The Malcontent

Insert Suggestive Reference to Pitchers and Catchers Here

I'm starting to see what Robbie sees in this whole baseball thing.

But I'll bet he is cursing Scott Podsednik for choosing not playing shortstop.

[h/t Andy]

Play Ball

Tonight, the White Sox return to Comiskey Park for their first game since winning the World Series after 88 years.

Baseball season has begun, and with it 162 opportunities to stare at future husband Scott Podsednik for hours at a time. (His wife? I have people working on it. That playmate is going down).

If I vanish mysteriously, chances are I'll be camped out in the bleachers for the next few months.

Tonight's game is airing nationally at 8 PM EST on ESPN2. Interested parties should visually stalk left field.

Update - He is hotter than ever:

Gay Games VII Tickets Go On Sale

Tomorrow at noon, to be exact. If you're planning on attending opening and closing ceremonies in Chicago at Soldier Field and Wrigley Park respectively, you can purchase those tickets here.

I'm still vacillating on what I want to do that week. Either there will be extensive coverage here on the Malcontent, or I'll forget about it entirely. Still, if there are enough readers in town for the events, perhaps a party or get together can be organized.

I always wondered how this summer's competition could possibly be any gayer than your typical Olympics shindig. Let's face it - Carson Kressley was watching the pageantry in Turino and thinking, "Wow, these fags are out of control." Given the picture in that article, I'm beginning to have an inkling.

Chicago Newspaper Gives Pro-Family Groups The Finger

Sometimes, I adore my hometown. Especially the Chicago Sun-Times, the first paper I read every morning with my coffee. Today, the paper reported on the current war being waged by a conservative religious group to have the HIV travel ban reinstated before this summer's Gay Games.

A "pro-family" group wants the Bush administration to revoke its decision to allow HIV-positive foreigners to enter the country for the Gay Games in Chicago this summer.

Those quotes around pro-family? Love it. I love it because the very instant Peter LaBarbera and his ilk saw them, their faces lit purple as their blood boiled past the threshhold of apoplexy. For years, right-wing anti-gay groups have put the word "gay" in quotation marks as a petulant little snub against the validity of the homosexual "life-style."

Read the article. Note how the reporter and the paper can't even pretend to mask their contempt for out-of-stater LaBarbera and the values he's peddling.

I've noted it before, but Peter and the Illinois Family Institute are once again all atwitter at the idea that somewhere out there, two men are lubed and willing. Lesbians? Not in this article. Not in any article. LaBarbera has a laser beam focus on a bathhouse in Boystown:

"These bathhouses can be very dangerous when you invite HIV in with an exception. The doors are closed, and you don't know what's going on inside," LaBarbera said. "That shows there's much more going on than just playing softball. . . . They're celebrating homosexuality and the more unseemly aspects of it."

By bathhouses, he means Steamworks, in case anyone is wondering.

It's indicative to note that every controversy surrounding the Gay Games - every single one - has been perpetuated by LaBarbera and the IFI. Right-wing activists had to be imported because typical Chicagoans are generally a tolerant, accepting lot. Peter's antics have rapidly burned any sliver of goodwill people might have extended out of hospitality, to the point that our papers are now actively hostile towards his group and his "cause."

Time to pack up and move on, Peter. No one wants you here.

Town Revisits Gay Games with a Coot-Off

Though far Chicago suburb Crystal Lake originally rejected the Gay Games rowing event by a 2-2 vote, the vacationing commissioner returned and demanded a new vote with the intention of passing the resolution.

The result? Not a happy community. Actually, let's put this in a little perspective. Partially not a happy community plus a cock . . . wait, no, a dick . . . that's not right . . . a Peter! Yes, a few outraged citizens plus Peter and crew.

What resulted was a packed park district meeting, a full-on presentation by Gay Games organizers, some old folks ranting, a gathering of out of town Illinois Family Institute proles stirring trouble, and a positive result for the games that was a foregone conclusion even though hordes of people ranted at one another for a time.

As it was the top story here in Chicago on our local newscasts, I managed to put together two reports to give different perspectives, speakers, and protesters involved in last night's victory for the games.

Diann - I don't care if it was your top story. You're still not forgiven.

[Watch video – 5:25, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 5:25, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Cole's Law(suit)

Input the name of English soccer player Ashley Cole into Google and scroll down the page, and for some reason you get this:

Wonder why?  So does Ashley, and it's all part of messy media lawsuit.

Cole is suing two British newspapers for stories about gay soccer orgies in which he was not named, but related to which his name subsequently appeared in Internet stories linking him to the sexy romps.  (So where is this picture everyone keeps saying exists?)  Cole is engaged to singer Cheryl Tweedy.

Google, by the way, claims that the search result is strictly computer-generated.

Another Day In The Collar Counties

I'm a little surprised Gay Games '06 are still wandering around the area trying to secure sites for events that are only four months away. They've only had four years. Still, in light-purplish McHenry County, they don't hold truck with none of that there gay rowing.

Amid voices of support and opposition Thursday night, the Crystal Lake Park District board rejected a proposal to hold a controversial rowing competition in town that will be part of this summer's Gay Games in Chicago.

With one commissioner on vacation, the board voted 2-2 on allowing the rowing event to be held on the lake for which the city is named. The event needed three votes in favor to be approved.

Commissioner David Phelps, who joined Scott Breeden in opposition, said he believes that the Gay Games are more about politics than athletics. "I do not believe the Crystal Lake Park District should be a vehicle for the promotion of an agenda," he said.

Wonder what the guy on vacation thought.

Crystal Lake resident Scott Spencer told the Park Board that homosexuality is "contrary and detrimental" to traditional family values. Saying that view doesn't make him a bigot, he added: "Let me point out what my prejudice is toward: my wife, my children, my grandchildren and the sanctity of the home."

Whereupon gay activists raced to Mr. Spencer's house, broke down the front door, and proceeded to pleasure one another on his coffee table.

Let me just say, Diane Burns? You're going down. Hyping this story for the ten o'clock news all night long, making me stay up an extra two hours to record it, and then only offering a meaningless fifteen second blurb. I'm glad your crappy lil newscast is in third place. Glad!

A Love Match

It may shock those of you who gather from my hep-cat lingo that I am all young and au courant, but I do remember a time when Americans TV-viewing choices were limited to three.  Soon after we marveled at the miracle of cable: "They have an entire channel for music?  Or sports?!"

Well, my friends, these are crazy but propitious times that we live in.  I discovered that I not only have approximately 57 Varieties of ESPN, but I also have individual channels dedicated to just about every sport imaginable, short of bocce ball.  (I suppose that's what happens when you ask for "everything" when you order your cable service.)

So how delighted was I when blog pal Kenneth in the 212 alerted me to the existence of the Tennis Channel and its program "No Strings," which profiles different stars of the tennis world – more specifically, to the episode this week focusing on one Robby Ginepri?  While he has never been ranked as highly as his countryman, Andy Roddick, he does rival that phenom in the looks department.  (Of course, Ginepri doesn't have the advantage of a last name comprising two distinct euphemisms for "penis," either.)

Sadly, even long before Ginepri's girlfriend showed up in this episode, my gaydar pegged so far into hetero territory that I have to get the needle replaced.  But that still hasn't prevent him sitting for quite literally hot photo shoots in saunas (approx. 4:30 into the clip).

Twenty-three skidoo!

[Watch video – 12:03, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 12:03, WMV format, high bandwidth]

13th on the Podium, First in Our Groins

(UPDATE: Sorry the pictures disappeared for a while.  They are back now, after the jump.)  Robbie is helping prove today why more eyes and ears are better than less when it comes to MalcoVision, as he pointed me toward this little gem:

Canadian (by way of Italy) skater Emanuel Sandhu won't long be remembered for finishing 13th in men's figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics.  But thanks to the high-definition cameras of NBC, he wins immortality in our hearts – and in other places on our body.

The purple-clad cutie had a mishap-strewn performance that seemed to have him more on his ass than on his blades.

But as he left the ice, NBC cut away to a super slo-mo shot of Sandhu than answers the age-old question: "What do figure skaters wear under their spandex?"  It might also answer the question of what Sandhu's religion is.  Ba-DUM-bum!

Yes, Sandhu's Lycra-gripped man-parts flopped all to and fro as he fell down, and were broadcast to a potential 3.7 billion viewers worldwide – and to a lucky few of us, in all their 1080i glory.

As Robbie said, Johnny Weir didn't actually skate all that badly yesterday.  He was just distracted.

Stills images follow after the jump, but first there are a couple of videos.  The first is what I would term "the good part," and the rest is his entire performance for the ice queens who would scream if I neglected to include it.

[Watch video "Good Parts" – 1:19, WMV format, very high bandwidth]  (Why bother with low-bandwidth??)

[Watch video – 6:25, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 6:25, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Pop-Up Torino, AKA "Johnny Weird" Takes the Ice

A lot of words have been used to describe U.S. champion figure skater Johnny Weir: "Entertaining."  "Eccentric."  "Flamboyant."  "Confirmed bachelor.  OK, I made up that last one.

But you get the picture.

Johnny and "Camille" dazzled last night in Torino, finishing a surprisingly strong second after the short program.  But as the media have tip-toed gingerly around any overt suggestions about Johnny's sexuality, I decided to ponder those code words a little more deeply.

MalcoVision brings you the result of those ruminations, a sort of "Pop-Up Video" – Olympics style.

Don't worry, purists: I have provided his performance in full, defiling only NBC's pre-skate profile of Johnny.

[Watch video – 9:27, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 9:27, WMV format, low bandwidth]

RELATED: A song whose title has a word that rhymes with "Weir."  [H/T: Queerty]

Gay Bits

U.S. military has wasted $363.8 million over 10 years discharging gays, also known as 404,672 suits of body armor.

One year later and "the leads have all but dried up" in the brutal dismemberment of Rashawn Brazell, a bisexual Brooklyn teen.  Police are pointing to the possibility that a "chance encounter" took his life.  —Reg. req. for link. (Thanks, James)

Andy has a good round-up of recent gay-marriage news:  William Weld continues to disappoint; Frist continues not to surprise.  Meanwhile, "It's good for your health!"

Tom Cruise: Still sue-happy after all these years.

DNC imitates gay-left blogophere: "You're ugly!  And fat!"

It's "Zbooby"?  Looks more like It's "Zpenis" to me.

MalcoVision will be studying Johnny Weir's every fey move tonight.

Olympic Scoring

Hot guys with gold medals - or without. That is as far as my interest in the Olympics extends. Fresh out of acid, I can't say the opening ceremonies held much for me. Every two years, an Olympic committee seems to commandeer the most out of control gay performance artists available, littering small arenas with the kind of over-the-top symbolism that would have Nathaniel Hawthorne blushing with modesty. When the inline skaters burst into flame, let's just say it was many levels of appropriate.

Still, as far as hot men with medals goes, right now we have speed skaters Joey Cheek and Chad Hedrick taking gold in their events. Bad boy Bode Miller placed a disappointing fifth in an event he was favored to win. He vehemently denies a night out of boozing played any role.

Inside Edition did a little sexy olympian piece today including Miller and fellow skiing hottie and Tommy Hilfigger model, Jeremy Bloom.

[Watch video – 1:01, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 1:01, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Harding Har Har

Did y'all see last night's "Entertainment Tonight" promo of an interview they're going to air tomorrow with former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding?

It started out like a pretty straightforward tease, but then it just got bizarre and hurtful.

[Watch video – 1:11, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 1:11, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Quote of the Day

"I kind of describe myself as the free safety for this speaker (Hastert)," (Rep. David) Dreier says. "Wherever he throws the ball, I just want to make sure I'm there to catch it."

Reminded that free safety is a position on defense, not offense, he says: "I just want to catch the pass."

— From Wall Street Journal, via The Hotline (sub. req.)

"Wide receivers" and "tight ends," of course, catch most of the passes on football teams.  Little wonder, then, that Dreier's clumsy metaphor steered clear of offense.

The 'Horns Hooked 'Em Good

Here is my take on last night's NCAA football championship game.

Lost On Me

Having less than an even rudimentary knowledge of cricket, the metaphor in this ad for "Tulip IT Services Ltd." on the front page (front page!) of today's (Tuesday, for me) Hindustan Times was completely beyond my grasp.

Perhaps one of our intenerational readers can help me.  Although, just as humor dies in the dissection, don't expect it to make me rush right out to buy a truckload lorry full of Tulip IT Services.

PC vs PC

Even as I learned that the gender sensitive from this post have thought better by keeping the Max Bohm painting just where it is, I came across this story:

At Pomona College, tradition dictates that intramural inner tube water polo must play by certain rules. The sport is co-ed, and each team must always have two women in the water at all times. Women's goals, being more rare than men's, also count for more: When a male player scores, he earns one point for his team, but when a woman player scores, she earns two. The set-up has been a stable one since its inception, and has allowed the sport to thrive. Now, however, the hallowed traditions of co-ed inner tube water polo at Pomona have come under fire for being insufficiently attentive to the finer points of sexual difference.

One student was concerned about where transgendered students fit in this system. Wakeman understands the concern, but she is reluctant to change the scoring system because she feels it encourages more women to participate. DesRochers pointed out that the Senate needs to learn more about transgender issues because they do not have the vocabulary and background to provide the best solutions for these problems.

Hoo boy. Women vs Transgendered. Does this qualify as a cat fight? Anyone?

The Homos Love Them Some Football

More proof of my D-list blogger status (as if you needed it): I even get scooped on a hot gay story involving my own alma mater!

Andy reports on the outing of a Northwestern University football fan-blog that is run primarily by gay men.

I hear that the publicity blitz is causing BoiFromTroy to consider going back into the closet, just so he can come out again.

The Weekend: A Photoblog

Happy belated Monday, everyone.  It was another busy weekend for me, aided and abetted by the continued glorious New York City weather.  There are three sets of photos after the jump:

• A few architectural shots seen while attending Saturday's "World's Largest Block Party" on Madison Avenue ...

• Our utter failure on Saturday night to find a decent gay country bar in New York ...

• And some shots of yesterday's New York Marathon, both from up close and from 300 feet above.

World Champions!

After 88 years, the Chicago White Sox are World Series Champions and bring the Comissioner's trophy to a city that is second no longer, if only for a night. Now, the team of Ozzie Guillen own the soul of Chicagoans and the indisputable bragging rights of First Team.

Impossible to describe the feeling. Immediately after the last out, my quiet little suburb exploded in joy, fireworks to rival a minor battlefied, car horns blaring, people running out into the streets screaming. No other sports championship can rival this final release of a long drought.

Mal very generously stayed up late to capture highlights of the game, including the go ahead run, Juan Uribe's impossible catch in the stands, the final out, the celebration, and an interview with the hottest man in baseball - Scott Podsednik. Enjoy.

[Watch highlights - 6:34, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch highlights - 6:34, WMV format, low bandwidth]

[Watch highlights - 6:34, QT format]