Betty White On SNL - Open Thread
Don't forget that Betty White's hotly anticipated hosting gig on Saturday Night Live is tonight! Come back here during the show and afterwards with your reviews.
Labels: Betty White, gay icons, SNL
Don't forget that Betty White's hotly anticipated hosting gig on Saturday Night Live is tonight! Come back here during the show and afterwards with your reviews.
Labels: Betty White, gay icons, SNL
Verizon has asked New York state regulators to give them permission to discontinue annual delivery of the residential White Pages.
The company estimates that it would save nearly 5,000 tons of paper by ending the automatic distribution of the books. Only about one of every nine households uses the hard-copy listings anymore, according to Verizon, which cited a 2008 Gallup survey. Most have switched to looking up numbers online or calling directory assistance. The phone book for many people, it seems, has gone from indispensable tool to unavoidable nuisance. “Phone books have been a very visceral issue,” said Scott Cassel, executive director of the Product Stewardship Institute, an environmental group in Boston. “They do tend to pile up, particularly in apartments. More and more, people are finding that they don’t need them, but they can’t find a way to make them stop.”White Pages directories would still be available by request. The highly profitable Yellow Pages directories will continue to be delivered. And as ignored as the White Pages.
Labels: internet, New York state, publishing, Verizon
The same Staten Island ferry aboard which 11 passengers were killed in 2003 has crashed into the dock again, resulting in 37 injuries.
According to Jim Long, a spokesman for the Fire Department of New York, 17 of the 37 have been transported to area hospitals. “The other 20 will be evaluated, treated and they could be transported to hospitals,” he said. Mr. Long said that one woman experienced chest pains and had difficulty breathing. She was taken to an area hospital. Charles Rowe, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said that there were 252 passengers and 18 crew members on board. According to Mr. Rowe and Paul J. Browne, a New York Police Department spokesman, the crash occurred when the ferry’s engines appeared to malfunction and there was a loss of steering power. “As the ship was preparing to dock in Staten Island in St. George, there was a steering failure and the ship allided with the dock,” Mr. Rowe said. Among the injured were two police officers assigned to the ferry for security duties, Mr. Browne said.I rarely ride the Staten Island ferry, but when I do I'm usually standing on the forward open deck of the lowest level. I should probably rethink that.
Labels: mass transit, MTA, NYC, Staten Island, Staten Island Ferry
The headquarters of the organizers of Baltic Pride in Vilnius suffered a firebomb attempt last night, but Lithuania's first tiny gay parade went on under the protection of hundreds of soldiers and city police.
Opponents of Lithuania's first gay pride parade threw smoke bombs and tried to break through a barrier Saturday but were stopped by police firing tear gas. Later, protesters threw rocks and street signs at security forces, and two Lithuanian lawmakers were detained after trying to climb the barrier. About 400 people took part in the two-hour march — dubbed "For Equality" — in a sealed-off area in downtown Vilnius. Holding large rainbow flags and dancing to music blaring from loudspeakers, they walked along a road near the city's Neris river.Fascist groups lined the parade route with megaphones to hurl insults at the marchers. From the below clip's description:
Participants included many foreigners, diplomats and members of the European Parliament. "We are here because we believe ... in a just society. Labels are for filing, for clothing, not for people. And we are here today to remove labels from people," said Birgitta Ohlsson, Sweden's minister for European Union affairs. Some 800 police, some on horses, were mobilized to provide security and keep at bay more than 1,000 demonstrators. Protesters carried crosses and signs and shouted insults at rally participants. A Catholic Mass at the nearby national cathedral was held to pray for homosexuals. "Sweden has already wiped out traditional families. Now they came over here to tell us how to live, how to think and who to sleep with. Lithuania will not allow such perversions," said Jonas Kempinskas, who walked from the Cathedral to the protest holding a huge cross.
When standing among the public watching the Parade my blood runs cold, listening to the conversations. My Lithuanian might still be limited, but the conversations are pretty clear. The most prevailing words are provocation and pederasts, and the presence of a fascist gang evokes emotions ranging from laughter to outright support. The group is not large, agreed, but they can roam about freely and are in no way hindered in expressing their views: Away with pederasts, away with Jews, away with occupants, with here and there a creative variety like Euro-pederasts. A banner shows the Prime Minister taking the mayor of Vilnius from behind undoubtedly he belongs to the category of Euro-pederasts. Fascists demonstrating freely in a city where the whole Jewish community of 80,000 inhabitants was murdered: it evokes some very special feelings. This is the European Union, this is an ancient cosmopolitan city with a rich and also painful pasts. But it is a city that clearly has not fully accepted European morals and values.Next month when you complain about the commercialization of gay Pride and all those floats sponsored by banks, stop for a minute and consider what our brothers and sisters in Vilnuis endured today just to walk down their own streets as a proud openly gay people.
Labels: Baltics, fascists, gay Pride, Lithuania
Labels: Australia, dance music, nightlife
What a disappointment CNN's coverage was tonight. But WOW, did Rachel Maddow ever hit it out of the park! JMG reader Curtis observed on Facebook: "The difference in reporting between the two is notable. Probably not coincidental that one is out and one is not."
Labels: Anderson Cooper, Family Reseach Council, journalism, NARTH, Rachel Maddow, religion, scandal
Tune into Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pm tonight as Jo-Vanni Roman, Dan Savage, and anti-"ex-gay" activist Wayne Besen rip into the NARTH/Family Research Council scandal enveloping Dr. George Rekers. Must see TV, y'all!
Labels: Anderson Cooper, CNN, Dan Savage, Family Reseach Council, NARTH, prostitution, scandal, Wayne Besen
As you might expect, Craig Ferguson delivers the funniest take on the Rekers scandal. Starts at the 2:00 mark.
Labels: "ex-gay", Craig Ferguson, Family Reseach Council, NARTH, prostitution, scandal
I just got off the phone with Nadine Smith at Equality Florida who tells us that our campaign against Bill McCollum has finally forced him to acknowledge the Dr. George Rekers scandal. McCollum's press release:
As hired counsel for the Florida Department of Children and Families, our office is committed to providing our client with the best possible legal representation in this matter. Dr. Rekers, a professor emeritus from University of South Carolina and a neuropsychologist with a degree from UCLA, came to our attention by recommendation from another academic after an exhaustive search for potential expert witnesses who were willing to testify. Dr. Rekers had exceptional credentials and he had provided testimony in similar cases on two separate occasions, one of which was a Florida case in Federal Court. The contract was executed at the direction of the Department of Children and Families, and the ACLU did not object to his position as an expert at the hearing. He has completed his testimony and is no longer involved in this case.Equality Florida has learned that amount of money paid by the state to Rekers is actually much higher than originally thought.
An online search of Florida vendors shows Rekers was paid roughly $120,000 and his co-hort Walter Schumm recieved an additional $36,000 in taxpayer money. McCollum's office also tried to downplay their relationship with Rekers, insisting that DCF paid him, ignoring the fact that the Attorney General's office prosecuted the case, defined the strategy and selected its witnesses. But was McCollum's attempt to shift focus to DCF more than a political sleight of hand? Was it simply a lie? The same records that show that Rekers was paid double what was originally reported, also show the agency responsible for the funds as "Office of Attorney General- Finance & Accounting."Go to Equality Florida's petition demanding that McCollum apologize. Continue to rain down your outrage on McCollum's Facebook campaign page. Call out Bill McCollum for his LIE that this is the work of Florida's Department of Children and Families. And as Nadine Smith just said to me, "How can he think it's BETTER that people think this huge amount of money was ripped from the nearly destitute agency devoted to serving Florida's children?" We WILL hang the albatross known as Dr. George Rekers around Bill McCollum's turkey wattle.
Labels: bigotry, douchenozzles, Equality Florida, Florida, gay adoption, gay families, hypocrisy, liars, scams, scandal
I've had a couple more phone conversations with Jo-Vanni today. He reports that his interview with CNN this morning "went pretty well," but that they gave him no indication when it will air. (I've emailed my contact at CNN to ask.) And they apparently will show him on camera.
Labels: Equality Florida, Family Reseach Council, Fort Lauderdale, gay youth, NARTH, scandal
But it's OK. He is arisen.
A 20-year-old Pittsfield driver was cited by police Tuesday after she ran down Lord Jesus Christ in a marked crosswalk at Main Street and Strong Avenue, police said. Brittany E. Cantarella was cited for a crosswalk violation, said Northampton police Capt. Scott Savino. Christ, 50, of Belchertown, was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for treatment of minor injuries following the 3:30 p.m. accident. He was treated at the hospital and then released. Cantarella was making a left turn from Strong Avenue onto Main Street when her car, a 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, struck Christ. Christ was in a marked crosswalk at the time of the accident, Savino said. Savino said officers checked Christ’s identification at the scene and confirmed it was his legal name.
Labels: Jeebus, Massachusetts, silliness, traffic
A court in Lithuania has overturned the ban on Baltic Pride.
A Lithuanian appeals court says a gay pride parade can go ahead as planned this weekend, overturning a ban imposed by a lower court that cited security concerns. Law enforcement officials have warned that Saturday's parade in downtown Vilnius could spark violence and should be canceled, an argument that swayed the lower court. But the Supreme Administration Court said Friday that the rights to assembly and expression are guaranteed by the European Convention and the government is obligated to defend them.The parade is tomorrow. Let's hope everybody stays safe.
Labels: gay Pride, LGBT rights, Lithuania
You'll have to listen closely as the audio is somewhat overwhelmed by traffic noise, but it appears that things are going well.
Labels: DOMA, feds, GLAD, LGBT rights, Massachusetts
1948's Red River starring Montgomery Clift and John Wayne!
Labels: movies, Steve Hayes, Tired Old Queen At The Movies
Iowa state Sen. Merlin Bartz wants to mark sure that state agencies don't extend right or privileges to gay couples, even though his state legalized same sex marriage last year. One the things Bartz wants to stop is the plan to allow gay couples to use the family campground portion of state parks.
The rates or fees for camp sites are the same, whether you’re a family or a non-family, but the state allows families to put up more than one tent on a camp site. “They’re changing their language even though the state legislature has not had a debate on this particular issue,” Bartz says. Bartz is a member of the Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee which meets on Monday. He’s asked D.N.R. officials to explain their proposal at that meeting. Bartz says he wants to be “vigilant” and keep state agencies from writing rules that extend new benefits to gay couples. “A lot of the advocates of gay marriage in Iowa have said, ‘It doesn’t affect anything. Nothing has changed,’” Bartz says. “The reality of it is that everything is changing.” Bartz concedes the D.N.R. might be sued if they fail to ensure “family” policies for camping apply to gay couples, although Bartz says the state may be sued by gay marriage opponents if the rule is changed.The campground rule change will be voted on this summer. Why must it be VOTED on?
Labels: assholery, camping, Iowa, LGBT rights, marriage equality
JMG reader Sean Chapin reacts to yesterday's "not a hate crime" verdict in Brooklyn. Watch this. WATCH THIS.
Labels: Brooklyn, hate crimes, Jose Sucuzhanay, NYC, Sean Chapin
But not in the good way. With no majority won in yesterday's election, a coalition government will have to be created.
David Cameron has reached out to the Liberal Democrats in an effort to form a government - after the UK general election resulted in a hung parliament. The Tory leader, whose party won most seats but was short of a majority, said he wanted to make a "big open and comprehensive offer" to the Lib Dems. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it could include Lib Dems in cabinet. Labour leader Gordon Brown has already stressed his party's "common ground" with the third biggest party. The Tories are expected to get 305 seats, just short of the 326 needed for an outright majority. Labour are expected to end with 255 MPs and the Lib Dems 61. Past practice under Britain's unwritten constitution sees the sitting prime minister in a hung parliament having the right to make the first attempt at forming a ruling coalition.RELATED: Northern Ireland Prime Minister Peter Robinson, the husband of the boy-fucking cougar and anti-gay Iris Robinson, lost his seat in Parliament. His loss was quite unexpected. Robinson had been expect to help craft Parliament's coalition.
Labels: 2010 elections, Britain, Gordon Brown, Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson, UK
From the New York Times' Paul Schmidtberger:
If there were any truth to the idea that a particular name can guarantee a particular character trait for the child — or vice versa — most people would be named Vaguely Dissatisfied. Or Kinda Bitter. In my case, my parents could’ve just named me Unemployed and saved everybody a lot of trouble. Misspelling a child’s name won’t make Junior special, creative or unique. Y’s and I’s are not interchangeable, and apostrophes are not some sort of newfangled confetti to be sprinkled liberally throughout groups of letters. Parents shouldn’t impose cryptic, incoherent or foolish spellings on their own children, nor on society as a whole. And they shouldn’t condemn their children to a lifetime of bleakly repeating that, no, the name in question is spelled “Shaiyahne,” not “Cheyenne.” (And while I’m at it, don’t name your child Cheyenne, either.)My eight year old niece's name is both unusual AND its spelling in non-intuitive. But there isn't any random punctuation in it, at least.
Labels: language, New York Times, parenting
Producer Stuart Price's influence is quite evident on this, the first single from the upcoming third album by Scissor Sisters. Elton John meets The Killers' Human. And that's a very good thing.
Labels: dance music, gay artists, NYC, pop music, Scissor Sisters
From a British campaign to battle loneliness among seniors.
Labels: aging, gay artists, Ian McKellen, UK
Around 1am this morning I got tipped by one of the guys at Unzipped that Jo-Vanni Roman was finally ready to speak with me. Five minutes later I had him on the phone from Fort Lauderdale, but not before I alerted Father Tony to be ready to rush over to him immediately for a video interview. Jo-Vanni declined to meet with Tony for reasons you'll learn at the bottom of this post. Right now, I'm going to cover some key points of our 90 minute, wide-ranging conversation before they slip out of my mind. It's 3:00AM!
Labels: Family Reseach Council, NARTH, prostitution, religion, scandal
NARTH has responded to the prostitution scandal enveloping their star performer, Dr. George Rekers.
While NARTH is focused on the science of homosexual attraction, personal controversies often deepen the existing cultural divide on this issue. Such is the case in the recent news stories concerning one of our members, Dr. George Rekers. NARTH takes seriously the accusations that have been made,and we are currently attempting to understand the details behind these press reports. We are always saddened when this type of controversy impacts the lives of individuals, and we urge all parties to allow a respectful and thorough investigation to take place. At this difficult time for the families and individuals involved, we extend our sympathies. We also wish to reiterate our traditional position that these personal controversies do not change the scientific data, nor do they detract from the important work of NARTH. NARTH continues to support scientific research, and to value client atonomy, client self-determination and client diversity.Rekers remains listed on the officers section of NARTH's site. For now, anyway. For those blissfully unaware, NARTH is by far the most repulsively foul of anti-gay groups. And that's saying something. According to NARTH, gay men are literally shit-eating pedophiles with the nonexistent "gay bowel disease." But we can be changed. And incidentally, I've been told they are following the Rekers story on JMG "very closely."
Labels: "ex-gay", hookers, liars, NARTH, prostitution, scandal
Unbelievable. Hakim Scott, on trial for the brutal 2008 murder of Ecuadorean immigrant Jose Sucuzhanay, has been convicted of manslaughter only. The jury dismissed the hate crimes charge, despite overwhelming evidence that Scott and his accomplice screamed anti-gay and anti-Hispanic epithets as they beat Sucuzhanay to death with a metal baseball bat. The second jury is still deliberating the case of Scott's accomplice, Keith Phoenix.
Scott was accused of breaking the bottle over the head of Sucuzhanay as he walked arm-and-arm with his brother, Romel, on a cold night in Brooklyn. The brothers were returning home from a bar; Jose was drunk, and Romel was helping him walk. Prosecutors said Scott, 26, and Phoenix, 30, mistook the brothers for gay men, and yelled anti-Hispanic and anti-gay slurs at them. Scott smashed the bottle over Jose Sucuzhanay's head and chased after Romel with the broken bottle, while Phoenix beat Sucuzhanay with an aluminum baseball bat so badly he cracked open his skull, prosecutors said. Sucuzhanay died several days later at a hospital. Phoenix has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, manslaughter and attempted assault, all as hate crimes. His jury began deliberations Thursday evening. Phoenix's defense attorney, Philip Smallman, said Thursday in closing arguments that the case was about a fight that escalated, not a premeditated attack.New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is livid. Via press release:
“I am outraged by the dismissal of hate crime charges in one of the most heinous acts of hate our city has witnessed in recent memory. It is incomprehensible to me that such violent acts of hate could receive a verdict of not guilty. Hakim Scott viciously attacked Jose Sucuzhanay while calling him derogatory names and stood by and watched while his fellow attacker, Keith Phoenix, beat Jose with a baseball bat. Jose was attacked simply because of who he was and who these two criminals perceived him to be. His attack was motivated and fueled by pure hatred. I urge all New Yorkers to join me in condemning this verdict, as we did when we originally learned of this attack.I just really cannot believe this. These monsters singled out the Suzuchanay brothers, thinking they were gay because they had their arms around each other. They then beat Jose to death while screaming "Faggot ass niggers!" at them. How the FUCK was this not a hate crime?
"Justice was served with guilty verdicts on manslaughter and attempted assault charges. With these two charges combined, Hakim Scott faces up to forty years in prison. The fact is, however, that Mr. Scott has escaped serving any time for his vicious hate, hate that was at the heart of this horrible crime and murder. This is a sad day for the family of Jose Sucuzhanay and for all those who uphold and fight for tolerance and acceptance. I pledge to the Sucuzhanay family that our fight is not over and we will do all that we can to see Mr. Scott in jail for the rest of his life. We remain hopeful that Keith Phoenix will ultimately be found rightfully guilty in the hate charges he faces."
Labels: Brooklyn, bullshit, hate crimes, Jose Sucuzhanay, murder, NYC
In a letter written to the Miami Herald's LGBT issues blogger, Steve Rothaus, Dr. George Rekers is threatening a lawsuit against the Miami New Times for calling him a homosexual. According to Rekers, rentboy Jo-Vanni Roman called him today begging to him to tell the world that he was not hired to be a prostitute. Rekers says:
If today’s news story in the Miami New Times is accurate, I have been advised to retain the services of a defamation attorney in this matter, because the fact is that I am not gay and never have been. My travel assistant called me this afternoon earnestly asking me to clarify on my website that he worked for me as a travel companion and not as a prostitute. I completely agreed with my travel assistant that it is absolutely true that I hired him and he worked for me as a travel companion and not as a prostitute. I also read to him the first sentence that has been posted on my website for several days that says, “A recent article in an alternative newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute to hire a prostitute to accompany him on a recent trip.”Rekers goes on to recount the phone call, using the expression "life my luggage" six times. SNORK. So now the ball is back in Jo-Vanni's court. Did this phone call really happen? Is Jo-Vanni now concerned about a possible arrest? Much more likely is that Rekers has completely invented this entire story.
Both Rekers and Geo, who declined to give his real name, deny they had a sexual relationship during their 10-day journey to Spain and England. "In all honesty, I did go on the trip with him,'' Geo, 20, told The Miami Herald on Wednesday. "He was setting me up as a companion. In all honesty, he's a very kind, family-values man.'' Rekers, 61, said via e-mail that he hired Geo as "an assistant to lift his luggage in his travels because of an ongoing condition following surgery.''
He added: "Dr. Rekers found his recent travel assistant by interviewing acquaintances. There was nothing inappropriate with this relationship. Professor Rekers was not involved in any illegal or sexual behavior with his travel assistant.'' Geo says Rekers -- the father of three grown sons -- hired him to carry luggage, be a companion and to translate Spanish to English during their time in Spain. "Nor did he pay me enough'' for sex, Geo said. "I was getting about $75 a day,'' Geo said, adding that he and his friends usually charge $300 to $500 a day for sex. Geo said he is a Miami Dade College student who became a prostitute to pay his bills. "I was just trying to get through school,'' he said. "I think I'm going to have drop my classes.'' Geo's parents know he's gay, but not that he's an escort. "Who the hell wants to tell them I was doing this stuff?'' he said. "I come from a very conservative Spanish family.''
Labels: Family Reseach Council, hookers, Miami, NARTH, prostitution, religion, scandal
Could this be part of the DADT repeal implementation study?
A new online inbox that enables servicemembers and their families to comment anonymously about the impact of a possible repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law has gone live. The inbox will enable servicemembers and families to offer their thoughts about how a repeal of the law that prohibits gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military might affect military readiness, military effectiveness and unit cohesion, recruiting and retention, and family readiness, a defense official explained. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates created an intradepartment, interservice working group to conduct a fair, objective, comprehensive and dispassionate review of these issues, the official said. The online inbox is one method the group will use to systematically engage with the force and their families. A non-Defense Department contractor will monitor comments made through the inbox and eliminate any identifiable information inadvertently submitted to ensure anonymity, the official said.The site is located here, but seems to be inactive at the moment, so we can't yet tell how it will screen out anti-gay non-military commenters.
Labels: DADT, DOJ, LGBT rights, military, Robert Gates
"Despite the familiar human desire to throw the stone in my hand at Dr. Rekers, I cannot. He is a human who seems to have made a mistake. He is a Christian who seems to be guilty of practicing what he has preached against. It is that fact that alone causes the deepest feelings of anger to arise no matter what side of the debate one falls. Regardless of any sexual impropriety, his actions were not above reproach and that has hurt his excellent reputation.
Labels: "ex-gay", Alan Chambers, Exodus International, HomoQuotable, liars, NARTH, prostitution, religion, scandal
Whoops, who used to occupy this faculty page for the University of South Carolina? Man overboard! Box Turtle Bulletin's Timothy Kincaid asks:
I’m curious as to the exact criteria for removing any mention of Dr. Rekers. Was it because the University of South Carolina was delighted to have an anti-gay activist as a respected and privileged emeritus professor, but not so delighted to have a man who was revealed to be engaged in behavior that is homosexual in nature?Hit the above link for the original pre-scandal image.
Labels: "ex-gay", education, Family Reseach Council, hookers, NARTH, prostitution, scandal, South Carolina
You can click over to Michelangelo Signorile's site for an audio clip of my SiriusXM interview with him yesterday about Dr. George Rekers and Florida AG Bill McCollum. Hopefully I don't sound like too much of a tool.
Labels: activism, Florida, Michelangelo Signorile, scandal, SiriusXM
As much as it grievously pains me to agree with Orrin Hatch on anything, it does seem unbelievable that one can buy an airline ticket in cash, at the counter, with no luggage, and stroll onto a flight to the Middle East (or anywhere) without further attention.
Labels: air travel, Homeland Security, Orrin Hatch, terrorism
The Awl reports that Long Island's Smithtown Messenger has created a before-and-after photo essay to demonstrate how the stress of the presidency affects the faces of presidents and first ladies. The projected "after" photo of the Obamas is from Sanford & Son. Oh, but the paper has now issued an apology. So it's OK!
Labels: Barack Obama, journalism, Long Island, Michelle Obama, racism
Remember California U.S Senate candidate Carly Fiorina's much-mocked "demon sheep" ad? AmericaBlog tips us to the Democrats' hilarious response.
Labels: 2010 elections, California, Carly Fiorina, Democrats
Jo-Vanni Roman, the Rentboy.com escort hired by "ex-gay" activist Dr. George Rekers, revealed to the Miami New Times today that he and Rekers did indeed have sex (of sorts) on their ten day vacation through Europe.
The male escort hired by anti-gay activist George Alan Rekers has told Miami New Times that the Baptist minister is a homosexual who paid him to provide body rubs, once a day, in the nude, during their ten-day vacation in Europe. Rekers allegedly named his favorite maneuver the "the long stroke" -- a complicated caress "across his penis, thigh... and his anus over the butt cheeks," as Lucien puts it. "Rekers liked to be rubbed down there," he says. In his first interview since the New Times broke the story Tuesday, the 20-year old escort, who prefers to go by the name Lucien, contradicts Rekers' contentions that he hired the escort to help carry his luggage and that he was trying to save the soul of a lost sinner. Although Rekers does have physical ailments that make it difficult for him to haul suitcases, he wasn't hired to carry luggage on their European vacation, Lucien said. "It's a situation where he's going against homosexuality when he is a homosexual," Lucien says.The Miami New Times promises further disclosures later today, including information about a confidentiality agreement Rekers reportedly asked Roman to sign.
Labels: Family Reseach Council, Florida, hookers, Miami, NARTH, prostitution, religion, scandal
It's a criticism worth discussing and one that I (probably too glibly) addressed yesterday on Signorile's show. As I noted in a post on Tuesday, I had decided to cloak Geo/Lucien/Jo-Vanni's identity, but once he was revealed on Unzipped, that plan, obviously, became moot.
Labels: "ex-gay", activism, blogging, Family Reseach Council, JMG, NARTH, prostitution, scandal
Thanks to the thousands of you that heeded my call to visit Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's gubernatorial campaign Facebook page, the page's administrators have repeatedly closed it down, wiping out all of the entries demanding his response to the Rekers scandal. My outclick tracker thingy tells me that 22,441 of you hit his page in the last 24 hours and I thank all 22,441 of you beautiful people, whether you left him a message or not. And big thanks to Michelanglo Signorile, who yesterday sent his listeners there too. We've gotten McCollum's attention, that much is certain.
Labels: 2010 elections, activism, Florida, gay adoption, gay families, hookers, prostitution, scandal
Rite Aid, Second Avenue, 8am
Labels: NYC, Overheard, Upper East Side, Viagra
Towleroad tips us to this clip of Lady Gaga's gay-gay-gay performance on American Idol last night. BTW, some of you have written wondering why I haven't been covering Idol every week this year as I did over the last three seasons. No special reason, other than I figured the nonstop RuPaul coverage was enough silly television for your delicate nerves.
Labels: American Idol, gay icons, Lady Gaga
The New Jersey Superior Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit that claims that MTV and the producers of Jersey Shore are engaging in an ongoing criminal enterprise by staging deliberately provoked bar fights between cast members and patrons of the nightclubs that they attended while on camera.
The lawsuit claims Ronnie Magro, the beefiest of the "Jersey Shore" crew, went out of his way to pick fights during the show's taping. In one episode, an exultant Magro howls at the camera after knocking out Stephen Izzo Jr., who is named in the suit. Joshua Thomas, also part of the lawsuit, said Magro started a fight with him and his wife, Kristin Porrenod. After the fisticuffs aired, Thomas said he was fired from the Monmouth Beach police force, according to the Asbury Park Press.Just in time for season two, which premiers in July.
Labels: Jersey Shore, lawsuits, MTV, New Jersey, reality shows
Wayne Mahlke, the former vice president and co-founder of the Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens, faces seven years in prison over a nasty and seemingly unprovoked confrontation with a female NYC cop.
A foul-mouthed former aide to disgraced ex-Sen. Hiram Monserrate cussed out a city cop and tried to bully his way out of an arrest by flashing a fake police placard, prosecutors said Tuesday. Wayne Mahlke, 48, was stopped at a red light near the Queensboro Bridge just after 9 a.m. when he saw NYPD Officer Denise McDonald on patrol. "Why don't you do your job, you fat bitch!" Mahlke shouted in what prosecutors said was an unprovoked verbal onslaught Sunday. When the 19-year NYPD veteran asked for his license, Mahlke tried to maneuver his 2009 Honda Civic past her but she stopped him by stepping in front of his car, prosecutors said. Mahlke then pulled out an official state Senate business placard and a forged police placard, trying to pull rank, they said. "You don't know who I am," Mahlke reportedly told her. "I'm higher ranking than you. I work for Mayor Bloomberg." She was having none of it. Mahlke was charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct, failing to obey directions of a police officer, and not producing a valid license.Mahlke has never worked for Mayor Bloomberg.
Labels: assholery, Hiram Monserrate, NYC, NYPD, Queens
Over on GringoMask.com, Arizona's Hispanics are invited to print out the above face masks to have on hand should they encounter the police.
Labels: Arizona, immigration, Jan Brewer, racism
Washington DC's Capital Pride has issued a statement regarding the calls by some activists for Mayor Adrian to be disinvited to the parade. Last month it was learned that Fenty's office had accidentally honored the founder of the "ex-gay" group PFOX.
In recent days, there has been a public call to “un-invite” Mayor Adrian Fenty from Capital Pride festivities. While Capital Pride feels that PFOX and its mission are harmful to our community and our families in Washington, D.C., Mayor Fenty, all elected officials, and all of those running for office are always welcome to join in the celebration of Capital Pride. Everyone who supports equality for LGBT people in the Washington, D.C. area is welcome to attend and participate in Capital Pride’s 35th Anniversary Celebration, June 4th -13th. After 35 years, you ain’t seen nothing, yet!
Labels: Adrian Fenty, gay Pride, PFOX, Washington DC
With a screenshot of JMG, but no mention. Oh, well!
Labels: Colbert Report, Family Equality Council, hookers, NARTH, prostitution, religion, scandal
Nothing but good news. Promotions. Achievements. Love life. Vacation plans. Brighten up this here joint.
Labels: Open Thread Thursday
The Advocate has learned the real name of the elusive Geo/Lucien, but the kid is still not talking.
“Lucien,” the young man at the center of an emerging scandal involving one of the most influential leaders of the "ex-gay" movement, is known on his Facebook and MySpace profiles as Jo-vanni Roman, The Advocate has learned. Reached Tuesday afternoon by phone, a man purporting to be Roman repeatedly declined to discuss any details of being hired by Rekers for a recent 10-day trip to Madrid and London. “I don’t think people realize how serious this has gotten, and I would have talked about this had my privacy been respected,” Roman said, referring to his Rentboy.com profile, which was posted Tuesday by Unzipped followed by several gay blogs. “There’s absolutely nothing else I can say,” Roman added. According to Facebook and MySpace profiles created by Roman, he is a 20-year-old Miami resident and a 2008 graduate of Felix Varela High School in The Hammocks, an unincorporated suburb located 20 miles west of Miami.I've written Jo-Vanni via Facebook and again requested an interview. We're not holding our breath, but in the meantime, check out his 2008 teen angst-laden MySpace rant about the difficulty of finding "a nice guy in this fucking city."
Labels: "ex-gays", Advocate, Family Reseach Council, hookers, Miami, NARTH, prostitution, scandal
"In the past 24 hours FRC has received calls regarding Dr. George Rekers and his connection with the Family Research Council. After reviewing the historical records we did verify that Dr. Rekers was a member of the original Family Research Council board prior to its merger with Focus on the Family in 1987.
Labels: Family Reseach Council, hookers, liars, prostitution, scandal, Tony Perkins
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian "think tank" has created this clip in protest of the horrible government regulation of everything in our lives. Things like traffic! And product safety! And consumer protection! Nightmare!
Labels: dumbassery, feds, government, libertarians
I'll be on Michelangelo Signorile's SiriusXM show today at 4:30 EDT to try and cause some more trouble for FRC/NARTH douchenozzle and gay prostitute patron Dr. George Rekers. SiriusXM's gay programming runs on channel 109 and can be streamed online with a free trial enrollment.
Labels: Family Reseach Council, JMG, Michelangelo Signorile, NARTH, prostitution, radio, scandal, SiriusXM
"A recent article in an alternative newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute to accompany him on a recent trip. Contrary to Internet stories based on this slanderous article, following medical advice Professor George Rekers requires an assistant to lift his luggage in his travels because of an ongoing condition following surgery. His family, local friends, and even another university professor colleague have offered to accompany him on trips to lift luggage. Professor Rekers was not involved in any illegal or sexual behavior with his travel assistant." - Dr. George Rekers in third-person statement he posted on his personal site. Lying makes the Baby Geo cry, Georgie.
Labels: Family Reseach Council, HomoQuotable, hookers, liars, NARTH, prostitution
Joe the Plumber has been elected as a GOP committee rep in Ohio.
Samuel "Joe" Wurzelbacher, who was hailed by Republican John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008, won one of nearly 400 seats on the local Republican Party committee in Ohio's Lucas County. But don't call him Joe the Politician just yet. The group he'll serve on meets only a few times a year to elect the county chairman and sets the party agenda. Wurzelbacher won the seat by a 38-24 vote Tuesday in his suburban Toledo precinct. A message seeking comment was left with him Wednesday. He became an overnight sensation almost two years ago after questioning then-Sen. Barack Obama on the campaign trail about his economic policies and then when McCain repeatedly cited "Joe the Plumber" in a debate. He was held up by the GOP as an example of the middle-class worker who would be hurt economically by an Obama presidency. Wurzelbacher has since written a book, spoken at conservative gatherings and spent a few weeks as a war correspondent in the Gaza Strip.RELATED: Last year Wurzelbacher famously pledged that he would never allow his children near any damn dirty queers because "all gays are pedophiles."
Labels: assholism, douchenozzles, GOP, Joe The Plumber, Ohio
I've been on the phone with the Florida Attorney General's office and the Bill McCollum For Governor campaign trying to get a statement and/or reaction to the Dr. George Rekers prostitution scandal.
Labels: 2010 elections, Family Reseach Council, Florida, GOP, hookers, liars, NARTH, prostitution, scandal