily promoting the upcoming film "Bruno" for several months now. For a look back at Bruno's many promotional stunts, click here.

If the movie turns out to be half as funny as Cohen's promotional appearances, then it will be well worth $10.

The film opens July 10 nationwide.

Women + Gay Bar = Not Much Fun

I can't tell you how many times I've been in a gay bar and had to fight through a maze of straight women to get a drink or a glance at a hot stripper. On many occasions, I've commented to my friends that we should ban women from our bars or charge them double to discourage their attendance. My rationale is simple -- there are far more straight bars than gay ones; and going out should not be about having to endure all the things I hate about straight bars!

Cocktail, a gay bar in Chicago's Boystown, is in the mainstream press for its policy of denying admittance to bachelorette parties. According to the bar's owner, the policy is in place because the presence of brides to be is a unwelcome reminder that gay couples can't get married. Even though the policy has been in place awhile, the owner said it is getting attention now because of Proposition 8 and the broader fight for marriage equality.

Though this rationale seems odd to me, I was surprised that The Chicago Tribune took such a big interest in the door policy of a gay bar!

I like Cocktail's policy, but I don't like the rationale. We need not make any excuses for not wanting drunk, squealing women coming into our bars to "have fun" with the hot gay men. If they love straight men so much, then they can "have fun" with them and put up with the groping and sexist comments that go along with it. A gay bar should not be a circus for straight women, where they come to feel free and act in a manner that would get them thrown out of their own clubs. We don't need the tiaras, the drunken drama, the unwanted photo requests and the obligatory cock necklaces. Lord knows we have enough drama of our own...and we have our God-given dicks to keep us amused.

I think Cocktail is well within its right to turn away those annoying bachelorette parties; and I would gladly frequent any gay bar that banned women completely.

'Big Mistake'

Over the weekend, I mentioned how disgusted I was with President Obama and his Justice Department for defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Since then, the flood gates have opened and completely turned on the administration.

HRC President Joe Solmonese issued a scathing open letter to Obama yesterday, which prompted The New York Times to publish an editorial calling out the president's poor decision.

And last night, Rachel Maddow had a chance to throw a shoe of her own. Here's the clip.

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Ike's Favorite Themes: In Living Color

I'm not sure this series ever got the credit that it deserved. Truly one of the best sketch comedies of all time during its first 4 years on the air. Most of all, this show had a great cast...even a future Oscar winner! This is a 90s classic...



The funniest recurring characters on this show were "Blaine Edwards" and "Antoin Merriweather." Enjoy...

The wimp that is Harry Reid

I'm feed up with Senator Harry Reid.

Reid, who currently is serving as senate majority leader, is becoming a complete waste of space and I've come to the conclusion that the Democratic Party (and especially the LGBTQ movement) would be better off without him in a leadership role.

As reported by the Advocate, Reid said today that he has not identified any Senate sponsors for a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." In true Reid fashion, he punted the issue away for others to handle. In this case, he first said that he felt that this issue should be handled administratively, meaning by the White House. Then he said he would be just fine if the House of Representatives took action on the matter before the Senate. "If the House moves on this, I would be happy to take it up," Reid said.

Are you fucking kidding me? Instead of punting the issue to President Obama and/or Speaker Pelosi, or making up some ridiculous excuse about a lack of sponsors, why not take the lead and actually make progress on this issue? Why does Sen. Reid always look like such a wimp? I can't readily recall Speaker Nancy Pelosi ever acknowledging that she didn't have the sponsors to pass a piece of legislation that was important to her. In her case, she would have found sponsors by twisting arms or circumventing the set procedure all together. Either way you look at it, the woman gets things done!

It was Speaker Pelosi's House that passed the hate crimes bill months ago...the same hate crimes bill that Senator Reid's Senate has yet to act on. No surprise.

People who support Reid will point to the fact that he is vulnerable in his upcoming re-election next year and can't afford to be seen promoting issues that could lead to political trouble in his home state of Nevada. I say that if Senator Reid can't effectively lead our party on progressive issues, then he should not be the majority leader. Step aside and allow Sen. Dick Durbin or Sen. Chuck Schumer to lead the Democratic caucus. Somehow I don't think a Majority Leader Schumer would be making so many excuses or following the House's lead on everything.

As far as the queer community should be concerned, Reid is completely useless. He seems to be perfectly fine taking his marching orders from Speaker Pelosi. And it's clear that he will not lift even the smallest pinky to help us.

As far as the Senate Democrats, they really should consider replacing Reid as majority leader. It is inexcusable and laughable that a man who controls 59 seats would ever complain that he can't find a sponsor for a bill he deems important. Simply pathetic.

UPDATE 6/16/09: Senator Reid issued a statement clarifying his earlier remarks. The majority leader now says that even though there are no sponsors, there are several senators working on a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He also said that he believes a repeal is possible this year. Wow. Someone straightened him out. No pun intended.

More lip-service from President Obama

President Barack Obama appears to be backtracking on yet another promise he made to the queer community during the campaign. This time the president is not keeping his word on a pledge to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

The San Francisco Chronicle reported today that the president's actions (or lack thereof) is beginning to anger LGBTQ advocacy groups, who are now airing their displeasure publicly.

This latest dust-up came about after the Justice Department moved to dismiss the first federal marriage lawsuit. According to the administration, DOMA is not discriminatory and "preserves scarce government resoures" -- whatever the hell that means. This position represents a complete reversal. During the campaign, Obama called DOMA "abhorrent" and pledged to work with Congress to overturn the law. Despite the fact that his party controls the House and the Senate, President Obama has yet to send such a bill to the Capitol. Shameful.

Once again, this president is giving us nothing but lip-service. The proclamations that he and the secretary of state issued at the onset of pride month don't appear to be worth the paper they're written on.

No word on marriage equality. No movement on DADT. Backtracking on DOMA. No movement on ENDA. Slow movement on the hate crimes law. Enough!

We don't need anymore pointless press releases. We need bold leadership and real change! I'm still waiting for this president to do ONE THING to help advance our equality. Six months into his "transformative" presidency, all we have are his cheap words. We're waiting for you to fulfill your promises, Mr. President.

Beer Pong with Betty White!

Betty White, a living legend, was on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" last night, playing beer pong. I love this woman!

Update: Malawi court to rule on Madonna adoption tomorrow

The Associated Press is reporting that the Malawi Supreme Court will issue its ruling on Madonna's adoption request tomorrow at 9 a.m. (Yesterday, there were unconfirmed reports that the court would issue a ruling on Sunday.)

Madonna's lawyers have confirmed that a court hearing is set for tomorrow.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that Madonna will be granted the adoption of Mercy, a an orphan girl living in Malawi, and that the hearing will be just to make the decision official.

If the adoption is successful, Mercy would become Madonna's fourth child, joining Lourdes, Rocco and David.

UPDATE 6/12/09: Madonna's adoption has been approved!

'We did some porn; get over it.'

This little gem is making the rounds on the Internet. In a nutshell, college jocks need money...college jocks jerk off in a few gay flicks...college jocks get caught and punished...college jocks discuss it all in an awkward ESPN special. PlanetOut has a full story.

BREAKING: Carrie Prejean awarded '2009 Pink Brick'

Wow. What a day for Carrie Prejean!

Shortly after being fired as Miss California, Carrie Prejean learned that she is the recipient of the 2009 Pink Brick Award. Given annually by San Francisco Pride, the Pink Brick goes to the person or institution that has done significant harm to LGBTQ interests in the last year.

The faux award is voted on by the community and symbolically represents the first brick hurled at us during the Stonewall Riots.

Congratulations to Carrie on yet another stunning accomplishment!

(BTW, Bill O'Reilly won the 2008 Pink Brick Award. Here's a clip of him accepting the honor.)

You're fired!

So pretty. So stupid. So pathetic.

Donald Trump and the Miss California USA Organization have fired Carrie Prejean, who was serving as Miss California. Prejean finished as the first runner-up in the Miss USA contest, but ignited a firestorm for her comments against marriage equality. (The rationale given for her dismissal was "breach of contract.")

She then went on to join forces with a bigoted organization, as semi-nude photos of her surfaced on the Internet. Though just last month Trump decided to keep Prejean, apparently, he has had a change of heart. Numerous sources say that he approved her firing earlier today.

Even without her tiara, Prejean will have plenty of time and fame to continue her crusade against marriage equality. And now she can drop all the sweet pretense and just be the cruel cunt that she is.

At least the people of California won't have to suffer the great shame of having this dumb woman represent them! So long, girl.

Britney Spears and Lady Gaga touring the US again this fall

First up, Ms. Spears will be coming back to the states. If you did not get to catch her first round, you must. It has to be one of her best shows. And she will be changing up some of the costumes and remixes of her songs.

Check out the tour schedule here.

Next Lady Gaga will be hitting the road with Kanye West. At first I wondered why Kanye West of ALL people? However, they do say he does put on a mind blowing visual show. And one is not opening for the other... they are performing together as one long set.

More details to come on cities/dates.

Report: Madonna's adoption of Mercy approved

There is now at least one unconfirmed report that Madonna's request to adopt Mercy has been approved. The UK publication Daily Mail is reporting that the Malawai Supreme Court will make the adoption official during a ruling set for next Sunday.

The Daily Mail cited Madonna's lawyers as its source, though Madonna's publicist has not issued a comment.

Madonna (pictured with Mercy) wanted to adopt another child from Malawi so that her son, David, would have a sibling from his homeland.

More later...

NEW Madonna Video

Here is the new Madonna video for her latest single Miles Away. The video has been released to promote her upcoming Sticky & Sweet World Tour (Part 2.0) that starts up again in less than a month.

If you are a member of the Madonna fan club, you are eligible to enter a contest to win roundtrip airfare/hotel/2 concert tickets and never before access to her sound check in Belgium on July 11. Click here for more information on contest details.

Out of the closet for Adam Lambert

For those of us with a brain in our heads, this news comes as no surprise -- Adam Lambert is gay! The American Idol runner-up graces the cover of Rolling Stone to reveal that he's gay and talk about his experiences on Idol and what to expect from his upcoming album. (The magazine hits news stands tomorrow.)

The fact that Adam was going to come out on the cover of Rolling Stone was leaked 2 weeks ago, but that doesn't at all take away from its significance. Adam could have stayed in the closet and had a wonderful career -- as many queers do. However, he took the bold step of publicly acknowledging who he is and that will break down more barriers for the next generation of gays.

BTW, this cover is much better than that sappy People cover that revealed Clay Aiken is gay a couple of years ago. Just saying.

The Tonys opening number

"Billy Elliot" walked away with 8 Tony Awards last night including best musical. "God of Carnage" took best play. My personal favorite, "Hair," won best revival musical. YAY. Here's the opening number from last night's ceremony. (Hint: Liza AND Dolly appear in this opening number!)

'Asimbonanga'

I'm a huge fan of 80s music and this song always puts a smile on my face. Written as a tribute to Nelson Mandela, this tune by Johnny Clegg and Savuka is the perfect compliment to a beautifully-sunny day. (This clip is from 1999 and features Mr. Mandela.) Enjoy.

The New Hillary

It has been exactly one year since Hillary suspended her presidential campaign. Now as secretary of state, it seems a century ago that Hillary was actually a candidate. She has settled into her role as our nation's chief diplomat, and by all accounts, she is doing an exceptional job. Even Hillary's critics within the president's inner circle have admitted in recent weeks that she has been a wonderful team player through the first five months of the administration.

Just today a former Hillary critic admitted that the secretary of state has been a feminist hero since arriving at Foggy Bottom.

And in an op-ed in today's New York Times, Thomas Friedman pointed out that the secretary's role is about to become expanded, as she will be charged with implementing the administration's new Middle East policies as unveiled by the president in Cairo this week.

Earlier today, Hillary appeared on a Sunday morning talk show for the first time since the campaign. She granted an exclusive interview to ABC's This Week. It's clear that she is enjoying her job very much. Check out clips from the show here and here.

Forbes' Most Powerful Celebrities

Female power! Angelina takes the crown as Oprah comes in second place and Madonna takes third.

To see the full list click here.

Lady Gaga's New Video for Paparrazi

I am here to spread some glitter and sparkles on this 3rd day of June, 2009.

For those of you that are living under a disco ball and have not seen Lady Gaga's FIERCEST video to date... here it is.

New Hampshire

Six. The New Hampshire House of Representatives just voted 198-176 to approve a same-sex marriage bill. The state Senate approved the bill 14-10 earlier today. Governor John Lynch (pictured) has already signed the bill into law, making New Hampshire the sixth state to establish marriage equality! Same-sex couples can begin getting married on Jan. 1, 2010.

New Hampshire now joins Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, Maine and Connecticut as states that offer full marriage rights to queer people.

As we march to a momentous Stonewall anniversary on June 26, this is welcomed news. And quite a way to kick pride month into high gear.

Congratulations to the people of New Hampshire!

More later...

Gay Games VIII: Cologne 2010

The Federation of Gay Games continues its countdown to the 2010 Cologne Games, with the opening ceremony set for July 31, 2010. I was at the opening ceremony for Gay Games VII in Chicago -- and it was indeed a spectacle to behold.

Matthew Mitcham, an openly-gay Olympian, who won a gold medal for platform diving in Beijing last year, has officially endorsed the Gay Games. A trip to Germany might be in order!

Andrew Sullivan's double standard

File this under double standard.

I don't like Dick Cheney either, but I have to give credit where it's due. And the fact of the matter is the former vice president is more progressive on marriage equality than President Obama. It's disingenuous for Andrew Sullivan to say that Cheney never did anything for marriage other than talk about it. President Obama has given nothing but lip service to a host of our issues and he's a DEMOCRAT!

As far as I'm concerned, we should hold Democrats to a much higher standard. They are suppose to be on our side.

Since Andrew Sullivan loved Barack Obama so much during the campaign, it's just so entertaining to watch him realize that he's been had.

Pride Month arrives!

In just 25 days, we will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. In the many days since our community fought back on June 26, 1969, we've had the opportunity to reflect and celebrate the people and events that helped shape us. But now more than ever, with battles won and more to fight, Stonewall seems a very appropriate rallying cry.

Gay City USA has the best website on researching pride events all over the world.

Happy Pride Month!

Even Dick Cheney supports marriage equality

I could write any number of things in this space about former Vice President Dick Cheney. And many, if not all, of those things would be negative. But even I was left speechless today when Cheney talked about this support for marriage equality.

If you ever doubted how knowing gay people or having a gay child can transform a person's beliefs, then watch this clip. At long last, we have reason to cheer Dick Cheney!

Bruno's butt & Eminem's face meet-up

Who knows whether or not Eminem was in on this joke. Either way, check out this instant classic from last night's MTV Movie Awards.



UPDATE: Entertainment Weekly, citing several sources, reports that this stunt was indeed staged. I'm not sure why people are going to such lengths to figure that out. Staged or not...it's funny as hell! The pic below speaks for itself...

2010 marriage initiative could hurt Mayor Newsom

The ongoing dispute over marriage equality in California could end up hurting one of our strongest allies. The Associated Press is reporting on possible headaches that the marriage fight may cause for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.

Newsom is a strong supporter of marriage equality; in fact, it was Newsom who started this current marriage push when he ordered that San Francisco issue marriage licences to same-sex couples even though the law was fuzzy on the matter. Newsom's act of courage ultimately lead to the state supreme court legalizing marriage until the passage of Proposition 8.

Now that Prop. 8 has been upheld by the California Supreme Court, there is an effort to place yet another marriage initiative on the ballot in 2010 when voters will also elect a new governor. The marriage issue has become a nasty, divisive fight in California, and its inclusion as a campaign issue might ruin any chance Mayor Newsom has at the governorship because the moderate voters he will need to win are opposed to marriage equality.

I think that marriage advocates should put off any action on marriage until 2012. Perhaps by then President Obama will stop being such a wuss and actually take a strong position. Unlike Newsom, the president could withstand a marriage dust up and still carry the state. By waiting until 2012, we would also have more time to educate California voters and mobilize a true statewide advocacy effort.

It would be a great shame if Mayor Newsom were to lose because of our misguided attempt to reverse Prop. 8 immediately with no deference to how that effort might adversely affect our allies.