Remains of the Day (04/25)

Edge: Mario Cantone wants more than fresh baked bread to be hot on 'And Just Like That..." season 3

Boy Culture: Ex-Rep. George Santos sentenced to 7 years in prison on felony fraud charges

EW: Can you imagine if you'd flown to see Kylie Minogue -- like my friend Greg did -- and the concert was suddenly canceled because of some stupid basketball game?

The Signorile Report: On LGBT rights, Pope Francis had a political epiphany

Saturday 'Stache: When your pecs are so big no one notices your facial hair

Interview: Joe Apollonio on recurring dreams, bisexual fantasies, and his very first erection

People: A biomedical researcher who claimed he had a cure for HIV has been convicted of plotting the 2018 murder of a man he feared would expose him

TVP: Poland’s last "LGBT-free zone" officially abolished (finally some good news out of Eastern Europe)

MetroWeekly: "Senate twink," who has started a new life Down Under, finally addresses gay sex video scandal

NGE: Apple charged with "LGBT propaganda" in Russia for rainbow flag wallpaper in latest update

TV Line: I bawled through the finale of "The Conners" -- kudos to everyone involved, especially John Goodman who deserves an Emmy nod. It took me a while to re-adapt to the sitcom-ness of Roseanne's survivors. But once I got there it really did recapture the magic of the original, which no matter how vile and mentally ill its star is/was/became remains one of the best series of all time.

Queerty: Robert Osborne’s partner recalls what execs told him at the start of his TCM career

Dallas Voice: Dreamy poet Seán Hewitt’s debut novel, "Open, Heaven," deals with unrequited gay love

NYT: Karen Durbin, "fearless" feminist who edited the Village Voice, dies at 80

Speedo Sunday: When Chris Messina ran a marathon -- and got humped by a Duplass brother -- in a teeny black number and hot-pink sneakers

Hot Cat of the Day: I'd give ANYTHING for this to happen to me when I'm on vacation?!!!!

Striptease: Vinny Guadagnino says earning over $1 million doing Chippendales was the "easiest money" he's ever made and I don't doubt it for a second

Stolen Holiday: Because what kind of gay man doesn't adore Carmen Miranda?!

Song of the Day: 'Bad Dreams in Hollywood' by Carol Chapman

Musicologist Kenny Eisenberger uncovered the original version of "French Kissin' in the USA" yesterday, which was the B-side of singer Carol Chapman's one and only single back in 1985. But the real news is that the A-side -- a Julie Brownish number called "Bad Dreams in Hollywood" -- is a real ear worm, prompting my friend CS to squeal "That key change at the end!"

I believe Debbie Harry, whose version of "French Kissin'" was her only solo Top 10 hit in the U.K., where Blondie had about a dozen including five number ones -- discussed how Chapman confronted her about "stealing" the song from her, which Debbie seemed to have no idea about. (That it was Chapman's B-side -- a song that suited her far less than the actual single -- makes her irritation somewhat confounding.) 

I remember hearing Chapman's version of "French Kissin'" in late '80s films like "Can't Buy Me Love" and thinking it was a cover, which given the fact that Debbie's take stalled at No. 57 in the U.S. seemed like an odd choice! 

   

On the Rag, Vol. 854

 

This week's double-wide rag 'n' mag roundup is about as stuffed as Walton Goggins's banana briefs, featuring a sex bomb named Rustin; Carnal+ exclusive Grant Ducati; the hottest Polish American since John Krasinski; a red-headed road trip; 25 albums turning 25 in 2025; Nathan Lee Graham; Baltic babe Arnas Fedaravicius; and much more BELOW.

Come and Play at Their Door

 

If ONLY this had been a toy when I was a kid -- even if my Tuesday Taylor penthouse apartment was a million times better!

Music to My Ears

In these distressing times there's nothing that soothes the brain better for me than seeing my favorite artists perform live. (That's me very-white-knuckling it through the second Reagan administration at a Cure concert at Pine Knob in 1986, above.)

We had been awaiting the Kylie Minogue show for months -- it was a bigger-than-normal deal because my best friend was flying in from Omaha expressly for the event -- so it's almost slipped my mind that I have tickets for several others, too.

So in the interest of not repeating my mother and stepfather's "forgetting" to go to the Cher concert my sister and I bought them tickets for in 2014 (read HERE), I'm posting this reminder to myself -- which may also nudge some of you to join the fun at a venue near you:

Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill: "Long After the Fire" album release party: May 9 at The Cutting Room. I've been listening to the new LP and it's so wonderful. featuring many songs written by John's late brothers Bill and Barry Cowsill. (You may recall that the Cowsills were the inspiration for "The Partridge Family," which a 2011 documentary chronicles in harrowing detail.) In fact, I've been listening to Bill's '90s band called the Blue Shadows to hear the original versions of some of the songs and have fallen in love with those arrangements too, which have more of a Roy Orbison meets the Everly Brothers feel to them. Compare Vicki and John's "A Thousand Times" HERE to the original HERE. Normally I would be jonesing for these two accomplished artists to do their old hits. But this time I'm really looking forward to what they've created together -- Vicki's harmonies on "Vagabond" give me chills!)

Tennis: "Face Down in the Garden"/farewell tour(!): June 1 at The Rooftop at Pier 17. Was shocked that the married duo announced this would be their last album -- very Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn 1999 of them -- so am happy to get this in before the inevitable reunion 25 years from now ... when I'm 82!

Neko Case: Oct. 22 at Beacon Theatre. Clearly we're giving her the benefit of the doubt given what happened LAST TIME! I know touring is her principal source of income so am happy to support her. Here's hoping the "Thelma and Louise" Broadway musical she's been working on here in the city is a big hit too, even if it sounds like the most ill-conceived thing of all time.

Belly (celebrating the 30th anniversary of "King"): Oct. 24 at Sony Hall. I'm largely in the minority here, but I've always liked "King" better than their more successful "Star," so I'm over the moon to hear it in its entirety live! The only way this could be more fun is if Greg were to join us again, like he did when the band first reunited in 2016!

Lunchtime

 

Never a dull moment over at Men About Town. Follow HERE.