Queer Day

Heath Ledger to play Rock Hudson?

ledger Heath Ledger is in negotiations to take on another big gay movie role that isn't entirely clear cut. The Brokeback Mountain star who earned himself a Best Actor Oscar nomination is currently the frontrunner to play Hollywood icon and rather legendary closet case Rock Hudson who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1985. According to Aint it Cool News, a major movie spoiler site, an inside source said, "After playing a straight man who has a gay relationship, Heath Ledger will do a 180 and play a gay man who has a straight relationship." His next role is playing a heroin addict in Neil Armfield's "Candy." The film is based on a Luke Davies novel.

Feast of Fools does gay Podcasting proud

Feast of Fools has truly become a driving force in the world of Podcasting. Co-hosts Fausto Fernós and Marc Felion spend their weekdays crossing global lines and barriers while striving to reach listeners from all walks of life via the internet. As thousands of new podcasts have become available for download the boys remain on top. Feast of Fools is Chicago's #! Podcast, regularly ranked in the top 15 comedy podcasts on iTunes, and is the only gay-themed production to make iTunes “Top 100 Podcast" list - and with good reason. Whether it's an intimate rummage through Illinois State Representative's Sara Feingenholz’s office refrigerator, a walk through the deep parts of the Puerto Rican rainforest or a frank discussion of Chicago's sexual underground at the world's largest Leather Conference, Queer Day thinks you should be giving these Fools a listen.

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Colorado gay rights measure gains interesting support

colorado church window Colorado based Focus on the Family, the wingnuts who've made it a mission to teach the world that gays and lesbians lead dangerous and deviant lifestyles, the same ministry that has long lobbied against recognizing same-sex couples as spouses or even parents, has endorsed a bill that would give same-sex couples in the state some of the same rights as heterosexual spouses. For the record the bill's GOP author, Senator Shawn Mitchell, doesn't support gay marriage or even civil unions. Colorado Clergy for Equality and Marriage has announced its opposition to the proposed state constitutional amendment that would place a ban on gay marriage in the state. Gil Caldwell says, "My concern as a civil rights activist is that we have not learned lessons from our history," Caldwell said. "We've been through the segregation of women, the segregation of African Americans. Now it appears we want to segregate same-gender loving couples."

World of Warcraft's gay drama brings apology

World of Warcraft's online game community, which draws more than five million players worldwide, has found itself in the middle of a big gay controversy. A player, Sara Andrews of Nashville, Tennesee, was threatened with expulsion from the virtual Warcraft world after she sought to recruit others into her gay-friendly team. An uproar ensued, spurring the game's maker to review its treatment of gay players. Blizzard Entertainment, the game's maker, apologized to Andrew, saying the warning was a mistake and that it will make some changes to prevent a repeat. Of course Andrews' attorney from Lambda Legal may have had something to do with that too.

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Ian McKellen calls Hollywood on its homophobia

Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival where he received a lifetime achievement award, out gay British actor Sir Ian McKellen lashed out at Hollywood saying that openly gay US actors are prevented from having successful careers. "It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality, and even more difficult for a woman if she's lesbian. It's very distressing to me that that should be the case. The film industry is very old fashioned in California," McKellen said. As for the lifetime achievement award, McKellen says he's enjoying a late burst of global fame and that he still has a lot of life left. He told the audience, "I still hope I've got a lot of life left on stage and making films." Queer Day hopes he'll keep telling it like it is as well.

Hey Kids - It's the Queer Day Mailbag!

mailman · #1: Remember the shootings nightmare earlier this month at Puzzles Lounge? A fund has been set up for the victims. Send donations to: St. Anne's Credit Union, Puzzles Victim Fund, P.O. BOX 0 (zero), Fall River, MA 02724.

· #2: Garrett, a long time reader of Queer Day, writes: "Can you help spread the word that the GLBT-SA at the University of North Carolina is hosting the 4th annual UNITY Confernce on April 7th-9th and already over 150 students have registered!" Consider it done Garrett and it's great to see the such hardcore support from the administration.

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Gay marriage takes hit in New York, ACLU vows to continue the fight

new york wedding case couple Vitale and Tripi The state Appellate Division, combining three separate cases brought by gay couples, rejected the argument that New York's marriage law is unconstitutional, throwing out the lawsuit - but the American Civil Liberties Union made a promise to appeal to New York's highest court after an intermediate court refused to strike down a state law that bars same-sex couples from marriage - and the hundreds of family protections afforded to married couples. Jeanne Vitale and Amy Tripi, pictured, want their relationship legally recognized. The New York Court of Appeals has already accepted review of the issue of marriage for same-sex couples in another case, Hernandez v. Robles, which was brought by Lambda Legal.

That's one expensive homophobic military policy

The financial costs to the U.S. military for discharging and replacing gay service members under the nation's "don't ask, don't tell" policy are nearly twice what the government estimated last year, according to a new University of California report. I find it odd that South Korea only discharged eight gay servicemen last year by comparison. Anyway, speaking of protecting the homeland, on the backs of people of color, I find it very disconcerting that the Justice Department asked a judge to approve Patriot Act e-mail monitoring without any evidence of criminal behavior - and instead of asking to eavesdrop on the contents of the e-mail messages, which would require some evidence of wrongdoing, prosecutors requested the identities of the correspondents. [Gay terrorist photo snagged from Robotic Kid's rather genius self-portrait collection.]

Bush gives $500 Million to fight gay marriage as deficit reduction tactic

bush President Bush signed legislation giving $500 million to faith-based programs to promote and strengthen opposite-sex marriage, a provision that's part of the deficit reduction bill passed by Congress. How this reduced the deficit is anybody's guess. Bush himself noted, “It allows faith-based groups that provide social services to receive federal funding without changing the way they hire,” Bush noted at the White House signing ceremony. Translation: We're giving money to groups that specifically discriminate in their hiring process. Assistant Health and Human Services Secretary Wade Horn said that the financial windfall is not intended to specifically oppose same-sex marriage, although the President is a major supporter of a proposed amendment to ban gay marriage in the Constitution. Like I said yesterday, Bill Frist is bringing it in June. Yep, it's happening all over again.

First Indian drag queen film The Pink Mirror (Gulabi Aaina) now on DVD

Quite awhile ago I told you about India's first film about drag queens - The Pink Mirror (Gulabi Aaina). Sridhar Rangayan�s debut film even won the best feature award at the Fire Island film festival. Well, the Bollywood comedy is finally available for purchase on DVD. While I don't ordinarily plug such sales, I've had particular interest in this film and supporting it supports queer cinema in India while providing funds for more future endeavors. Watch the trailer here.

Chi Chi Larue leaves Vivid over policy change to condom optional

Our favorite drag queen porn director Chi Chi LaRue has stopped directing straight productions for Vivid because they've changed their condom-only policy. "As a person who has been very vocal about condom usage in every aspect of the gay business as well as the straight, and as a person who went to work for Vivid because of their mandatory condom policy, I had to stop directing for them once it became condom-optional." Larue said, adding, "It's my policy to use condoms and it would be very hypocritical of me after how vocal I've been in this industry in the gay and straight sides to continue to do movies and not use condoms. Vivid's Howard Levine said, "My hat is off to Chi Chi for his commitment to his beliefs and I wish him the best, but I do wish he would return the dress he borrowed from me for the AVN Awards." (Thanks Dan-x)

Russian cleric calls for gays to be thrashed, and other world news

talgat · Russia: Talgat Tadjuddin, pictured, Russia's senior Muslim cleric, called on Muslims and Orthodox Christians to "thrash" homosexuals yesterday if the gay pride parade that is scheduled to take place in Moscow this May takes place. "This should in no case be allowed, but if they still take it to the streets, then one will have nothing to do but thrash them," he said.

· Botswana: The Voice newspaper earlier this month published an advertorial on gay life, breaking a long standing journalistic taboo against positive representations of gays and lesbians in the country. The advertorial was sponsored by LEGABIBO (Lesbians,Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana).

· United Arab Emirates: An United Arab Emirates court sentenced each of 26 men to five years in prison for participating in a gay wedding. They were "busted in a hotel 'dressed in women's clothes and make-up in preparation," the Emirates Today newspaper reported." The November arrests took place when police raided the hotel. You may recall that a cop who took photos was arrested.

Pete Burns to marry Michael Simpson

pete burns and michael simpson Fresh from his big stint in the Big Brother Celebrity UK house, Dead or Alive singer Pete Burns has announced that he's tying the knot with his partner Michael Simpson. For those who watched Big Brother, Burns always had a photo of Simpson attached to his person throughout the series. The couple showed off their identical diamante skull rings - designed by Vivienne Westwood - live on Richard and Judy's show (pictured). Regarding the rings Burns explained, "It symbolises that underneath all this there is bone and underneath that is soul." On the show Burns also told the world, "I lost him a lifetime ago and I've been looking for him ever since. He's a physical part of me." It's enough to make a person misty.

Willie Nelson sings for gay cowboys

nelson Willie Nelson has released a new song about the kind of love that happens between two men on the wide open range. The Texas country music icon says of "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other" that "the song's been in the closet for 20 years. The timing's right for it to come out. I'm just opening the door." Nelson recorded a song for the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, a melancholy ballad entitled "He Was a Friend of Mine."

Two years ago, David Anderson, Nelson's friend and tour manager of three decades, told his boss that he's gay. Last year when Nelson recorded a batch of previously unreleased songs for iTunes, he discovered the song in a stack of demos he had tossed into a drawer. It was written in 1981 by Lubbock-born singer-songwriter Ned Sublette and Anderson says it's Willie's way of letting him know everything is ok. Lyrics such as "I believe to my soul that inside every man there's the feminine" and "What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?" are delivered deadpan, giving the song an air of seriousness. If you have iTunes, download the song here for only 99 cents. I have to say it's truly a classic. Nelson's song, according to the Dallas News (Thanks Dan-x), is the first gay-themed release by a major country music artist, but haven't there been others by women?

Freedom To Marry: Same-sex couples stand for marriage rights

same sex marriage san francisco · California: And the debate over whether San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's actions helped or hurt the cause, a debate I personally find to be a ridiculous in that it's expertly designed to distract from the real issue. While busy defending whether he did the right thing, one is typically not debating the real issue at all. Making the Valentine's Day activism in Napa, rural Nevada County, Humboldt and Placer Counties, San Diego and all over the state all the more vital (all five links have photos). I particularly applaud Terry McClaren who stood for hours silently on the steps of San Mateo County's Government Center yesterday wearing her wedding dress.

· UK: A new Journal of Epidemiology and Community Heath report in the UK has revealed that same-sex marriage and civil partnerships are good for our health. The report says they reduce the prejudice and social exclusion that same-sex couples feel and should help to cut the high rates of depression and drug-taking, promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases - a suspect list in my book, yet very similar ones are used by the wingnuts as cause to deny such partnerships. Interesting, eh?

· New Jersey: New Jersey could become the second state in the US to legalize gay marriage in a case presented to the State Supreme Court today. "New Jersey is a unique state nationally when it comes to this issue," said Lambda Legal lawyer David Buckel. "That became very clear with a governor's race in which candidates on both sides opposed an amendment to the state constitution that would limit marriage to a man and a woman." I have to say I'm eagerly anticipating the verdict.

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Queers on campus

lydon state gsa · Ontario The University of Western Ontario's new Pride Library computers have a unique search engine that accommodates "queer lingo" - just one of the features of Canada's first library devoted to the academic study of "diversexuality." It opens today.

· Connecticut/Massachusetts: While we're still wondering if 25 percent of Yale students are gay (seems unlikely?), Harvard's Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) kicks off its second-annual “Bisexuality Weeks” program addressing the marginalization of bisexuals within the larger queer community.

· California: While California State University, East Bay, kicks off its first weeklong Queerfest today, University of California Riverside's Graduate Student Research Conference is digging deeper into sexuality. Conference highlights include Whitman’s obsession with masturbation, Queer Asian perspectives in contemporary literature, masculinity in film noire and sexual deviance in society. Sounds like my kind of crowd.

· Hawaii: And sadly the high school years are still a nightmare/endurance test for teens like "Shane", a transgendered sophomore who says, "Being queer in high school here is really hard. It makes you scared, like you can't even walk down the hall without being thrown against a locker."

· Vermont: Photos from Lyndon State's Gay Straight Alliance.

Andrew Morton's Tom Cruise biography heats up over the gay question

cruise Andrew Morton is writing a biography on Tom Cruise and everything was going rather well until Cruise found out that Morton gay porn actor Paul Baressi to shine some light on his private life. Apparently Baressi is mostly a private investigator and Morton wanted him to do some digging on all the gay rumors. It's being reported that Baressi has "already given Morton letters from Cruise's attorney insinuating the star enjoyed a homosexual liaison while shooting Eyes Wide Shut in the UK." All of this prompted Cruise's lawsuit happy lawyer, Bert Fields, to write Morton saying, "he obviously was entitled to write the book but make sure you check your facts. If he tries to use my letter to create the impression that Mr. Cruise did have a gay affair, we will certainly sue... because the story is false. Mr. Cruise is not gay." Right. And Katie Holmes isn't his beard, alright?

Margaret Spellings loves Brokeback, and other movie related news

· Margaret Spellings may have caused quite a ruckus over a couple of lesbians and an animated bunny, but one of the favorite films of President Bush's Education Secretary is none other than Brokeback Mountain. She actually says, "I enjoy all sorts of things, and I consider myself to be quite open-minded." She then went on to contend that "there is a difference between the personal money she uses to buy a movie ticket and the taxpayer dollars spent on children's programming."
· "Brokeback Mountain" director Ang Lee, who also directed "The Hulk," said recently, "The head of Marvel Comics sent me a note congratulating me on my recent success, with a P.S.: 'If we make the Hulk gay, would you come back and make a second for us?'"
· Brokeback star Anne Hathaway revealed to a mostly gay audience, "My older brother, Mike, is getting married to his partner of five years, Josh, this fall. I'm gonna be a bridesmaid!"
· Two men's shirts from the film that were worn by Jake Gyllenhaal are being auctioned on eBay for charity. You can access the auction here, but be aware. Bidding is already at $20,450.
· The New York Book Review argues against the way Brokeback was marketed as a "universal romance." (Thanks Todd)
· Nevertheless, the Brokeback Mountain book is a big hit in Hong Kong.

Celebrity Gossip

· Pete Doherty, Kate Moss' ex-boyfriend and bisexual Babyshambles' lead singer escaped a jail term yesterday when he was sentenced to 12 months of community service for seven separate drug-related charges.
· Nathan Lane held his 50th-birthday bash at the Rainbow Room and everybody sang for their supper. Matthew Broderick dedicated "Sonny Boy" to his "Odd Couple" spouse. Mario Cantone, channeling Judy Garland, called Lane a naughty Munchkin and told him to "Get Happy." Sounds like a big gay night in showtunes hell.
· When it comes to the Winter Olympics that kick off on Friday, if you're more interested in who you'd like to take home than who will take home the gold, here's a handy guide to the crucial players.

Studio nixed James Dean & Sal Mineo gay kiss plan in Rebel Without a Cause

The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly look back at Rebel Without a Cause and reveals that there was a plan for the film to include a kiss between James Dean and Sal Mineo. Warner Brothers, however, wasn't up for it. “While vetting the Rebel script, Warner honcho Steve Trilling made it clear - in writing - that a kiss between Dean and Mineo would not be tolerated." It didn't stop Director Nicholas Ray from painting the portrait though. He asked asked a teenage Mineo what he wanted most in life. “‘My driver’s license," Mineo said. "Fine," Ray said. "Look at Jimmy as if he’s your driver’s license." Beyond the obvious adoration, the film is chock full of clues regarding Plato’s sexual preference too, like the 8x10 glossy of Alan Ladd hanging in his high school locker.

Queer World News Snapshots

· Australia: While it's winter here in San Francisco, it's summer in St. Kilda, making it an ideal time for their Pride March featuring, well, mostly just a bunch of very ordinary-looking people walking down the street without a float in sight. Gay Aborigines marching under the Outblack flag received a rousing cheer. Photo Gallery.
· Iran: A transgendered male torture victim of the government's lethal homophobic program speaks from Mashad of his arrest, torture, imprisonment, and the incessant gang rape encouraged by his jailers.
· Ireland: A landmark case calling for full gay marriage rights here began its slow process through the courts this week. The case was brought by Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan who were married in Canada in 2003. They're suing Ireland’s tax service for refusing to acknowledge them as a married couple. The outcome will have much broader implications.

Gay bar terrorist Jacob Robida dies in police shootout

Jacob Robida, 18, entered Puzzles Lounge last week and asked the bartender if it was a gay bar. When he learned that it was, he pulled out a hatchet and struck a man in the head, then struck another man who tried to help the first victim. He then pulled out a gun and opened fire, shooting the man who tried tried to help as well as another patron. The bartender named Phillip says Robida aimed the gun at him, but he said that the gun failed to fire. "I heard a click, and his eyes were just squinted," Phillip said. Robida fled the scene and led police to Arkansas where he was killed during a shootout with police officers. Some believe Robida, a neo-Nazi, traveled to the area, headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan, in search of "safe houses" for those in the white power movement.

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Delegate Mark Cole is in an idiot, and other political snafus

In the Virginia General Assembly, which previously passed the most restrictive gay marriage ban in the country, Senate Bill 700 would make permanent discrimination safeguards for gays and lesbians in state employment and extend them to local governments and school boards. Enter Delegate Mark Cole, total idiot, who explained, "Sexual orientation is a broad term. There are eight different sexual orientations, including pedophilia and bestiality. I think we'd be opening up Pandora's box and allowing judges to interpret what that means." Meanwhile Senator Brownback now says that he meant no offense to "homosexuals" when he used the word "fruits" in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. How exactly did he mean it then?

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Branded a devil worshipping lesbian, Tresa Waggoner knows why God doesn't belong in school

Tresa Waggoner, the Colorado music teacher who tried to introduce her students to opera and wound up forced to take administrative leave, is taking legal action against the Bennett School. Teaching at a K-12 school 25 miles east of Denver, Waggoner chose a video of Gounod's Faust, from the classroom shelf, to teach about bass and tenor voices, the use of props and trouser roles in opera. The latter resulted in the married mother of two accused of being accused of being a lesbian promoting homosexuality to school, and her choice of Faust got her labeled as a devil worshipper. Which trouser role are you?
And speaking of insanity in our schools, the Day of Truth folks are back and do they ever have an uncanny knack for mislabeling bullshit on their video.

Brokeback inspired Brad Pitt wants to play gay

Brad Pitt is on the hunt for his own “Brokeback Mountain." In fact he's told his people to find the right gay love story script for him. A source told The Sun, "Brad has asked his people to find him a script to play a gay man. He wants it to be a story that appeals to both men and women and he wants it to be the edgiest work he's done. He's seen the critical acclaim that Brokeback Mountain has won and he wants a piece of it. Brad knows it would be seen as shocking to take on a gay role because he’s seen as such a heartthrob.” Maybe he's fishing for an Oscar, and with eight nominations for the top-grossing Brokeback, he may be on the right track.

Other takes:
· Larry Gross: "How far we think we've come with movies like 'Brokeback Mountain' may well signify how far we have to go" in Hollywood's Year of the Queer.
· David Ehrenstein shares his views on Why "Brokeback' isn't so 'radical'.

Gilbert and George fight back - with gay religious art

At one end of Gilbert and George's street in the East London suburb of Spitalfields is a mosque; at the other, a church. Their home features a front door of plain board, the original pushed in last year by local Muslim youths. And now the artists are fighting back - with a series of pictures questioning religion. The new "Sonofagod Pictures" have subtitles like, "Was Jesus Heterosexual?" with "Jesus Says Forgive Yourself" written atop the largest. Two crucified figures dominate the page surrounded by objects which, on closer examination, turn out to be crucifixes. Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore appear in their work (as they usually do) near the bottom looking like two bank managers with halos, and beneath them the inscription: "God Loves F---ing! Enjoy."

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Bravo milks Project Runway for an extra week

The second season of Project Runway has turned out to be such a cash cow for Bravo that they've decided to milk it for an extra week. The show, hosted by Heidi Klum, now will include a special reunion episode on Wednesday, February 22 at 10pm - and the season finale is being extended to two hours airing over two weeks. They're elated, I'm annoyed. Watch as Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick tries to pass the move off as community service:

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Queer Eye's Teeson outed as Mr. Six Flags

I'm not sure which is more disturbing, Mr. Six Flags whom I have to admit routinely makes my skin crawl as the dancing senior citizen in the Six Flags amusement park television commercials who lures all the children away and onto a bus, or the news that his long secret identity has turned out to be none other than Queer Eye For The Straight Girl's hunkariffic Danny Teeson. Paul Davidson first outed the rubber legged man on his website, prompting Mark Evanier to do some digging and the New York Post confirming the info with "knowledgeable industry sources."

PlanetOut Inc. and NBC head into the Outzone

PlanetOut Inc., the rather scary gay media superpower that has been buying up everything, now has it's sights set on gobbling up another market. Partnering up with the NBC owned Bravo cable network, they will soon be launching OutzoneTV.com, a broadband site targeting our community. Sure, of course we can expect to see reruns of "Boy Meets Boy" and the Queer Eyes online - but with PlanetOut Inc. behind it, the ongoing media conglomeration takeover isn't a matter to be taken lightly.

Farewell to the incomparable Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King has passed away, which has us remembering that even when there were splits within her own family over same-sex marriage, she stood tall with us and defended our rights publicly - calling it a civil rights issue. "I have been an outspoken supporter of full civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people for many years," she told the press, "A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay bashing and it would do nothing at all to protect traditional marriages."

Clay Aiken gay cumrag story upsets John Paulus

Last week I told you a story about a sleazebag opportunist named John who supposedly hooked up with Clay Aiken online and stole the poor boys cumrag, preserving it in a ziploc baggie for future testing. And then I get the following letter from a man named John Paulus: "I must take issue with you referring to me as a 'sleazebag opportunist'. You would be happily surprised to find that I am an extremely kind, honest, and giving person. Your description of me could more inaccurate. Perhaps if the only facts I had were those extracted from online articles, I might very well feel the same way."

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Footballers Wives goes gay with Noah Alexander storyline

On February 25, BBC America will premiere the third season of Footballers Wives and there's all sorts of drama to look forward to, including a gay storyline. Towards the end of the season, Noah Alexander, the first gay player on the Sparks team, is publicly outed when Tanya hires a male escort and captures him with the rental unit on a surveillance camera. Season Four, which premieres in April as BBC America does a rush job of bringing us up to date, Noah comes out, is beaten by a gang of thugs, prevented from working with children, and ultimately winds up at "The Church of the Found" looking for a cure for his sexuality. Where will it go after that? I don't know. I'm just giving you the heads up so that we can all be on board with all the twists and turns that are sure to come. Marcel McCalla, pictured, plays Alexander.

Virginia rejects restrictions for adoptive couples

Virginia: In a win for gay rights, a committee in the Virginia senate has narrowly killed legislation barring gay adoptive parents in other states from getting both of their names listed on birth certificates issued there. The education and health committee voted 8-7 to kill the measure.

Keith Cheung's death believed to be suicide

Georgia: The body of Ka Kee “Keith” Cheung, a gay Atlanta man who had been missing since January 3rd, has been found in the Chattahoochee River. Cheung’s sister Polly received a package from her brother that "contained his cell phone, keys and a suicide note telling us where to find his car. He said he was going to jump off the Chattahoochee bridge.”

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White House Easter festivities to be gay family event

Washington DC: Three months before the annual Easter egg roll at the White House, the annual Easter event is actually getting interesting thanks to Family Pride Coalition organizers setting the stage for a mass turn out of gay and lesbian families. (Thanks Dan-X)

Welcome to the Neighborhood's gay Wrights battle

Remember the whole Welcome To The Neighborhood reality television show debacle? Yeah, I went off about it in a pretty significant way at the time, only to learn all these months later that Stephen and John Wright and their adopted son Eli were the winners on the cancelled series. If I'd have known that I'd have, well, nevermind. Any show where a straight, white, religious family gets to decide the fate of heavily stereotyped minorities is just a little too real world if you ask me. It does, however, turn out that ABC may have had a motive in their cancellation - allowing the Walt Disney Company to pre-empt a show that could have interfered with a much bigger enterprise: the courting of evangelical Christian audiences for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Was the show cancelled because the gays actually won? (Thanks Tyler)

Judge drops charges against Maestas's gay bashers on technicality

I've been following the James Maestas gay bashing story in New Mexico rather closely and all was going rather well - until now. District Court Judge Michael Vigil has dismissed the charges against Johnny Valdez and Paul Montoya because prosecutors failed to notify them that they were targets 10 days before the grand jury that indicted them met, as legally required. On an "all is not lost" note, prosecutors are going to be able to present the evidence against the two defendants who didn't accept plea bargains again, only the judge wants to decide if probable cause exists to charge them. Prosecutors mailed them their notice on March 1 rather than serving them personally with the grand jury meeting set for March 10. (Thanks Vilma)

Mark Oaten resigns over rent boy claim

Mark Oaten, the former Liberal Democrat leadership challenger, has resigned as his party's home affairs spokesman over an alleged affair with a rent boy. The UK politician released a statement apologizing for the "embarrassment" he has caused his family, friends and the Liberal Democrat party. Oaten, 41, the MP for Winchester, has dropped out of the Liberal Dem leadership race this week. News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner says the details of Oaten's relationship with a 23-year-old male prostitute have been confirmed. (Thanks Dan-X)

Baltimore judge rules Maryland gay marriage ban discriminatory

Circuit Court Judge M. Brooke Murdock in Baltimore ruled that Maryland's law banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory and "cannot withstand constitutional challenge," thus throwing open the possibility of a bruising legislative battle over a constitutional amendment. Will we be rushing to the altar in Maryland? Actually, no. Murdock immediately stayed her decision and the attorney general's office has voiced plans for an appeal. Lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Gita Deane, left, and Lisa Polyak, right, are savoring their victory nonetheless. The judge's decision thrilled the 19 gay men and lesbians who challenged a 1973 state statute defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. (Thanks Tyler)

Judge rules Wayne Healy verdict biased, overturns conviction

A federal judge, Michael Ponsor (pictured), has ruled that Wayne Healy, a gay man who was convicted of the murder of his former brother-in-law Richard Chalue in 1980, should either be released from prison or given a new trial. Ponsor said prosecutors emphasized a (quote) "homosexual element to the murder," but suppressed evidence that there had been no sexual encounter. Healy was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Ponsor ruled that suppressing that information handicapped the defense "in an obviously devastating manner" and that doing so was "particularly grave." Ponsor's order said Healy is to be released on $400,000 bail, secured by his relatives' real estate, noting that Healy presents a very low risk of flight.

Sam Beaumont's real life Brokeback Mountain story

Sam Beaumont, pictured, settled down with Earl Meadows and tended 50 head of cattle for a quarter-century on an Oklahoma ranch. He says of his real life Brokeback Mountain story, "I was raised to be independent. I didn't really care what other people thought." In 1977, Beaumont was divorced and raising three sons after a dozen years in the Air Force when Meadows walked up to him near the Arkansas River. "He came up, we got to talkin' till 2 in the morning. I don't even remember what we said." But "I knew it was something special."

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The Gayest Golden Globe Awards

"Call these the gay Globes," said TV Guide's Tom O'Neil before the show started and it turned out to be just that and then some. "Brokeback Mountain" won the Best Dramatic Film award last night at the 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards. It was one of a handful of awards for the film that also captured Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Song. Felicity Huffman captured the Best Actress in a Motion Picture honors for her transgender role in "Transamerica" while Philip Seymour Hoffman won the Best Actor in a Drama award for his portrayal of gay writer Truman Capote. "Desperate Housewives" also won the ward for Best TV Series.

Liz Smith helped keep Rock Hudson's sexuality under wraps

Lesbian gossip monger Liz Smith has revealed that Rock Hudson came to her about what he should do to avoid the destruction of his career when he was being blackmailed over his sexuality. It appears that the blackmailer was the former Mrs. Rock Hudson, Phyllis Gates, and lady Liz herself had "plenty in my files about the former Mrs. Hudson ... proving that Phyllis herself was not as 'clean as the driven slush.'" As a result Phyllis Gates did not extract money from her ex and Hudson was never exposed for being gay, until he died of AIDS that is. Does Liz think things have really changed? Not really. "Male homosexuality is still the great taboo, the career destroyer. ... It is still The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name. The fear that kept Rock Hudson in the closet is still palpable in Hollywood."

Dupont Twins play gay cowboys in Factory Girl

The Dupont Twins, shown here with Cornelia Guest, were best of friends with Andy Warhol, although Richard and Robert never starred in any of his movies. Well director George Hickenlooper is currently filming "Factory Girl" and he asked the boys to be in the movie. They play gay cowboys in a scene at Studio 54 with Guy Pearce who plays Warhol and Sienna Miller as Edie Sedgwick. Pearce is so good, Richard said, "We both got tears in our eyes."

Janice Dickinson hits the gay clubs

Janice Dickinson, the first supermodel who was booted as a judge from America's Next Top Model not long ago and recently gained noteriety fighting with Omarosa on VH1's "The Surreal Life" with the other has beens, threw a fit at the mostly straight restaurant Bella in Los Angeles when she wasn't given a front table. She left fuming and went where she would be treated better, Fubar for "Big Fat Dick Night" where a source told Page Six, "She was treated like royalty and danced her butt off." Later, Dickinson showed up at another gay bar as well, Heaven, where she partied all night.

Fred Savage plays gay character Mitch on Crumbs

Fred Savage (The Wonder Years) returned to television last night playing gay son Mitch on the new series Crumbs. The series will explore the family's varied reaction to his sexual orientation, but Savage says, "That's not what the show is about … the show is really about family and secrets that families keep from each other, and how a family pulls itself back together after keeping so much from each other for so long." Jane Curtin plays the mother who has just been discharged from a psychiatric facility, William Devane the father who is expecting a baby with his new girlfriend. The ABC sitcom airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. EST on ABC. (Thanks Tyler)

Scott Thompson's Buddy Cole is getting animated

One of my favorite Kids In The Hall sketches was the one where Buddy Cole, who bought the gay bar he was always hanging out in, found himself coaching his very own lesbian softball team - the Sappho Sluggers. Well the Here! gay television network is going to be bringing even more Buddy Cole to us - in an animated form. The new cartoon series for adults centering around Scott Thompson's character will apparently be running against a bullying "family values" city councilman. Can you imagine? Cole will also suddenly become a parent when his orphaned niece will show up on his doorstep.

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John Waters hosting Til Death Do Us Part

John Waters will be Alfred Hitchcock-like hosting Court TV's first scripted series called "'Til Death Do Us Part." Waters notes, "It's a thin line these days, as you all know, between bad and good taste," and he's primarily out to entertain, presenting stories often too bizarre to concoct. The series takes real-life murder cases where one spouse kills the other and dramatizes the relationship, from the wedding to the murder to the investigation through to the trial. Waters time travels through the narrative as a character called the Groom Reaper. "When they first asked me, I thought they said the Groom Raper. Either way, I would have said yes."

Virginia gay marriage ban takes a step forward

Virginia: The Virginia House Privileges & Elections Committee approved the state’s gay marriage ban constitutional amendment in an 18-4 vote. The proposed amendment threatens to prohibit same-sex marriage, domestic partner benefits and other protections and it could go to a House vote within the next week.

Indianapolis gay rights law signed by Mayor Peterson

Indiana: Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson signed the city's gay rights law in a ceremony Wednesday afternoon. In December, the City-County Council passed the ordinance, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace and in housing.

February 17, 2006