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Why 'X' Means 'Kiss'

Due to icy roads caused by last night's storm in Washington, I'm working from home today. You know what that means, right? Right! 'The View,' 'Ellen' and 'Martha' on in the background. Yay!

So Martha Stewart, goddess, taught me something interesting today which I never knew, and possibly you didn't know either:

"In Medieval times, people who couldn't write their names signed with a 'X' which they kissed to show their sincerity. This is how the 'X' symbol became synonymous with a kiss."

Cool, eh?

In honor of Xs, Valentine's Day and all things kissy, here's an A-D-O-R-A-B-L-Y sweet series of clips from four separate film projects showing lots and lots of kisses. 

XXX Kenneth

'Gay People Kissing'



Source: RGaston39 at YouTube

Tags: Gay, Lesbian, Kisses, Valentine's Day,

A Song Both Happy and Gay

Gang -- I was cramming on a big project today, so squeezing this blog post in at midnight.

I give you this awesome song by Swedish pop band Alcazar. It's message of freedom and love -- and the super fun hetero and homo smooching will lift you up. I swear it.

'Someday' by Alcazar

Tags: Music, YouTube, Alcazar

Grammys Better than Ever

I wasn't planning to watch the Grammy Awards. The past few years I found them dull, and worse, they made me feel completely out of touch with "today" because so many of the nominees and the featured performances meant nothing to me (read: I had no idea who they were).

Last night was a different experience. I caught the beginning of the show unintentionally   and spent the next three hours glued to my set. The production was hot. There were some kickass performances. Strangely, I actually knew most of the performers and the nominees for the awards that were given out live.

I wonder: Have I become cooler and more hip to the newest music, or did the Grammy's come down to my level?

What did you think of the show?

Random Observations:
Corinne Bailey Rae owns any moment in which she appears on stage. I could watch her all night.
Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Shakira: Awesome.
Sting: The 56-year-old rocker looks as hot as ever. Oh, and Police reunion=cool.
Justin Timberlake has, in fact, grown into himself. He gets kudos.
It was nice how the show inserted older artists into the context of today's new music.
Joan Baez stole Dorian Gray's portrait and it's in her closet right now.

Some Lesser Known Grammy Awards that Caught My Eye:
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Nancy Wilson. Love her!
Best Musical Show Album: 'Jersey Boys'
Best Electronic/Dance Album: 'Confessions on a Dance Floor,' Madonna
Best Polka Album: 'Polka in Paradise,' Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra. Yes, there really is a category for Best Polka Album.

Finally, I was thrilled that the Dixie Chicks did so well. Love them, love the album, love the song. I was disappointed that the gals were so cocky and I-told-you-so (using grade-school rhetoric) in their acceptance speeches. The power of their experience and the message of the song are above that.

Links:
Everything Grammys on AOL
Full List of Nominees/Winners
Watch MusicVideos of the Nominated Songs
Photo Galleries

Tags: Grammys, Music

An iPod Almost Killed Someone Today

I'm driving to work this morning and am stopped at an intersection near the White House waiting for the light to turn green so I can make a right turn.

A pedestrian is standing on the corner waiting to cross. The light turns, he does nothing. I wait a good 10 seconds or more -- I'm a very polite driver. He continues to just stand there staring blankly, not moving, so I start to make my turn at which point he steps into the crosswalk right in front of my car and throws me his best Bette Davis bitch-look which includes a hand gesture as if to say "HOW DARE YOU! I HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY YOU WRETCHED, INCONSIDERATE BASTARD!" -- or something like that.

What just happened? The idiot was listening to his iPod, not paying attention to the sights, sounds and street activity around him.

This i-distraction is maddening. I encounter it all the time now, which is why a just-announced proposed New York law banning pedestrian use of iPods and other gadgets doesn't seem like a bad idea.

I know the bill is too restrictive on individual freedom, and I know it won't pass. I'm just saying that pedestrians who don't look both ways because they're caught up in Gwen Stefani's 'Sweet Escape' A) piss me off, and B) are accidents waiting to happen. Like this:

(Mature Language)

Tags: iPod, Traffic, Carl Kruger

Elliott Yamin's New Songs

Velvet-voiced Elliott Yamin, aka my favorite 'Idol' man of last season, has an album dropping March 20. Fortunately, we don't have to wait that long to hear some of it.

Get a First Listen to the world premiere of his new song, while you join me in a slobberfest over how totally HOT HOT HOT he looks.

Tags: Elliott Yamin, American Idol, Music

Gay Sightings

'Ugly Betty' Rules: TV Squad blog reviews this week's episode: "Honestly, it was just plain artful how the writers thematically connected Justin's story of playground bullying and his father's concern about his sexuality to Alexis' story of her own father's disapproval and eventual sex change. In the Suarez home, being accepted for who you are and seeing beauty in the people around you wins the day. In the Meade home, your father would rather see you dead than happy."

And USA Today catches up with Mark Indelicato, the actor who plays Justin, aka the greatest sissy character of all time.

Healing Homophobia: T.R. Knight's gal pal Katherine Heigl reports that Isaiah Washington is "trying very hard" to make up for calling Knight a faggot.

Gay In Hollywood: The public is fine with gay actors, it's the TV industry that isn't ready to embrace teh gay.

Dems Anger Gays: Former DNC official Donald Hitchcock (the gay man who was unceremoniously canned last year) says Howard Dean's not ready to make nice with gays, a sentiment echoed by now a second gay DNC staffer, Ramon Gardenhire, who writes about Dean's decision to eliminate the office of GLBT outreach.

Tags: Ugly Betty, Isaiah Washington, Hollywood, Television, Gay, Politics

'Top Design' Recap Episode 2

Guest Blog Post by Stephen Lenz

First things first ... I fell asleep Wednesday night so I had to watch "T-Dez" on the trusty TiVO. But I didn't have to try too hard to avoid hearing who was kicked off the island because the major news outlets and blogs (well, except this one, right Kenny?) aren't really covering this show yet. You just wait until one of the designers poisons Todd Oldham's dog and THEN we'll have a hot show on our hands!

Okay, so we start off the show with one of those serious moments in reality shows when someone says they have an announcement to make ("I'm an alcoholic! I'm leaving! I'm Alexis Arquette!") and then they edit in people making fake shocked reactions … except this time John announces he's HIV-positive and that his doctors loaded him with testosterone before the show and that's why he treated spectacled Michael like crap in the last challenge. That's not funny.

Then woodland creature Todd comes in and explains that they have $8000 to design rooms for some discriminating clients and they are only getting a few bits of information about them, like one is a figure skater and another has a cat, and immediately I know that these must be kids, but nobody on the show realizes this and (again) this proves I am smarter than everyone on reality TV <breathe>.

Sure enough they go shopping at that expensive furniture place that looks like a stadium outside and a convention center with good lighting inside…. all the while thinking they are shopping for adults <there's your kicker>. And then they go back and Todd invites the clients in and the room erupts in "Omigod, children!" and Todd goes on to tell the designers that they only have $300 more to spend on the room (at Target, natch) and that the people who won last week will have more money to spend and they will have to use twin beds and they have to stand on their heads and shear sheep while doing it. So the last episode was too straight forward and now it’s all CAH-razy and I have to have my husband explain it to me because I am totally lost.

From here the designers complain about not having enough time or money and I respond with, "Dudes, you only have three walls and no windows to worry about, so chill!" Fast editing and people bumping into each other follows and John almost has a breakdown during twelve "Next on 'Top Design'!" promos and I think "Oh, the sh*t's going down" because John’s room apparently doesn’t have a floor.

The judges (who I still don't know) walk around the three-walled windowless rooms and go on and on Michael Kors-style how awful and "assisted facility-style" Michael's room is and how great soul patch guy #1's pirate room is even though one judge rightfully points out that the kid's going to like pirates for three more weeks and then hate his parents till death for doing this to him.

So John (left) gets kicked off and that leaves me feeling really bad for him, but I think that the clever editors and producers intended that. And when they show the faces of the other contestants I say "Wait – are they even on this show?" so that does not bode well either. Regardless, I'll watch episode three because Jonathon Adler has the potential to be the most evil TV star ever this side of Joan Collins. Now that's top design.

Tags: Top Design, TV, Bravo

'12-Step Solution' for Bigots?

The New York Times writes today: "It has become a Hollywood cliché: Utter bigoted language in anger. Issue a carefully fashioned apology. Announce 'I need help.' Meet with civil rights leaders for support. Set out on the path to salvation."

So can prejudice really be unlearned? Mental health professionals, researchers and even a former "Aryan warrior" weigh in on the subject. Check out 'My Big Bad Mouth,' then let's hear what you think.

Click to comment.

Tags: Isaiah Washington, Michael Richards, Mel Gibson, Prejudice, Homophobia, Gay

Gay Sightings

USA Today reports 'Gay Teens Coming Out Earlier to Peers and Family.'

'Animal Farm': Should a hookup Web Site for bears refuse members if they aren't just right? Joe.My.God. wants to know.

The Big Bad Blog says 'Justin's D*ck is Back in that Box.'

The Lesbian Lifestyle wants you to cast your vote for Lesbian Blog of the Year.

Musical theater meets same-sex unions in a mass interfaith civil union ceremony on Valentine's Day in NYC. (The Big Voice: God or Ethel Merman)

DC Ice Breakers is a new semi-monthly ice skating social event for GLBTQ folk in the D.C. metro area who want an alternative to meeting people in bars. Drinking in a bar immediately follows skating hour.

Former NBA Player Says He's Gay

ESPN confirms that ex-NBA player John Amaechi is coming out as a gay man. Amaechi tells his story in an autobiography titled 'Outside the Lines,' which hits stores Feb. 20.  Get the story (plus some interesting video) about pro-basketball's first-ever out player.

The men at OutSports.com weigh-in about Amaechi and the longtime rumors about his being gay, while ESPN columnist LZ Granderston makes a fast-break to talk about the slam-dunk question:

"I do not mean to belittle Amaechi's experience or the experiences of any other athlete who comes out after retirement ...  But I can't help but wonder: When will somebody simply man up? That is, come out while he is still playing and finally demystify this whole gay athlete thing once and for all."  See 'Another Ex-athlete Comes Out? Not Impressed')

Behind the News: Gay Pundit Comes Out on Cosmetics

A dear friend who must remain nameless or he wouldn't let me share this recently appeared as a guest on both CNN's 'Anderson Cooper 360' and on MSNBC. He's a smart, well-spoken fella and news outlets know he's good for an insightful sound bite. Because he's a giver, he sends me post-appearance reports about what really matters:

"After a comparative 24-hour study, I can tell you conclusively that CNN gives better makeup and lighting than MSNBC.  Last night [after CNN], I felt that I had a healthy glow about me, and when I got home to wash my face (because who needs pancake makeup to clog their pores?), my skin seemed smooth but not overly done – with the exception of the zit on my lower lip, which they gave the Gabor-sister treatment to. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I can report that the lighting at MSNBC is much more severe, and that the makeup lady there shovels it on with wild abandon.  I got back to the office and looked in the mirror and felt like an escapee from a 'Six Feet Under' scene.  And, even after trying to rinse the makeup away and scrubbing my face with paper towels, there’s still residue coming off on my phone whenever I use it.  (I will say that the MSNBC lady was very understanding about my zit, and took good care of me on that front)."

I love gay men.

Tags: Gay, Humor, CNN, MSNBC

Homo to Hetero in 21 Days or Your Money Back

'Minister Called Completely Heterosexual.' 

Yeah, right.

In other news, Dood Abide over at Daily Kos digs a little deeper:

Phoenix, AZ (UPSI) - Newly declared heterosexual Ted Haggard came forward today to register his displeasure with the American public over condemnation of a recent Snickers Super Bowl ad in which he appeared. Mars Inc. was caught off guard by a tidal wave of public anger over the commercial which depicts an accidental kiss between two males. The company immediately pulled the ad campaign after overwhelming complaints that it was anti-gay. Haggard took issue with the public outcry, stating that he felt his performance reflected a natural, humorous and "completely heterosexual" situational response.

See the rest of the story: 'Haggard Disappointed over Public Response to Snickers Super Bowl AD'

And some of you think I don't have a sense of humor.

Tags: Ted Haggard, Snickers, Satire

Snickers Kills Ads, Sort of Apologizes

I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to a lot of the people who left comments on this blog yesterday saying that they didn't find the Snickers ad campaign discussed here to be offensive. Some found the ad(s) funny, not gay bashing. Others said they made straight men look stupid and had nothing to do with anything gay, and still others told us gays (aka "YOU PEOPLE") to "lighten up" and learn how to take a joke. 

I found it amusing that there were also a bunch of comments left here from gay-haters who were mad at Snickers for depicting a gay kiss on TV for -- eek! -- the kids to see. All I can say about that is whoever the genius is at the ad agency that developed and tested these ads is amazing: Gays and gay-haters rarely ever agree on anything, but this campaign created something both parties could hate together. Now that's what I call reaching across demo.

Back to my first point though about "benefit of the doubt."  I say that because I think -- I hope -- that most people who commented that they were not offended were reacting to the ad that ran on TV during the Super Bowl, and that ad only. On that one ad alone, I doubt the tremendous public outcry that took place yesterday would have happened. But that one ad isn't what got people swearing off chocolate -- or at least chocolate made by the Mars company.

To be clear, Snickers had four ad endings posted on their Web site. They wanted people to vote on which of them should run during the Daytona 500. Aside from the one that aired during the Super Bowl, there was another sort of neutral ad ending which hinted at a man-on-man-on-man three-way. It wasn't necessarily homophobic on its face, nor was it gay positive. In other words, it was almost irrelevant.

But the other two were clearly offensive to many who watched them. How anyone who viewed the depiction of violence motivated by a "gay" kiss as a joke, or something gays shouldn't take seriously, is beyond me. The message these ads send is that gay panic is a license to gay bash. Worse, the ads were developed to specifically reach 18-24-year-old males, the same group most likely to commit anti-gay hate crimes. About the campaign, Matthew Shepard's mother said, "This campaign encourages the same type of hate that led to the death of my son Matthew."

Sadly, the idiocy of the Snickers campaign got even worse than that. Also posted on their microsite were these videos of NFL players watching and reacting to the gay-bashing Snickers ads:

NFL Players React to Snickers Kiss Ads (1 of 2)



NFL Players React to Snickers Kiss Ads (2 of 2)




By the end of the day yesterday, Snickers had removed all traces of the ads from their site. In today's New York Times, a spokesman for the company says:

"As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer, primarily 18-to-24-year-old adult males," said a spokeswoman for Masterfoods, Alice Nathanson. "Feedback from our target consumers has been positive, and many media and Web site commentators on this year's Super Bowl lineup ranked the commercial among this year’s best."

"We know that humor is highly subjective and we understand that some consumers have found the commercial offensive," Ms. Nathanson said, adding: "Clearly that was not our intent. We do not plan to continue the ad on television or on our Web site."

I wouldn't exactly call that an apology, but it clearly signals that Mars/Snickers deeply regrets that so much damage to their highly-valued brand name can happen in a mere 30 seconds. At least they didn't announce that Isaiah Washington was coming on board as a celebrity spokesperson, or that they were sending their PR hack to inpatient homophobia counseling. In fact, it was pretty impressive that they reacted so quickly to an online outrage largely driven by gay bloggers.

Snickers certainly wasn't reacting to our community's media watch dog, GLAAD, who didn't utter a peep all day. At 8:00 PM Eastern last night, GLAAD finally issued a statement. What did GLAAD do all day Monday? I mean that seriously. What, if not this, was their staff working on?

So what were the lessons of the day? One is that advertisers still think that homophobic humor sells -- a probable falsehood and an issue about which the Commercial Closet Association is hoping to learn more about through a quantitative research study, they told me today.

But perhaps the biggest lessons were two I already knew: 1) Gay men and lesbians still have a long fight ahead before we get to the point that we aren't fodder for anti-gay jokes and harassment; and 2) We, along with our allies and our laptops, are up to the fight.

Tags: Snickers, NFL, Super Bowl, Mars, Homophobia, Advertising, Gay, Video

Homophobic? Grab a Snickers (And It's Way Worse Than You Think)

What would Super Bowl ads be without a good dose of homophobia? I'm no referee, but I call foul, penalty and WTF! on the ad in which two men munch down on a Snickers bar from opposite ends, culminating in a kiss (gasp!) which they feel compelled to counter by doing something "manly," like tearing off a bit of one's chest hair, aka manscaping for Neanderthals.

But that ad is nothing -- NOTHING -- compared to the anti-gay "alternate endings" (Note: see update below) that the Mars company who owns Snickers has posted on their Web site. They are asking people to vote on which of the endings people want to see broadcast on FOX during the  Daytona 500. Which of these do you like:

1) Men kiss, then, horrified, poison themselves by drinking motor oil and windshield cleaner:



2) Men kiss, YUCK!, so one guy sucker-punches the other using a huge wrench, then second guy slams his kissing buddy's head under the hood of a car they are working on:



Messages:
1) It's OK to beat the crap out of gay guys;
2) If you do something gay-ish, consider countering said act with self-mutilation or a hate crime;
3) Using gays as the butt of jokes is funny -- and profitable!

Snickers knows kids are hitting their site; are these videos really the lessons we want to teach them?

Snickers/Mars offers this link in case you "have a question or a problem related to the product or site."  I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

UPDATE: 6:00 PM
Snickers removed the ads from their Web site late this afternoon, including the video of NFL players watching the ads and saying "yuck" because two guys kiss, then laughing when they have to act "manly," e.g., become violent. Perhaps Snickers is feeling the heat of the many people who have expressed their dismay today that a major corporation would encourage bullying and hate crimes by running ads that make gays the target of homophobic behavior. Removing the ads is a good beginning; now about that apology ...

Tags: Super Bowl Ads, Snickers, Mars, Homophobia, Hate Crimes,

Hot as 'L': TV's Sexiest Ladies Then and Now

Have the women who play TV's sexiest lesbians become hotter than ever? Our then-and-now photo gallery says "yes."

Click to Launch Gallery



Who is your favorite? Leave a comment.

Tags: The L Word, Lesbian, TV

Gayest Super Bowl Performances, and 50 Gayest Things of All Time

In the spirit of it's ok to laugh at ridiculous stereotyping, I give you these. Please turn off your "that's offensive" sensors, then click 'n' giggle.

The 10 Gayest Super Bowl Halftime Performances (Cracked.com)

"On Super Sunday, football fans' favorite take-no-prisoners artist will perform at halftime, musically expressing the patriotic sentiment captured by the NFL's biggest game. Get ready to rock the f*ck out with… Prince? What the sh*t? Not that there's anything wrong with Prince, per se, and there's certainly nothing wrong with homosexuals. But there IS something wrong with so badly misunderstanding your target demographic. After all, would poodle enthusiasts want Slayer to open up the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show? The sensual boy-man is just the latest in a string of terrible bookings by the powers that be in the NFL. Join us on a journey through the most horribly miscast performers of Super Bowls past."

The 50 Gayest Things of All Time
Plus 50 Things That Most Make You Feel Like a Man
(PhatPhree.com -- Mature Language)

Shockingly, I could only find one, maybe two things on the whole list of most manly things that I could claim as my own; I don't even know what a few of the items are. Whereas the gay list -- including "waving, laying out, lip balm, phone calls to catch up" and appoximately 46 other things listed -- well, let's just say "gayest editor ever" is extremely appropriate. Stereotyping may be offensive, but that doesn't mean there's not some truth to it, now does it?


Click image to see the whole list.

Tags: Super Bowl, Gay

Jennifer Hudson Is Tellin' You: 'Idol' Was 'Abusive'

In an interview with Essence magazine about the show that told her she wasn't good enough, Hudson talks 'Idol' dirt: "You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think. You become a character ... I just knew I had to sing my way out of it ... The show couldn't take away my talent."

Does Hudson seriously think she'd have been cast in 'Dreamgirls' if it weren't for 'American Idol'? Can you say "lack of gratitude, party of one!"?

The worst offense in the interview, however, was Hudson thinking she's in a position to offer advice -- ADVICE!!! -- to Jennifer Holliday:

"First off, don't let that be the only song you're performing. Pursue other things and don't just limit yourself to that. I don't intend to say, '[OK], I'm going to sing this song for the rest of my life, and this will be the only character that I portrayed.' I'm Jennifer, not Effie. I'm flexible and different and have other dreams and other goals and songs to pursue."

Jennifer, I love you, but shut up.

'Jennifer Hudson: Pulling No Punches' (Black Voices Blogs)

Tags: Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls, American Idol, Jennifer Holliday

Who Owns the F-Word?

Paula Zahn gets things 'Out in the Open' in a discussion on CNN about the word "faggot." Talking with writer/activist Keith Boykin, HRC president Joe Solmonese, attorney Lauren Lake and radio talk show host Steve Malzberg, the panelists discuss what makes the F-word the ultimate gay slur -- or not.

Do you use "fag" when talking gay-to-gay? Who else is allowed to say it? Sharon Stone uses it freely, she says, and thinks everyone needs to get over it: “Please, I call all my gay friends 'big fags'."

Thoughts? Leave a comment.

Watch 'Out in the Open' on the F-Word:

Tags: Gay, Slur, CNN, HRC

Meat-Man Has a Beef With Gays

My friend Jeremy, who authors the entertainingly informative Good As You blog, is featured on the current episode of the gay cable show 'In the Life.' Cool, eh? His charm and good looks prompted all manner of fan mail and warm wishes, save one alarming comment on his blog which threatens to "brake" his bones if said commenter ever has the chance:

"You CAN'T just expect everyone to be okay with you, and your life. Your (sic) a fag, and that (sic) fine, but keep it to yourself. Trust me, if I ever walk by you on the street with my kids and I see you kissing or holding hands with some dude, I'll brake (sic) every bone in your gay little body. Keep your sh*t behind closed doors, so children can't see you." (Read the whole comment here.)

Being the resourceful Internet hound that he is, Jeremy traced the e-mail address and was able to identify the homophobe who left the virtual threat. Turns out the guy owns Enterprise Steaks, a beef distribution company in Philly -- and he has a history of harrasing gays online.

Jeremy has a few choice things to say on the subject, which I invite you to check out.

Tags: Gay, Good as You, Homophobia, Harrassment

'Top Design': Don't You Piss Me Off Already!

Guest Blog Post by Stephen Lenz



Okay, let me first say that I've been waiting for this puppy for a while. I've often said that I've never understood sports until I saw 'Project Runway,' so when it comes to these types of programs, this is my event-TV. But the night got off to a bad start, even before 'Top Design,' Bravo's newest reality TV show.

'American Idol' really depressed me. It's just starting to really get me down. When the highlight of a show is a an elderly man singing for his recently deceased girlfriend, you know you're in trouble. And Paula, sweet claps-like-a-seal Paula, you know things are bad when rumors are flying that Courtney Love might replace you (which by the way is the most redick thing I've ever heard). But we're not here to talk about that. Here are my notes on T-Dez (I've already shortened the name ... I'm really that good):

Todd Oldham -- I don't get how someone can be a brilliant designer and an awkward 7-year-old boy at the same time. He kind of reminds me of the robot boy from 'Spellbound.' Or does he remind me of Carl Sagan -- one of the two. Anyway, is he Tim Gunn? Or is he Heidi Klum? I guess I should just let him be Todd and get over it.

Here are my musings about last night's show:

* Dude-with-skateboard rides his banana off the kitchen table ... That shows some real respect. I want you gone. Your ironic loud shirts really bug me. Grow up.

* That mean gay man who hates gay men and acts like he has no idea he'd be living with gay men on this little design show he's on. He said something like "rather than live with these queenies I should just go live with the women." Well, meanie, I've watched every season of 'Real World' and trust me, you don't wanna live with the girls.

* Young glasses-guy who doesn't get along with mean gay man ... Oh, the producers love you. Why? Because you are what reality TV fans call the "f-ed by hubris dude." Never ever talk about how amazing you are and then mention you've never actually painted before. You are fresh meat. And that is why, mean gay man and young glasses guy, you weren't kicked off. You are too entertaining. You are Omarosa-squared.

* Oh look, a sleep-number bed! Okay, I don't like this trend where every show is doing product placements so now nobody is even trying to make the products subliminal. Next episode they're gonna say "buy this plant food from Home Depot or the old lady dies."

* And FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS for one room?! I was waiting for the twist where they let them order everything for 50K and then say, "Now, everything's going back and you have to do the same room for $50!" and then that girl who designs for the underprivileged would scream with glee.

* And last but not least – Alexis Arquette. When Todd Oldham said that they would be designing for him –- OR HER! – I immediately knew something was up. Alexis, dear – what was wrong? I so wanted you to Joan Crawford one of the designers for using the wrong color. Instead, you graciously commented on each room and we all moved on.
 

All in all, I give this a B+ . This was the first episode, so we’ll see if I’ll be saying “See you later, decorator!” – lame, by the way. Oh, and I finally realized who now-departed contestant Lisa reminds me of. Click here.

Tags: Top Design, Todd Oldham, Reality TV, Bravo, Gay

Gayest Nature Video Ever

When Ross the Intern meets 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin, two worlds collide in a pile-up of sexual innuendo, rib tickles and spine-chilling creatures. Plus, a new S&M safe word is born.



See More of My Favorite Videos

Tags: Ross the Intern, Jay Leno, Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, Gay

Molly Ivins, I Miss You Already

Molly Ivins, August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007

We've lost another person too soon. Columnist and all-around rabble-rouser Molly Ivins died yesterday from breast cancer. She was 62.

Molly Ivins called 'em as she saw 'em, and by "'em" I mean conservatives she thought did stupid things, which was most of them, but in particular George Bush, whom she famously dubbed "shrub."

Her syndicated column gave her the freedom to speak her mind liberally, charming readers with her own brand of often hilarious Texas phraseology. She publicly called out hypocrisy, corruption and dirty politics, and stood up for people who suffered injustice, including gay men and lesbians:

"Gay marriage, now there's a crisis. Well, OK, so there isn't much gay marriage going on here in Texas. None, in fact. First, we made it illegal. Then, we made it unconstitutional. But President Bush is all concerned about it, so I guess we have to alter the U.S. Constitution.Gus and Captain Call (of 'Lonesome Dove' fame) will be an item -- with who knows who waiting in line right after them.

Also of great concern to Republicans is God Almighty, who, rather to my surprise, has been elected chairman of the Texas Republican Party. That's what they announced at the biannual convention in Fort Worth this week: 'He is the chairman of the Party.' Sheesh, the Democrats couldn't even get Superman."  (More from 'What Republicans Worry About')

A tough gal, Ivins worked and fought right up to the end of her life. This is from her most recent column, published Jan. 11:

"We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on January 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it, now!'" (More from 'Stand Up Against the Surge')

Molly, I miss you already.


Watch Molly Ivins (and Jim Hightower) Comment About Tom Delay's 'K Street Project'



More Columns by Molly Ivins
A Tribute by Ivins' Editor, Anthony Zurcher
Listen: 'The Wit and Wisdom of Molly Ivins' (NPR)

Tags: Molly Ivins