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Pop quiz: Who are your favorite Canadian lesbian identical twin alt-pop rockers? That's right: Tegan & Sara! So, won't you be pleased as gay punch to discover that the dandy duo have a big DVD heading your way, which is gonna be stuffed with all kinds of tasty features & featurettes that will make your friends "so jealous." (Sorry--couldn't resist that one.)
This treasure trove of all things T&S is to be called "It's Not Fun. Don't Do It." And it'll get released on August 8th. According to the press info, here's what you'll get on the DVD:
* full live concert from Tegan & Sara's performance at the Phoenix in Toronto
* the making of So Jealous
* a tour documentary shot by Tegan & Sara
* all of Tegan & Sara's music videos
* a photo album highlighting Tegan & Sara's career
* endless commentary from Tegan & Sara
"Endless commentary!???" Ummm... That's a lot.
And yes, the pair are very, very hard at work on their next album, which is due out in 2007. If you can't wait 'til then, or even until August for their DVD, go to their website now and buy one of their T-shirts. So cute!!!
More Noah's Arc casting news!!! (Yes, the hotties just keep on coming...) Prison Break and Soul Food star Rockmond Dunbar (he of the broad, brawny shoulders and winning smile) is gonna be popping up on the scorching Logo series, Noah's Arc, during season two (starting this August)! Dunbar, who also recently starred in the GLAAD-nominated gay-flavored flick Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, will be making a "guest appearance!" I just hope that means that he's going to be causing trouble and making out with somebody. Schwing!
Of course this isn't Dunbar's first time at the gay rodeo. Back in 2000 he worked with Noah's Arc creator Patrik-Ian Polk, starring as the foxy lead in Polk's Punks, the saucy indie that played Sundance (and every gay film fest known to man).
I'll let you know more about Dunbar's stint on the Arc as word becomes available. But, this tidbit, combined with last week's news about soap stud Keith Hamilton Cobb joining the cast is all looking to make season two of Noah's Arc downright sizzling. Yay!
Summer... A great time for movies. And walk in the woods. Or movies about walks in the woods during which cute boys throttle each other erotically, like in the movie Combat. See it at NewFest this coming week.
It’s time for Part 2 of this week’s preview of NewFest, with another round-up of some of the best gay indie films getting screened as New York City’s annual big LGBT film fest kicks off beginning this Thursday. These are the films that will be hitting your local arthouse and gay TV networks in the coming months, so listen up! Or, you can see them in NYC this coming week… If you’re on top of it.
My Name Is Jackie Beat
I first remember seeing Jackie Beat perform at the now legendary L.A. club, Dragstrip 66 a zillion years ago (okay, about 11 or 12 years ago). Since then she’s starred in movies (Grief, Wigstock) and torn apart stages and crowds all over the planet. She even served as host at NYC’s legendary Foxy party, where eager contestants competed to perform the most filthy acts imaginable. Now Ms. Beat is getting the full-on documentary treatment, revealing the brains and heart behind the wiggy brilliance. Give her props! Let’s hope this film does the scathingly funny diva justice.
Combat
This Belgian feature follows a couple of cute boys into the woods, where they proceed to beat the hell out of each other, while a voice-over (in French, with subtitles) reflects on the politics of desire. The film’s info says “this juxtaposition creates a dialogue, transforming their aggression into an act of love.” We’ll see about that. But it looks gorgeous and sounds worth seeing. It’s also called “a visceral meditation on the limits of intimacy and the boundaries of control and surrender.” Ka-pow!!!
The Gymnast
Women in love—and on trapezes? Why not? Actually, this films follows a burgeoning relationship between two women (one a former Olympian) who form a aerial acrobatic troupe, and much more. Plus, amazing bodies in tights! Score: 10!
Long Term Relationship
First-time director Rob Williams puts forth this romantic comedy (it’s a World Premiere!) about a cynical L.A. gay looking for love. Sounds like familiar territory perhaps, but what if you responded to an add only to find out the super-cool dude who responded holds totally conflicting political views as you? Okay, so you’re still really into him, but the sex is bad. Like, really bad. What next?
Not Quite Right
This film’s got a lot going on. Here are the basics: Four brothers suddenly get strapped for cash when their father pulls the financial plug on them. So, one lothario/playboy brother plans to use his mildly autistic brother in a scheme to make cash. Meanwhile, another brother is a coke fiend, and the fourth is the well-adjusted (relatively) gay little person. And he’s just trying to find a boyfriend while braving the taunts of neighborhood bullies. Whew! And this is all part of debut director Philip Schaff’s first feature, a “darkly comic tale about social misfits trying to find happiness.” Ummm… Kind of makes Six Feet Under look like a well-balanced family, eh?
Paper Dolls
Fresh from Israel comes this crowd-pleaser about “a group of transgendered Filipinos who work by day as caregivers to elderly Orthodox Jewish men and who appear on stage one night a week, performing as The Paper Dolls.” Cue some sassy musical numbers!!! Plus, it’s a documentary. It’s a magnetic tale of what it’s like to be a Christian, Asian and trans person immersed in an Orthodox Jewish culture. Wurrrk! This one’s been picked up by Strand already, so you can expect to see it released before long.
Two Drifters
Sexy and surreal, Two Drifters is a Portuguese film which tells the story of Rui, who’s left all along after his lover, Pedro is killed in a car accident. Meanwhile, neighbor Odete breaks up with her boyfriend over her fixation on wanting to have children, and then begins to infiltrate the late Pedro’s family, claiming she’s preggers with his kid! Along the way, Rui seeks fulfillment in empty sexual encounters and Odete just keeps freaking out. Drama!!! From the director, João Pedro Rodrigues, who helmed the past NewFest favorite O Fantasma, this one looks enticing and inventive.
And of course there are tons and tons of killer short films to catch at NewFest (including a short based on Mike Albo’s novel, The Underminer, and an experimental short film by artist Joshua Thorson, called Rock & a Hard Place, about a former abused kid who writes a best-selling memoir, only to have its authenticity called into question (Hmmmm… Sounds like a familiar scandal?). Yes, drama ensues!
Expect more film reports as NewFest kicks off… I’ll bring you dish and pics from all the showbizzy madness.
Cheers!
Holy L Word! Batwoman is getting reborn—as a lesbian socialite!
We’ve heard about all the hateful violence during last weekend’s Moscow gay march. Here, the British activist Peter Tatchell offers up a personal account from the front lines.
Meanwhile, a big-deal Church of England bishop claims that the Bible supports gay marriage! Win one for “Adam & Steve”??
NYC’s Mayor Mike says he’ll perform gay weddings if allowed. Man, it must really be Pride season.
President Bush takes aim at anti-gay protestors. He’s limiting the ability for anti-gay factions to protest at funerals.
They’ll sure look hot in matching red uniforms. Two gay Mounties are gonna get hitched in Canada! But don’t ask any Conservative MP’s about it, please.
Say what? A study says lesbian marriages end in divorce more than those between gay men. So, life is just like The L Word.
A U.K. train passenger accosted by gay conductor? How come this never happens to me?
Madonna may set record for a TV concert deal. But can she whip her dancers (and can they get all flirty with each other) on NBC?
Here’s another reason to clean out your garage. A Francis Bacon painting is discovered after 24 years!
And in California a gay guy and a special needs student get crowned prom king and queen… Major props to them!
The kids of Camp Out welcome summer with a group hug. Catch them at NewFest!
With June (which—hello!—arrives in a few days) comes "Gay Season!" That year when we all get to celebrate our homo-ness, remember where we’ve come, where we're heading, battles we've won and lost, people who've inspired us, and how, for some reason, we reconcile that it's cool for us to rollerskate in a thong down Main Street U.S.A. declaring our fabulousness. Hurrah!
And June 1st also brings to NYC the annual cinematic love-in that is NewFest: New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival. Now in it's 18 year, NewFest always helps to kick off Pride season in the Big Apple, and it affords folks the chance to get a glimpse of some hot gay movies. You get to catch some of the year's big queer indies before they get official releases. So as always you get to stay ahead of the curve!
You can get the full rundown of what's on offer at NewFest on their site. And I’m going to have an interview with the festival’s director Basil Tsiokos next week to let him clue you in about what’s coming.
But to kick off the holiday weekend, and to find out what you'll be watching after you see X-Men 3, here's our first glimpse of what's gonna be hot at NewFest. And next week we'll highlight some more of what's coming your way gay movie-wise.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Strangers With Candy
Yep, Jerri Blank is back. And the now uber-famous Stephen Colbert is too and the gay/not-gay teacher Mr. Noblet, who's still bickering/poking Mr. Jellineck (Paul Dinello—who directed the flick). A bunch of fun guest stars (Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Justin Theroux, Todd Oldham) splash up this prequel of how Jerri ended up heading back to Flatpoint High. Goodtime Island here we come!!! (Watch the trailer here.)
20 Centimeters
This mad Spanish flick (think the spirit of Almodovar meets the raucous Hedwig) is a musical (yay!) comedy (yay!) about a pre-op MTF named Mariela who has yet to have the titular length removed from her privates. Yep, she’s still got it, but she's aching to be rid of it. She walks streets because she can’t keep a job (pasky narcolepsy!), and when she dreams suddenly she's the stars of wildly winsome Technicolor style musicals starring strapping men. But what's a gal to do with her foxy new beau likes her, 20 centimeters and all… What would you give up—or keep—for love?
Queens
This Spanish-language screwballer features a mass gay wedding in Madrid (gotta love Spain), and five neurotic moms who are freaking out about their gay sons' impending matrimony. Expect sexually compulsive mothers, gay sons having hetero trysts, rich boys falling for their gardeners (!) and all manner of madness. Plus two of Almodovar's favorite actresses (Carmen Maura and Marisa Paredes), and some seriously good-looking Spanish men, Queens a likely to one hot hoot!
Camp Out
A documentary about what it’s like to be young, gay and Christian in America. After getting rejected by their churches for being queer and by gay friends for being Christian, a bunch of Midwestern teens find solace in the first overnight camp that caters to God-worshipping youths. This film follows six boys and four girls over a summer as they deal with all the usual campy stuff (crushes, canoeing—panty raids, perhaps?) as well as bigger issues of faith and acceptance.
Coffee Date
Yay, a comedy! Featuring a roster of gay-beloved talent (Wilson Cruz, Deborah Gibson, Sally Kirkland, comic Jason Stuart, Jonathan Silverman) this one's about straight guy who accidentally ends up on a gay blind date. Amusingly, the guys hit it off, become buds and decide to get pranksterish on their friends, who wonder what the hell's going on.
Cruel & Unusual
This one looks intense, as it examines how prisons turn a blind eye to rape and violence against LGBT inmates. It follows transgendered women forced to serve their prison sentences in men's prisons—and the results aren't pleasant. Powerful stuff.
Gender Rebel
This cool (and short—45 minutes!) documentary expertly profiles three young biological females who identify as genderqueer–neither male nor female, but something in-between. And it approaches how their refusal to adhere to given norms affects their families and girlfriends, and how they're treated by the world at large.
Kiki & Herb Reloaded
Ladies and gentleman, if Kiki could love, she would love you all. The superstar duo of boozy cabaret hellions Kiki and Herb (aka Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman) get the documentary (or… mockumentary?) treatment in this flick that spicily tells the life stories of the legendary pair, who've played gigs through the decades at gin joints from casinos in Monte Carlo to gay dives in NYC's East Village, all the way to Carnegie Hall. It's chock full of tales of their raucous and tragic lives, and boasts interviews with their celebrity pals (and fans) Rufus Wainwright, Deborah Harry, the Scissor Sisters, Andy Bell, Stephen Merritt, Phillip Glass, Patricia Field, and Michael Musto. And while, it's not gonna be as wild and wonderfully whacked out as a live Kiki and Herb show, this one looks like it could come close.
Queen Latifah is busy: Singing, acting, selling cosmetics, and living fabulously as a media mogul. Now she’s using her powers for good as she’s gonna star in and co-exec produce a movie for HBO about how the HIV crisis is affecting the African American community. Working alongside Queenie are Jamie Foxx, Jaime King, Marcus King, Shakim Compere and Shelby Stone. Writer/director Nelson George has based the story on his sister and their family through the eyes of a survivor, who’s gonna be played by Latifah.
And if you want some fun with Latifah, check this hilarious fake-Excedrin commercial she made. I think this is from SNL. Yay!
Those 80s/90s pop goddesses (call them “Venus"-like), Bananarama are back in a big way. Yep, Keren and Sara (just the two of them these days, and they look amazing!) have a new Bananarama release out. It’s called Drama and boasts the #1 U.K. Dance hit “Look on the Floor” which to me sounds very Kylie. I also love the tune “Move in My Direction”—which sounds like totally classic Bananarama (with an electro-grindy edge), boasting that sense of whimsy and pop spunk that always fueled their best work. You’re certainly going to be hearing these tunes on dance floors all summer.
Look! It's Keren and Sara in the Logo studios. Cute!
This Sunday night at midnight, you can catch Keren and Sara on Logo’s NewNowNext Music video show, as they host the special “Global Getaway” edition, which features videos from artists from all over the world (except here in the U.S.). The gals were in the Logo offices taping recently (see the pic above!), and it was all I could do not to skip down the hallways singing “Cruel Summer” and “Venus” all day.
Go Bananas!
Super-hot Keith Hamilton Cobb... He's joining the guys of Noah's Arc. Score!
Attention Noah’s Arc fans… Casting news for next season! Soap hottie Keith Hamilton Cobb (you know him from The Young and the Restless; Hello Damon!) is joining the cast of Noah’s Arc… As if the show didn’t have enough handsome eye candy, already! No specific word on who (or what) Mr. Cobb is gonna be playing, but he’s bound to light all kinds of fires among Noah, Chance, Ricky and Alex (and Wade and Trey and Eddie and…ya know).
Things are busy on the set and shooting for season two is going full-throttle. As was buzzed about last week, former B2K boy-bander Raz B will also appear during season two. (Rod 2.0 had some dish on that one…) And I think you can also expect a little female intervention on the show this coming season. Word has it the producers are hard at work considering some fierce female talent to join the crew. I’ll try and let you know more about that as I find stuff out.
Also, starting Wednesday, June 7th, Logo is gonna start running “special editions” of the first season of Noah’s Arc, which I’ve been told will feature some bonus elements that you didn’t see the first time around (extra scenes maybe? juicy outtakes?). These episodes will also be peppered with on-air trivia and maybe sneak peeks of season two! Tune in for that sassiness when it hits the air.
You can also now pre-order the first season of Noah’s Arc on DVD, via LogoOnline. That package--which comes out July 9th--is also going to feature all kinds of DVD goodness, including deleted scenes you didn’t see when the show aired, as well as backstage treats.
And rabid Noah fans will want to keep their eyes peeled for some good dishy magazine press on the show coming soon (around Pride time, maybe?)… Can’t say more than that, but keep your eyes on your newsstand!
And to sign off, here’s a smolderingly hot pic of Jensen Atwood (aka Wade).
Happy Thursday!!!
You go to the gym (or do something involving moving around) and you like to have your tunes with you, right? Hey—when you’re racing on the treadmill it helps to have some slamming sounds to motivate you. (Although if I listen to “Groove Is In The Heart” by Deee-Lite I have a tendency to morph from jogging into serious runway sashaying. Is that bad?)
Whatevs. So as you’re grooving when you’re moving you can now keep closer tabs on your workout stats. Nike and Apple have teamed up to launch the new Nike+iPod Sport Kit, which for $29 comes with a sneaker-based sensor that boasts (according to the press info) “a wireless system that allows Nike footwear to talk with your iPod nano to connect you to the ultimate personal running and workout experience.” Sounds good. So your Nike Air Zoom Moire sneaks will talk to your iPod, delivering details to your nano about your time, distance, calories burned and pace while running. The info is displayed on your iPod screen and you can get real-time audible feedback via your headphones, too. And yep, you can expect a whole bunch of related apparel and gear to come along with this launch, too. The Sport Kit should be out within two month's time. Check it out here or here.
And yes, the Sport Kit only works with certain Nike shoes. But you probably need new ones anyway…
What’s more fun than a zingy, indie-pop band from Montreal? How about little kids dressed as puppy newcasters who send astronauts to the moon for a benefit concert to raise funds to fight fleas?
All that cuteness is featured in the new video viewable on MTVU from Islands, the super-fun (and kinda witty) six-man band from Quebec. Some of the guys used to be in The Unicorns, a short-lived but hilarious and highly acclaimed indie-punk-funk band a few years back. Islands’ new tune, “Rough Gem” is a peppy, upbeat slice of happy. It’s my favorite of the day…
And yes, the puppies/kids rock, too.
I'm getting stoked about the sporty summer ahead. I attended the Gay Games in Amsterdam, and had a blast soaking up the buzz and fun that enveloped that city when thousands of athletes invaded. This summer, Chicago's going to be hosting the Gay Games 2006 festivities and it's already looking to be one of the best mega-events of the year.
And it just got a bit better as Cyndi Lauper has just been announced as a featured performer at the Gay Games Closing Ceremony at storied Wrigley Field. Lauper (who's now kicking Broadway's butt in The Threepenny Opera) is slated to crank out some of her signature, power-throated tunes as the games wind down on Saturday, July 22nd.
"I feel like this is becoming sort of a tradition for me since I performed last time the Gay Games were in the States, in New York City in 1994," Lauper said. Hey... Who doesn't love jocks?
Lauper will join the already announced roster of talent at the blow-out, which also includes BETTY (singing the National Anthem), ANT, comedienne Mo'Nique, out rockers Eric Himan and Levi Kreis, popster Ari Gold, divas Kristine W. and Sharon McNight, drummer/performer Ubaka Hill, out pop duo Jason & DeMarco, comic Poppy Champlin, and dance troupe D.C. Cowboys. (Whoa. That's a big show.)
While Madonna's hanging on mirror-balled crosses, one of her contemporaries, who also has roots in 80's and 90's pop, is taking a more chill musical path this summer. As of today, you'll find the pop/R&B survivor Jody Watley getting downloaded and streamed all over the place with her latest single, "Borderline," which is indeed a cover of Madonna's early classic.
On her latest outing, Watley takes a decidedly laid-back and lithe take on the tune, and the results are pretty darn sweet. The vibe of Watley's "Borderline" begs for a cocktail, or a walk down a breezy street at twilight--as you look swankily, stylishly fierce and reflective (much like Watley herself). And Watley really sings the song, serving up the frustration and pleading nature of the tunes' lyrics. Niiiiiiiice! And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
You can hear a bit of the tune on Watley's MySpace page, or download the whole song via iTunes. "Borderline" will be included on Watley's next record, The Makeover, due in August. And while Ms. W's made some music the last few years here and there, I'd love to see her return with some strong material. She's a classy artist, a good friend to gays and the real deal.
Bonus: On her MySpace page, you can hear Watley's own mad mash-up of her classic "Don't You Want Me" and last summer's Pussycat Dolls mega-hit, "Don'tcha." F-U-N!
Here's a wiggy Cee-Lo onstage last month at Coachella. He also dragged it up last night at NYC's Webster Hall. Head way down below to links with pics and video! Crazy!
So, I caught Gnarls Barkley's premiere NYC show last night at Webster Hall. It was fun and funky, they sounded great, and the show was quite tight. The music was loose and groovy, but the set itself was tidy and quick. Their songs are short and it doesn't take long to charge through their song list.
As the show began, some dude announced apologetically that Gnarls Barkley was unable to appear, but that the band Brush Fire would be filling in. Then the 13-piece crew of "Brush Fire" took the stage in big, wild, hair-band wigs and trashy glam metal-ish garb, and dove into the synthy opening chords of Europe's "The Final Countdown." Fun! This, of course, was the Gnarls crew. And from this point on, vocalist Cee-Lo (who's about the size of a fire-plug but way more portly) smiled and sang like crazy, while musical co-conspiritor Danger Mouse ruled from the keyboards. And there were strings, drums, backup singers... A full onslaught of well-orchestrated onstage talent.
Cee-Lo was obviously having a blast. (He appeared to have some large prosthetic jammed down the front of his bright green tights; later he whipped it out to reveal a water bottle. Refreshing!) The crowd, who was way into it, included P. Diddy and T.I., who got end-of-show shout-outs from the guys onstage. "I know you didn't come just to see me in tights," cracked a beaming Cee-Lo toward the set's end, before he launched into the band's signature debut hit. "Crazy" sounded great, but I wish they'd have gotten a bit more inventive in its delivery. I wanted them to use the string section more and really get fussy and swank it out. But all in all, a fun (and kind of pleasantly brief, clocking in at just about an hour of Gnarls onstage-time) and smart show. We'll see how long the "Crazy" train runs, but right now these guys are at the top of their game.
You can check out pics and write-ups of the show at Pop-Tarded and at Music Snobbery.
It's not a bad thing to be E. Lynn Harris. You publish a new novel and within a few weeks you're perched in the top 3 of the NY Times Bestseller List. You reach a widespread audience that crosses boundaries such as straight and gay, black and white, urban and... er, not-urban. And along the way, you get to take on such big deal institutions such as homophobia within the African-American religious community. Meaning, you get to create your artwork (juicy novels!) and exert your conscience along the way. And it sells!
Mr. Harris' latest novel, I Say A Little Prayer, tells the story of a former boy-band star, Chauncey Greer, who now lives a quieter life and runs a gay greeting card company. He also goes to church and soon his peaceful parish gets caught up in a media circus as it becomes the pulpit (literally and figuratively) for a rising, loudmouth pastor/Senatorial candidate who preaches less than homo-positive rhetoric. And naturally, said preachy politico is a former love of Chauncey's. Ka-ching! Drama!
Harris is currently making the rounds with the book, so go give him some props when his book tour comes to your city. And he's being deliciously outspoken about gay issues, celebrity and the black community, too. Just last week he told The Advocate, speaking of the late Luther Vandross: "We just lost Luther [Vandross], and Luther could never, ever admit what his sexuality was. I felt sorry for him that he never had the chance to be happy. Think of all the great songs he wrote that he could never sing himself." Helleaux! And Harris even mentions that his current flame is a closeted gay athelete. Let's see if more gets out about that (though Harris isn't tellin').
Bloggers Rod 2.0 and Keith Boykin have kept good tabs on Harris of late. And you can check Harris' own site for updates.
My favorite E. Lynn Harris factoid: He's also currentlyis a part-time Cheer Coach for the award-winning University of Arkansas Razorback Cheerleaders. Rah rah rah!!!
The cast of Short Bus take Cannes! From left, Peter Stickles, Jay Brannan, Paul Dawson, PJ DeBoy, Raphael Barker, director John Cameron Mitchell, Lindsay Beamish, Sook-Yin Lee and Justn Bond work the red carpet.
John Cameron Mitchell's much-awaited (it's been years!) follow-up to the award-winning Hedwig and the Angry Inch debuted at Cannes today... And yes, Short Bus is full o' sex! I'm just thrilled it's finally finished (those of us living in NYC have been hearing of the movie's long-path to completion for a couple of years now). And I'm stoked that the cast was able to splash out along the red carpet and get their big flash-cubed moment in the spotlight. (Full disclosure: At least a couple of the cast members are friends of mine, and I know Mr. Mitchell through mutual friends.)
One will have to wait and see how folks respond to the full-on graphic sex in the film, which follows an ensemble cast of New Yorkers dealing with the frustrations--sexual and otherwise--of relationships in our modern, urban world. And yep, the film boasts straight sex, gay sex, sex-club sex... Even an all-male three-way in which one character bursts out singing "The Star Spangled Banner" while getting it on! All that will make it rather difficult for the film to get a theatrical release here in the U.S. (and yes, you'll probably not see it on Logo too soon), but I do hope that amid all the action there's some smart plot stuff going on.
French kissin'!!! Costars (and real life boyfriends) Paul Dawson and PJ DeBoy share a smooch at the Short Bus premiere in Cannes. Fellow cast member Raphael Barker and director John Cameron Mitchell just hang.
Some film critics are weighing in already, but I'm guessing you'll be hearing more about the buzz and the on-screen carnality. Still, the flick stars my pals Justin Bond (aka "Kiki" of Kiki & Herb) and PJ DeBoy and his boyfriend Paul Dawson, and they're all super-talented individuals.
You can read one review here. And click for more chatter and buzz and party dish about the film. (And yes, expect some graphic content/language in the description of the film.)
I’ve been a fan of Lisa Jackson and her band, Girl Friday for the last couple of years, ever since I saw her bring the house down at one of Dean Johnson’s frequent queer rock ’n’ roll nights, Homocorps, at CBGB a while back. Lisa, a long, leggy, lithe and seriously talented trans rocker, wields a guitar, belts out killer vocals, and embodies a spirit that somehow channels Bowie, glam rock, punk, The Cars, Thin Lizzy and early Pat Benatar. It’s fun, empowering music to bang your head to, jump around, and appreciate that this super-talented creature is bold and courageous and telling her story—with a guitar and a slamming band.
This month (which is almost over) Jackson and the boys have been hosting a Monday night residency at NYC’s Arlene’s Grocery on the Lower East Side. The shows are free (kicking off at 8:30pm) and since the best way to appreciate Jackson’s gift is live, they’re kind of a must.
And luckily for the rest of the country, Jackson and crew will be touring all over in the coming months, playing Pride events in New Jersey, Memphis and Atlanta (with more undoubtedly to be added before long). So when she comes near you, make sure you catch her.
And if you’re in NYC for Gay Pride Weekend, you can be in Lisa’s next video for the tune “AOK,” as they’re gonna be shooting it live at CBGB on Saturday, June 24th.
Head to Jackson’s site or to MySpace to hear tunes, and you can buy the band’s self-titled CD on CD Baby. You’ll be glad you did.
It was widely reported that Jodie Foster delivered the commencement address last week at Penn. Nice, right? But did you know that while doing so, she started rapping, channeling Eminem? For real! Via Stereogum, here's a video clip.
Frankly, I prefer Kiki & Herb's version.
Should we start with the bad puns? Madonna's not "horsing around" on her new Confessions Tour! No, wait... She is! Or perhaps, she's a "Holy Terror!" However you want to spin it, good old Maddie's back to her old tricks (which we love) as witnessed by last night's opening gig on her big summer tour. Think riding crops (and full-on equestrian regalia) and the Material Gal herself propped up on a cross (evidently those old Catholic girl issues still haunt, even after all those years of Kabbalah) for starters. And yes, she does pull out the disco stops, too... Heck, she emerges from a humongous disco ball to kick things off! She even dons a white "Saturday Night Fever"-esque suit and throws down some vintage Travolta moves, as roller disco queens swirled around her. All in all, she referenced scads of pop culture icons (from James Brown to Bryan Ferry) and she reminded every one in the free world that Madonna likes to put on a show.
Old songs got new treatments, as did material from Confessions. "Like a Virgin" was performed with Madge riding a merry-go-round horsey in ways that the county fair hasn't seen. "Music" got mashed-up later with "Disco Inferno" and even gems like"Erotica," "Lucky Star" (which morphed into "Hung Up" for the finale) and "La Isla Bonita" were served up. And yes, "Live to Tell" was sung while she was dangling from a cross, and as big-screen images of suffering children flashed by.
Oh, and yes... Madge also took jabs at President Bush and Tony Blair, too. Let the op-ed pages start fussin'!!!
MTV.com's got a big juicy write-up of the debut night's antics. And, appropriately enough, Madonnalicious has a fresh batch of fan pics from the show, as well as a song-by-song breakdown of the night!
Whips and riding crops! Jabs at religion! Political rants! Madonna causing a commotion!
Some things never change.
And I am telling you, I am soooo going to see Dreamgirls the minute it gets released this December. In the meantime, the lucky suckers in Cannes got a chance to peek at the film today. There was a special “preview” of the movie, with the stars in attendance, including Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, director Bill Condon, and our fave American Idol veteran Jennifer Hudson (pictured above), who gets to play big, beautiful, bodacious Effie—and who gets to sing the musical’s mega-song “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)” made famous by the legendary Jennifer Holliday.
Sure, Beyonce showed up looking all skinny and cute, but we’re f-ing lovin’ Effie!
Meanwhile, in Vegas, Toni Braxton met the press to announce plans for her big show coming this fall at Harrah’s Flamingo resort. Watch out Celine! Scooch over Elton! Toni’s gonna get “Revealed!”
And gay super-director Pedro Almodovar’s latest, Volver—which stars two of his regulars, Carmen Maura and Penelope Cruz—debuted in Cannes today, too. It’s a comedy/ghost story/serious drama—of sorts. And it’s all about powerful women. Hurrah! And it was met with standing ovations at film’s end. Bravo and stuff!
Um, and somewhere in Berlin, Famke Janssen, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry posed in front of a wall covered with X-Men logos in German. And yep, that's kind of the entire news story there... Can anyone tell me which X-Men the little dog on the left is? Is there an X-Man called Poochy, perhaps?
Speaking of drama queens, former New Jersey Governor and “Gay American” James McGreevey is going to appear on Oprah. Ya think she’s gonna read him to filth?
Fans of everything bright and beautiful (and Baywatch-y) may well explode with glee today as its been announced that David Hasselhoff will resurface on American TV as one of the celebrity judges on Simon Cowell’s recently hatched showbiz competition series, “America’s Got Talent,” which will bust out a 2-hour premiere on Wednesday, June 21st on NBC.
Regis Philbin will be hosting, but sitting at the judge’s table will be Herr Hasselhoff (he’s huuuuge in Germany ya know), R&B/pop star Brandy (No more just “sittin’ up in her room,” okaaayyy?) and some UK newspaper mogul/TV personality named Piers Morgan.
Contestants from across the U.S. will compete in a variety of showbizzy fields: Expect “singers, dancers, comedic performers and unique acts of all ages” says the show’s press release. Yikes! It’s gonna be a free-for-all!
That's the Brit media guy, Piers Morgan. You'll be seeing more of him.
So, it sounds like we’ve got the fussy Brit Morgan in the Simon Cowell role, Brandy filling the shoes of music sage Randy Jackson, and yes, Hasselhoff providing the daffy kitsch factor brought these days by Paula Abdul.
Straight up! We’re there.
Wanna be on the show? Go here.
"Nirvana is not just for straight people." That's what this jazzy little symbol is telling you. Trust!
Chris Nutter's a big deal journalist. He's written for just about every magazine out there, from New York to Cargo to Elle to HX to The Advocate to Vibe, and for papers like the Village Voice and The New York Times. But after all the celeb interviews and ruminations on gay culture for other mags (he actually came out in a scorching article in Details years ago), Nutter decided to turn his attention to his own gay self.
Hey, that's Chris in this pic. He's smart, self-helpful--and shaggy!
And ta-da! The result is part memoir/part philosophy, and it's called The Way Out: The Gay Man's Guide to Freedom, No Matter If You're in Denial, in the Closet, One Foot Out, Just Out, or Been Around the Block (whew!). Part of Nutter's approach is this: Hey, we gays have spent our lives contributing to the big straight world around us, which can make it tricky to answer the simple, self-referential questions like, "Who am I?" and "What about my needs?" in the greater sense.
Nutter's all about letting go of fear, coming out and being comfortable with who you are, not who you feel you have to be. He also offers up handy discussions like "Gay Men Are Not Dogs" (let's hope) and "Love Doesn't Hurt--Fear Hurts." Nutter's doing a signing in NYC tonight at Barnes & Noble, and he recently chatted up HX Magazine, too. Check it out if you're jonesing for a little heartfelt and helpful self-reflection.
You're smart enough. You're cute enough. And doggone it, you deserve it!
I know you have a short attention span. That probably explains why zillions of you have come to LogoOnline over the last few weeks to watch all the amazing queer short films from all over the world as part of The Click List: The Best in Short Films. Tonight, the results of thousands of your votes will be revealed as Logo airs your choices for the Top 5 Shorts from up-and-coming LGBT Filmmakers ever (or at least so far…).
Check out films about fudge-packing dads (Ummm, he works in a fudge factory, okay? And he’s played by Queer As Folk’s studly Robert Gant in the retro-fabulous clip.)…
Or watch an updated queered-up high school prom version of Cinderella (that one’s called Little Black Boot; check the pic at the top)…
Or see how old secrets get dug up at a high school reunion (yes, more high-school related drama) in Gillery’s Little Secret. And there are more, more and more films. Go online and sniff around and watch more movies, and pick your faves! Then watch tonight at 10pm and see what scores!
You might even be inspired to make your own film. Face it, you’re ready to be star.
Big series finale tonight. Love 'em or not, they did put out consistently good sitcoms for nearly a decade and put gay (even if some naysayers consider it neutered or too stereotypical) out there way back when. I love how in this photo that Ms. Mullally is the only one making eye contact. It's like she's saying, "Ha, Bitches! I'm not going anywhere! My talk show is kicking off soon, so don't get too comfortable out there!" Or something like that.
PinkNews in the UK has a cute article about the big bye-bye... And the NBC site has lots of finale-related clips and dish. And I don't know when I last saw the show during its actual Thursday-night timeslot. (Who's home? This is NYC! I'm very busy...) But thank god for midnight reruns. And bless the show for letting Minnie Driver do her best work ever. And for making Leslie Jordan almost a household name. And for letting us all enjoy Shelley Morrison (Rosario) in her Members Only jacket and shades. Perfect.
As Patsy would say... "Cheers. Thanks a lot!"
Pink's hitting the road to do some hot little club dates across the U.S. in June and July! Yay! It's gonna be "stinky!"
Christina Aguilera is harshing on Mariah Carey in her June GQ cover story. And Mariah scratches back via Page Six. Girls, girls--you're both pretty!
Nordic pop princess Annie has a new single! At least so sayeth this Dutch music blog. (Thanks Bryan!)
Speaking of Dutch folks and Scandinavian pop stars, Arjan serves up the delectable gay-boy duo of Lo-Fi-Fnk from Sweden. They're adorable! And electro-licious!
Yes, you know that Britney was out driving again with her tot unproperly tethered in the back seat. But her real crime? Those curlers! (An actually funny commentary from the NY Post.)
One-time Chili Pepper and Carmen Electra hubby Dave Navarro isn't gay. But not for lack of tryin'... Or at least being open to it. (Via Towleroad.)
The amazing ("She's every woman!") Chaka Khan is gonna get a the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's BET Awards on June 27th in Los Angeles. Perfect! Ain't nobody loves me better than Chaka! (And yes--Mary, Missy, Busta and Jamie get nominations, too.)
The Foo Fighters are embarking on an acoustic tour this summer. Nice! (Hey... Remember their racy video for "Low" a few years back? It featured Dave Grohl and Jack Black getting drunk and trashing a hotel room--and dressing in women's clothes and getting it on. Really! Sort of their own little Brokeback fishing trip. And it's sort of gay. Or not.)
And if you're in NYC this Friday and you love Stevie Nicks, then I'll see you at the 16th Annual Night of a Thousand Stevies! Wear your best shawl and spin like a gypsy! It's the legendary Stevie-tribute fest (as featured in the great indie film Gypsy 83). Rock on, Gold Dust Women!
And by "hanging with" I mean with artwork, 'cuz the W Hotel in Los Angeles (ya know, the one in Westwood) has just cut the ribbon for its Madonna Gallerie, which features "high quality art, fashion apparel and other Madonna-related merchandise," and it opens today!!!
There are pics (by the likes of Steven Klein, Herb Ritts, Dah Len and Jean-Baptiste Mondino) spanning all of Esther's career. Yes, "Blonde Ambition" looks, New-Agey Kabbalah looks, vampy "Material Girl" looks, the whole bit.
And for sale, you'll find video stills, pics from a 2005 Rolling Stone shoot and other photo sessions, and some high-end (are there any other kind?) Madonna T-shirts...
And even some Madonna Wines (who knew?) which include "magnificently illuminated Madonna labels created for the Celebrity Cellars Series tribute to great performing artists." Okaaayyy...
The Madonna Gallerie will be open during the run of Madonna's series of sold-out shows in L.A., which kicks off on Sunday at the Los Angeles Forum and runs until May 24th. And the gallery has plans to move around the country all summer to set up shop in the cities where Madge will be touring.
And yes, there was an "invitation-only" opening bash last night which drew all kinds of big stars. Well... At least Kato Kaelin showed up. And, hey... A portion of the proceeds of all the Maddie stuff sold will go to UNICEF as designated by Madonna herself.
She just keeps on giving.
Sutton Foster didn't split the Tony nominators. They gave The Drowsy Chaperone 13 big nods!
The very gay musical, The Drowsy Chaperone leads the pack in Tony Award Nominations, which were announced this morning! It got singled out for 13 prizes, including Best Musical and a nod for the divine Sutton Foster as Best Actress. Foster's up against some big guns, including a tuba-toting Patti Lupone for Sweeney Todd, Chita Rivera, for her dancey lifetime retrospective, Kelli O'Hara for The Pajama Game, and LaChanze for The Color Purple. In fact, Oprah's big show--The Color Purple--scored 11 nominations altogether.
Not included in the list of nominees: Julia Roberts. Not a big suprise... But hey, she's still selllin' tickets and gettin' unprecedented buzz... Nothing wrong with that.
Harry Connick, Jr. got some props for taking his shirt off and showing off his chest (and singing and playing piano nicely, too) in The Pajama Game. And the also-very gay The History Boys leads the noms in the straight (ahem) play department. It scored 7 Tony nods.
The awards air live from Radio City Music Hall on June 11th at 8pm on CBS. Ah, showbiz...
Check out The Ditty Bops Amanda (left) and Abby! They're astro-naughty!!!
Today is your lucky day. That is, if you like buoyant, upbeat, strummy pop with a bright attitude, clever lyrics, crisp harmonies and spunky attitude performed by a pair of theatrical, bike-riding, terribly cute ladies (who just happen to be a couple). Yep, today you can head to the lovely Music section of LogoOnline and check out the exclusive streaming tunes from the forthcoming disc by The Ditty Bops. The L.A.-based duo’s latest, Moon Over the Freeway (on Warner Bros.), doesn’t come out for another week, but you can check out the tunes (with titles like, “Angel With An Attitude”—which sums up the gals quite nicely) today!
You’ll also want to check out The Ditty Bops’ own website for info on their big loopy, cross-country bicycle tour which is happening this summer. Amanda and Abby are gonna pedal from Los Angeles all the way across this big ol’ land, stopping and performing and spreading their “honky-tonk pixie” magic as they go. Their shows are a mash-up of vaudeville, cabaret, circus sideshow, punk attitude and Grand Old Opry. What’s not to like?
Get prepped by listening in today!
Hey Apple-heads! This just in… A new MacBook is out! Yes, it’s the latest version of the super-handy (and always attractive) Mac laptop tradition of sassiness. As the press release sez it's “the world's most advanced consumer notebook featuring the Intel Core Duo processor and a gorgeous new 13-inch glossy widescreen display, all in a sleek design that is up to five times faster than the iBook and up to four times faster than the 12-inch PowerBook.” And yes, you can go bigger and opt for the 15” or 17” screen, if ya wanna.
Every new MacBook comes with major stuff: Its own built-in iSight camera (ya big showoff!) for video iChattin’, and a “Photo Booth” option so you can snap kicky photos and such. And it comes with iLife, which includes the new and improved iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb (a new gimmick which allows you to create websites, blog, create Podcasts, and lots more). And, of course, lots of others bells and whistles and gizmos.
So there!!! Get to it!
And please donate your old iBook or PowerBook to charity. Thanks!
Lots of fun stuff (or at least they sound fun) going on TV this fall… And coming to your wireless… Or iPod… And DVD players and such!
Tina Fey’s 30 Rock sitcom has a timeslot with NBC for the fall. Set backstage at a nighttime live comedy sketch series, the show stars Fey, Alec Baldwin, Rachel Dratch and Tracy Morgan is getting a Wednesday night slot at 9:30pm.
ABC has confirmed that Ugly Betty, their remake of the pulpy Spanish-language telenovela is on the fall schedule, too! Yay! ABC is also slating Brothers & Sisters (with all kinds of gayness involved—a gay character played by Jonathan LaPaglia, and gay playwright Jon Robin Baitz is exec-producing the whole affair). Calista Flockhart and Rachel Griffiths (yay! Brenda!) also star.
MySpace is gonna start offering TV shows (thanks to its parent company, News Corp.) to its community members. This promotion launches with FOX next Monday (May 22) and you can download free episodes of 24 (the very first episode from the first season and this season’s first episode) from a Burger King-sponsored page. And, MySpace is gonna create a social network around the show, and users can interact and download episodes for $1.99 a pop. Yes, you can own Jack Bauer.
NBC is also launching some serious broadband action! Via its TV 360 brand, you can expect interactive TV, webisodes, and more. First up, will be DotComedy.com, a community that’s gonna feature content from TV comedy classics (“Leave It to Beaver” and “The Munsters”) as well as viral videos and NBC standards (“SNL,” early “Letterman,” “The Tonight Show”), plus mash-ups, blogs and podcasts. You’ll be hearing more about other serious online plans at NBC soon,too. For example, expect lots of online-only content complimenting the fall series; for example, online you'll be able to watch the sketches created by Tina Fey’s fictional sketch show on 30 Rock. On the on-air show, you’ll only see snippets of the sketches. Online, you can see the entire thing! Oh, the possibilities…
MTV enters the online music landscape, as its URGE download service launches tomorrow. Unlimited music downloads for $9.95 a month! And videos! And TRL! Woo-hoo!
Apple’s launching an iPod-enabled cell phone. Japan’s getting the first look!
And Bono’s quest to save the world (which I’m all for) continues. He’s now teamed up with Motorola to release a Red SLVR phone, the sales of which will raise millions to fight AIDS in Africa.
And lastly, outside of the TV/techie realm... Naomi Watts has joined the fight against AIDS. She’s the U.N.’s new special representative, highlighting a new UNAIDS campaign called "4 for Everyone"--referring to prevention, treatment, care and support. Attagirl!
Like a little tap-dancing with your indie-pop? Then you’re in luck because those fun kids from Omaha, Tilly and the Wall, have a new record dropping next week (called Bottoms of Barrels) and they have a tour taking them all over the U.S. come June and July.
Check out their website or their MySpace page to get schooled. You’ll be sold on their infectious, loopy, slamming, feel-good beats. The band (which received all kinds of buzzy nods when their disc, Wild Like Children came out in 2004) are comprised of three girls, two boys (one of whom is gay), and they’re pals with Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley and The Go! Team. And yes, one band member (that would be Ms. Jamie) tap-dances through songs for demented percussive effect. Tamborines and records and bells and shakers are also employed liberally. And it works!
Filter Mag gushed: “Bottoms of Barrels is the culmination of such a journey—a gushing, sparkling tour de force of energy, excitement and a million sounds rushing to greet you all at once. Yes, it seems Tilly and the Wall has certainly arrived and we’re thrilled to have them back… There’s more tapping, more voices, more hand claps, more exuberance, more harmonies, more, more, more.”
Get the idea? They’re fun!
In what sounds like a pretty genius idea to me, New York City’s MIX NYC film festival (which celebrates queer-themed experimental media) is having a benefit fundraiser bash tomorrow night where you can bid on artwork by your favorites celebs/artists. The cool part is that the art has never been seen. Here’s the deal: MIX NYC gave 150 cool folks (like Laurie Anderson, Charle Busch, Kate Clinton, Alan Cumming, Daniela Sea, John Cameron Mitchell, Gus Van Sant, Carl Cox, Todd Oldham, Lucy Liu, Miranda July, Debbie Harry, J.D. Samson and Jake Shears, tons of other cool people and lots of porn stars) disposale cameras, asked them to shoot all the photos any way they’d like and then return the undeveloped camera. You get to bid on the cameras, score one of a kind works by your fave artists, and MIX NYC gets the money.
You can bid on EBay beginning tomorrow, so you don’t even have to be at the party in NYC to win! (Although the party sounds pretty great, with John Cameron Mitchell and Daniela Sea on hand, Murray Hill hosting, performances by downtowners like Bitch and Michael O’Neill, open bar and lots of fun giveaways!). You can also go to MIXNYC.org and see the full list of artists/celebs participating in the cool camera auction.
And speaking of queer film festivals, to get a peek at what’s going this summer at a festival near you, check out the long list on PlanetOut’s PopcornQ movie site. From Barcelona to Boston (which is happening now!), from New York to New Zealand, they’re all there.
Nicely timed for this weekend comes the press info that there's a big new 25th Anniversary DVD edition of Mommie Dearest coming out on June 6th. In addition to all the classic Faye madness (which still shocks and awes me every time I see it), you get color commentary by John Waters and Lypsinka (John Epperson) chatting about the movie. What? You were expecting Faye herself to be involved?
Whatevs. To tide you over 'til June, here's a clip from YouTube: Abba vs. Joan (insane amounts of slapping in this one!)
Pam Grier loves Jennifer Beals. So do I. And so does one very devoted YouTube fan.
AfterEllen gives us a good run-down of lesbians on TV in this week's column. Expect Buffy news, updates on coming series, broadband dish and a link to this pretty fun Jennifer Beals/Better Porter homage found on YouTube. She's too sexy, okaaaay?
A Canadian teacher wins a lawsuit because she was discriminated against for being a lesbian. Cool! And what's even cooler? Her name is Willow. (Just like on Buffy!)
Talk about sensible shoes! A self-proclaimed "lesbian soccer mom" has walked 500+ miles to raise awareness for LGBT issues.
In the U.K., French Connection (the clothing store formerly knowns as FCUK) ran a TV ad that featured two woman totally brawling--and then making out--in between tearing off each other's clothes! Sales still kinda blew, though. You can watch it here.
Christina Aguilera's new album, coming in August, is gonna feature a jazzy, retro sound. And Linda Perry's has been helping make it all work.
Melissa Etheridge gets schooled! Or an honorary degree, alongside Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Which may be the first and last time you see Ms. E in a gown, like, ever!
Top Model's Leslie talks about being bisexual, playing a dominatrix, hot tubs, Janice Dickinson. Yay!
Hey, it's Mother's Day this Sunday. Remember your mom! And did ya know, that Mother's Day originally began as a holiday to promote peace. That's worth remembering, too.
Tom of Finland is coming out! As a legit, culturally significant artist, that is. Sure, lots of art afficionados have long appreciated the work by the legendary creator of decidedly erotic works(which in some ways cemented one very specific, leather-clad image of gay men and their sexuality). And while the artist (who was indeed from Finland--his real name was Touko Laaksonen) passed away in 1991, and his super-sexy work has been highly esteemed and housed in big deal venues for years, somehow the fact that five of Tom of Finland's works have recently been included as part of the permanent collection of 21st Century drawings of New York's Museum of Modern Art seems to seal the deal. It's like being invited to sit at the really cool kid's table during lunchtime.
"This will cause a shift in perspective,” says Cliff Benjamin, director of The Western Project, the gallery which represents Tom’s work. “The inclusion of Tom of Finland in this collection means he will no longer be an ‘outsider’ but will rather be recognized for what he was: one of the historically significant artists of the twentieth century.” Go Tom! Just think, those brawny muscle dudes will be hanging alongside Degas, Van Gogh, Pollock and Warhol (we know Andy would approve).
To celebrate, the Tom of Finland Foundation is having a "Tom of Finland: Coming of Age 21" benefit reception at the Charles Cowles Gallery in NYC's Chelsea this coming Wednesday evening, May 17th. For more details about this cocktaily wing-ding, go here, then scroll down. Help support the arts!
And next time you're at the MoMA, ask them where you can see the Tom of Finlands!
"...Put me on the top of a mountain with deer licking my fingers or something, and that's creative to me. That's like heaven."
Yay! Björk is always a source for amazingness (and wacky quotes, like that one above from the NY Times in April) and next month, you can expect the mother lode.
Yes, I'm as happy as an Icelandic pixie to hear that that wondrous, mad, talented-beyond-comprehension little minx known as Björk is coming out with a big, fat box set compilation of all of her solo albums in June, which will include her soundtrack work for the amazing Lars Von Trier nutcase/film Dancer in the Dark (She duets with Catherine Deneuve, both of them all drabbed down as factory workers! Genius! And then it also includes another duet with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Super-genius!)
This killer brick-like box set will also feature the amazing (read: freaky, loopy, confounding, bizarro--but pretty cool) soundtrack to the recent film Drawing Restraint 9, upon which she collaborated with her man-mate, uber-artist Matthew Barney. (I saw the film… It’s pretty nuts. And kind of great. When they start hacking flesh, I freaked out. It’s whale-licious!)
This is what the Surrounded CD box cover will look like. Mostly.
And yes, all the greats from Debut, Post, Homogenic, Vespertine and the pretty cool Medulla (that’s the one crafted entirely from vocal samples) are included, too. Plus the set will include videos from each album. “Human Behavior!” “Army of Me!” “It’s Oh So Quiet!” and all the later arty greats, too.
The entire affair is entitled Surrounded and comes out on June 27th. Thanks, Rhino! And thanks, Björk! You’re bonkers, you own it—and I love you!
Alan Cumming enjoys a glass of wine. And so do I!
Should we get Imbibe Magazine?
Hey, there's a new magazine for folks who like to drink. In the gourmet sense. It's called Imbibe. (hic!)
Eco-friendly TV's? Treehugger tells which televisions are the most energy efficient. Nice!
Sonos gives you wireless music all over your house!
Your TV can be an arty frame thing! Hope you're into Impressionsim.
It's a pretty, flat, blobby lamp! Cool!
Hey, Gamers! This little retrospective may make you misty-eyed about Nintendos past.
Super-slim laptop alert! The latest from LG. (Hey, I have one of their cell phones.)
Treo Sprinting towards you this summer!
Garfield coming to your cell phone? (Okay, maybe Boondocks.)
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a psychiatrist when I grew up. I remember seeing The Bob Newhart Show, and he had the coolest job in the world. He hung out with amusingly daffy people, they told him their problems, he offered dryly smart advice, and then went home to a fantastic high-rise apartment and the uber-stylish (and dryly smart) Suzanne Pleshette. Of course, I also wanted to be a rock star.
So I’m mildly jealous of Rinocerose (which really gets spelled with a bunch of accents and stuff around its name). This slammin’ electro/pop/rock duo, comprised of Jean-Phillipe Freu and Patrice Carre are psychologists, who just also happen to be musicians. And I can only guess they’re working out their own issues on the disc, Schizophonia, (which almost sounds academic given their day jobs) because it’s a totally rockin’, all-over-the-place, party-in-a-CD-case! The songs pounce from vibe to vibe: from grungy electro-rock on the opener “Bitch” and the second tune “Cubicle” (full of crunchy 70s guitars, and which has just been featured in an iPod and iTunes commercial) to funky bossa nova (“Mes Vacances à Rio”) to a chillin’, almost old-school house/dance vibe (“Lost Love – Bacon & Quarmby Mix”). Of course, this is due to the fact that this debut North American release (out now) is sort of a greatest hits of their best tunes culled from three previous Euro albums. Whatever! Just pop the disc in when friends are over and you can jump and groove all over the place. And do shots!
Based in Montpellier, France (which is a totally gay town) the duo also preside over a music scene that thrives with DJ’s, video artists, scenesters, etc, throwing club nights, spinning classic vinyl, and touring, performing and doing DJ sets! This summer, they’re touring all over France and Switzerland and Belguim and Portugal and stuff.
Um, they might even be cooler than Bob Newhart.
Ummm… Just got a press release touting the forthcoming CD entitled Bolton Swings Sinatra. And yes, it’s just what you think it is. Michael Bolton covering tunes made famous by Frank Sinatra. My first thought? Ewwwwwww…
But then I read on to the boldface print which read: “Stunning new album pairs singing superstar with big band, classic songs; Nicollette Sheridan joins him for a duet on song “The Second Time Around.”
Oh, hell yes!
I mean, no.
I mean, yes!
Remember those crazy rock 'n’ roll album covers and tour posters and shirts from the 70s and 80s? Skeletons riding motorcyles! Skulls and roses! Spooky, otherworldly, acid-inspired ornately mad designs! Think of album covers for the likes of the Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Journey and the Grateful Dead. Many of the images (which came to personify the San Francisco rock scene which emerged out of the 1960s counter-culture movement) were rendered by artist Stanley Mouse. And he was one mad muthaf*cker!
Now, the uber-cool men’s line, Vintage Red (which, amagzingly, doesn’t have website—what?), is going to unleash a line of vintage-vibed T-shirts with Mr. Mouse’s artwork, that’s sure to rock yer world. They’re pre-grungified for you (distressed, ground up, beaten, scolded, and worn by hot roadies—well, not really; but they have been roughed up nicely just for you) and are perfect for a skanky night on the town.
  
You can get them at Macy’s this fall, for like, around $36-$42.
What a long, strange trip it’s been, y’all.
I’m getting ready for summer music insanity. Xtina performing at the MTV Movie Awards is gonna be crazy, and there are new tunes dumping in my inbox like nobody’s business. Here’s some of what’s happily distracting.
The new Janet Jackson track “Weekend” is making the online rounds. (Thanks, Bryan!) It’s old-school meets shameless dance/pop. Yee-haw!
The divine Miss Etta James (who lost about a million pounds and looks totally younger—and healthy!) has turned out a beauteous classic-sounding house remix (thanks Quentin Harris) of the tune, “Strung Out,” from her album All the Way which came out recently. This one is a hand-raising, funky delicious, globe-trotting piece of co-depedent dance-floor fabulousness. Strings and piano and a groove to die for.
Not sure what's going on with Paul Oakenfold's head here (!!!!); he kind of looks like a Team America puppet. But Ms. Brittany's on it!
Super-DJ Paul Oakenfold has a new track that’s scorching the West Coast. It’s a freaky electro-fueled tune (sounds kina Bodyrockers-esque, a la “I Like the Way You Move”) with vocals by none other than mad actress Brittany Murphy. And she sounds kinda good! The tune’s called "Faster Kill Pussycat," and there are a few slammin’ remixes out there.
And yes, the Pet Shop Boys new stuff is out there all over (including the video for the single "I'm With Stupid," which stars the guys from Little Britain).
It's The Presents. They're going "Down!" Surfers welcome.
And today Arjan is serving up the remix of the Aussie-duo The Presets’ tune, “Down Down Down” which is a humpy electro-buzzy groove. And there’s all kinds of gay gossip around this one, too. Surfy!
And courtesy of BrooklynVegan, here’s a tune from the happy-making (and pretty darn gay) The Hidden Cameras that’s kind of hilarious called “Music Is My Boyfriend.” You can click to listen to it here. Plus, fun touring stuff you should know about them (and cool folks like Jens Lekman, Broken Social Scene) and more!
Gnarls Barkley is officially rocking everyone’s world.
And… Via 3hive, I stumbled across the funky/retro/chunky grooves of Mr. Comicstore, which 3hive declares signals a revival of 90s DJ freshness (a la FatBoy Slim). Maybe! But the tracks served up sure are fun. It’s a sweaty block party waiting to happen!
And finally, for sheer shameless inanity (that I’m totally digging), you can’t do better than “Lollipop,” a bonkers novelty-ish track snagging some buzz right now. Those who love it claim it could be the summer’s cheesy guilty-pleasure hit. They could be right. (It’s very Mary Jane Girls meets The Jets after eating a hash cupcake… I’m guessing.) I’m just freaked out by singer Brandy Moss Scott’s cleavage and all around sassiness. Mercy! A video is due soon, and there are equally daffy remixes out there (including freestyle takes by DJ Josh Harris), and with lyrics like “I’ll come unwrapped for you, tell me what flavor, Boo” it’s kinda irresistible.
Rock on!
These beauties are happy to welcome you in China. In fact, all of Asia's gay scene is evolving... See below.
Gayness may be illegal in some parts of Southeast Asia. But that doesn’t mean the gay travelers aren’t going there. And now they have a new guidebook!
Since you don’t leave home without your iPod, shouldn’t you put it to use when you’re traveling? Yes, you should.
Time for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem? WorldPride is on! Just don’t expect a welcome hug from the mayor.
Luck of the Irish? Not so sure… While the citizens purport to be cool with gay marriage, just living the gay life in Dublin ain’t all hearts and clovers.
Sure, gay travel is popular and buzz-worthy. The next big thing? Nudist travel!!! Or so says the BBC.
Attacks on gays in the Caribbean worries gay groups? Ya don’t say…
Wanna travel and catch a city full of hot rugby players? Head to NYC this Memorial Day for the Bingham Cup!
Hey, congratulations! You’re a big gay! What’s next? You’re going to DisneyWorld? Or just Gay Days?
They're baaack! Simply put, it's time for the second season of Little Britain on DVD. Coming to stores on May 23rd, prepare to get gayed out with Dafydd (the "only gay in the village"), ineffectual transvestite Emily Howard (and her "lady-friend" Florence), the Prime Minister-chasing Sebastian Love, trash-talking big-haired bad girl Vicky Pollard, Fat Fighter Marjorie Dawes, lots of very large naked ladies, and Lou and his wheel-chair bound (sort of) mate, Andy.
Matt Lucas (the shorter, chubby gay one) and David Walliams (the taller less-gay one) have become comedy superstars thanks to the show's success. They've scored BAFTA awards, and even introduced Elton John (as Lou & Andy) onstage last summer at Live 8! Fancy!
This season's DVD offers more gay adventures of Dafydd (who comes out to his parents, attends a lesbian wedding, meets his new gay vicar, and auditions for Hamlet), and lots of bonus goods, including sketches with Elton John, George Michael and Robbie Williams. And there's lots of live stuff in there, too. (If you're really gagging for it, sniff out video clips online.)
See you at gay night at the pub in Llandewi Breffi!
THE DEVIL INSIDE? Naomi stars in a demented film for Pirelli Tires.
I’m not sure if it’s part of the current Da Vinci Code hype for all things arch and religious, or if it’s just an example of Naomi Campbell getting typecast, or just another weird and strangely wet-noodle role from John Malkovich… But what’s with the crazy 10-minute movie ad for Pirelli tires online?
The flick is set in Rome, with a priest (Malkovich) being summoned in the middle of the night to come and battle a buxom, pratically naked, winged Sanatic-ish demon in the guise of notorious phone-thrower Campbell. Tires are involved or promoted at some point, but most of the movie is a mad mix of fire, holy water (which is evidently no match for the devil’s windshield wipers), car shots, close-ups of a possessed Campbell, and Malkovich speaking Italian badly and then casting demons out of a sportscar.
All I know is some serious money was spent on this commercial/film (directed by Antoine Fuqua, even). And, that if you’re battling hellish she-devils, Pirelli Tires can help. Somehow. Check it out for yourself.
P.S. Remember when John Malkovich was actually fearsome and kick-ass? In Dangerous Liaisons he managed to come off as a testosterone-fueled human erection, even in a powdered wig and tights? He owned it! (“It’s beyond my control.”) Now he’s in Art School Confidential as a fussy, depressingly sad professor and in this clip as a nervous priest. What? Bring back the cocky, bitchy Malkovich we knew and loved!
Holden (Jon Hensley) gets real with gay son Luke (Van Hansis) on As The World Turns.
It would embarrassing to reveal how long I've been acquainted with the folks of Oakdale, and all the drama they've lived thorugh on As The World Turns over the years. I watched the CBS soaps while I was growing up, back in the days when stars like Meg Ryan, Julianne Moore, Parker Posey and Marisa Tomei got started on the show. And I can remember back about 20 years or so (eeek!) when the show's "first couple"--Holden and Lily--rose to prominence. I can remember Holden's first appearance on the show as the big, strapping farmboy who emerged (shirtless, I believe) sexily out of a hayloft.
Through the years he and Lily's relationship has gone all over the place, and it's included the arrival of a son, Luke. Now, Luke Snyder is 16 and dealing with soapy drama of his own, which will find him on tomorrow's episode (Tuesday, May 9th) coming out to his parents. Yep, Lily and Holden's boy is gay!
ATWT's Van Hansis and his on-screen mom Martha Byrne in the GLAAD PSA which airs tomorrow.
If you've been following the show at all over the last few months, you know this has been coming. And by and large, ATWT has done a pretty cool job in telling this tale. And tomorrow's episode will be followed by a PSA produced by CBS and GLAAD, and features Van Hansis, who plays Luke and Martha Byrne, who plays Lily, urging viewers to take a stand against discrimination faced by LGBT people. Pretty cool! (I personally can't wait to get diva Lucinda's--Lily's mother and Oakdale's grand dame--take on having a gay grandson. Should be fierce.)
Also, keep your eye on Van Hansis. I interviewed him for GENRE Magazine's April issue, and he was super-cool. Funny and bright, and very eager to take on the struggles that Luke's character is going though with his sexual identity. And he's a busy young guy living in NYC, also performing in theater and facing life as a actor turned soap star.
If you want some pulpy online fun, you can go online and read Luke's blog (yes, the soap character has his own blog!). And you can also go to the ATWT site and read the blog kept by Van Hansis, documenting his take on playing Luke, and facing the strangeness that comes with suddenly being a young up-and-comer on daytime TV. And if you want more dish on the show, it's all there, too. And you can check GLAAD's site for official press stuff about Luke's coming out, and GLAAD's participation.
See you in Oakdale!
Folks lined up at Wembley in London to purchase Madonna tickets. Ka-ching!
It's Monday morning. And in Madonna news... Her current horsey W cover story is all the buzz, but in bigger news, looks like Madge's summer tour is breaking records. It's gonna make her the highest-earning female artist in the world.
In other religious matters not involving the worship of Madonna, the Episcopals in California chose not to elect a gay bishop this past weekend. In San Francisco even! Hmph.
Meanwhile some pretty awful news... And you thought your neighborhood was tough? A 14-year-old boy was killed in Iraq because he was thought to be gay. His murderers? The police.
In the U.K., another classic tale of an MP getting cozy with a rent boy. This one blames his mid-life crisis and baldness! Okaaaayyyy...
But in some encouraging news, in Chicago the House of Escada and the House of Balenciaga are going strrrrrong! Yes, the balls are thriving. Wuuurrrrrk!
And despite from reports from last week, QTV may not be shut down for good after all!
And don't forget your lesbians moms this Mother's Day. Get a card made just for them!
Gettin' "Promiscuous" in her new video. Go Nelly!
And by Nelly, I mean Ms. Furtado. The musically gifted, Grammy-winning Canada-native has a new disc (it’s called Loose, and Arjan has been writing about now for months! He’s plugged in!) coming on June 20th, and the first single, “Promiscuous” is gonna have its video debut on Logo’s NewNowNext Music video show this Sunday night at midnight. (And watch for some cute Justin Timberlake cameos/dancing in the clip, too! Why not?)
The “Promiscuous” track is a thumpin’ collaboration with Timbaland that is, like, totally fun. You’re gonna be dancing to this for the next few months. Like, seriously. In fact, much of Nelly’s upcoming disc is pretty contagiously grind-inspiring. Arjan is a big fan of another single from the disc, “Maneater,” and he’s got a link to that video, too.
It’s an all-out Nelly-fest!
Umm, that's me in Mexico admiring candles. Holy tamales!
As I’ve been told by my Mexican friends, Cinco de Mayo—while a lovely occasion—isn’t really a big, big holiday in Mexico. Yes, it’s a national celebration which celebrates the victory of Mexican forces over French armies at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1865. But these days, it’s probably more of a big deal here in the U.S., and it's likely due to the hype from beer companies to sell lots of Corona. And I don’t have a problem with that at all. Any excuse to celebrate our neighbor to the South is muy bueno if you ask me.
So, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’m gonna offer my reasons why Mexico rules!!!
What's more fun than one Frida Kahlo? How about a roomful of Frida lookalikes?
The people! If you’ve ever traveled in Mexico, you know what I mean. Everywhere you go (everywhere I’ve gone anyway, which included Mexico City, Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Oaxaca and Puerta Vallarta—and I’ve driven around the country some, too), the Mexican citizens are warm and welcoming. They make you feel at home and treat you with hospitality. And they’re foxy!
Artwork by Diego Rivera. It's mural-tastico!
Mexico City. This place is crazy (Can you say “loco”?)—in a good way. It's the largest city in the world! It’s got a fun gay scene, tons of history, super-cool cultural attractions (all the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo you can handle), and totally posh/hip upscale restaurants/neighborhoos (check out up and coming Condesa). There are amazing markets and delicious food is served everywhere!
It's a Celia Cruz drag-queen skeleton on Day of the Dead. As if you didn't know that already.
Day of the Dead. Hey, any nationwide party that includes skeletons who wear sombreros and play guitars and dance while moody candles get lit everywhere works for me. And it’s nice to remember those who’ve passed before, okay? And how can you not love skeletons in drag?
Gay Mexico. Um, the bars in Mexico City are a mix of kitschy fun and super-stylish fierceness, depending on what you’re looking for. Beach towns like Puerto Vallarta totally trick it out for gay visitors. And the men (and women!) are charming, flirty and very happy to see you. Trust.
Lucha Libre! You know what would make men’s wrestling even more campy and over the top? Capes! And wildly colorful, shiny spandex masks, thanks! Ay!
Gael Garcia Bernal. Ummm… Just about one of the sexiest men in movies. Y Tu Mama Tambien. Bad Education. The Motorcycle Diaries. Amores Perros. And that foxy deep voice. And he’s all politically aware and impassioned and stuff. And he’s more than happy to play gay or tranny. Sigh…
Mysterious Skin star Joseph Gordon-Levitt enjoys a refreshing Corona. You can, too!
Beer. Yes, we love Corona. But there’s also Tecate and Sol and Bohemia and Negro Modelo and about 40 other brands (especially the regional ones you get down there, that are like $1 per bottle!). So good on a hot, dry Mexican afternoon. Or just about any old day in cloudy New York, too.
Telenovelas. Sure, they’re not just a Mexican thing… But our lives should have this much drama.
Ruins. Way more impressive than any structures in Washington D.C. or Colonial Williamsburg. This stuff is ancient and humbling and beautiful.
The food. Ummm… Even if you just start with tacos and work your way up, it’s hard to compete with good, fresh, authentic Mexican food. The way they use lime and mint and cilantro, and the things they can do with pork just makes me woozy. And then there’s mole. And queso fundido. And gorditas. And chilaquiles. And guacamole. And albóndigas. In my next life I want to come back as a tortilla, so I can just actually be part of the food. Is that weird?
Beaches. Surf on the west coast (in the sexy little touch of Celulita), gay it up in Puerto Vallarta, party in Cancun (which is bouncing back post-Hurrican Wilma very nicely, muchas gracias), or just bunk in a hippie-chic little seaside cabana in Tulum for cheap. Perfection.
Tequila and Mezcal. God bless the agave plant for providing the world with such good hooch. My Mexican friend Pailo and I once drank nearly an entire bottle of Mezcal that we bought in Oaxaca for a few bucks. It was some homemade stuff, in a pretty handpainted bottle, and we just sat in our hotel there, sipping it, and sucking on limes and this spicy salt stuff they’d given us, and we got this amazing warm, fuzzy, groovy buzz that made us very happy. Until the next day… But good tequila (and mescal) have happy, euphoric properties. The world becomes nicer. And more festive! And foxy! Of course, after that bottle-snarfing experience Pailo can even utter the word “mezcal” without gasping painfully and grimacing and shaking his head an vowing never to do that again. But I liked it.
Ummm… There’s much more to love about Mexico (the history, the music, cheaper prescription drugs) but that ought to get you started. Go visit. Now!
I'm a big fan of gay TV (surprise, surprise)! And goodness knows there are plenty of homosexuals from coast to coast to support lots of gay-TV viewing options. That's why it's a shame to hear that QTV, the queer TV channel that was offering up all kinds of festive original programming and sassy movies, may have offically folded as of yesterday.
I'd heard about their recent financial woes, but today I got a glimpse at an email/memo (sent from someone who got it from someone at QTV--really!) which was sent out by the company's CEO Lloyd Fan, basically telling all the remaining staffers to clean out their desks. It was addressed to all employees including, "Steve Kmetko, Honey Labrador, Reichen..." (who knew he didn't use a last name anymore?). Here's what it said:
To all Employees of Q Television Networks, Inc.:
It is with deep regret, I must terminate your employment effective today due to the network’s inability to pay salaries. As you know, since I have taken control of the company on March 7, 2006, I have worked tirelessly to secure funding for the company. All negotiations with potential sources have ended and there are no longer any options on the table.
QTV’s failure is not a result of a lack of talent or commitment from each of you. I take comfort in the respect, support and loyalty you and shown to me and the executive management team. Please know that Carol Hinnant and I will gladly write recommendations for future employment for each of you. Your service to this company has been exemplary and you should be proud of your accomplishments.
Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Lloyd Fan
Chairman and CEO
Evidently, the channel will continue to broadcast taped programming until the cable carriers decide to remove it. And, there's no mention of any of this on QTV's website. But their online staffers have probably left the building, too. CBS News is supposedly going to be broadcasting something about this tomorrow.
And who knows? Maybe some Mr./Ms. Moneybags-investor type will come and save the day yet. Still, if you know anybody who worked at Q, buy them a drink! Give 'em a hug. Go buy a Reichen poster! And hang on to your QTV mousepads and keychains. They may become collector's items!
This dude's not gay. But he's on Fire Island. How does that work?
Fire Island is gonna get The Real World treatment. But not really in a gay way… Oddly.
The Gay Games Executive Director gets torched. (Get it? Like an Olympic torch?) And by that we mean “let go.” Ouch.
This Saturday, an openly gay (or lesbian!) Episcopal Bishop might get elected in California. Fussy types worry that this will divide the church and bring about the ruination of society. Er… Bring it on!
Lima, Peru—the next gay hotspot??? Why not?
Mary Cheney is finally gabbing about being a big ol’ gay. If ya care, she’s gonna bare her soul to Diane Sawyer (her we love) on Primetime tonight.
These women got married in Northhampton last year. But the future of gay nuptials in Massachusetts may be put to the popular vote.
In Massachusetts, the already legalized gay marriage could end up on the ballots. But gay rights advocates are hoping not.
Could London’s next mayor be a poof? Why not? It worked for Paris and Berlin. Crikey!
Who wants a Frosty? Wendy’s updates its nondiscrimination policy to protect gays.
Not surprisingly, Perez Hilton’s got the dish on pal Paris Hilton’s cover story in Out. (And today, Perez’s also got fun stuff on Britney, Lindsay and Reese. Gay shocker!)
Okay. This pic of British rugby star Ben Cohen's not in the mag. But it's nice, right?
And just in case you like sporty men scantily clad, Genre can hook you up this month.
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