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Are you ready to rock in 2007? Thought so...
I’m gonna end up the year with a post about what I’m going to be looking forward to musically in 2007. Seems fitting since music has always been sort of the anchor for this bloggy stuff going on here.
Here are a few queer artists, some mainstream folks, some indie festivities, and some you’ve already been hearing about... And of course, this is only a smidgen of cool stuff to come. Nonetheless, you can put them on your lists of stuff to look out for.
Have a great New Year’s Weekend! Celebrate—whether that means whooping it up a some mega-party or swank affair, or just chilling at home (which can make for a quite a sparkling evening, too).
Chris Garneau
This Brooklyn-based singer songwriter has his debut, Music for Tourists, coming out on January 23 on the Absolutely Kosher label. What I’ve heard so far is truly beautiful. He’s gonna be big, in the somewhere between Rufus Wainwright/Bright Eyes/Sufjan Stevens/Damien Rice kind of vibe. And he’s cute in the pretty awesome video for his single, “Relief,” which you can watch on his MySpace page. Get ready for him.
Courtney Love
She’s been riding a frothy media wave since this past fall, which I’m all for. And her new record (full of smart rockin’ help from Linda Perry and Billy Corgan is due in the spring). There are some clips of grainy YouTube performances (from a benefit for L.A.’s Gay & Lesbian Center) which you can watch, to hear a bit of her new stuff. I’m just stoked that she’s sober and focusing on music again. Let’s hope for the best.
Cazwell
New York’s resident party host/rap star should be a big star any moment now. He recently released his CD Get Into It, which is full of tracks that club-munchkins have been chewing on for a couple of years now. His fab YouTube-smashin’ video “All Over Your Face” was deemed too racy for Logo, but here’s hoping his next clip for the single “Watch My Mouth” will get some much deserved national TV play. Just expect more from this one. Thank goodness.
Bloc Party
Stereogum predicts that Bloc Party, boosted by the strength of their forthcoming album, A Weekend in the City, which comes out in the U.S. in early February, will be the next Coldplay. Yikes! That’s cool and all, but is it wrong to wanna keep these guys somehow within the confines of indie/slightly underground coolness-land? Whatever... You can already watch the video for “The Prayer” online. Yep, lead singer Kele Okereke (pictured above) won’t discuss his sexuality, but maybe that’ll change. (His mug was featured on the cover of the arty/queer-ish Canadian ’zine “They Shoot Homos Don’t They.”) In the meantime, I’m content to just listen to them rock out.
Deerhoof
I saw Deerhoof perform this past summer at one of the McCarren Park Pool concerts in Brooklyn. They were crazy. Weird, slammy, jerky, both melodic and noisy, both charming and abrasive. They’re experimental—and just plain mental. (Sorry, that was a bit twee...) Lead singer Satomi Matsuzaki is crazy onstage, and her cohorts Greg Saunier and John Dieterich are right there with her. And their new album, Friend Opportunity, due in January, comes with 12 different album covers. Kooky. Yay!
A Bond girl, Herr Lagerfeld and the wondrous Cat Power. Glammmmmm...
Cat Power
This past year Chan Marshall put out one of 2006’s best albums, the aptly titled The Greatest. Next year, we’re promised an album of her blissful, spare, gorgeous covers. And you can expect to see her as the face of Chanel jewelry in forthcoming ads shot by Karl Lagerfeld. Only more great stuff from this one.
Lily Allen
She’s already the most-buzzed about new artist of 2006. And her bouncy, brilliant, upbeat, snarky and solid album, Alright Still, hasn’t even gotten a proper U.S. release yet. That changes on January 30th.
Demi who?
Rufus Wainwright
The precocious genius is currently in the midst of taking his Judy Garland-Carnegie Hall show to London and Paris. But brace yourselves, ’cuz he’s gonna release a brand new studio album, Release the Stars, produced by Neil Tennant (as in the Pet Shop Boy), and it’s due in May.
 
Nick + Simon x JT = !!!!!!!
Duran Duran
These guys have been hit-or-miss over the years, but when they’re good (Rio, anyone?), they’re really good. That’s why I’m hopeful about their 2007 album. And it’s also due to the fact that Justin Timberlake and Timbaland (who produced much of 2006’s good stuff) are involved. “Flex, flex, flex, flex, flex!”
Fantasia
Her new eponymous disc came out on December 12th, and its solid. The single “Hood Boy” with guest help from Outkast’s Big Boi is spot-on, and the entire album (produced by Missy Elliott, Swizz Beatz and more) cranks, too. Finally, can this Idol get some musical props and widespread adulation. Yes, I think so.
And one last 2006 note. Superfab gay music blogger Arjan has posted his batch of top songs for the past year, and it’s a splendid bunch. Check ’em out, and chances are you’ll discover some folks that may become your new faves for 2007. Share and share alike...
And Happy New Year!
"I now pronounce you..." Same-sex couples like this one will be getting hitched in Jersey, even if local judges or mayors put up a fight. Hooray!
Overheard in New Jersey: “Um, yes you are gonna marry us!” Judges and mayors across Jersey must perform civil unions for the gays, whether they want to or not. Sweet!
AND...
The National Enquirer claims that after their divorce, Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro have both gone gay. Okayyy... I smell a new reality show: “The Gay Divorcees!” Goodness knows they’d probably sign on...
An Ohio county asks couples as they apply for a marriage license “Do you solemnly swear you are not a transsexual?" Really.
Johnny Depp to play Freddie Mercury in a movie!??? Hurrah! (Okay, it’s just a buzzing rumor, but still...).
January 8th is over a week away, and I’m already in a “New York” state of mind!
Trent’s got a little look back at gay showbizzy stuff in 2006. Anybody up for Eating Out 3?
And Keith Boykin’s got a great video tribute to James Brown up on his blog. It kicks off with the amazing clip of the Godfather of Soul from the Blues Brothers film. Rest in Peace, Sir.
Workers make sure the Big Ball is ready to drop in Times Square this New Year's Eve. Yep, I woulda thought it was bigger, too.
When it comes to New Year’s Eve, you’ve always got options.
For example, here in New York, you can whoop it up with drag king Murray Hill and his party full of lovely buxom lady performers... You can rock out at the polysexual glam-mosh fest that is Michael T. & Justine’s always raucous Motherf**ker party. You can live the dream and party with Dreamgirl Jennifer Hudson and Kevin Aviance, who are gonna blow the roof off of the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Junior Vasquez-helmed One Night Only party. You can stay up all night downtown at Joe’s Pub at the New Year's RepriEVE with deranged and lovely performers like Dina Martina, Penny Arcade, trans delight Glenn Marla, writers Mike Albo and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, the Wau Wau Sisters, Bridget Everett, the Dazzle Dancers and more... And then you can dance into the daytime (or afternoon -- yikes!) hours at Crobar with super-DJ Victor Calderone...
Happy New Effie! Party with J-Hud in NYC...
Or you can just hole up with friends in your living room and pop your cork there...
And before all of that, you can head online and visit this blog’s nice sponsor, Absolut Vodka (which can also be a festive New Year’s Eve accoutrement) and vote in their quest to name the “100 Absolutes.” There, you can vote for such timely celebratory-relevant vote-getters like, “What’s the Absolute Bar?” (So far, the Hudson Bar in NYC is in the lead!) Or, “What’s the Absolute Cocktail?” (Not surprisingly, the Vodka Martini is way ahead. I approve.) “What’s the Absolute City?” (The Big Apple’s in front in this poll, too; and not even counting all the New Year’s Eve madness that tears up the city.)
And then there’s the popular poll asking, “What’s the Absolute Cocktail Occasion?” Surprisingly (or not), New Year’s Eve ranks only third. Ahead of it? “Anytime” is the strong leader. And “5pm Friday” is a steadfast second place. So, maybe every evening is New Year’s Eve for you people?
These people need no excuse for a party. But they did enjoy this particular New Year's Eve, circa 1930. Some things never change...
Anyway, go to the Absolut site now and sound off!
Meanwhile...
Other killer New Year’s Eve options...
Catch the Flaming Lips, Cat Power and Gnarls Barkley in Los Angeles!
Or rock out with Blonde Redhead, Shiny Toy Guns and Scissors for Lefty at Mezzanine in San Francisco.
Or better yet, just head to London and whoop it up welcoming 2007 with Kylie Minogue.
Just report back to me about whichever you choose!
Whoa. Can you even imagine a day a guy could rock a brown suit with a beige shirt and tan & brown striped tie? He's totally serving up a look. And dig Betty's AMAZING hair! These two are stylin'! (Evidently he was also President at one time, too.)
Former Pres Gerald Ford died, as you might have heard. And this intriguing bit of news has gotten revived, too. A gay guy saved his life during an assassination attempt back in 1975. This is just the stuff of a period movie just waiting to get whipped up now. Everyone loves 1970s true-story movies set in San Francisco (which is where the attempt occurred). Tell Jake Gyllenhaal to get those big fake sideburns back outta the cedar closet!
Here's a shot of the grooviest, blondest First Family ever. (Son Steven Ford, second from left, was on Young & The Restless for awhile years back.) Don't you just wanna play tennis with this crew, and then have a big bonfire on the beach and sing Jim Croce songs? Peace!
Gay actor John Barrowman got hitched in England. In a kilt!
American actor John Barrowman—who’s not as well-known here, but is huge in England, starring on the Dr. Who spin-off Torchwood—tied the knot with his man-lover Scott Gill in a civil ceremony there. Awwwww...
Heavy stuff comin' for the HARRY POTTER kids. A big summer mailing--and death, perhaps.
British mail is already beginning to brace for the weighty onslaught that will come when pre-ordered copies of the next (and last!) Harry Potter has to be shipped to readers this summer. Oomph! And FYI, if Harry’s gonna get snuffed in this last book, Lord Voldemort (shocker!) is the odds-on fave to rub him out.
John Edwards--in some serious casual duds--announced his run for Prez, as Katrina-suriving kids look on.
Meanwhile... John Edwards to run for President. Discuss.
Wentworth Miller turned up in Oz for the holidays. He's giving us some kind of 1940s dashingness. Nice, eh?
Wentworth Miller does Sydney! Prison Break's heading down under. Cute hair, Wenty.
Happy December 26th! Chances are you’re traveling today. Or toiling solitarily at your workplace while others are out traveling. Or you're still at home in your slippers, eating leftover ham. And you needn't really get fully back to work anyway... So, in the meantime, here are some fun, newsy bits for you. (And, I'm traveling too. Expect more posts come this Thursday! Tomorrow... Not so much.)
For the last few weeks LogoOnline has been celebrating 2006: The Queer Year by asking visitors to vote in their fun polls to rate the best (and occasionally not-so-best) moments in queer culture in this past year. You can sound off on gay reality shows, sexy movie stars, flashy pop icons, gay jocks, and celebs who came out.
So, to clue you in to the voting so far, here’s a rundown of some of the leaders in more than a few of the questions... (I’m gonna serve up the top three vote-getters for each question.) If there’s a trend, it’s worth noting that there seem to be lots of women voting, as any female nominees are garnering masses of votes. Check ’em out!
And if you wanna vote and be heard, head here to put in your gay two cents.
2006: THE QUEER YEAR POLLS
The voting so far... with the top ranking answers listed in order...
FILM
 
Imagine Me & You's Piper Perabo and Lena Headey. You like them! You really like them!
What was the best gay movie of the Year?
1. Imagine Me & You
2. Running With Scissors
3. Tie: Adam & Steve / Shortbus
See! I told you that the woman are voting strong. And who doesn't love a lesbian romantic comedy?!
 
It's X-Woman vs. Bond in a battle of sexiness!
Sexiest performance on film this year?
1. Famke Janssen in X-Men: The Last Stand
2. Hilary Swank in The Black Dahlia
3. Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
Jean Grae is whooping James Bond! (And hey... Famke was a Bond girl herself, back in "Goldeneye." Turnabout's fair play, right?)
The boys of Eating Out 2. It's NOT a porn movie, I swear!
Gayest non-porn movie title of 2006?
1. Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds
2. She’s the Man
3. Inside Man
No big shocker on that one.
Most hilarious performance in a gay film role?
1. Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine
2. The four lead boys in Another Gay Movie
3. Sasha Baron Cohen, Talladega Nights
Steve Carell can even make a manically depressed suicidal gay guy funny. Not bad, eh?
TV
Jacob & Joshua: You like to watch.
Best reality show to watch with a room full of loud, gay friends?
1. Nemesis
2. America’s Next Top Model
3. Work Out
Watch out Tyra! The Jacob & Joshua fans are a serious voting contingent!
Barb and Rosie: Bringing gay issues into daytime talk TV. Woo-hoo!
Favorite outspoken pro-gay voice on talk TV?
1. Rosie O’Donnell, The View
2. Jon Stewart, The Daily Show
3. Tyra Banks, Tyra
Rosie’s out, loud and not about to go anywhere anytime soon. Hear that Donald?
The South of Nowhere crew = hot.
Hottest lesbian(s) on TV?
1. The girls from South of Nowhere
2. The entire cast of The L Word
3. Tie: Ellen Degeneres of Ellen, and Jackie Warner of Work Out
ANTM's Kim Stolz... Got famous fast. You approve.
Best career track to become a famous gay?
1. Be “the lesbian” on America’s Next Top Model
2. Sleep with a former boy band star
3. Be a stylist on Queer Eye/What Not to Wear
This you weren't as fond of.
Most cringe inducing Project Runway: Season 3 moment?
1. When Jeffery won.
2. When Jeffrey made Angela’s mom cry.
3. Tie: Vincent flirting with Catherine Malandrino and Bradley’s Cher outfit
Ms. Rowell boarded Noah's Arc. And you were grateful.
Best new Noah’s Arc season two character?
Victoria Rowell as Vonda
Keith Hamilton Cobb as Quincy
Tie: Merwin Mondesir as Dre, and Jason Steed at Baby Gat
Amid all the hot men on Noah’s Arc, props to sexy Victoria Rowell for coming out on top!
MUSIC
 
Jake Shears: Often shirtless, always flamboyant! Photos by Kevin Tachman.
The Fiercest Band with the most hellaciously splashy lead singer?
1. Scissor Sisters, Jake Shears
2. Gnarls Barkely, Cee-Lo
3. Tie: The Gossip, Beth Ditto/Morningwood, Chantal Claret
He may not feel like dancin’, but Jake Shears always puts on a great show.
Madonna got cross in 2006.
Most diva-riffic onstage antics of 2006?
1. Madonna in The Confessions Tour
2. Faith Hill, upon losing at the CMT’s
3. Barbra Streisand cursing in NYC
Funny how a big cross and a crown of thorns is an attention-getter, eh?
Most maddeningly catchy song?
1. “SexyBack” Justin Timberlake
2. “Hips Don’t Lie” Shakira
3. “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” Scissor Sisters
Maybe you think it never left, but JT brought sexy back, in a big way.
Of the artists who’ve hit #1 on Logo’s Click List, who’s your favorite?
1. Nemesis
2. God-dess & She
3. Jason & deMarco
Twins are in!
PLUS...
Sarah Waters: You wanna READ her. In the nicest, traditional sense of the word.
Favorite LGBT author?
1. Sarah Waters
2. Augusten Burroughs
3. Terri Jentz
Your favorite gossip blog?
1. Pink Is the New Blog
2. TMZ.com
3. Perez Hilton
Perez may be the nastiest gossip queen, but you guys love Trent and his boy-next-door celeb-loving charms.
Best Drag Queen Blogger
1. Rupaul
2. Lady Bunny
3. Linda Simpson
Talk about a tasty trifecta! Go Ru!
Most-visited lesbian/bi TV fansite?
1. Spashley.com 41%
2. L Word Fan Site 30%
3. The L Word Online 18%
The South of Nowhere girls rule!
Amelie Mauresmo. World champion hotness!
Favorite Lesbian Athlete?
1. Amelie Mauresmo
2. Sheryl Swoopes
3. Martina Navratilova
Love - Mauresmo!
Most important LGBT-related news story of 2006?
1. Battle over same-sex marriage
2. Democrats gain control of Congress
3. Gay entertainers coming out
Do you take gay marriage issue seriously? Say “I do.”
Ms. Loken came out. You were glad.
Most memorable/impactful coming out of 2006?
1. Kristanna Loken
2. Lance Bass
3. Batwoman
When hot, blonde T3 stars come out, you people listen!
 
Kristanna & Michelle won you over. But when do we get to see them together?
The year’s hottest couple?
1. Kristanna Loken & Michelle Rodriguez
2. Ellen Degenres & Portia DeRossi
3. Tie: Cherry Jones & Sarah Paulson/Reichen Lehmkuhl & Lance Bass
Ummm. Lance and Reichen who? It’s all about the women, thanks.
Gays love Pink! So do bulldogs!
Which straight entertainer was our best ally of 2006?
1. Pink, for “Dear Mr. President”
2. Brad and Angelina, for not marrying
3. Tyra Banks, for everything
 
Is she straight? Not sure... But Michelle is waayyyy hot. As is Matthew.
Which straight star do you enjoy objectifying?
Female - Michelle Rodriguez (okay, we were joking... but she is hot!)
Male - Matthew McConaughey
So, it looks like you prefer to be stranded on a desert island with Lost’s Ana Lucia. And while you’re there, how about some surfing with Mr. McConaughey?
So, thanks for sounding off so far folks! See more vote-getters when you vote online.
Keep on voting!
More later this week. Now, go finish off that tin of cookies your great-aunt send you.
Joshua (in front) and Jacob, at an appearance in NYC earlier this fall. Today, they're talking about the news about getting excommunicated from their family's church, just for being gay (!). And they're, like, really nice and smart about it.
STOP THE PRESSES! EXCLUSIVE STUFF HERE!
News came out yesterday that Jacob and Joshua Miller, the gay identical twins who just happen to make up the pop-star duo of Nemesis (and who starred in their own Logo reality series this fall, Jacob & Joshua: Nemesis Rising) have been “disfellowshipped” by their family's Jehovah’s Witness congregation back in their home state of Montana. This is a big deal.
All throughout the Nemesis Rising series, you learned how Jacob and Joshua were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses, and as they grappled with the issues of coming out and trying to make it as pop stars, they also wondered how the fact of their being openly gay would affect their family, since their parents’ religion doesn’t allow devout Jehovah’s Witnesses to associate with those who have left the faith. Jacob and Joshua haven’t been practicing JW’s for a while, since homosexuality is a big no-no. (Yep, pretty much if you’re openly gay, you’re no longer a Jehovah’s Witness.) But this new official development could, at worst, cut them off from their family... for good.
Meanwhile, news of the twins getting disfellowshipped (quite the ominous mouth-full of a word, eh?) popped up in news reports and on blogs. And it’s all rather intense and a bit fascinating. So, to find out what it all means, I managed to get on the phone with Jacob and Joshua last night. What follows (it’s a lot!) is our conversation about this strange turn of events. It’s like a crash course in theology, a “don’t ask, don’t tell” passion play, and a gripping family drama all in one.
(And yes, there’s also some news about Nemesis' impending album release!)
Anyway, read on! And give props to the to the guys for being steadfast and true to themselves.
Thanks for talking guys... How did you hear about the “disfellowship” news?
Jacob: It was so sad. One of our friends, who’s a Jehovah’s Witness in our hometown [Kalispell, Montana] was at the meeting. So, she sent Joshua a text message: “Oh my god, they just disfellowshipped you.”
Joshua: My heart dropped. It was a sudden announcement that took everyone by surprise, including our parents. And our friend, of course, wasn’t supposed to talk to us after the announcement, but she ran out of the meeting crying, and sent the text message. And that was the first I’d heard of it.
So you didn’t know this was going to be happening?
Jacob: No. Normally when they disfellowship somebody, the elders meet with them first and they talk with them about it. In this case, they didn’t; nobody made any effort to contact us. They just made the announcement.
Joshua: And they have access to us. Our grandfather is one of the elders.
Do they give you details about what exactly the grounds for this are?
Jacob: No, absolutely nothing. We haven’t even spoken to anyone. They just get on up onstage and make the announcement that “Jacob and Joshua Miller are no longer Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Is being gay in and of itself grounds for getting “disfellowshipped”?
Jacob: In short, yes. When we were 15, we got baptized, which means you have to then abide by the rules and laws of the church, and if you don’t, then they can take all kinds of actions. They can privately reproove you, they can publicly reproove you, or they can decide to disfellowship you...
When you get reprooved, it’s like receiving a warning?
Jacob: Exactly. And they’ll share scriptures with you about your wrongdoing and then you’re given an opportunity to correct the situation. But basically if you’re gay, then there is no place for you within the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
And the laws prohibiting homosexuality in the faith are Biblically based?
Jacob: They’re based on the scriptures in the Bible that say “men who lie with men will not inherit God’s kingdom.” The same verse that says also singles out murderer, idolators, adulterers, thieves, fornicators...
So you knew this could happen, right?
Jacob: We knew it would be an issue. Joshua and I moved away from our hometown ten years ago and started working in the music industry and we’ve lived our lives pretty much the same as we do today. But the TV series raised our profile as openly gay people to the point where the church felt like it was necessary for them to make a public announcement saying that we were disfellowshipped.
Joshua: We’d just always hoped it wouldn’t happen. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out what benefit for anyone could come from making that announcement. I can’t seem to find one.
Was it like they couldn’t somehow not acknowledge it?
Jacob: Exactly, even though so much time has passed since we’d lived in that area anyway, and we weren’t interracting with the local Jehovah’s Witnesses there... And frankly, we still have a lot of respect for Jehovah’s Witnesses and the religion that we were raised in. We were raised with good morals and a strong sense of character. Jehovah’s Witness are generally wonderful people. I had just hoped that more of a tolerant message would be shown, on their part.
 
Jacob (with boyfriend Nick) in NYC earlier this fall. Joshua was there, too.
What does this all mean in terms of having contact with your family or friends at home?
Jacob: There’s no way to know. It basically means that our immediate family members are supposed to limit their contact with us, or have no assocation with us at all. And any Jehovah’s Witnesses who know us or that we might come in contact with us around the world, now that we’ve been disfellowshipped, are not allowed to speak to us. And if they do, they risk the repercussions of being taken before the elders themselves and possibly being disfellowshipped also.
But for instance, can your Mom call you on the phone?
Jacob: The short answer is yes. They don’t say that your parents or your siblings or immediate family can’t ever talk to you again. But they encourage them to limit their contact, and many parents of disfellowshipped children choose, because they believe so strongly in their faith, not to speak to their kids anymore. Now, whether or not our parents will do that, I’d like to think that that won’t happen, but there’s not anyway to know that at the moment.
So, you’re just kind of waiting to get a phone call... Isn’t that sort of maddening?
Jacob: It’s all very fresh right now. I haven’t heard from them yet, but I’ll reach out to them in the next couple of days if I don’t hear from them, and we’ll just see where it goes. I know this is all incredibly upsetting to them, because they’re in the community up there and this is a big deal to them, and it impacts their lives on every front.
Joshua: And bear in ming that we were raised in Kalispell and now for thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses there, it’s going to be painful for them, too. Even if there is someone there who wants to stand up and say “I love you both, and I’ll maintain a relationship with you,” if Jacob and I go home and are even seen with a Jehovah’s Witness there, the elders can take judicial action against that person, and they can be disfellowshipped.
How do you think your folks will hold up dealing with all of this?
Jacob: I think it’s going to be really hard for them. And the saddest thing to me is that, if you saw the show, we made sure that we didn’t say anything bad about Jehovah’s Witnesses. We wanted everybody to know that we’re proud of the way that we were raised. We were proud of our faith and our family, and how loving everyone was. And for it to all end with this, it’s just so unnecessary. There could have been a better way.
Joshua: The whole thing ends up being very painful... I don’t think there’s anything wrong with following a faith and believing in God and worshipping, but as a result of this, I think some people close to us will have their faith shaken and compromised, and that’s really unfortunate.
At some point years ago, you must have realized that you eventually probably would be leaving the faith?
Jacob: It’s difficult, because in all honesty, if you could be gay and be Jehovah’s Witnesses, I don’t have any doubts that Joshua and I still would be.
Do you still consider yourself spiritual people?
Jacob: Oh very. I’m more spiritual today than I ever was when I lived in Montana. It’s different. My sense of spirituality is broader. But I feel, for the first time, that my love for God and his love for me is a personal relationship, and it’s not something that someone can take away from you. Joshua: Right. I don’t believe in God the way I was brought up to believe in God, but I consider myself a very spiritual person.
If you would have been able to be present at that meeting in Kalispell, what would you have liked to say to the people gathered there?
Jacob: I would say the same thing to them that I’m saying to you. I would have tried to explain, from my point of view, “What choice do I have?” I have the choice to either denounce my faith, and embrace my life as a gay man who is in a loving and committed relationship now going on seven years. Or to throw my relationship away, denounce my being gay and live a lie. And I don’t understand what kind of choice that is.
Jacob & Joshua: Religious woes should soon be behind them, so bring on that new album!
Now about your music... When will your album be out?
Jacob: It’s slated for release the first week in February. I’m so excited. We’ve got shows coming up and we’ve got dates booked around the country. We’re doing everything we can to keep the music going. The record label is really working the single hard at radio and it’s doing really well. We're on the Billboard dance charts.
Joshua: Everything is done; at the pieces are in place. We’re so excited about it, so when things like this disfellowship happens, it’s not only hurful and sad, it’s a distraction. Jacob and I have been trying to do this for our whole lives; it’s our dream. So, we’re excited.
And it’s now the holiday season. I know Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas or any traditional holidays, but what are your plans for this time of year?
Jacob: Nick, my boyfriend is going to go home to Nashville and celebrate Christmas with his family, and I’m just going to be here in Los Angeles. Joshua and I will be here, and we’ll get together with friends, and we’ve gotten some wonderful gifts from friends... The holidays thing is all very new to us. After a lifetime of not celebrating holidays, when the holidays roll around I have no idea what to do! [laughs]
Joshua: I feel in the holiday spirit, I love all the lights and all the presents and everybody’s sense of giving. Jehovah’s Witnesses where we grew up would be horrified to know that I’m celebrating Christmas, that would be as shocking as the fact that I’ve been disfellowshipped. But our producers sent us over a gift that I’m very excited about.
What did you get?
Joshua: They gave us a little mini-shopping spree at Fred Segal. I can’t wait!
Well, at least throughout all of this--including the heaviness of the disfellowship stuff--at least you guys have each other for support. It’s not like you’re facing this all totally alone.
Jacob: That’s a blessing that will never go away. Come hell or high water, at least we have each other.
**************
P.S. Speaking of holidays... I’m off now for the Xmas weekend. Have a great holiday everybody. See you next week!
Happy! Merry! Greetings!
Peace.
Nemesis' Jacob & Joshua, backstage at MTV's TRL earlier this fall.
Here's a bit of lame news late on this wintry Thursday...
This pop-rocking twins of Nemesis, Jacob & Joshua, who just wrapped up their reality series, Jacob & Joshua: Nemesis Rising on Logo, have been officially "disfellowshipped" by their family's Jehovah's Witness organization. Because being gay is pretty much not okay with the Jehovah's Witness crowd, now the twins' family (and any others in the faith whom they know or love) are not allowed to have any contact with them. Which kind of blows. And seems way harsh.
The brothers issued a press release about all of this and here's part of it:
At [last night's] meeting it was announced to all members of the Jehovah's Witness organization that we have been, as Jehovah's Witnesses would say, "disfellowshipped" (excommunicated) because of our homosexuality and our participation in our reality show, "Jacob & Joshua: Nemesis Rising," on Logo.
According to Jehovah's Witness doctrine, being "disfellowshipped" means that we have been found guilty of unrepentant gross misconduct. Our immediate family is to have limited or no contact with us. And all other practicing Jehovah's Witnesses around the world are not to speak with us ever again.
Although we are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, we have nothing but love for those individuals who have been asked to shun us. We will continue to be in contact with our family and those who truly love us unconditionally as long as they're willing.
Of course, Jacob and Joshua anticipated just this sort of response. Let's hope they're dealing with all of this well. They're, like, totally nice guys and deserve better.
And as Andy at Towleroad commented succinctly... "Another great example of how organized religion can be buckets of fun, love, and inclusion."
Our best wishes go out to Jacob & Joshua. Keep the faith! (Or something along those lines...)
Penelope Cruz knows why the lesbian rumors linking her and Salma Hayek keep flaring up. That’s because she’s the one fanning the flames. (Click and scroll down the link.) While at a press event posing for photographers with Hayek, Cruz says she “grabbed Salma’s ass just to keep things moving, because everyone was a little slow.” Sounds like a swell way to kill time...
And Hayek has commented: “There are magazine covers in Mexico describing us as these lesbians because of that... A lot of people were saying we were lovers.”
Frankly, I think they’d make a splendid couple. And by “splendid” I mean ragingly hot, thanks.
Awwwwww...
Whitney's keeping it in the "Family" with her new single.
The first song of Whitney Houston’s “comeback” has been leaked online! The tune is called "Family First" and it's featured in Tyler Perry’s next flick Daddy’s Little Girls. You can hear it here.
The song is a warm and fuzzy track with vocals from mom Cissy Houston and cousin Dionne Warwick, and it's (surprisingly) the first time all three have collaborated on a song together. On board is also what sounds like a choir of children singing along (and some suspect that Whit’s kid Bobbie Kristina is lending vocals on the track, too).
Basically all the elements are in line here for a big, juicy, teary Oprah reunion episode.
I’m so there.
 
Don't hold back Rosie and Donald: Tell us how you REALLY feel.
This whole Rosie vs. Trump thing is bonkers! Who knew there was some long-running feud between them? Who knew that the Donald was such a major diva? (Okay, I guess we all did.)
The video of Trump going off on Rosie is gross. The original clip of Rosie going off on Trump yesterday is excessive. But I did think that Rosie actually took the high road today on The View (who knew Rosie had a high road?): When asked to comment on Trump’s rant and the whole affair, Rosie declined to get verbal, and just simply rolled her eyes at the whole mess.
I do think it’s unlikely that Trump would have launched such a personally nasty counter-attack if Rosie’s original “snake-oil salesman” comments would have come from someone like Bill Maher or another male talk-show commentator. His whole thing kind of reeks of misogyny. And, Robin, our photo editor in the office, sort of nailed it when she pointed out, “It’s sort of bizarre to watch Trump commenting on someone being unattractive.” Ha!
But enough! Can’t this all just go away before the holiday weekend? Let’s just dump some coal in both of their stockings and move on, eh?
Speaking of which...
Desperately Seeking Susan to become a Broadway musical? With Blondie songs?
The Henry Rollins Show is coming back for another season on IFC. With regular guest op-ed commentary by Janeane Garafalo. Yay!
The name of the final Harry Potter book has been announced. Order your copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” like, now!
And in some actually useful news, the New Jersey bill legalizing gay civil unions got signed today. Hurrah!
Ho ho ho, Bee-yotches! Love, Annette!
Just about every mod/indie/hipster music website has tons of year-end lists, which is great. But just about every one of those sites is also offering links to rockin’ holiday tunes, which I gotta admit, I find way festive and giddily entertaining.
So here are some of the best...
At Pitchfork, they’ve pretty much got the underground/indie Xmas tunes thing nailed. For instance, they’ve got a link to a tune from The Knife called “Christmas Reindeer.” Need I say more? Okay... There are also Xmas tunes from The Killers, the “Joseph & Mary Chain” (ha!), Willie Nelson with a peace-y tune, and Sufjan Stevens.
Those lovely music geeks at WFMU have a massive mosh of holiday music links, too. Including “Yuletide Disco!”
And over at Idolator, they’ve crowned Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues as the rulers of the boozy-rockin’ holiday tune with “Fairytale of New York.” And they’re pretty much right. How can you argue with a tune that begins “It was Christmas Eve in the drunk tank...”???
For my money, just about the best tinsel-themed tunes is the New Wave classic “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses. You can hear it at their MySpace page, and you can go watch a video (oh, the dated glory of it all) of their hit “I Know What Boys Like”. (And you can watch a clip of some YouTube-ing girl deliver her own lo-fi homemade video of “Christmas Wrapping.")
When it comes to sheer TV brilliance, I’m not sure that anything will ever match the stunning (and very, very gay) Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special from 1988 that Pee-Wee Herman put on. The guest star list includes Cher, Grace Jones, k.d. lang, Charo, Dinah Shore, Oprah, Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, the Del Rubio Triplets, Little Richard, Zsa Zsa Gabor and a fresh-scrubbed choir of singing Marines (!). Go buy it, if you don’t own it already. Or just watch the brilliance that is Grace Jones emerging from a box to sing “The Little Drummer Boy” here.
Pa-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum!
Continuing on the old-school tip, Run-DMC rocks their classic “Christmas in Hollis”...
George Michael romances a woman (gay shocker!) in Wham’s "Last Christmas"...
Nirvana: Smells like Christmas spirit!
And, whoa! Nirvana wishes RuPaul a Merry Christmas in 1993... For real!
This one's kinda messy. But rock out with The Kinks doing “Father Christmas”...
Just in time for global warming, check out "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" by the Pet Shop Boys, performed on an Elton John holiday special....
And to take it down a notch further (talk about old-school; or just old) glum out with “Happy New Year” by ABBA. Which, apparently, is shown at every year at midnight on New Year's Eve on Swedish TV.
And if that doesn’t hold you... go here for a page full of holiday video clip mania...
Finally...
Still stumped with your holiday shopping? Give ’em what they really want?
Ash-dusted goat cheese!!! Who knew?
It's not a holiday party until the sheep get rowdy...
Madonna: But what she really wants to do is...
So about Madonna’s next movie... No, she’s not going to act in it. She’s going to direct. (Which is preferable, right?)
Supposedly, Mrs. Ritchie is going to helm the directing duties for Blade to the Heat, based on the play of the same name. It’s a boxing story based on a real fight between Latino fighters in the 1950’s--and there’s gay love-story action in it!
Is she gonna enter the directing ring?
Or at least there was in the original play... I saw Blade to the Heat (by Oliver Mayer) in Los Angeles years ago, and there was lots of sweaty guy-flesh in it. The main set for the play was a big boxing ring, and I think I remember men showering on stage. (Or maybe I made that part up.)
Of course, it’s still uncertain how official this news is. The Madonna fan site, Drowned Madonna, says it’s not happening. But RollingStone.com and The Sun tabloid are certainly implying that it is.
But somehow, Madonna directing a gay Latino boxing film does sort of make sense right? Perhaps it's a job for Carlos Leon?
Um, Honey... I'm kinda bored with this entire global pop icon thing. Mind if I take your job?
I'll keep ya posted.
 
Brandon Flowers: "Here comes Santa Claus!"
Yes, Brandon Flowers... There is a Santa Claus!
AND...
Mary, Please! The 2000-year-old virgin gets some docu-love on PBS just in time for her big holiday.
Tell us something we don’t know! Angelina Jolie says that adoptive parents make better parents. Even when she’s not directly supporting us gays, she is. Yay, Angie!
Remember all those lesbians on TV this past year? Or at least a few? (Rosie, WorkOut’s Jackie, The L-Women, and Top Chef’s Josie, and...) AfterEllen’s Malinda Lo is gonna take you back.
Speaking of lesbians, The L Word and AfterEllen’s Malindo Lo, she’s got a glimpse at this season’s female-phonic TV soundtrack. Think Pink. And PJ Harvey. And Kelis. And The Cliks.
Which poet does Jake Shears love? Who did Bill Maher out? Who sued who? Who slept with Kevin? Brush up on your gay year-end knowledge with an AfterElton quiz!
Robbie Williams must indeed be looking to sell some records. He’s now got some viral video out of himself dolled up in drag for an interview! (Thanks Arjan!) Check it out here! (Nice bob, Rob.)
In just strange news, Sharon Stone and Christian Slater are dating. Discuss.
Andrew Ridgely freaked out! Meaning, he chickened out of this past Sunday’s big Wham reunion, which was to happened at George Michael’s Wembley gig. The poor dear...
Rufus Wainwright and mom Kate McGarrigle dress up for a night at the opera, earlier this fall.
Last Wednesday night Rufus Wainwright and his family (including Mom Kate McGarrigle and sister Martha Wainwright, and others) and friends (including Lou Reed, Antony Hegarty—of Antony and the Johnsons—and Jimmy Fallon) threw their big holiday-themed concert at Carnegie Hall. Stereogum has a write-up, and several links to mp3’s and video from the event. Sounds like a fun, and pretty casual evening of music and merriment. Highlights were reported to be Rufus’ rendition of “O Holy Night” (sung in French), the frothy Rufus/Lou Reed duet on "White Christmas," and Antony’s take on “Blue Christmas.” See and hear stuff here.
In other Rufus news, his next new studio album is going to be called “Release The Stars,” and it will be his first album that he produces entirely by himself. (Go Rufus!) Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant will be the disc’s executive producer. It’s expected to come out next May.
And this Thursday (December 21st) watch for Rufus to appear on BBC America on the French & Saunders Christmas Celebrity Special. Woo-hoo! Or just watch a clip of his number (with the gals as very aggressive folkies) here! Hurrah for Loofah Wetwipe!
P.S. One review of Rufus’s holiday show at Carnegie Hall mentioned that the singer jokingly apologized to his audience for the fact that he wouldn’t be singing any Hannukah tunes. Rufus explained that he had indeed tried to find a good Hannukah song, “but there aren’t any.” Okay, so maybe there’s not a dreidl-spinning equivalent to “Jingle Bell Rock,” but here’s a link to some fun tunes from those “festival of lights”-loving gents in The Klezmatics. Shalom, all around!
  
Bassey starts the party! Twiggy shows up in a sleigh! And Pink collects some royalties! Merry!
This just in from England...
Hot on the heels of this fall's hot Bond film and just in time for the holiday season comes this recent ad for the British Marks & Spencer department store chain. It’s got Shirley Bassey singing a cover of Pink’s “Get the Party Started”—for real!—and models on snowmobiles all vamping out with Twiggy in a glam icy James Bond-esque hideaway! (Call it “Cold-finger?”)
If this is an indication of how the Brits get into the holiday spirit (Bombast! Glamour! Bassey!) can we do Christmas in London this year?
Watch the video here!
Rupert Everett sez “Reality bites!”
Call it, "I'm A Gay Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here!" That nice, tall openly gay British movie star, Rupert Everett, is over it. “It” meaning the U.K. celebrity version of The Apprentice. He’s quit the show after enduring only one day. Ouch!
AND...
Are you addicted to Guitar Hero yet? MTV’s gonna hook you hook to the wildly popular Playstation 2 game, if they can...
The Saatchi art mavens have created a MySpace for emerging artists. Sort of.
The Episcopal Church is not splitting up (due to infighting about its growing approval of gay relationships and gay clergy). Not quite yet, anyway.
A trans shopper in NYC told she can’t use the fitting rooms. Oy, where do sales clerks get off?
Being gay is super-cool in 2006! Just ask CBS News! (Psssst... Who knew that singer Johnny Mathis was out?)
And these folks were gay before gay was cool! Or they’re just dead and gay. Okaaaay...
Britney’s a bad mom. To her dogs!
Robbie Williams: Crazy for gay clubs.
Stop the presses. Robbie Williams visits a gay club! With the Pet Shop Boys!
 
Stella vs. Madge: Flipping over the birds.
And finally, it’s Stella McCartney vs. Madonna! Seems that the animal rights-loving fashion designer is seething cuz Madge hosts pheasant hunting parties at her British estate. As one comment points out: “Too bad Stella wasn't around to stop Madonna from shooting her movies too.”
How did you feel about this past year in gay movies (post-Brokeback)? Did Adam & Steve crack you up? Did Little Miss Sunshine brighten your day? Did The Covenant bewitch you? Did Shortbus teach you how to reach orgasm?
The smart entertainment-obsessed gays at AfterElton have a great year-end movie-time wrap-up that you might wanna check out. My favorite line from the piece?
“Honestly, when the gayest movie of the year was the naked frat boy puke-fest Jackass Number Two, you know we're not in Kansas anymore.”
Now, put that in your beer bong, folks!
P.S. I know come Tuesday, Dec. 26th you’re going to be in a listless, post-holiday stupor. To rouse you out of that, pick up the DVD of Jackass Number Two, which hits stores that day. As the movie packaging itself will tell you, it’s the version with “all the stuff we couldn’t show you in theaters.” Which, to my mind, equals more skin (as in fronts and backs of the deranged Jackass dudes you love). Happy New Year, indeed!
Hurrah! Time for iKaraoke! Now I really know what I want (ahem, need) for Xmas!
AND...
Cingular to add MySpace to its cellphones. Since you don't spend enough on both already...
Nintendo realizes that maybe you shouldn’t trash your apartment (or break a limb) while thrashing out with your Wii. Strap it on, rein it in!
The international internet telephone service Skype is launching a broadband television service in 2007, nicknamed "The Venice Project." Currently in beta testing, the plan is to provide free broadband service! Ka-ching!
Are blogs over? By 2007 there will be 100 million active blogs. But there are already 200 million that people have launched and burned out on... Watch this space!
Just in time for its fourth-season launch, The L Word is gonna take Alice’s Chart into the real world. Virtually.
Making your “Best of 2006” playlist to send to friends? (You know you are...) Let mixmaster DJ Whoo Kid advise you.
Noah's finally recovering from Wade... But who's that at the door?
Just a quickie to perk up your Monday: The second episode of the second season of Noah’s Arc is now available in its entirety on LogoOnline!
Just in time for the holidays, you can skip the fruitcake and snack on all the juicy goodness of a full Noah’s episode for free. In season two’s second outing, Noah runs into Wade and things get tricky; Alex and Trey spice things up at home (but is Guy gonna make trouble?); things are getting sticky for Eddie and Chance; rapper Raz B turns up at the clinic; and Junito returns!
Um, Ricky -- You remember Junito, right?
Yep, it’s gonna be a bumpy sleigh ride as the Noah’s drama continues. Watch it, and watch out!
P.S. Speaking of Junito (who I love), super-blogger Keith Boykin has a grrrreat interview with Wilson Cruz (who plays Junito), and who also just appeared as one of the hosts of Logo's "2006: The Queer Year", too. And of course, this time of year always reminds me of that classic My So-Called Life holiday episode when Ricky (Cruz) ends up homeless, and Juliana Hatfield plays an angel. It's amazing. Anyway, check out Wilson's killer interview with Keith here. Cheers!
Little Britain's Matt Lucas: Just married...
Brace yourselves: Daffyd is no longer the “only gay in the village.”
Proving that the Brits sure know how to throw a gay wedding, Little Britain star Matt Lucas (he plays teen baddie Vicky Pollard, Fat Fighter coach Marjorie Dawes and yes, village-dwelling gay Daffyd) and his newlywed spouse Kevin McGee tied the knot this past weekend. The pair got hitched in London, with a ceremony which was followed by a madly festive costume-mandatory reception, with attendees tarted up as “pantomime characters.” And gay celebs like Elton John & David Furnish, pop star Will Young, Graham Norton and former Boyzone singer Stephen Gateley all turned up turned out in crazy garb. Naturally, Courtney Love was there, too.
Check the pics!
Matt Lucas and Kevin McGee. You can now pronounce them man and man (in very fancy outfits).
Old married folks David Furnish and Sir Elton John. They got hitched last December...
UK soap legend Barbara Windsor and Lucas' Little Britain costar, David Walliams.
Out pop idol Will Young. He likes to do "lady things," perhaps?
Former Boyzone singer Stephen Gateley (left), music producer Louis Walsh, and Andrew Cowles give us glam muskateer? Or Versailles sassiness?
Puss-in-Boots in the house!
 
Lastly, Graham Norton dashes in dressed as a purple bellboy (why not?). And yes it's Courtney Love, understated as usual.
Congrats, newlyweds!
All work and no Absolut makes Jack a dull boy. Barkeep, another vodka-soda, please!
The Shining (pictured, above) is a pretty scary movie. But would you call it the “Absolute Scary Movie?” (I think I would.) And what would you call the “Absolute Haircut?” Or the “Absolute Job?” Or the “Absolute Heel”—meaning shoe, not some loutish dude. Or who’s the “Absolute Singer/Songwriter?”
 
Might "The Bob" (check out Louise Brooks!) be the "Absolute Hairdo?" And Ani DiFranco for "Absolute Singer/Songwriter?"
 
Feeling your Jimmy Choo's for "Absolute Heel?" And for "Absolute Job?" Who doesn't wanna be a supermodel?
Those nice people who make Absolut Vodka (which I enjoy immensely; and they also just happen to sponsor this blog) are hosting a festive promotion on their website asking for you to vote for “The 100 Absolutes” that you love. I’ve blogged about it before, ’cuz it’s a cute way to distract yourself at work (what do you think I’ve been doing for the last 45 minutes?).
 
Will & Grace for "Absolute Sitcom?" And Bowie/Ziggy for "Absolute Rock Star?" I can live with that.
"Absolute Romantic Comedy" = Annie Hall
You can also see what others are voting for, what things are winning in each category (Who’s the “Absolut Rock Star?” You might be surprised.) and all manner of fun stuff. So, please go visit them; and play around and vote.
Get Ms. Pac-Man fever, and vote for "Absolute Retro Video Game."
Cheers. Thanks a lot.
“She’s got the stuff that you want, She’s got the thing that you need...” At least that’s what Logo viewers are feeling about Ms. Whitney Houston.
What becomes a diva most? Maybe some scandal, a turbulent marriage, scorching talent, allegations of drug abuse, hit movies and the vocal pipes (in their hey-day) that could lift roofs off of soccer arenas. All of the above have certainly worked for Whitney Houston (somehow). Today, it's been revealed that the viewers and visitors of LOGOonline have voted Houston as their "Ultimate Diva" in all of gaydom. The woman who helped make phrases such as "The Greatest Love of All" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "Crack is whack!" part of the global vernacular beat down her diva-licious competitors, who included Madonna, Cher, Mariah Carey, Bette Midler, Xtina—as well as offbeat contenders such as Bjork, Morrissey and Prince.
So Emotional: Whitney's feeling your love...
The "Ultimate Diva" poll is part of a Dreamgirls-sponsored event airing this weekend, which will culminate this coming Sunday night at10pm (EST) when Logo airs “The Click List: Ultimate Diva." The music video show will air videos by the top ten diva vote-getters (the full list is below) leading up to Whitney’s “It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay.”
I’m thinking an honor such as this will be just the thing Ms. Houston needs to inspire her to stay clean, focus, and crank out what really needs to be an amazing comeback album. If she did, I think folks would go bonkers.
The full-on Ultimate Diva Top Ten (and their videos...)
1. Whitney Houston: "It's Not Right, But It's Okay"
2. Madonna: "Vogue"
3. Janet Jackson: "Nasty"
4. Patti LaBelle: "New Attitude"
5. Cher: "If I Could Turn Back Time"
6. Kristine W: "I'll Be Your Light"
7. Tina Turner: "What's Love Got to do With It"
8. Christina Aguilera: "Beautiful"
9. Blondie: "Call Me"
10. Kylie Minogue: "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
You may discuss now.
Stop in the name of LaToya!
In what may signal the zenith or the nadir of the reality TV trajectory, CBS will debut its newest reality show, Armed & Famous, on January 10th. In the show, five celebrities – Erik Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne, along with professional skateboarder Jason "Wee-Man" Acuña and former WWE wrestler Trish Stratus, will train and become sworn police officers for the city of Muncie, Indiana – population 70,000 and home to Ball State University. Yes, the stars have been trained, sworn in and armed. They’ll each get partnered with a veteran cop. Already, there have been new reports about producers paying arrested perps to allow their images to appear on the show. I’m more scandalized by the idea of LaToya packing heat.
AND...
New game show alert: (and no, not with bikini-clad women holding briefcases of money) This one is from FOX and its called, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Adults field questions straight out of elementary school text books. And hope not to be embarrassed. And for a “lifeline?”—they can call up real 5th graders for help. Ha! Who says TV can’t be smart?
James Purefoy: Says boys will be boys... with other boys.
Foxy Brit actor James Purefoy (who stars in HBO’s Rome, and was in Vanity Fair with Reese and A Knight’s Tale) tells OUT Magazine that he’s mostly straight, but he’ll “never say never” to the idea of man-on-man action. I’ll choose to see this glass as half full, thanks.
Actor Steve Buscemi is making William S. Burroughs' druggie, gay-ish novel “Queer” (about being on a quest for drugs in Mexico and South America) into a movie! Buscemi will play the lead character, based on Burroughs. Might it be the junkie feel-good hit of 2007?
Speaking of literary pursuits, Mariah Carey is gonna write a book! It’ll be called 500 Hours, and be a quasi-memoir based on her days in beauty school. I hope the story goes something like this...
Marlee Matlin, Jennifer Beals, Cybill Shepherd in new "L Word" promo pics. Whoa... Photoshop much?
All this week the amazing folks at the AfterEllen blog have been posting the just-released pics from the forthcoming season of The L Word. I’m very excited to see Cybil Shepherd hooking up with Alice this season. And I pretty much worship Jennifer Beals on this show. Check the pics out!
As you heard, Actor Peter Boyle, the curmudgeonly dad on Everybody Loves Raymond, died Tuesday. He was 71 years old. To my mind, the most brilliant thing he ever did was play the monster in Young Frankenstein, one of the best movies ever. Watch this.
Finally, if you’re free for New Year’s Eve, wanna hook up with me and Kylie for this? Yes, I think you do. (And I hope the dance floor is gonna be something like this.)
New Year's Eve in London: Kylie's like, "I'll bring the feathers. You bring your dancin' ass!"
 
The Sweeney Sisters (now & off-screen): Nora Dunn, and Jan Hooks with her husband, Tom.
This may be a bit retro for some of you folks, but I received this YouTube link today from a friend and it totally blew me away--and took me back. It was 20 years ago this month that this hiliarious Saturday Night Live sketch featuring The Sweeney Sisters (who were two obliviously has-been-ish nightclub singers played by Nora Dunn and Jan Hooks; and two of my favorite recurring SNL characters, ever) aired, and it's just as brilliant today. (The clip is a bit wonky at the start, but it's really great.)
But like I said, Nora Dunn and Jan Hooks were both awesome. Nora Dunn turned in some classic SNL bits over the years (The Pat Stevens Show; Make Joan Baez Laugh; her Jeane Kirkpatrick was amazing); and Jan Hooks was always reliably funny. Hooks hasn't been working as much these days. I'm hoping she's just chilling and lying low. Dunn pops up more in TV and movies. I'm always happy to see either of them.
Anyway, just go here, and ring in some holiday greatness with Liz and Candy Sweeney. And William Shatner! The hair! The bad gowns! The bells!
"Clang, clang, clang went the trolley!"
  
Announcing the Golden Globes: Rosario Dawson wins for Best Bangs; Matthew Perry for Most Surly-Looking; and Jessica Biel for Most Earth-Toney.
Golden Globe nominations were announced! This morning! One can debate what these awards really mean (if anything—did you see the documentary that aired on Trio in 2003? "The Golden Globes: Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret”—it was kind of cool), but I’m more than happy to sound off on them.
Her Royal Highness Helen Mirren and her onscreen prince, James Cromwell.
Best Picture – Drama: I’m still wanting to see The Departed, but by and large these all seem kind of dull. But I’m gonna root for The Queen. Helen Mirren rocks. She was in Caligula! And did you ever see The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover? Insanity. Or The Comfort of Strangers? Or last year’s bonkers Shadowboxer? She’ll do anything. That’s always worth an award in my book. Plus, you know she must have a wicked sense of humor; I wanna have dinner with her and gossip about showbiz. You know she’d trash talk folks—but in a hot, brainy way.
 
Borat has arrived.
Best Picture – Comedy or Musical: For this one, I feel like the lead characters should be forced to sit down and work it out. Borat could hit on Deena from Dreamgirls. Prada’s Miranda Priestley could throw her fur coat and bag at Effie White—and we could watch the fur fly (literally and figuratively). Gay, depressed Steve Carrell from Little Miss Sunshine could hook up with Borat’s gay porn-star son. After which, they could all have cigarettes, courtesy of Aaron Eckhart. Oh, but the award? I loved Prada, but it would be more demented and rude if Borat won. Go Kazakhstan!
"Let me take these glasses off so I can be even MORE fierce, thanks."
Best Actress – Drama: See my notes on Helen Mirren and The Queen above. I think she oughtta win. Penelope Cruz’s fake butt and cleavage should be awarded some special prize, though. And Judi Dench should win some medal of valor for agreeing to be on 30-foot wide screens with no make up whatsover, frowning and scheming and stalking Cate Blanchett in a ratty sweater for 90 minutes. Kate Winslet should still win something for her performance as herself on Extras last year. And Maggie Gyllenhaal? Love her, but she'll be back plenty of times. Give it to Mirren! (Again, see above)
Give Forest Whitaker an award. He helps in soup kitchens with Loretta Swit, for goodness sake!
Best Actor – Drama: Forest Whitaker. He’s playing an African dictator in a historical political film. And he’s awesome. Besides, if Mirren wins for The Queen, it’d be cool if Whitaker won for The Last King of Scotland. Maybe they could get matching crowns instead of Golden Globe statues. Cute idea, right?
You gonna tell her she's not gonna win? I didn't think so...
Best Actress - Comedy/Musical: I enjoyed Beyonce in Dreamgirls, but no. Toni Collette I worship, but no. Annette Bening is always amazing, but no. Renee Zellweger – too puckery. So, it’s all about Meryl Streep. The white floppy Dorothy Hamill 'do cinched it for me. And that scene in the hotel with no makeup when she reveals that her husband is leaving her is amazing.(Basically, if you’re over 50 and show up onscreen without makeup, I’m yours.)
"And you can tell everybody, that this is your thong..."
Best Actor – Comedy/Musical: Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat. Because you know he’d give the most amazing/offensive acceptance speech ever. In a lime green mega-thong. Which I enjoy looking at way too much.
 
Best Supporting Actress: I’m thinking it’s between Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls, and the brilliant Emily Blunt for The Devil Wears Prada. They both rule their respective films. Blunt is like every cool woman you wanna hang out with at a boorish fashion party in New York. Hudson’s the gal who was your fag-hag best bud in theater in high school who’s made good. How about we give them both the award (a tie!) and then spin them off together in their own series, Effie & Emily? They could solve crimes, turn out gut-busting diva numbers, make fun of Beyonce, and wear bitchin’ eye shadow and hellacious dresses.
 
Eddie says: Smirk all you want, people. This award is mine!
Best Supporting Actor: First, you’ve got Brad Pitt (Babel), Mark Wahlberg (The Departed) and Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), which sounds more like the wall of a gay dorm room ten years ago than actual award nominees. Then Jack Nicholson, who’s always great. But give it to Eddie Murphy. Yes, I know he performed wildly homophobic rants in his stand-up 20-some years ago. I think he’s smarter now. And he does deliver the most impressive acting that you’re gonna find in Dreamgirls, anchoring the chiffon and flighty diva drama with a real sense of hard-won survivor cred. And yes, he’s sings and dances fabulously.
Smells minty--and awardy.
Best Foreign Language Film: Volver. It’s not as punch-you-in-the-stomach fierce or powerful as All About My Mother, but even Almodovar at his second best is more inventive and assured a filmmaker as just about anybody else. And I love a good ghost story where women cook, cut hair and hide bodies.
The TV Nominations: Ummm... I say Heroes for Best Drama. Edie Falco for Best Actress/Drama for The Sopranos (because I just think she’s amazing; although I’d love to see Evangeline Lily win for Lost, just because she’s “Freckles.”) Michael C. Hall for Best Actor/Drama for Dexter (I’ve not seen it; but I love that he’ll play anything. And that’s he’s weirdly creepy/hot. Which is soooo wrong.) Best Comedy = Ugly Betty or Weeds. Best Actress/Comedy, Mary Louise Parker, because is she ever not perfect? Best Actor/Comedy, Jason Lee. 'Cuz he’s hot (in a goofy, foxy, slovenly, hilarious way).
For a full rundown of the nominees, go here.
Thanks everybody! Stay gold-en!
What up, dawgs?
Here's what's dropped on my desk music-wise (including a couple I came across online) recently.
Cue it up!
DREAMGIRLS - Music from the Motion Picture
Would this movie come out already!??! The press hype is crazy—and yes, I’m loving it, but the movie’s proper release is still 12 days away and I can’t imagine it can get any bigger. Anyway, the CD arrived in the mail, and yes, it’s a pretty straightforward collection of all the tunes in the film. And yes, I am telling you that Jennifer Hudson’s showstopper “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” rocks just as much on CD as it does in the film. I expect to see you all in your cars singing along like madwomen. And yes, Beyonce’s showstopper “Listen” rocks, too. But I’m also loving Effie’s comeback anthem “I Am Changing,” the groovy ballad “Patience,” and no disrespect toEffie but I love the kitschy disco-ed out version of “One Night Only” as performed by Deena (Beyonce) and the Dreams. Drag queens will be all over this one...
DAVE KOZ - At The Movies
Need a holiday gift for your movie-loving mom, or movie-loving gay Uncle Arthur—or anybody who’s grown-up and into movie themes and adult jazzy stuff? Dave Koz (the nice-looking, out saxophone maestro) has a new disc out called, appropriately, At The Movie. It’s full of old movie audio samples (like Ingrid Bergman from “As Time Goes By”, and Judy Garland on “Over the Rainbow”) and guest appearances by folks singing. You get Vanessa Williams on “The Way We Were” and Anita Baker on “Somewhere,” Indie.Arie on “It Might Be You” from Tootsie. It’s very adult-contempo and safe, and beautifully arranged. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
HIS & HERS: Volume One – Various Artists
This one’s very slick, and I’m leery of something that bills itself as a “lifestyle compilation.” What does that mean? Evidently this disc is the first in a “lifestyle compilation series” of CDs launched by club promoter/ “lifestyle” producer Amanda Scheer Demme (she throws glam parties—or did—in L.A.). It sounds to me like a “chill out” CD, that segues from one hip track to the next. For example, track 8 is Goldfrapp’s “Ooh La La”; track 9 is the Jaffa remix of Nina Simone’s “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair”; track 10 is Ryan Adams doing a somber “Wonderwall”. And I do like the damaged/dandy version of “Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)”. And there’s Luna doing the Serge Gainsbourg/Brigitte Bardot nugget “Bonnie & Clyde.” Expect to see this one sold at Starbucks or Anthropologie.
The Harlem Shakes: Having a "Birthday" party.
HARLEM SHAKES - Burning Birthdays EP
Brooklyn indie pop rock goes crazy with the latest from this clangy, fun quintet. They’ve toured with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Fiery Furnaces and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. It’s fun, rocky stuff and their EP, Burning Birthdays, will be out this coming February. Their pr stuff says “think Housemartins meets the Shins mwith Beach Boys harmonies and a dash of Eno-style weirdness.” Okaaaayyy...
Chester French: Schoolboys in stereo.
CHESTER FRENCH - Love the Future
Super-blogger Arjan wrote about these guys recently. They’re precious young Harvard lads (Max Drummey and D.A. Wallach) making zippy pop music. Their stuff is chock full of violins, zingy riffs, organ sounds... Sort of like Supergrass meets an all-boy Mamas and the Papas at a hipster mixer. I like their tune “People” (sort of Beach Boys vs. a lighter Cheap Trick!). They’re readying music to release next year (the album's called "Love the Future"). And they’re preppy and stylin’. (Should we not be suprised that they’ve got a song called “The Jimmy Choo’s”?
Trabant: Icelandic guys without shirts.
TRABANT
Okay, these Iceland dudes aren’t necessarily new (their last release came out in 2005), but I just stumbled across their MySpace page. And the freaky pic of shirtless five guys lounging all over each other caught my eye. But it was the remix of their tune “The One” that sold me. It’s an electro-grinding-pulsating boinkfest. Give it a listen. Plus, they seems wasted and crazy, and prone to taking their clothes off onstage (which may not be the best idea, in their case...)..
All hail the queens (from left, Shon B, Jewl.B & Shunda K.): The women of Yo Majesty!
YO MAJESTY
Okay, I just learned of this all-woman trio on Stereogum. And this stuff is raw (and kind of amazing). It’s not PC at all. [Warning: Graphic language—for real!] But these rapping women from Tampa throw down crazy beats that are pretty relentless. You can read a bit here, and trip out on their MySpace page. There you’ll find the hot tunes “Club Action,” and “Hustle Mode” and one track called “Kryptonite P***y”. And their tune “Monkey” which references the female anatomy. A lot. Consider yourself warned. (And this may be their label? Or some distributor?)
And I don’t know (and won’t begin to presume) anything about the sexual orientation of these women. But whatever their deal is, their beats are very universally, unambiguously intense. Yep, really.
Leo, Jen & Djimon at the Blood Diamond premiere. Notice that Jen's not sporting any shiny bling?
“People back home wouldn’t buy a diamond,” she says, “if they knew it cost someone a hand.” Ouch! That’s Jennifer Connelly in Blood Diamond the new socially conscious thriller that came out this past weekend. And sure, I’ve never been one to spend money on flashy diamond gifts (sorry, Mom), but I will say that I feel like I need to start being mindful of what diamonds I do buy (okay, if I were to buy them) to make sure they’re not funding terror-promoting warring factions or corrupt governments and business interests in Africa. Of course, you can examine all of this by going to check out the movie.
Is it weird that I’m just as fascinated by the notion that Leonardo DiCaprio has kind of finally grown up? He’s in The Departed right now too, but seeing him charge around Africa looking scruffy and kinda of like a renegade adventure hero kind of works. Besides, I think I prefer DiCaprio when he’s not too mainstreamy slick. My favorite films of his are the skanky Basketball Diaries, when he played a hustling teen heroin junkie servicing strangers in public restrooms to score cash (talk about range!); and as the homo poet Rimbaud in the somewhat awful, but somehow simultaneously engrossing Total Eclipse. Wasted gay French poets—what’s not to love?
 
DiCaprio: Always great when he's wasted!
Anyway, here’s a gushy review of Blood Diamond. And an article about the movie’s tricky deal promoting its socially conscious message. And here’s a video of Leo talking up the movie (and discussing his Oscar potential). And Amnesty International’s a fan of the film, just so ya know. Just in case you’re feeling globally responsible...
  
Happy (Lily Allen). Sad (Richard Ashcroft & The Verve). Exhilarating (Damon Albarn & Blur).
Here are some random music bits: Which songs are the happiest? The saddest? Or most exhilarating?
Well, Nokia, aided by some sound expert kind of doctor guy have done some official research to figure it out. They did a study testing the scientific response and vital signs of folks listening to different music, to figure which tunes out provoke the strongest response from listeners.
And the results? Some things aren't surprising, but I wonder how large the field they were choosing from was... The list they ended up with seems pretty white, too. And majorly British. (You can see more of the final lists here.)
HAPPIEST SONGS
1. "LDN" – Lily Allen
2. "Shiny, Happy People" – R.E.M.
3. "Dancing Queen" – ABBA
Um, where’s Outkast’s “Hey Ya!”??? And where are the B-52’s? “Love Shack”? I want more giddy pop. Spice Girls, anyone? "Footloose," perhaps? Maybe some uplifiting Al Green? Charo singing "Feliz Navidad?" Shonen Knife, or maybe Puffy Amiyumi? Those girls make me smile.
SADDEST SONGS
1. "The Drugs Don’t Work" - The Verve
2. "Angels" - Robbie Williams –
3. "Sorry Just Seems to Be the Hardest Word" - Elton John
Okay, this doctor doesn’t know “sad.” What about Leonard Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat”? And Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” is at number five in the list. How's that possible? And how about some Jeff Buckley? Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Or at least half the songs on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” And much of the entire oeuvre of Nina Simone. Or The Cure. You people are sadness amateurs.
MOST EXHILARATING
1. “Song 2” - Blur
2. “Love Machine” - Girls Aloud
3. “Somebody Told Me” - The Killers
I might agree with the Blur choice there, but... Hello? What about Franz Ferdinand’s “Michael.” The Go-Go’s “Head Over Heels” or “Vacation.” Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life.” The Unicorns' “I Was Born a Unicorn.” Van Halen’s “Jump.” And how about some Run-DMC? Heck, even Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.” M.I.A.’s “Bucky Done Gun.” "Filthy/Gorgeous" by Scissor Sisters, please? And for me, Sylvester’s “Mighty Real” is pretty wildly exhilarating. Or Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand’s duet on “Enough Is Enough.” Ya dig?
Makes you wonder how large a field the guy was choosing from, eh?
 
Matt does a good Matt. But he keeps his shirt on...
Just a quickie. Check this cute clip of Matt Damon doing his best Matthew McConaughey impersonation recently on Letterman. Turns out we weren't the only ones who noticed when Matty McC strode around all this past summer without his shirt on.
And tell me... Is it wrong that Damon's impersonation is kinda, well... hot?
FLASH! BANG! POW! Diva-ness happens. (Just ask Kylie...)
So, as you read this the clock is ticking. Time’s running out. It’s later than you think. And so on...
Yep, there are only a few days until this weekend (hurrah!), and that’s when Logo will air who got your votes as you got down and dirty to select the pop icon who’s your Ultimate Diva, ever.
I’m privy to some secret info (or, I like to pretend that I am), and I can give you some hints as to some of the front runners (see the pics below). But I’m also gonna tell you that as I understand it, nothing’s set in stone and the voting is still wide open, so you can chime and boost your favorite femme (or him) up in the rankings.
The whole point of all of this Ultimate Divas Weekend hullabaloo is (I’m guessing) a festive excuse to air a slew of classic videos by some of our favorite pop divas (which you can watch online, too; work, shmirk). And yes, why not have a big diva-themed event on the LGBT TV channel? Does it play to a gay stereotype to suggest that we worship larger-than-life, drama-fueled performers? Maybe. Does it make for fun viewing? Yes, indeedy. Works for me.
Anyway, I’ll let others debate the fussy semantics and pros and cons of gay cliches. I’m all for challenging stereotypes and resisting some cornball role of what queer folks are supposed to like. But I’m also gonna have a blast watching the amazing Patti LaBelle video for “New Attitude” over and over again, thank you very much.
Below is my pictorial diva-fest, and I promise that quite a few of these women are doing very well in the voting (surprise, surprise). Plus, these pics are all kind of crazy in their own way.
Talk (and vote) amongst yourselves.
Tina Turner and David Bowie (why wasn’t he in the voting pool, eh?): Might they be the coolest two people on the planet? Watch them work together, here.
Of course, this twirling wonder is gonna make an appearance. The gays do seem to like her.
Janet’s a friend to gays everywhere. And their snakes.
Debbie Harry = Rapture.
This shot of Xtina cracks me up. While other former teen divas go stumbling around tinseltown, you gotta hand it to Ms. A for just delivering the music.
Patti LaBelle performed at Luther Vandross’ funeral. Wearing bright yellow and amazing bejewled sunglasses. You’ll find that that’s the Webster definition for “legendary,” thanks.
Kylie is beloved. Even by small girls who wear drag-queeny make up and like to smooch.
Kristine W is a former Vegas showgirl who plays the sax. And she’s probably appeared at more Gay Pride events than even you have.
Cher. She just don’t care. Which kinda rules.
And finally, her love is your love. Whitney’s bringin’ it back, folks. Watch out!
Tune in this weekend for more Ultimate Diva madness on Logo. And come Sunday night (at 10pm) the truly Ultimate Diva (plus, the other top nine) will be revealed...
Back to the Garden: Chloë's pretty in pink.
I enjoy deliriously splashy shelter magazines (you know, Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home, O (as in Oprah) at Home. But I gotta say, this month the good old warhorse mag, House & Garden, has outdone themselves.
Yes, there’s the usual jollity about $750 wall sconces, raffia-hewn wall coverings and a Barbara Barry sofa you really ought to have (for $6,400+). It’s like decorating porn, and it tends to skew pretty traditional. But for the January issue, the mag shakes it up.
First off, NYC’s indie film princess Chloë Sevigny (who’s starred in such gay-flavored fare as Boys Don’t Cry, Party Monster, 3 Needles and If These Walls Could Talk 2) is on the cover, grinning madly, in a crazy long pink princess-y gown, as she wheels a tea tray across a rose-laden terrace. Bonkers! (I can’t help but think that Chloe’s Brown Bunny costar, Vincent Gallo, is looming just out of frame, wielding his own tea-time offering. Ack!) Inside you’ll see Chloe’s smart little NYC pad, and it is pretty sweet.
But also inside, you’ll see the truly amazing lower Manhattan house inhabited by super-cool gay photographer/film director Carter Smith (he made the awesomely spooky thriller short film, Bugcrush; and he shoots major magazine and ad spreads—and, he also shot the French Rugby Dieux du Stade skinfest a few years ago). His home, a four-story wonder, is pretty awesome. (Antlers over the bathtub! Massive staircases! A John Derian lanscape painting! Cowhide stools, even!) I’m always pleased to see a young queer person with nice digs. Oh, the apartment-envy...
The issue also has lots of movie-centric pieces, including a great rundown of the top “25 Fabulous Movie Interiors” ever (think 50’s fun with Auntie Mame; 60’s swank with The Party; a sumptuous Venice a la The Wings of the Dove; and the rowdy mod-ness of A Clockwork Orange).
Anyway, fans of cool design and barmy home interiors magazine, will be very pleased.
Wilson Cruz has something to say! Watch him on Logo's "2006: The Queer Year" online.
This past weekend on Logo saw the launch of their totally fun series of shows and promos looking back at “2006: The Queer Year”. And if you missed them, fear not! You can watch the cool (and pretty darn funny) clips of Logo’s panel of experts sounding off on just about everything LGBT-related that happened in 2006 online now! (And you can also watch them when they re-air on the weekend of December 23rd and 24th.) From what we watched on TV, to which celebs came out, to what news stories rocked our world (in good and bad ways) to even really important topics like George Michael passing out at the wheel to the virtues of Project Runway...
From left, the Queer Year panelists (some of them, anyway): Neil Giuliano, Amanda Bearse, Jenny Shimizu and Wilson Cruz.
The panel of LGBT experts includes out actor Amanda Bearse (Married With Children; The Big Gay Sketch Show), Wilson Cruz (Noah’s Arc; My So-Called Life), Bruce Daniels (comedian, Bam Bam and Celeste), Neil Giuliano (GLAAD), Jenny Shimizu (model/actress) and Sarah Warn (AfterEllen.com), and they pretty much go off on what transpired this past year. They're talking about movies, music, the Web, news and politics, books and everything else!!!
For example, when it came to TV here are some clutch quotes:
Wilson Cruz on Friday Night Lights: “The performance of these young actors are mythical. And I like that there are young people of color on this show, that have great roles and are real three-dimensional characters.”
Bruce Daniels: I love Ugly Betty.
Wilson Cruz: And can we talk about the big pink gay elephant in the room that no one’s talking about? It’s got the youngest gay kid on TV! I love this character. He’s fantastic!
Bruce Daniels: Loves Ugly Betty. Lance Bass? Um, not as much...
Sarah Warn: South of Nowhere! [It’s got the] biggest lesbian following that no one knows about. It’s kind of like an edgy Beverly Hills 90210, if Brenda fell in love with Kelly.
Amanda Bearse: I love Project Runway!
Neil Giuliano: Work Out was a great show. There were some great dysfunctional people on that show. The drama on that show makes The L Word look like Masterpiece Theater.”
Amanda Bearse & Jenny Shimizu: Dissecting the queer year, one index card at a time.
Jenny Shimizu on the enduring lesbian appeal of Xena’s Lucy Lawless: “I don’t understand it. I don’t like athletic girls. I like my girls really Kate Moss-y. I like that weak, vulnerable drug addict thing; someone I can bully.”
And on Miss Cleo coming out this past year?
Wilson Cruz: I bet she knew that she was going to come out this year before we did...
Of course, they also go off about Mario Lopez, Nip/Tuck, Rosie O’Donnell, Whitney Houston, and of course, self-proclaimed “straight-acting gay” Lance Bass. Says Bruce Daniels: "I’ve met him. Um... He's not that straight-acting."
AfterEllen's Sarah Warn: Sharp, hilarious, and an expert on all things lesbian!
Check all the videos on the LogoOnline “Queer Year” page. And you can also watch it re-air Christmas weekend.
Wanna sound off on what you thinked rocked 2006?
Comment here, then!
Schoolhouse Rock: The boys sing it on in "Spring Awakening." Photo by Joan Marcus.
On Broadway, the new Duncan Sheik-tuned musical, Spring Awakening, which opened last night, is getting raves. And it’s raising temperatures due to its randy sex drive! The New York Times describes the show, which tells the story of blossoming youths in 19th-Century Germany, as “pure sex.” And yep, that includes some same-sex action. Here’s a quote from Sheik himself: “I have to say, my favorite scene in our show is when the character of Hanschen, a schoolboy seduces his friend Ernst in this very predatory way. It’s a really sublime moment.”
Gay guy Hanschen (Jonathan B. Wright, right) makes his move. Photo by Doug Hamilton.
Lead guy Melchior (Jonathan Groff) plays the #1 conflicted teen in "Spring Awakening." Photo by Joan Marcus.
What also sounds cool is that while the show is a period piece, set in its distinctly 19th-Century setting, when it’s time to sing the actors grab hand mikes and rock out! You can even watch a video of the number "The Bitch of Living" online at the show's site, which is pretty much a school-boy rockfest. And for a change, the music actually sounds like real rock tunes, not showtunes posing as rock. And yes, the gay boy character gets to "bitch" and expound about a hot boy in khakis! And you can also listen to the brilliantly frank tune of teen angst, "Totally F*cked" online, too. It's petulant, theatrical emo rock fun.
The kids are alright. And then some. Photo by Monique Carlson.
It’s blooming now in NYC at the Eugene O’Neill Theater. "Spring" has sprung.
Tyra's playing with your cell phone, as Top Model gets gamey--and mobile!
Hey Top Model fans! You too can compete for the coveted ANTM title! Sort of... (Watch it, Caridee!) Just out is an America’s Next Top Model game for your mobile phone (which you can download from cwtv.com) in which you compete via an avatar (you select your fave virtual character from the show, as well as your least favorite). Then you interact with the avatars like they’re real characters from the show. As the press release says: “...Players must foster their avatar's modeling career through training and various challenges. The selection of the least favorable character allows players to play tricks on her.” And coming next year, you can interact with other game players and their avatars, too.
Technology is crazy, right?
But, does this mean that Eugena might triumph (on your phone anyway)? Might Melrose be vindicated? And can I pick Furonda, please?
Furonda: She's got game!
John Stamos and TV's "McSteamy", Eric Dane, throw a gay war party tonight on A&E. Let's hope they wrestle at least.
A&E’s gay TV movie Wedding Wars gets its debut tonight. Has this thing gotten major PR or what? (And yes, it does look cute.) And star John Stamos is waaaay into it: “[I did] as much research into being gay as I did [into] operating on people to be on ER.” Playing doctor, playing gay... No big difference there...
AND...
AfterElton’s also got an article about NBC’s mega-hit Heroes, and take note: Their gay character is totally not gay.
There’s a new lesbian drug dealer character coming to TV-land. She’s gonna be on Courtney Cox’s Dirt-y new show. Score! (Via AfterEllen)
It’s cold out today in NYC. Finally, winter weather is here (which I frankly love). In fact, the above pic was taken outside my office window! Yes, folks are ski-jumping here in Midtown Manhattan. (Actuallty, this pic is of some French ski jumper named Jerome Gay. That’s "Monsieur Gay" to you.)
Perhaps you also enjoy ski jumping. Or maybe just skiing. Or maybe just hanging out with gay people who ski, and then who like to go to parties and whoop it up with other gays for several days in a row in a winter resort locale. If that sounds appealing, check out the new travel feature up on LogoOnline’s travel site, Trip.Out. It’s a guide to all the gay ski weeks (in North America) coming in the season ahead. (Bonus: It’s penned by sporty writer Malinda Lo, who also contributes to AfterEllen and the AfterEllen blog. She rules.) From Aspen to Whistler, from the African-American ski weekend Winter Explosion to the gay snowboarding fest OutBoard, there’s likely to be something in their make you wanna get your skis waxy.
Or, if the only expanse you’re likely to schuss across runs from your sofa to the fridge, then watch the totally cute gay movie, The Ski Trip. It was on Logo last year, but you can add it to your NetFlix queue.
See ya at the bottom!
Today's diva is the Queen of Rock and Roll, Miss Tina Turner. I think it goes without saying that Tina is a super-legend whose career is amazing and inspiring - and so is her life story. If you saw the movie What's Love Got to Do with It? and you didn't jump out of your seat with excitement when Tina (played brilliantly by another diva, Miss Angela Bassett) finally fights back, beats up Ike and runs across the street to another hotel then you have no soul and you should be ashamed to call yourself a woman, a gay man, or whatever you call yourself. There, I said it, if you don't love Tina Turner then you're a bad gay—and a bad person all around. So get into it girls, because she's Simply The Best.
 
Classic Tina, giving us those legs, and lots of shiny fabric. And with Ike Turner in 1972.
Born Anna Mae Bullock in 1939, she was raised in the small town of Nutbush, Tennessee. That small town would later inspire one of the great songs, Nutbush City Limits, that she wrote and performed with her husband Ike. You can also watch a 1979 performance of the song here -- check out how gay the look is (and the dancers)! Although her marriage to Ike was full of problems (he was an abusive drug addict), that era produced an incredible body of work, with standout songs like Fool in Love (see Fantasia turning this song out on Americal Idol here), Proud Mary (I'm a proud mary myself - we love song titles with gay double-entendres), and the amazing River Deep, Mountain High, which Tina actually recorded solo with Phil Spector.
 
Tina, looking happy and pretty--and furry! And, looking crazy with a syringe in a still from the movie "Tommy."
After her marriage from Ike broke-up, Tina's career was somewhat on the rocks, until her ground-breaking solo debut / comeback album, 1984's Private Dancer. That album announced the beginning of an amazing solo career - no small feat for a woman who was 45 at the time! Actually, the amazingness is almost overwhelming - What's Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer, I Can't Stand the Rain (a cover of the classic song by yet another diva, Ann Peebles -- I can't find a video of Tina doing this song but check out this crazy impersonator), Better Be Good To Me, Let's Stay Together (a cover of the classic by yet another diva still, Al Green). The rest of the 80's continued on a high-note for Tina, including acting and singing gigs in Mel Gibson's film Mad Max: Beyond the Thunder Dome (including the hit single from the soundtrack, We Don't Need Another Hero -- OMG, dig that wig, honey! and those earrings, I'm gagging!). And who could forget Tina's participation in the legendary USA for Africa project We Are The World! Work.
 
Tina onstage serving her legendary "What's Love Got to Do With It?" look. And in a fierce recent shot, packing heat! Bang!
Tina has written an autobiography, I, Tina upon which the film What's Love Got to Do With It? is based, and she continued to tour and record throughout the 90's. I saw her live twice in the late 90's and early 00's and even at 60 she was still rocking out big time. The shows were out of this world and I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to see them.
 
Tina, arriving at the Kennedy Center in 2005 to collect her award. And then greeting the press, sporting the rainbow-ribboned honor. Congrats!
Just last year, Tina was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor for her life’s work. If George W. can even recognize the brilliance of Tina, then I know you can. And just a couple of week’s ago, there was a big fuss in Boston when a Tina impersonator fooled folks at a fundraiser, since they thought they were seeing the real thing. So, yes – Tina’s still hot!
Tina getting buff! Don't mess with her!
 
Riding a horse--yes, a horse!--in the "Simply the Best" video. (Why not?) And those legendary legs, from the "What's Love Got to Do With It?" video.
"What..." indeed.
Tina, we salute you as the mother of all divas and one of the greatest of all time.
We love you, Tina!
You should all go vote for her video What's Love Got to Do on the Ultimate Divas countdown.
OMG! Santa Claus just got hitched! To some young hairy dude!!!!! (Actually, it's a pic from a gay marriage ceremony in Toronto a few years back...) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Time for some gay marriage news from all over the globe:
The province of South Australia (where Adelaide is) has voted to recognize same-sex unions.
Italy’s senate is calling for legislation to be drawn up recognizing gay unions.
Swedish Lutherans are voting to bless gay unions (so, congratulate all of your gay Swedish Lutheran couple-friends!)
Gay marriage in Canada is going to be left alone! Hurrah! Marry someone nice from Montreal!
And South Africa’s recently legit gay marriages have sparked an outcry in Zimbabwe. Don’t ya hate fussy neighbors?
MEANWHILE...
Are Brad and Angelina getting married? But wait... We can’t, and he said... But wait, they’re getting hitched in South Africa? Where gay marriage just got legalized? I’m confused...
Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto? Just a big snuff film...
AfterElton’s “Best. Gay. Week. Ever.” recap this week is a fun-filled reflection on out stars, Alexis Arquette, gay African-American TV characters, and that whole Jennifer Hudson, does she or doesn’t she not like gays. Michael at AfterElton says she does. Like gays, I mean. He thinks. Of course that still doesn’t mean that Jennifer Holliday’s gonna go see the film.
Towleroad’s got a good batch of videos rounded up for you today... Including that insane (and awfully fun, I think) promo for the Janice Dickinson Christmas Special. Not since the legendary Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas has a holiday show been more, well... gay.
Finally... Most importantly? Is Tim Gunn leaving Project Runway? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
In the running for "Absolute City" in the "100 Absolutes" polls at Absolut.com? NYC, of course! And yep, it's waaaaaayyy ahead. Naturally.
Yesterday I mentioned lots of fun voting options happening on LogoOnline, where you can vote for stuff like your favorite diva, hot gay couple of the year, and more!
This post is just to hype up this crazy event that our bloggy-sponsors, Absolut, have running at their site. They’re on a quest to discover the 100 Absolutes! Meaning, the’ve got a lovely site up that asks you to vote on everything from the “Absolute City” to the “Absolute Restroom!” It’s a crazy batch of stuff they want you to weigh in on... But it’s fun to check out.
Here’s a sample of some of the groovy goods they want your take on:
What’s your Absolute Cocktail?
Maybe it’s no suprise that the Vodka Martini is leading by 26%; but fear not, Carrie Bradshaw—the Cosmo still has legs, too!
 
It's the vodka martini in the lead; but the Cosmo ain't out of the game yet!
What’s the Absolute Color?
(Black is the new black, snagging 29% of the votes.)
 
Tom Ford knows. And so do Billy Porter and Ari Gold. Black is back.
Who’s the Absolute Comedian?
Will Ferrell, Chris Rock and Ellen Degeneres rank high, but Jerry Seinfeld’s still on top. For now.
  
Will, Chris & Ellen are funny...
But Jerry may just get the last laugh...
Absolute Comedy Movie of all time?
A certain Kazakhstan reporter is facing off against a bunch of office drones. Just so ya know!
 
It's Borat vs. Office Space in the hilarity smackdown.
And the Absolute Cuisine?
Mamma mia... All roads lead to Rome. Or Tokyo.
 
Battle of the bulge? It's Italian vs. Japanese as the leaders in a cuisine contest...
The Absolute Love Song?
Marvin Gaye’s gettin’ it on, but U2’s got a high-ranking “One” too.
 
"Let's Get It On" is in the lead. But "One" is close behind at number two...
And an update: Right now Madonna is leading the talley when it comes to picking the Absolute Gay Icon? Though, Socrates is about to stage a comeback, I’m thinking.
 
Hung up on Madge? Or is Socrates a more "classic" gay icon?
Finally, the Absolute Vice? Your choices are bacon, biting nails, coffee and shopping? And no, drinking isn’t a vice, silly... It’s a virtue!
Cheers!
 
Ellen DeGeneres yanked the lever in New Orleans last night, to kick on all the holiday lights in Jackson Square. She was joined by jazz guy Irvin Mayfield. Nice to see the Big Easy making merry...
Last night in New Orleans, Louisiana native Ellen DeGeneres showed up for the ceremony and flipped the switch to light up Jackson Square for the holiday season. We love cities who love their native gays! (Of course, we already loved New Orleans anyway...) Jazz-meister Irvin Mayfield also turned up to perform and celebrate. And no doubt Ellen did some dancin’! (She’s already raised 10 million dollars for relief efforts, via her TV show.) Merry, merry!
Ellen greeted fans!
 
Fireworks blasted around the square. And the lights on the gates glowed nicely, thanks.
IN OTHER NEWS...
The Mary Cheney pregnancy news has gay rights groups and Christian Conservative groups sounding off!
Newsflash: Gays like to travel!
New Jersey update: Voters there are seemingly in favor of civil unions, but gay marriage? Not as much...
Conservative Jewish rulemakers have decided that gay unions are cool! And so are gay rabbis!
Very bad news. A drag queen was electrocuted to death during an onstage performance in the Philippines. The audience had thought it was part of the show...
So, are Lance and Reichen really broken up? Or not? Or what?
This woman wants you to vote on stuff, like hot lesbians, gay dance anthems and the best videos of the year. Really!
Here at NewNowNext blog-land, I don’t ask too much of you. Stop by, give me a read (or read me to filth), and have some fun. But sometimes, I try to get you to do stuff... Like voting! I’m not even talking about casting your vote for President Hillary or President Barack (yet). I’m talking about really important stuff like gay movies, reality TV and pop-music divas. What’s not to like?
Absolut is the sassy sponsor of this blog, and they wanna hear from you, too. Go to their site to vote in a big splashy promotion where they’re looking to hear from you in a much bigger way.
But to get you started, right now on LogoOnline, there are a jillion ways for you to sound off, vote on stuff and get heard. Here’s a rundown:
Best of 2006: Right now, you can go crazy and vote in killer categories like “Who are the hottest people of 2006?” “What was this year’s gayest movie?” “Who’s coming out made the biggest impact?” “Which drag queen has the hottest blog?” Which reality show rules?” or “Who’s the hottest Noah’s Arc cast member?” It’s fun. For example, who are the hottest lesbians on TV? It’s ain’t Work Out’s Jackie... Who turned in the sexiest performance onscreen? Looks like a certain X-woman is giving 007 a run for his money.
Lady Bunny STRONGLY suggests you vote for her blog in the "Best of 2006" polls. Just ask Fred Schneider!
 
Other hotties in 2006: Noah's Arc star Keith Hamilton Cobb & X-Woman Famke Janssen! Give 'em votes!
Go weigh in now!
The Ultimate Diva: Right now on LogoOnline, you can cast your vote for the perhaps gayest of all gay-flavored polls. Who’s your Ultimate Diva? There are some obvious candidates (Madonna, Whitney, Bette, Patti LaBelle) but also some off-beat choices (Bjork, Blondie, Morrissey) and some dudes in the running, too (Prince, Kanye West, Diddy). It’s all gonna build and build until the weekend of December 16-17, when a special Click List airs counting town the top ten votegetters. Go watch videos, and vote for your faves.
  
Who's most Diva-licious? Mad Madge? Dandy Diddy? Batty Bjork?
Best Video of 2006: Were feeling some Xtina? Did Gnarls Barkley drive you “Crazy”? Did God-des & She “Love You Better”? Or is the battle for top video of the years going to be a gay celebrity death match between the twins of Nemesis twins vs. those nice Jason & deMarco lads? Go to the Click List voting page and let ’em hear from you. Then watch this Friday, December 8th at midnight and find out which video tops The Click List!
 
The Nemesis twins (left) are sparring with Jason & deMarco (right) to score your gay votes for best video of 2006.
Maybe he's "Crazy"... Possibly. Vote for the Gnarls guys!
Listen, I know you’re opinionated and think you know best. Why not show off a little and vote, okay?
Guy from Noah's Arc says: Vote. It's sexy!
Thank you.
Margaret Cho: You're going to love her "Puss."
Today in Margaret Cho news... She’s returning to sitcoms! Sort of. Ms. Cho’s gonna rise up on FOX’s ’Til Death soon, playing the best pal of the wifely Joely Fisher character.
But even more fun is Cho’s latest music video. Go to Cho’s blog and watch the hilarious video for the tune “My Puss” which she performs with her pal Diana Yanez. It’s stoopid—and totally great! As the rap begins, “This song goes out to our neighbor who we hate because they had our RV towed. We hate you. You suck.” The best line? “My puss? It’s the best on the block. Your puss? It invaded Iraq.”
Yay!
Judy's thinking: "In about 65 years, some deranged queen will pay thousands for this. HA!"
The first-ever Judy Garland recordings (like, as in ever!) are going to be up for auction. Wanna hear 12-year-old Frances Gumm warbling out her debut notes? It’s gonna cost ya...
Meanwhile, in other gay news...
Life on the Down Low is getting the TV series treatment.
Those nice folks at Here! TV have acquired the worldwide rights to The DL Chronicles tv series. Look for the first three episodes next spring, with more to follow! The show is all about (not surprisingly, given the title) men of color who by consequence and by choice, live sexually duplicitous and secret lifestyles. Sounds like good TV to me!
You wanna see these guys unplugged?
This just in... “MTV will air MTV Unplugged: KORN, an upcoming installment of its Unplugged series.” No big news story there. Just something about the words “unplugged” and “Korn” in the same sentence cracks me up.
"This space for rent?"
Feed your head! VH1 Mobile has launched a new original mobile series called Celebhead, a short-form parody of how it feels to be inside a famous person's head. The first episode Celebhead: Paris Hilton is available now. Future episodes will spoof actors, artists and politicians. Okay, somebody get to work on a gay porno version...
The Scissor Sisters on the "Passions" set. Abra-cafabulous! Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
And the Scissor Sisters are getting witchy. Yesterday they taped an appearance on the supernatural freaky NBC soap Passions. Turns out that young Endora (a character on the show, duh...) is a big SS fan, so she conjures the band up to perform in fellow witch Tabitha’s living room. And they happily oblige! (Such nice rock stars...) The episode was taped yesterday and will air on February 8th and 9th.
 
ProjRun's Laura popped one out. Fraulein Cheney's got one on the way...
And you probably know that Project Runway’s Laura Bennett gave birth to yet another little boy (this one’s called Finn—throw him on the pile!). But did know that Mary Cheney is preggers!
La Maxwell and NYC dandy Patrick McDonald looking fresh.
Props to drag queen/homemaking style icon Brini Maxwell. The Style Network star gets a splashy interviewin the NYC daily Metro today. Cheers!
Kelly Sweet: 18, sings nicely, and not trashy. We like!
There are no shortage of eager, earnest young vocalists out there. But it’s rare that one kind of busts out in front of the crowd to make an impression. Or, at least an impression that’s not snared by screechy American Idol antics, or just skeezy behavior on reality TV.
So arriving to add a bit of class to the music world is newcomer Kelly Sweet. Yes, she’s 18 years old, but she’s got a worldly wise vibe to her. And while the Cape Cod native is poised to become the next adult-contemporary darling (her debut disc, We Are One, due in March 2007, is produced by folks who’ve cranked out hits for Josh Groban and Celine Dion), she’s got a sense of oomph to her work that lends it a bit more impact. She’s already gotten props in pubs like USA Today and Teen People; and she’s had her tunes played on the soaps “Passions” and “One Life to Live”—so yes, she’s starting to make the media rounds. Right now, she’s got a version “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” out which you can hear, too.
Sweet writes much of her own music, although she also turns out a pretty nice version of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” too. Basically, her stuff is smart and sensitive singer/songwriter pop music. Think of it as very Gilmore Girls-y.
Whoa. It looks windy out there in sensitive, wispy pop-music land!
The first single from Sweet is called “Raincoat,” which will hit radio stations in early January. And the titular ballad “We Are One” is going to have dance remixes, too.
Sweet’s even got nice, inspirational quotes posted on her blog section of her MySpace page. Here’s a part of one that she likes; it’s a quote from Martha Graham, writing to Agnes DeMille (wurk!):
“You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others."
Yep, ya gotta love that queer, divine dissatisfaction.
Get behind-the-scenes action from Anderson. On his show's website, that is.
We know how most of you feel about CNN's nice silver-haired newsie Anderson Cooper. So you might wanna check out this pretty cute little promo site for his nightly news-mixer, Anderson Cooper 360. A pint-sized Coop strolls right out on your computer screen and chats you up! It's kind of adorable.
Plus, you can also check out Anderson's personal playlist. Which includes (ahem) Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama" and a faboo version of "Proud Mary." Yes, "Proud Mary."
Talk amongst yourselves.
AND SPEAKING OF...
The Real World Denver's Davis is talking to those nice, on-the-ball gays at AfterElton. David gabs about being a Christian. And he says that folks like him because "...I’m a masculine gay guy, I’m not the type of feminine, flamboyant characters they’ve had on [television]." Um... Is this the part where I say, "Puh-leese... Get her!"
AfterEllen's killer blog, "Best. Lesbian-ish. Day. Ever." lists their picks for Best Female Cops on TV. Ever. And yes, Cagney and Lacey are there. But whither Angie Dickinson on Police Woman?
John Stamos and Eric Dane (via A Socialite's Life) had a splashy premiere last night for their gay A&E TV Movie Wedding Wars. And yep, they look pretty darn good.
And this isn't a TV item, but you can watch a fantastic (and, of course, brilliantly rude and caustic) video of Kiki & Herb performing in NYC. Kiki discusses cancer. Consider yourself warned.
And finally, this may be the cutest gay crochet item you read about today (thanks OMG!). Gay wedding finger puppets! Praise!
Jake Shears in bunny ears (and not much else!) onstage with Ana Matronic at London's Wembley Arena last week. Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
Yikes! Yesterday things got crazy in gay-land, and I didn't get to post my daily diva tribute. So today I'll make up for lost time...
Two words: Scissor Sisters!!! I remember seeing these little electro-toddlers onstage at Luxx in Williamsburg (that's Brooklyn; not Colonial Virginia-land) just about 3 (okay, maybe 4) years ago, when they're were fledgling downtown kids with a synthesizer and a dream! So no one's happier than me that they've now become international pop superstars. Jake, Ana, BabyDaddy, Del and Paddy crank out delirously fun, outrageously melodic, chunkily jazzy burlesque-tinged tunes, that usually mosh up all the best elements of disco, pop, rock and carnival hurdy-gurdy to get you moving. And I love that throughout it all they've been (especially Jake, who has difficulty staying clothed onstage) fantastically, majorly gay.
Jake shoots a big cannon (ahem...) from the stage at Wembley. Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
So, give them a shout out, and vote for them for Logo's Ultimate Diva (we're still counting down to the big reveal of the diva-licious Click List Top Ten, coming on Sunday, December 17th). Watch their video for "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" on LogoOnline (though I think my fave all-time SS tune is still "Filthy/Gorgeous"--dig up that video for a slice of saucy fun).
And if you happen to be in Berlin on New Year’s Eve, you might wanna catch the Sisters. They’ll be doing a little show at the Brandenburg Gate. Get info here...
Here are a few party shots (courtesy of the fab Kevin Tachman) of their closing show afterparty last week in London.
Jake gets snuggly with Lily Allen. Cute! Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (love her!) and BabyDaddy toss 'em back. Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
Magneto loves the Scissor Sisters! Sir Ian and Jake get chummy. Photograph by Kevin Tachman.
Cheers!
 
BEFORE & AFTER: Reichen and Lance on the red carpet on November 8, 2006; And Lance flying solo this past weekend... Sigh...
Turns out that gaydom’s first couple, Lance Bass and his special friend Reichen Lehmkuhl have called it quits. This weekend PerezHilton.com announced the news; and PH followed it up with this coda today.
So guys... They’re on the market. Have at ’em!
Lights! Camera! Wigs! Get ready for DREAMGIRLS...
I got to go to a screening of Dreamgirls on Friday night. And I won’t give you a full-on review of the film, but I will happily point out some of the film’s highlights.
Basically, my friend (a big Beyonce fan) and I both had a blast at the movie. Sure, the free Coke and popcorn provided didn’t hurt, but the film itself is a big, splashy, visually rich and totally exuberant musical experience. Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson are both great to watch, and frankly the hair, make-up and costumes are all amazingly thrilling.
Manager Jamie Foxx shmoozes and schemes to make his girls stars.
I’m not super-familiar with the Broadway show, but I know some of the songs and I’ve seen the legendary video footage of Jennifer Holliday from the 1982 Tony awards. But of course, I’d been loving all the buzz and footage I’d seen in trailers (as well as Beyonce’s “Listen” video).
So here’s what I thought rocked about the film:
Ms. Knowles, in one of about 9,000 costume and wig changes...
About Beyonce: She’s never looked more fantastic. Yes, she gets about 9,000 different wigs and hairstyle and looks as she evolves from Detroit teen singer to a world-famous superstar. Think shiny gowns, sequined jump suits, big ’fros, crazy make-up (there’s a montage that plays as Jamie Foxx sings the song “When I First Saw You” that’s all about Beyonce (as Deena) rocking through fashion shoot after fashion shoot) and hair for days. When she gets to bust out her anthem of independence “Listen,” the audience in the theater cheered.
Jennifer Hudson: She's Effin' great as Effie.
About Jennifer Hudson: Yes, the hype is building, and she is pretty great. She embodies the hard-scrabble character of Effie White really well, and her singing throughout the film is impressive and moving. I personally loved the early scenes of her singing alongside Beyonce and Anika Noni Rose, when she gets to bust out and belt above the other girls. Bascially, you’re totally rooting for her throughout the film. And it ultimately pays off. Now about all that Oscar buzz... We’ll just have to see. (I was totally nervous for J-Hud during the big “And I Am Telling You...” number. And by the end, she totally had me.)
Eddie Murphy lays down some "Thunder."
The rest of the cast is pretty great. Anika Noni Rose fills out the trio as Lorrell perfectly. She can sing and act and brings a sharp freshness to her role as the sweet, enduring quieter member of the trio. Jamie Foxx is fine, but the real stand-out in the film is Eddie Murphy, who cranks out a great performance as the flamboyant James Thunder Early. He sings and dances fantastically, and his presence lends a mature sureness to the proceedings. (Really!) And it’s really great to see Danny Glover on film again, too. He plays an old-school showbiz manager who tries to hang on as the music biz gets slick and shady.
The music numbers are a blast, and the entire film just charges along splashily.
Of couse, there’s no shortage of discussion out there already. NYC’s HX Magazine has a current cover story interview with Jennifer Hudson about the film (and her love for the gays). Rod 2.0 has lots of awesome coverage and links, including a link to Keith Boykin’s excellent (and very laudatory) wrap-up of the film. Boykin declares it to be “an instant classic.” You’ve got to check out his take on the film here. He loves the costumes as much as I do: “...the costume designer deserves an Academy Award nomination, if not an outright Oscar, for the period clothing that was created. The Dreams' outfits alone were incredible, but the outfit that Beyonce wore in the scene were Deena walks into Curtis Taylor's office was amazing.” Yes, indeed.
And yes, there have been rumors of a developing off-screen rivalry between Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson. I’m not sure if I buy it, but... Here’s a link.
You're gonna love herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
Frankly, I think the film is going to be HUGE. And yes, it’s amazingly welcome to have the season’s biggest film be a glitzy musical boasting award-worthy performances from African-American stars. It’s about time.
Could these guys have new job futures in the condom biz?
On the heels of all the HIV-prevention awareness of last Friday's World AIDS Day came this bit of news. German researchers are hard at work (ahem...) trying to perfect the world's first spray-on condom! It would be tailor-made for all sizes, naturally. Yep, a gent would insert his thing into a spray chamber which would coat his member from all sides. In about five seconds, the spray-on latex would be good to go!
Read more about it here...
And if this news renders your stash of old condoms obsolete, you can perhaps repurpose them. Maybe something like this?
Spray safe, y'all!
Elton, onstage sometime this past year.
Since it’s World AIDS Day, today’s diva is Elton John, who’s been a spirited AIDS activist (in addition to being just a slightly massive pop music legend) for nearly as long as the disease has been around, most notably stemming from his friendships with the late, great Queen font-man Freddie Mercury and young HIV-positive activist Ryan White. Ever since 1992, his Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised millions of dollars to fight the pandemic.
Elton, onstage in 1974. Not much has changed in 30+ years. Except that he has more hair now.
Of course, books have been written and will continue to be written about Sir Elton’s (yes, he was knighted in 1998) contributions to pop music. He’s sold over 250 million records. His public persona, has always been outrageous (either due to his flair for fashion, or his more recent penchant for being sublimely outspoken), and will surely continue to be so. He’s been open about his gayness since the late 1980’s (before that he was among the vanguard of popstars to identify at bisexual, which he did first in a Rolling Stone interview in 1976). He’s been married twice; once to a woman (!), and presently to his man-spouse, David Furnish.
Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947, he still pens award-winning music, and collaborates with currently huge pop stars (from the Scissor Sisters to even controversial folks like Eminem). He’s also penned Broadway scores (Aida, The Lion King, Billy Elliot) and as you may remember, his tribute single to his good pal, Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind, 1997” is still the best-selling CD single in history, as in like, ever.
He’s battled drugs and alcohol addiction, and bulimia. He’s got houses all over the world. He’s massive. He’s hot-tempered. He’s a bitch, when he needs to be (or feels like it). And he speaks up for gay rights constantly. And through his charities, he’s probably saved many, many lives.
So check out the pics below of the diva that is Elton John.
You can also watch his classic 1980’s video “I’m Still Standing” right here. And you can vote for him as Logo’s Ultimate Diva.
Hold me closer, Tony Danza!
Signing records for fans in London in 1973.
Chillin', circa 1974.
Rock of the Westies, 1975
He's still standing, 1983.
Marrying sound engineer Renata Blauer in 1984. Okaaaayyy...
Hangin' with then pal George Michael, around 1985-ish.
A subtle 40th-birthday celebration, with his new boyfriend, David Furnish in 1987.
It's marriage #2. This time to David Furnish. They made it legal on the first day that gay marriage went legit in the U.K., December 21, 2005.
Along the way, Elton's popped up on South Park.
...and celebrated the success of Billy Elliot onstage in the West End.
And he's had Justin Timberlake play him in a music video. Why not?
So, props to Sir Elton!
Attagirl...
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