The Malcontent

And My Dear, She's Still Here

The Malcontent apologizes profusely for helping feed speculation about the impending death of Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

Instead, the 74-year-old screen legend turned up last night on Larry King, looking about as chipper as possible and certainly more lucid than she was at the 2001 Golden Globes.

The very much alive Taylor refuted rumors of her demise and partially dismissed reports of having "Alts-heimer's," although there were moments to make one wonder about the line between fact and fiction.

Normally I am impervious to Larry's sycophantic coddling of his guests, but I admit to a soft spot in my cold, brackish heart for the old broad.  Six days before the 25th anniversary of the CDC report that is generally regarded as the start of the AIDS pandemic, she is still a driving force behind eradication of the disease.  She was red ribbon before red ribbon was cool.

Taylor waxed nostaligic about many of her costars including Rock Hudson, whom she said would be out of the closet if he were alive today.  Oh, and she peddled her jewelry.  It's ugly as sin, but I might buy some anyway.

[Watch video – 7:50, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 7:50, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Next Issue: The Boys of Belzec

Let's play, "Which one of these does not go with the others?"

Someone should probably tell the boys at DNA magazine that crematorium does not mean what they think it means.

Exodus Undetected?

Gay men in urban areas gathered. First at the theaters and single bars in bad neighborhoods. Then one bar became three. As the theaters closed, the shops came in, from the erotic to the mundane, dildonic wares and groceries. Then came the condo renovations, and the sleek nightclubs advertising in mainstream papers. For a decade or two or even three, many cities constructed upscale enclaves like gay retirement communities for men in their 20s and 30s. Every letter in GLBT alphabet streamed in as the activism poured out from these safe, coccooning bases as fortress against an intolerant outside world.

When tolerance spreads outwards from the cultural centers that Dan Savage refers to as the urban archipelago, what happens when future gay generations feel less need for these places and younger heterosexuals feel comfortable enough to begin claiming them as their own? Conflict.

"West Hollywood is having an identity crisis. It doesn't know if it's gay or straight anymore," said Raymond Weddle, a server at Hedley's restaurant, near the Abbey. As crowds flock to the lively bar scene, the town is inevitably confronting the strains of its popularity. Mostly, it's been a subtle shift. Many bar owners and patrons say that straight women have flocked to West Hollywood clubs because they feel safe in crowds of gay men. But on any weekend night, the distinctly gay vibe of the town has given way — in some venues more than others — to a more mixed and some think downright gay-hostile atmosphere.

Even as activists and interested parties debate the merits of gay marriage as the demographic's civil rights issue of our time, it seems the gay community itself has begun fraying along the edges towards a potentially long and slow disintegration in direct correlation to the movement's goals: normalization of varied sexualities in American culture. When a gay teenager finds his friends accepting and open to his or her differences, and the local crowds and clubs become indifferent to his orientation, is there such a burning need for an exclusively gay bubble in his world, and even if so, would he be inclined to defend it as vigorously as the old queer guard?

The entire article is worth reading, for the variety of issues between gays and straights, business issues vs. community loyalty, assimilation vs balkanization of identity, and even the urban gay communities' traditional make up of white middle class males vs. and increasingly mainstream, urbanized black culture.

While the activists press their pet political issues, average gay people are shifting and changing in ways imperceptible to a leadership firmly ensconced in a mindset generated by an older community built in the shadows of the deadliest years of AIDS. Can gay political issues be effectively pressed by a minority demographic whose bonds of solidarity are quietly beginning to loosen as acceptance and tolerance become the norm in the largest population centers of the nation?

It doesn't seem to be a question anyone's asking. Maybe they should.

h/t Boi From Troy

Burning Obstinancy

With the long (eternal) weekend at a close and Mal consumed with putting the finishing touches on Malcontent 2.0, why not jog back into blogging momentum with a little political correctness run amok.

A plan to require English translations on foreign-language signs on stores, bakeries and other businesses has caused an outcry in Sterling Heights that could put the city in the midst of a national debate. Councilwoman Barbara Ziarko recently asked the city's legal staff to prepare an ordinance requiring the translations on exterior signs. "This is for the safety of our residents as well as our police and fire (personnel)," Ziarko said. "If emergency crews can properly identify a location, they can know if there are chemicals or dangerous substances (on the premises)." But in one of Metro Detroit's most diverse communities, critics say the idea is ill-timed at best and racist at worst.

I propose a new law for Sterling Heights. If during the time it takes fire and police to run various store names in the area through a google translator, your business burns to the ground, you're not allowed to sue anyone.

It's win-win-win. Ethnic communities living around Detroit won't be tainted by our filthy language, municipal workers won't be endangered, and the rest of the neighborhood is granted delightfully random pyrotechnic displays throughout the year. What's not to love?

Happy Gay Day

Too tired to jump ...

180 Degrees From Cooper

A very strange sexuality news day. First we hear tell that Anderson Cooper is a big fan of girl bits, and now super hottie Jared Leto kinda, sorta, maybe, potentially comes out?

ThirtySecondLeto: I’ll give you an exclusive.... TyeinMusic: ooh. lay it on me ThirtySecondLeto: I’m gay TyeinMusic: *!* TyeinMusic: please tell me you're serious ThirtySecondLeto: as a goose.

Worth Repeating has more details and the entire interview with AOL.

Pic comment from Patrick in L.A.: "He has a pink wrist band on. That picture was taken after a night out in West Hollywood for sure. He's doing the walk of shame."

Hot Scott Pic of the Day - May 25th

Just because he was on the local newscast. You're never able to see his eyes during the games. They're nice.

Update: As people seem to like this one, here's the news clip I lifted it from:

[Watch video – 0:13, WMV format]

Anderson Cooper - Stealth Lothario

Right.

Anderson Cooper used his Yale commencement speech to bolster his studliness. "The only thing about high school I remember is my senior prom," the CNN anchor said. "If what I remember is true, it is very possible that some of you are my children, especially you with the blue eyes and freakishly gray hair"

That wily Anderson, always craving the poonanny. Uh huh.

h/t Ace

A Taylor Made Freak Show

I don't want to talk about it. When the fire came cascading down and Great White's manager was nowhere in sight, I knew it was all over.

David Hasslehoff was crying. Crying. In German, no less. It sounds a lot like shizer dialogue to hear it. Which is to say nothing of the fisting America received when that . . . that . . . thing took home the trophy.

Still, let's lump this up in halves. How to fill a two hour show dependent on a five second announcement? Plenty of performances, but also plenty of painful, cringe-inducing bits like extended dining lessons between Kellie Pickler and Wolfgang Puck that left us praying for a future mobile home accident on a treacherous mountain road. "Caleeemaaareeee?!" Die.

I've sorted through the fluff for my favorite moments, including the "surprise" appearance by the Gayken. His jittery, squealing, orgasming look-alike made the entire bit. I'd like to take this opportunity to chastise our readers as well. How is it that there was footage of Ace Young and Chris Daughtry in a crushing, grappling man-hug, and no one alerted us?! For shame. That is hours of fantasy we'll never get back. Also included in this clip is the winner's announcement. It was the fluffiest thing of all.

[Watch video – 9:50, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 9:50, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Before I get to the performances, let me just say this - If Katharine had sang half as well during the competition as she did in last night's finale show, she would have won hands down. Now more than ever, I'm convinced song choice was her ultimate undoing. Not that I'm excruciatingly bitter or anything. Not at all. Moving swiftly on.

There were far too many performances to capture, so these highlights are by no means comprehensive. Chris Daughtry appeared with the band Live. Their album, Throwing Copper, came out back in the 19th century when I earned my driver's license, so I'm partial to them. Does Meatloaf have Parkinson's? The man schooled Hicks in the trembling performance department. Still, Kat shined and decided to, you know, emote. Now that it doesn't mean anything. (ed. Robbie, you're bitter!) I'm not.

I'm not ready to see Taylor Hicks freak dancing with Toni Braxton. I don't think anyone is.

One last parting shot of the Manateesa (hate!). Kevin Covais singing What's New Pussycat is the stuff of recurring nightmares. Dionne Warwick showcases what happens when you smoke five packs of ultra strength Marlboros a day for fifty years. Then again, she knew who the winner was all along, right? The blood-drinking seems to have paid off for Prince. I'm sorry, whenever I hear his music I think of the Joker mucking up an art museum. The purple doesn't help. And finally, Kat does a little stand-in-place jog-dancing/dress-foofing a la Jennifer Grey at the end of Dirty Dancing.

[Watch video – 15:37, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 15:37, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Happy Gay Day, Lez Not a Lez Edition

Can anyone tell me what Anne Heche is this week, aside from 37?

Quick, To ACLU Cave!

My hometown paper of choice really hasn't grasped the subtleties of the GLBTQQXRIDFHA agenda. I expect them to be mauled by wild packs of fabulousness any second now.

We'll start with the title: "Cross-Dressing Teen Barred From Senior Prom."

Moving on to the story: "But when Kevin Logan, a transgender and gay student at Gary’s West Side High School, arrived last Friday at Avalon Manor in Hobart for his prom, he was banned by Principal Diane Rouse."

He's a cross-dresser, or gay, or transgender. One of those. All of the above? The paper has absolutely no idea, and they don't seem to particularly care about the infinitely subtle and rigidly enforced labels of the alphabet soup community. God love 'em for it.

Furious letters to the editor incoming.

It's The Circle of Awful, Simba

After 43 posts consisting of 61 video files that account for a whopping 731.65 MB of our server space, we've come a long way from the January 17th premiere of American Idol. A water cooler show that began with a focus on some of the most horrifying "entertainers" this great nation of ours had to offer, it has been a long, spiritual, nuanced journey to May where we're about to crown . . . one of the most horrifying "entertainers" America has to offer.

So, well done there.

What is there to say? Poor Katharine McPhee suffered an ambushing of the highest order with a tripey, overwrought ballad called "My Destiny" when a more accurate title might have been, "Kat Really Wishes She Had Testicles Right About Now." Way to set the key in the Marianas Trench! Not even a still-touching rendition of "Over the Rainbow" could save her against the most treacly, masturbatory excesses of producers and a music industry hell bent on selling their audience aural sominex.

Taylor Hicks. *sighs* What more can be said for this seizing ball of shimmering purple velvet? For the first time in Idol history, the gay male vote will not prevail against this touring Vegas lounge act. Tom Jones is spinning in his grave. Or women's underwear. Spot the difference, eh? Personally, I blame pre-teen girls for this atrocity. Lazy, good for nothing kids today. Can't even be assed to vote en masse. Bring back corporal punishment!

Here are the six performances from last night's finale. Observe that jacket and weep. America picked that jacket. America likes that jacket. America will buy tickets to see that jacket. America is dead to me.

[Watch video – 14:48, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 14:48, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Our Malcovision American Idol Finale Extravaganza continues with these clips from this weekend's Saturday Night Live. Kevin Spacey knows all the right moves to win the hearts of Americans and wandering strangers in parks at 3 AM. Not to be outdone, "Taylor Hicks" appears on Weekend Update, if only to prove the man is beyond parody.

[Watch video – 6:54, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 6:54, WMV format, low bandwidth]

And finally. We laughed with her, cried with her, attempted to match her shot for shot during every show. Paula Abdul stumbled onto the set of Larry King Live after over-hearing rumors the man will marry anything. She discusses her fellow judges and addresses all those rumors about dominant bitch-top, the Gayken. Could it be we are mere hours away from a world without this simpering psychiatric patient?

As they announce the winner tonight, I will sprinkle a martini laced with vicodin onto a curb in her honor.

[Watch video – 5:44, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 5:44, WMV format, low bandwidth]

"Ex-Gays" Say the Darndest Things

Our friends at Ex-Gay Watch (I need a nifty logo like theirs) alerted us to a piece that aired last night on CNN featuring Richard Cohen – not the WaPo columnist – one of the most controversial, and unlicensed, practitioners of so-called "reparative therapy" for gays.

I'll leave the heavy lifting to the experts at EGW, but the piece – whether unintentional or not – was hi-frickin'-larious.  We are treated to therapy sessions between Cohen and 42-year-old "Rob," a gay man who thinks that Cohen can help him become un-gay.

We see Cohen practicing "touch therapy" to recreate a "healthy father-son bond."  Call me crazy, but it appeared to be a cunning way for Cohen for be able to get his jollies cuddling up with other men while still claiming that he is now straight.

We then see Cohen engaging in an interesting form of quackery that he calls "bioenergetics," whaling on a pillow with a tennis racket in lieu of his overbearing mother.  Frightening stuff.  Norman-Bates freaky.

I suggest if you find yourself in a session with Cohen that you dial 9-1 on your cell phone, just to save time in case you need to hit that last 1.

We are treated to more of the same tripe that we have seen from the ex-gay movement, this happy-crappy talk about how "there's nothing wrong with being gay," but somehow one can choose to be straight, even though we don't exactly see hordes of heterosexual men stampeding the opposite direction into ex-straight therapy.

What I got out of the piece is that it is a sign of progress that the gay guy aspiring to be straight was the one hiding his identity, while the gay guy who long ago gave up on reparative-therapy nonsense was proudly public.

[Watch video – 6:42, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 6:42, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Happy Gay Day

Happy 380th birthday to my home city!

I'm Moving to Canada

Taylor is going to fucking win.  In a walk.

America, I weep for you.

Shot Through the Minge, and I'm Too Late

124 of you have voted, but only five of you have guessed that the cranky celebrity of the day is ... OPRAH!:

Her lawyer's email and my response after the jump – and I will update as warranted.

And yes, the threat came from an actual lawyer, not from a minge, although the two terms are virtually synonymous anyway, right?:

The Movement of Misfit Toys

They are meeting. Quietly, without fanfare, roughly three dozen GLBT organizations have gathered in Washington D.C. to discuss the policies and strategies involved in advancing GLBT rights. Though they're not telling, the head of the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce, Matt Foreman, has recently released press materials that should give us all an inkling of their direction.

Let's see here…Iraq is a disaster and the treasury is hemorrhaging red ink to pay for it. Gas prices are soaring. New Orleans remains a shell. Osama taunts us on videotape. Iran's going nuclear. Seven in 10 think the country's heading in the wrong direction. What do you do when you're in power and there's an election just around the corner? You trot out some old diversionary workhorse scapegoats once again.

Like the HRC, The Taskforce does not actually want to discuss gay marriage. Given a national debate and platform, their tactic is not to argue on behalf of gay families but to throw dozens of distractionary cantrips at their audience like a cheap street illusionist. Recently, Andrew Sullivan asked of the HRC, "Why do they exist? And why should any gay person care?" Foreman, the Cardinal Ratzinger of this Queer Conclave, trots out the future of the established GLBT movement:

At between 4-6 percent of the population, we are simply too small to win equality by ourselves. That means we must build alliances and relationships of trust with other communities and causes. Building these kinds of alliances requires more than words, it requires reciprocal work. Bluntly put, the LGBT movement has a long history of asking other causes to fight for us and then not being there when those causes have been under attack.

Read the entire press release. Abortion. Anti-war activism. Now, illegal immigration. The GLBT Establishment has a long and consistent history of supporting liberal and left-wing causes unrelated to the struggle of gay families. As three dozen bodies purporting to support the movement meet, we are dishonestly told by the NGLTF that gay activists don't support enough liberal causes. The answer to the GLBT dilemma is more causes, more coalitions, more money and manpower spent on a laundry list of unrelated movements and groups who may or may not support our cause.

(More ranting and video after the jump.)

The Other Shoe Drops

I suppose it was the kiss of death to put a javascript counter at the upper-left counting up from the last time we received a "cease and desist" order.

On Sunday, the counter had finally reached 300 days.  Given the fact that I started the blog on July 25, 2005, that would mean we have never received such an order.

That is, until yesterday.

At least one lawyer out there seems to think that The Malcontent is infringing on his client's copyright.  His demand, however, is that we pull down 100 percent of all video and images related to this celebrity.

There are a couple of things wrong with this: First, we are not willfully infringing on anything, and that is very important from a legal standpoint.

And second, I always operate within the bounds of "fair use."  This is not some bittorrent site that is just making episodes of programs available willy-nilly.  It is a gay-related site, operated by a trained journalist, that provides portions of and commentary upon media materials of interest to the gay community.

Here is what the law says, in part, about "fair use":

[T]he fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include —

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;

(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

(Emphasis added.)

I think it's clear that this blog and the content we make available fit within those definitions.  I have never tried to pass off the copyrighted work of others as my own.

If additional disclaimer is required or the "substantiality" of the content can be negotiated, then it will be.  But a blanket demand for removal of content is absurd, and that will be my response to the attorney.

So that brings us to our poll (upper-right corner) — more of a quiz, actually: Which celebrity is responsible for our first C&D order?

---

UPDATE: In the "making matters worse" category, look which "random" Google ad sometimes just happens to pop up when you click on the poll results button (I swear, this is not a commentary on the correct answer):

Happy Gay Day, Getting Very Sleepy Edition

Ever been "mesmerized"?  Not much more than a couple of centuries ago, you weren't.

Rumbly Scottish Mutant Sex Party

In the ramp up to its May 26th premiere, HBO has been running little featurettes of X-Men: The Last Stand. In addition to an interview with Aussie hottie Hugh Jackman, HBO offers up a first look at a completely random scene from the movie.

Here, Ian McKellen's Magneto frees mutants in transport (to concentration camps or some such). We're introduced to two new characters to the movie series, Juggernaut and Guy Who Makes Lots of Copies Of Himself. He could be a one man orgy. Who doesn't want that power?

[Watch video – 3:33, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 3:33, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Happy Gay Day, Hypocrites Edition

So would what happened today in 1980 be like if she were caught on camera saying orange juice tastes like piss?

Happy Gay Day, Leelee Lie Lie Edition

Jump with me, people ...

Hot Scott . . . Fight (!) of the Game

One team is defending a world championship and currently tied for the best record in baseball. The other is nursing a 98 year title drought, while fielding one of the most god awful rosters in baseball.

When the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs got together this afternoon for a bit of interleague play, legions of South Siders salivated over the opportunity to not only rub the Cubs' (and their fans) noses in a world championship, but to use one of the best starting rotations and line-ups in the majors to destroy them utterly.

What could be better? A bench-clearing rumble, for a start. After White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski bowled over Cubs catcher Michael Barrett at home plate, Barrett seemed to think decking Pierzynski in the jaw would soothe the embarrassment of, you know, having to play for the Cubs.

A nearby Scott Podsednik then tackled Barrett and wrestled him to the ground. Scott Podsednik. Fighting. Scott. In a big, beefy manpile. I may need a month to collect myself.

After a piss poor assassination attempt directed at my Scott, White Sox second baseman, Tadahito Iguchi, decided to snuff the humiliated Cubs by hitting a grand slam right after the brawl.

Best. Game. Ever.

[Watch video – 4:21, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 4:21, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Happy Gay Day: Holy Shit, Cher's 60?! Edition

She is an American entertainment icon – a strong, uncompromising woman with whom many gay men have identified, and by whom drag queens have been inspired, for years.  She steadfastly refuses to retire from the business.  And today she celebrates a milestone birthday.

I'm talking, of course, about Mindy Cohn from NBC's "Facts of Life."  Happy 40th Birthday, Natalie!

Malco-Update and Open Thread

I'll be heading down to DC again this evening, so if anyone sees me this weekend, please do say howdy!

I have to apologize for my relatively light posting.  Aside from some work-related crises I've been dealing with, I have spent a lot of my blogging time on getting ready to launch our WordPress site and to leave TypePad behind forever.  I'll probably keep the TypePad site operating for a while to get people migrated over with us, and so that the pictures and such don't all get zapped.  But WP will open up a whole new realm of possibilities.

I've already exported all the content from "here" over "there."  I've started installing plug-ins, like one-click translation for eight different languages.  I have even set up Malcontent forums, but I need to put a little more work into that.  I also need to spend some time on templates, themes and some of the graphic elements.  But all of those changes, and a lot more fun stuff, are on the very near horizon.

So given that dearth of new content, I thought I would try throwing it open to only our second open thread ever, to see if there's anything that we should be talking about, but aren't.

No Pink Triangles?

While the American Left nitters and natters about how our nation is on the road to fascism and President Bush is merely a reincarnation of Hitler, Iran and its maniacal leader are simply going ahead and doing it:

Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear a yellow, red or blue strip of cloth, respectively, on the front of their clothes

Though my initial impulse is to scream about the discrimination of it all (as there will be no special minority laws crafted without the gays, damnit! See: California schools), I realized, oh yeah, they just hang us over there.

So really, if our typically quiet gay rights groups could lobby for an Iranian pink triangle, it would actually be a step up for those beleaguered folks.

h/t Chad

Update: The National Post apologizes and retracts its original story. So, Iran only wants to exterminate the Jews and hang homosexuals as a matter of course. Nothing at all like Nazi Germany. Very much my grievous error for implying otherwise. Tch.

Say Good-Night, Gracie — UPDATE

If you didn't watch last night's series finale of "Will & Grace," and you actually care to find out how things transpired on your own, then this post will be filled with spoilers aplenty.  But I will bury all of those after the jump.

It seems a little hard to find more than a handful of gays who are genuinely mourning the passing of W&G.  Many of the older ones feel, as I do, that its best years were long behind it; many of the younger ones simply ask, "Will and who?"

But even if we concede that W&G reinforced stereotypes or consigned gays to sexless, "nonthreatening" roles, it was still a groundbreaking series that brought needed messages to people who might not otherwise have heard them.  And for that, we should be thankful that Will, Grace, Karen and Jack came into our lives at all.

An Oil-Fueled Torch

Leave it to Ex-Sen. Robert "The Torch" Torricelli (D-N.J.) to be the gift that keeps on giving.

The corruption-plagued New Jersey pol, who abruptly dropped out of his 2002 re-election bid, has now been linked to the Oil-for-Food scandal.  Torricelli, then a congressman, allegedly tried to get oil-for-food contracts at favorable terms for David Chang – the same campaign contributor whose ties to the Senator helped precipitate his downfall – and his company, Bright and Bright:

Contacted by telephone, Mr Torricelli, who now runs his own business consulting firm and remains a powerful figure in New Jersey politics and a prominent Democratic party fundraiser, admitted meeting Mr Hamdoun “many times”, “probably both” in Washington and New York “and in Baghdad”. He first denied mentioning Mr Chang or Bright and Bright during his conversations with (former Iraqi ambassador to the UN Nizar) Hamdoun. When told about the Iraqi documents that suggested there had been discussions, he said he did not remember mentioning them.

While the Torch's political career is dead and buried, this is the first indication that Saddam's corrupt influence might have reached even into the U.S. Congress.  Torricelli's history indicates that he would have been just the man to have obliged.

Happy Gay Day, Asian Dictators Edition

Aww, who knew that Ho Chi Minh and Pol Pot shared a birthday?  Do you think they ever blew out candles together — or just people's brains?

Rub a Dub Doc

As part of ABC's Fall Schedule presentation, the actors on Grey's Anatomy reworked an infamous scene from earlier in the season. In the original, George dreams of taking a shower with the three attractive female interns he is living with at the time. In this parody clip, the tables are turned as Bailey walks in on a bastion of homoerotic soapiness.

h/t Pop Culture Junkies

Daily Freshness

After the Daily Kos threw the great weight of the moonbat hordes behind a political candidate by appearing in his inexplicable campaign ad, AllahPundit remixed it.

If every Democratic commercial were like that, I admit I'd be sorely tempted to vote for them. What can I say? The theme song is far catchier than any of their current talking points.

Terminology of the Day

When newly minted Philadelphia Eagle and one of the hottest men in creation, Jeremy Bloom, doesn't actually stab the President during a photo opportunity, there is much wailing and gnashing of queer teeth.

"Gay Erectile Dysfunction - When the guy who makes your pee pee stand at attention doesn't hate Bush as much as you do." - Tom, Commenting at Towleroad

Gay Bits - Cold, Rainy, Stupid Chicago Weather Edition

We know Katharine McPhee went seven circles of glittery supernova on this week's American Idol. AOL's Kenneth Hill serves up the other gay moments from this week's show you might have missed.

A Georgia court strikes down that state's gay marriage amendment on a technicality.

Yet another columnist explains why yet another unrelated liberal cause should drain the attention and funds of the gay rights movement.

The Bush administration changes its mind and votes for consultative status for a gay rights organization at the U.N. My gay activist overlords have informed me we may never speak of this matter again.

Mere hours ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Federal Marriage Amendment. Sens. Arlen Specter and Russ Feingold celebrated with bitch-slapping.

Tonight marks the series finale of Will & Grace. When asked for comment, 84.2% of GLBT respondents shrugged and replied, "That show's still on?"

Dean's Pink Poodles

You would think the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization, would be spoiling for a fight over the upcoming reintroduction of the Federal Marriage Amendment. You'd be wrong. Instead, Joe Solomnese and others have bowed to the demands of Howard Dean, with gay families offered up on the sacrificial altar of Democratic politics. Washington Blade editor, Chris Crain, is having none of it.

Rather than actually defend gay families and make the case for gay marriage, HRC continues to argue that the American people don't — and shouldn't! — care about marriage equality for gay couples. "Voters want candidates focused on soaring gas prices, a healthcare crisis and national security," Solmonese says in the release, "not putting discrimination in the United States Constitution." What sort of gay rights strategy is it, when the attention of Americans is focused on our issues, to argue that our rights aren't important, and refuse to engage our opponents in the debate over our equality? [. . .] Can you imagine Martin Luther King, Jr., responding to an attempt to rollback the gains of the Civil Rights Movement by arguing that the issue shouldn't be debated because rising gas prices are more important?

The HRC can't raise money to defeat state level amendments, and now they won't debate gay marriage when the nation and the media are focused on Congressional deliberations over the FMA. They can, however, come to the rescue of abortion activists in no uncertain terms.

What, exactly, is it these people do again? Why do we need them? Aside from the gala dinners, influence peddling, and activists enriched on donations from gay people and their families who suffer real injustices outside the glossy New York - Washington axis.

Dan has additional thoughts on how the HRC and others are pissing away the opportunity to make the case for gay marriage to an attentive national audience. I think now, more than ever, one of my first articles on this blog is becoming increasingly relevant to the movement.

Update: How much do I love Chris Crain? Let me count the ways. Mal linked this earlier article from Crain that I've just now spotted. I've always enjoyed Crain's honesty and integrity when addressing gay issues, even when I've not necessarily agreed with him. However, his recent responses to the DNC's routing of gay partisans mark his Duke of Wellington moment. Crain for President of the HRC!

And Then There Were Two

Buh-bye, Elliott.  Tough call, but there are clearly a lot of palsy fans in the nation.

So who will win?  Who should win?  Take our two-question poll.

Or just view the results.

Happy Gay Day, Okla. Senator Not OK Edition

Eight years ago, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) made a stink about the nomination of gay American James Hormel to be ambassador to Luxembourg.

Because we all know what a lofty perch that is from which to advance the "homosexual agenda."

Our Own Private IDAHO

A reader sent in this short film he made in observance of "IDAHO," the International Day Against Homophobia:

Hot Scott Pic of the Game - May 16th

A bit late from yesterday's game. My boy also hit a two-run homer the other day - his first of the season. Dan recently pointed out the following links:

This is perfectly understandable.

This just screams intervention, doesn't it.

Ctrl-Alt-Del, Let There Be Light

Slate's deputy editor, David Plotz, has taken on a curious task:

He is going to blog the Bible.  The entire thing.

Or as much as he gets through before his wife kills him.

Plotz describes himself as a "not terribly observant" Jew, one who read the stories of the Torah long ago and wanted to approach them with a fresh and critical eye. 

My goal is not to find contradictions, mock impossible events, or scoff at hypocrisy. [...] I want to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based. I think I'm in the same position as many other lazy but faithful people (Christians, Jews, Moslems, Hindus).

With two posts so far, he is already through Genesis 19 and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Despi