The "Women of Whedon" Is Missing a W

-- thelinster from AfterEllen.com

Sometimes a list is so close to the hearts of AfterEllen.com readers that all a blogger has to do is tell you about it and sit back to watch the fun. So, I was tickled to find this list in the Los Angeles Times of the "Women of Whedon." The Times asked Joss Whedon to name his five favorite female creations. I was less tickled once I perused the list, however, thanks to at least one dreadful omission. (Get ready to be indignant.) Where's Willow?

While your ruffled feathers relax a bit, let's look at the women he did name. I certainly can't quarrel with the first.

Buffy Comic Book: No Future for Faith

-- jennifer from pittsburgh from AfterEllen.com

[Warning: Spoilers galore!]

Since March of this year, many Buffy fanatics have been Glory-ing (I couldn't resist) in the Season 8 comic book resurrection of Buffy and the Scoobies — both proper and fringe. The last three comics have been devoted to our favorite uber bad girl hero, Faith. And now, three-fourths of the way through the four-issue Faith story arc nihilistically titled "No Future For You," we've got ourselves one heck of a cliffhanger.

Even if Faith's head is not precisely poised on the chopping block, Lady Genevieve Savidge (aka Gigi) is wielding a mean-ass ax and feeling more than a little betrayed. How, oh how, will Faith extricate herself from this pickle? We'll find out when the current Faith story line wraps up in issue No. 9, due out Dec. 5 (with the best. comic. cover. ever.). Until then, let's discuss how she got to this point in the first place, shall we? 

Emma Watson Wants to Know What All the Hubbub is About

-- Siege from AfterEllen.com

Unless you've been sequestered as part of jury duty or marooned on some deserted island for the past two weeks, you've already heard about the recent Hogwarts outing. On  Oct. 19, author J.K. Rowling outed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.  She didn't decide to wave a rainbow flag and shout it from the mountain tops or anything.  She simply answered a question  regarding whether Dumbledore ever found true love.  Rowling answered by saying, "Dumbledore is gay."  She went on to explain that he had been smitten with Gellert Grindelwald.

Naturally, entertainment reporters (being reporters) have felt it necessary to seek out reactions to this announcement from the folks who embody Rowling's characters on the big screen.  Daniel Radcliffe found it amusing.  Rupert Grint was surprised.  But my favorite reaction came from the face of Hermione Granger, Emma Watson.

Watson seems to think this really shouldn't be any big deal.

"This is the 21st century!  I just could not believe the amount of fuss that was being made over Dumbledore being gay."

Your Good, Gritty Fall Read: Hack by Melissa Plaut

I mean I’m just assuming Hack - How I Stopped Worrying About What to Do With My Life and Started Driving a Yellow Cab is going to be good, since I haven’t read it yet. (It just came out today.) But that fantastic Kubrickian title, plus the fact that I have frequently read Melissa Plaut’s blog over the last two years, is surely proof enough. Besides, what’s not to like? You get your reality from the vantage point of a gay, Jewish and female cab driver in New York City. I’m not sure if I could conjure a better perspective.

From the book flap:

“With wicked wit and arresting insight, Melissa Plaut reveals the crazy parade of humanity that passed through her cab – including struggling actors, federal judges, bartenders, strippers, and drug dealers – while showing how this grueling work provided her with empowerment and a greater sense of self. Hack introduces an irresistible new voice that is much like New York itself—vivid, gritty, profane, lyrical, and ineffably hip.”

More advanced praise and info on the book after the jump.

Melissa Auf Der Mauer's Got the Whole Package - New Album, Comic and Short Film in the Works!

Being the sci-fi dork that I am, the fact that former Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur networked at Comic Con to get her new musical project going makes me automatically like her.

But the project the Canadian musician was pitching sounds so cool, I can’t imagine those nerds not wanting in. Well, I should so it sounds cool if you’re into Vikings and time-travel. But who isn’t?

Melissa has recorded her sophomore solo album, called Out of Our Minds, but wants to present it as part of a multi-disciplinary project which includes a short film and a comic book. Today’s marketing is all about multiple platforms, after all.

More on MADM's new too-artsy-for-you package...after the jump!

Pat Benatar Goes Acoustic, Writes a Book, Sells Jell-O

I bet the new acoustic album won't have a cover like this.

In some ways, this news seems like a strange attempt to translate her music for people who don’t like rock. Which sucks, because Pat Benatar is so incredibly rockin’. But then I thought about being really hungover and how it might be nice to throw on the acoustic version of “Love is a Battlefield” or “Hell is For Children” and it would make me feel nice without hurting my head. So I decided it’s cool after all.

In other news, she and her guitar-playing husband, Neil Giraldo are also writing an autobiography about Pat’s start in the music business, exposing the sexism that goes on. I’d be interested to read that, it sounds totally feminist.

And just because they’re not busy enough with all that, they’re also writing a song for a Jell-O commercial, called “Passion”. I mean both the Jell-O and the song are called that.

My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way Has His Own Comic Book!

Could it be X-Men gone emo?

So Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance originally wanted to be a comic book artist, and despite touring for the band’s latest album, The Black Parade, he’s finally returned to his original love!

The series, which is called Umbrella Academy, is set for a September release, and I find it really funny how Gerard got around to actually making it:

“I finally started to get my footing after being clean and realized I had nine hours of free time a day. I was up when everybody was still passed out, and I was drawing in the catering room.”

Well, nothing like constantly hung-over friends to get your creativity rolling!

More on this Umbrella Academy...after the jump!

New Book Sums It Up: Paris + Lindsay = 'Dumb and Irresponsible' Squared

Danica McKellar figures high-profile antics hold little absolute value.

Which is greater? The average amount of time socialites spent in jail this year, or the median number of days rock stars attended rehab? One bright chick has calculated how to get even, more or less.

Math Doesn’t Suck, a new book aimed at young women by numerically gifted actor and author, Danica McKellar, flashes hip examples to encourage math achievement while it teaches that A-list misbehavior amounts to less than zero.

"When girls see the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, they think that being fun and glamorous also means being dumb and irresponsible," said McKellar, 32, who famously portrayed Winnie Cooper, the nerd-friendly but sexy girl next door on the hit late 80s dramedy, The Wonder Years. "But I want to show them that being smart is cool,” she explained to Newsweek.

Math Doesn’t Suck, to be published this Thursday, subtracts from teen rags like Tiger Beat and Seventeen to impart lessons and tips through personality quizzes, horoscopes and profiles of attractive mathematicians. McKellar, no Ugly Betty herself, majored in math at UCLA, where she coauthored a theorem that bears her name. She claims that as a student her role model was child star turned scholar and adult celebrity extraordinaire, Jodie Foster.

If an equation’s got you stumped, or you’re just plain hot for teacher, McKellar fields questions on exponents, factoring and other operations at her fan site, minus the mug shots.

Farley Granger Slept With Everyone

Farley Granger was a looker back in the day.

Rope is one of my favorite Hitchcock films.  I watched To Catch a Thief last night and it really pales in comparison.  I don’t just love Rope because of the homoeroticism, but, well, I love the homoeroticism.   Hitchcock did an astounding job of making it plain as day but slipping it by the censors. What’s even more interesting is that the writer and both the stars were queer. 

Farley Granger’s new memoir Include Me Out, which came out in March, states pretty unequivocally just how queer he is.  Which is ultimately very bisexual, even though he’s lived with his male partner since 1963.  He talks about affairs with the likes of Ava Gardner, Leonard Bernstein, Shelley Winters and Arthur Laurents, as well as friendships and meetings with Richard Burton, Kay Medford and Stella Adler.  I love reading about this time in Hollywood (the gossip, the drama!) and I especially love a memoir from an interviewee in The Celluloid Closet.  Old gay Hollywood never ceases to captivate me.

Two of Granger's famous lovers: Ava Gardner and Leonard Bernstein.  Is it wrong for me to hope that Ava was bisexual too?

Daily Buzz Bits: Introducing Kate Nash, Harry Potter Review & More!

You'll be jumping too when you hear Kate Nash's killer tunes. Hurrah! And the NY Times dissects the new Harry Potter. Can you take it?

Ready for this summer’s next big Brit female pop star? Move over, Lily Allen. Back up, Ms. Winehouse... Here comes Kate Nash. And she’s got a song called “D*ckhead.” Har! Disconap explains it all...

Michiko Kakutani reviews the new Harry Potter book for the NY Times. Kakutani says it ends the series “with good old-fashioned closure: a big-screen, heart-racing, bone-chilling confrontation and an epilogue that clearly lays out people’s fates."

AND...

Gays got nominated for Emmys today... And I’m not just talking about Project Runway, y’all...

Fab fey singer Patrick Wolf has leaked some details about his next album, fyi...

You can watch Naomi Campbell’s new Dunkin’ Donuts ad online (which was directed by Zach Braff, randomly). Watch out for flying stilettos!

Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role formerly played by Katie Holmes in the next Batman flick. I like Mags because she’s whip-smart, and a sexy mama. Later, Mrs. Cruise.

And cuz who can ever get enough of Kelly Clarkson? She’s yakking it up w/MTV. Keep on keepin' on, Kel!

Steven Spielberg Will Direct Upcoming TinTin Movie...But Not The Racist One.

TinTin's a bit more of an icon in Europe than he is here, but he'll be on the big screen soon enough.

I’m a huge TinTin fan. I know the comics are often considered kid’s books, but I don’t just love them because of nostalgia. I still think they’re great now - I’ve even been TinTin for Halloween, since he's a fellow redhead.

I also think TinTin was gay, but that’s another story.

I couldn’t really defend the original comics Herge wrote in the 1930s through the '70s, though, as I’ve never read them. I’m only a fan of the ‘90s cartoon that aired on Nickelodeon, which is supposedly a loyal adaptation.

And even though the comic is over 70-years old, the stories of the mystery-solving Belgian reporter are causing controversy today. This week, Borders stores moved one, just one of the 24, TinTin comics out of the children’s section because British groups accused the edition of containing, ''imagery and words of hideous racial prejudice.''

More on TinTin's not-OK depictions of Africa...and the TinTin movies after the jump!

The Literary Verve of Queer Bike Messengers

Cyclizen poster boy and Lynn Breedlove in the film Godspeed.

Jim Provenzano has written a new novel chronicling the escapades of a queer bike messenger involved in AIDS activism, corporate espionage and, of course, romantic entanglements. Cyclizen takes place in New York City and each chapter heading includes the street corner where the action takes place. (A nice touch, in my opinion.) Plus the guy on the cover is a hottie and I think we should all make an effort to have more “attractive” books on our shelves.

While I’m not sure about the title (it sounds like a pharmaceutical), the content sounds right up my alley. I loved Lynn Breedlove’s Godspeed (another queer bike messenger manifesto) so much. I remember my friends and I reading it aloud on a road trip and spazzing out ecstatically. Godspeed also premiered in film form at this summer’s Frameline festival in San Francisco. I haven't seen it yet, but it looks pretty smokin’.

New Order of the Phoenix Pictures, Interviews and Buzz on Potentially Scarred Children Everywhere!

The Hogwarts students enter their fifth year. And yes I could list the names of each of the characters off the top of my head, but why give away all of my mystique?

I apologize to the non-Harry Potter dorks in the audience, but I need a little check-in. And you know what? You haters can listen too, since it's just a $3.5 billion industry and all.

First off, I just found this picture of the Hogwarts students who follow Harry into the D.A. And I have to say, it looks like the casting directors got Luna Lovegood, the blond on the right and my personal favorite from the books, just right!

And please enjoy some fun interviews with the supporting cast we never really get to hear from (I've seen enough of Daniel Radcliffe nude), including little sister Ginny, love-interest Cho, spacey, newbie Luna and soft-spoken Neville.

Rumors of Harry Potter's death in the final book and producers turning the Paris subway into Hogwarts Express ...after the jump!

Book It: Who's Your TV Alter Ego?

This is your next party topic: Are you more Buffy, Willow, Xander, Angel or Cordelia? Finally, you can know for sure... A cocktail might help the research.

Summer reading needn't be a solitary exercise. The festive new tome, Who's Your TV Alter Ego? (which is self-described as "The Ultimate Television Character Personality Test") by elusive author Noah Lusky, is a book meant to be shared. Out loud. With friends. And if cocktails, snacks and rowdy attitudes are prevalent, all the better.

The book offers up the chance to (sort of) scientifically define which of your favorite TV characters you're most like. Meaning, if you were a character on Grey's Anatomy or Ugly Betty, who would be? (Of course, if T.R. Knight and Michael Urie are reading this, they know already...)

There are over 52 TV shows to choose from, from Gilligan's Island to Scooby Doo to Seinfeld to 90210 to The Sopranos to The Simpsons to Heroes. I took the quiz with a bunch of friends while hanging on a sailboat cruise a couple of weeks back. From Sex and the City? I'm Samantha. From The Golden Girls? Blanche. Heyyy... I can't help it. I'm friendly! (Though from the Strangers With Candy crew, I'm Mr. Jellineck. Wha...?)

More TV Alter Ego intrigue after the jump!

Dina McGreevey: Waaaah! Blames Ex for Bad Gay Sales?

Mrs. McGreevey is not happy that her book ain't selling to gays... Meanwhile, hubby Jim is gaying it up! Oh, saintly Judith Light, resist his ooky charms, please!

This is just kooky. There's an article out today about how Dina Matos McGreevey is raging mad (and possibly planning a lawsuit) against her former husband, gay ex-governor Jim McGreevey, because his claims that she's homophobic have harmed her career. Turns out that Mrs. M says that due to all of the ex-gov's claims that she doesn't like gays, her tell-all memoir Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage has been selling poorly, especially to one of its key target audiences: Gay men.

Wha...? Ummm, okayyy. When will both of these McGreevey people just go away? It's bad enough that us gays have to now endure minister-to-be Jim out and about at nice gay events (He shows up at everything and talks to cameras and we're supposed to pay attention. Urf...). And now the Mrs. has gotten into the act. Were we supposed to care about her memoir? I mean she got to do Oprah (who liiiiives for those tales of wives done wrong by their gay husbands, which is creepy enough). I mean, if she can't sell her book after that, she's screwed.

More McGreevey mess after the jump.

Mrs. McGreevey Does Oprah, Kept Sleeping With "Gay American" Hubby

Dina Matos McGreevey's unhappy tale; and the former First Couple of New Jersey back when they were clueless and, er, happy?

There’s no way this whole Jim McGreevey vs. Dina Matos McGreevey divorce/custody battle mess can be done nicely. This past week Mrs. McG has claimed that the former NJ Gov has nudie male art posters in his bedroom, and that that is a bad thing. And Mr. McG claimed his wife knew he was gay and married him anyway. And they both have books out about it. Urf...

Today, the NY Post says that while taping an appearance on Oprah, Dina Matos McGreevey (who’s on the show plugging her book, Silent Partner) explains that even after McGreevey made his “I am a gay American” speech and came out, the couple shared a bed for months. And weirdly, she seems put off that he wasn’t frisky in the sack anymore? Ummm... Wha?

More McGreevey messiness after the jump!

Out's "Glass Closet" Open for Mika?

You all heard about Out Magazine's big gay cover story for their May issue, that features a cover story that sort of outs Anderson Cooper and Jodie Foster? Yep, those tough customers at Out just aren't about to allow any celebs to remain in the closet who are really gay, but don't want to state it officially.

But then I heard in an off-handed way from someone behind the scenes that Out has conducted a cover story interview with rising pop star Mika (left) for an upcoming issue. Maybe that was the photo shoot that delayed Mika's in-store gig at the Borders here in NYC a couple of weeks ago (as reported by Queerty)?

As folks who've followed Mika know, the up-and-coming singer has heretofore been unwilling to openly declare his sexuality. He's even gotten death threats about his refusal to do so (which seems rather insane).

So, is Out putting him on the cover anyway? Are they promoting him and interviewing him even if he's not willing to discuss his sexuality? Or has Mika perhaps decided to talk frankly about his sex stuff in Out? Or maybe this is all a bunch of rumor and poppycock?

Guess we'll have to wait and see...

Stella Got Her Groove Back. Now She Wants $40 Million.

Terry McMillan and her gay ex-husband, Jonathan Plummer. It's payback time!

This gay guys marrying straight women and then coming out and having a messy divorce thing may be an old, time-worn tradition, but it’s also a costly one. Jim McGreevey’s ex Dina is all up in his "gay American" grill penning a book about her side of the marital meltdown, and now the estranged spouses are set to go to court to battle over custody of their kids. Meanwhile, Terry McMillan, the author of Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, has decided to sue her gay ex-husband for $40 million, claiming that he tried to sully her reputation during their much publicized 2005 divorce. (Although, she chose to go on Oprah with her ex, Jonathan Plummer, to talk about it. Which doesn’t seem like the most discreet way to handle such a matter.)

McMillan is also claiming that her young ex, Jonathan Plummer, who is Jamaican, only married her to gain U.S. citizenship. (Frankly, if you’re a young gay guy in Jamaica, you better do something to get the hell out of there. It’s not nice. However, marrying a woman under false pretenses is probably not the best way to go about it.) This ought to get interesting. And how could a high-profile suit and the publicity that will come with it not just make things worse for McMillan publicly? Maybe she should just do this to get even. (the clip really gets good from the 2:12 mark...)

Plummer now works in Danville, California as a hairstylist. McMillan’s an author who sells millions. I think they’re both gonna be fine.

NY Comic Con Invaded By Gays!

Rest easy, folks. Aquaman and Superman are on hand to make sure NY Comic Con goes smoothly. And really gayish-ly.

This past weekend legions of men in tights and women in sensible shoes wielding Buffy paraphernalia took to NYC's Jacob Javits Center. Yep, it was time for NY Comic Con and esteemed homo writer extraordinaire Lawrence Ferber was among them.

Comic books aren’t just for geeks anymore, although there were certainly a hearty share of them on hand at the New York Comic Con. In between the husky Jedi's urgently twirling their light sabers in friendly battle, and spandex-clad superheroes and Star Wars characters striking poses for impromptu photo calls, all shade of queer navigated the aisles of comics, big movie displays and previews (for the likes of Fantastic Four 2, Hills Have Eyes 2, and Hostel 2), celebrity signing booths, and, well, seriously hot nerd boys and girls.

Valentine's Day Love-In: Buzz Bits!

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like some panties in a store window. Right?

J-Hud says "hey!" from the cover of Vogue. And she blows you a kiss from the Dreamgirls premiere today in Tokyo.


Everyone’s favorite Dreamgirl/valentine Jennifer Hudson is on the cover of next month’s Vogue! Bizarrely, she’s only the third African-American non-model, after Oprah Winfrey and Halley Berry, to grace the cover of the magazine. And Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley is stoked. Watch this video!

Nice "B-day" suit, Beyonce!

Not to be outdone, everyone’s other favorite Dreamgirl/valentine, Beyonce, straps on a bikini and does the cover of the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issue.

AND...


Nothing says love like free condoms! And they’re giving them away in NYC today! On the subway, even.

The 100 Greatest Love Songs... Ever! As chosen by the NY Daily News. I think the list is a bit lame. (Where’s The Cure? Where’s Leonard Cohen? Where’s Ciara?) But your mom and dad might like it.

Worst. Valentine’s. Day. Gifts. EVER! (Though I kind of wanna bake up the “heart-shaped potato.” Got sour cream?)

An actually cute gift idea for Valentine’s Day: A foxy T-shirt from Minoritees. They’re gay-owned and downright fierce.

Perhaps an ever better gift? How about some “green” lube? “Green” as in eco-friendly! Watch this handy video to get schooled!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Camille Paglia! She’s back writing for Salon!

Finally, NYC’s own Xavier (a young, up-and-coming, soulful artist) has posted an MP3 of his latest love song, “Something About Us.” Listen, and then get busy.

Xavier's got some aural love for you this V-Day. Enjoy!

America's Next Top Model: Ellen!

Yep, that's Ellen... At her W Magazine cover story photo shoot.

I posted last week about Ellen DeGeneres’ foxy turn on the cover of the next issue of the storied fashion tome, W. Usually, the mag features the likes of Gwyneth, Nicole or Charlize, but they’ve now included the super-fabulous Ellen (who's sexy in her own right) among their ranks of glamazons.

Another shot of Ellen during the shoot. Fashion-y!

Anyway, check out this fun video that Ellen took behind-the-scenes of her W cover shoot. Dani, Yoanna, CariDee or Naima ain’t got nothin’ on Ellen. And you’ll love how the audience howls and cheers when Ellen gets sexy in the clip. It’s all very girl-on-girl, sisterhoodly-fabulous.

And the fab end result...

This whole silly bit also reminded me of the short-lived, nighttime soap (circa 1984) Paper Dolls, all about oversexed teen models and the women who controlled them. The cast included Mimi Rogers, Brenda Vacarro, Lauren Hutton, a very young Nicolette Sheridan and “Morgan Fairchild as Racine.” Watch the lengthy opening credits...



Yes...

yes...

And yes!

Brilliant!

Pro-Basketballer John Amaechi Comes Out!

Former NBA player John Amaechi is coming out! Welcome to openly gay-land, sir!

Okay, I should really say FORMER NBA player comes out, since John Amaechi retired from his last stint with the Utah Jazz in 2003 (he also played with the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers), but nonetheless, it’s kinda cool. He’s the first NBA player ever to come out as a gay. (Plus, he’s big, tall, good-looking and has a cool British accent. What’s not to love?)

Amaechi shoots for the English team at the Commonwealth Games a few years back.

Amaechi tells his story in Man in the Middle, to be published by ESPN books and which hits stores on February 13th (or on Feb. 20th; reports are conflicting). Turns out that the British b-baller is really frank about his life as a closeted pro athlete. And it’s cool to report that’s he’s very graceful, smart, self-deprecating and witty in how he tells his tale. Turns out that after his initital post-collegiate stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Amaechi spent three years playing basketball in Europe, where he dated and had a regular boyfriend in England for a while (awwwww...). He came back to the NBA in 1999, and remained celibate until he joined the Utah Jazz. Then, as Outsports writes:

His guaranteed contract with the Jazz set his mind at ease, and it was there that he began venturing out to gay establishments and building a mostly gay circle of friends (the first wide circle of friends of his life, according to the book).

"Those grumpy social conservatives who continue to insist that gay life is lonely and unhappy have obviously never met my friends," Amaechi wrote.


In fact, it turns out that Amaechi has been in touch with OutSports’ Cyd Zeigler for the past few months, and Zeigler even helped him hook up with publicist Howard Bragman, who also steered the coming out process for other pro jocks like WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, NFL-er Esera Tuaolo and golfer Rosie Jones.



This is gonna hit bookstores in the next week or so. Get it!

You can hear more from Amaechi directly this weekend. He’ll be the subject of ESPN's weekly talk show "Outside the Lines" this Sunday, February 11th at 9:30 a.m. ET. The book will also be excerpted next week on ESPN.com and in the next issue of ESPN: The Magazine.

Does this mean we can expect bad puns on the term "swish"??? (Which usually references the sound a ball makes when it goes through the net...) Oooof.

Congrats, Amaechi!

Ellen DeGeneres Rocks the Cover of W!!!

Yep, glamazons... That's gaydom's own Ellen DeGeneres looking glossy and gorgeous on the cover of the next issue of W Magazine. The oversized fashion tome dresses up the talk show queen (and Oscar host), and features a great in-depth interview with the lesbian superstar--and her girlfriend Portia de Rossi, too.

In the interview, Ellen talks a bit of fashion...

"I usually wear Jil Sander, or I wear Marc Jacobs, or I wear Viktor & Rolf.... I love Raf Simons, but I didn’t know he was even doing the [Jil Sander] collection. I like Neil Barrett. I love clothes, so when I wear clothes, they’re usually somebody’s. You know, I’m not wearing Kmart."

And she talks about how in red-carpet scenarios, she feels a bit overlooked:

"Whenever Portia and I are on the red carpet, they’re yelling out for her to tell them what she’s wearing. But nobody cares [about what I’m wearing] because I have a suit on, even if it’s a Gucci suit. That to me is frustrating, because I put effort into getting ready too. But I guess it’s not as important, and I’m not as dressed up somehow."

But don't think she's gone all totally glam on us:

"It was fun [for the shoot] having somebody do that to my hair, and do that makeup. But would I want to do that every single day? No. "

Further in the article, she offers her take on the newest generation of comics like Sasha Baron Cohen (she loves), Sarah Silverman (she also loves) and Kathy Griffin (er... not so much.)

Norman Mailer Goes Gay! Really! (Okay, Fictitiously, But Still…)

Perhaps Norman Mailer is imagining some "bounteous" German buttocks?

Norman Mailer’s latest book, The Castle in the Forest, is an imagined version of the youth of Adolph Hitler. But that’s not all, folks… For the first time ever, the notoriously macho/surly man's-man author Mailer has included some gay action in the pages (very authoritatively voiced, one might add). No, it’s not young Adolph getting it on, same-sex-style. It’s his older brother who gets frisky with a guy.

Included in the juicy pink prose are lines like “happy blood-filled organ” and a rear end described as a “bounteously endowed temple.” Woo-hoo!

Does this mean Mailer and Gore Vidal might find a common ground over which to kiss and make up after decades of feuding?

Errrr… Don’t count on it.

Buzz Bits: Ford's Gay Hero, Capt. Jack's Wedding, Wentworth In Oz

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.

Buzz Bits: Rosie/Donald Snarl-Fest, Harry Potter & NJ Makes It Legal!

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!

Chloë in the House (& Garden)

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.

Black & BLEU & Red All Over

Red is the new BLEU!

BLEU, the brand new (they’re just on their second issue) magazine created by and for gay African-American readers, has changed colors for their spiffy new December issue. To honor and pay tribute to the importance of World AIDS Day, “Bleu goes Red.” Meaning, they’ve traded their blue logo for a red one as a nod to the current global Join(RED) campaign developed by Bobby Schriver and Bono. As the magazine’s founder/publisher Devon Christopher sez: “...It's time to fight and get active. BLEU targets young African American gay men and their friends, we wanted to address this issue in an empowering way. Our red logo is a wake-up call.”

The "red" issue's fashion flip cover, and