Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

   The weather's going to be crappy this weekend all along the Eastern Seaboard, but I hope you have a nice holiday nonetheless, and spend a little time remembering those who lost their lives for our country. If you had dreamed of having some fun in the sun might I offer these vintage photos from Fire Island, which will surely get your temperature rising! More HERE.

(An exclusive preview of photographer Tom Bianchi’s new art book Fire Island Pines: Polaroids 1975–1983.)

Gross Anatomy

Via Romenesko (too good not to share):

Dan Gross has an entertaining piece in Philadelphia magazine about his adventures as a Philly Daily News gossip columnist. (He took a buyout in January.) He writes in the June issue:

I have always been interested in celebrities. I grew up reading my mom’s People magazines; in high school, a friend and I published a punk fanzine called Scenester! I got my picture taken with singer Brandy at my prom. (She was the date of my classmate, one Kobe Bryant.) In college, I published a magazine called Deal With It and profiled Todd Bridges of "Diff’rent Strokes"; I tried to interview Anthony Michael Hall of "Breakfast Club" fame, but he demanded to be paid and we ended up arguing over it. I ran the transcript of him being a dick instead. My first gotcha.

Read HERE.

On the Rag, Vol. 252

A weekly look at what's making news in the free gay rags:

Get Out is all pumped up for Gay Pride. Online edition HERE.

Next's 2013 swimsuit issue stars Steven Wenslawski and Colby Lindeman. Online edition HERE.

Metro Weekly: Op-ed says annual Black Pride events compel us to demand justice. Read HERE.

Echo: Idina Menzel of "Wicked" will cast her spell during her Phoenix concert. Read HERE.

'Girls' Gone Mild

Lena Dunham gets hot and bothered about 'Girls' porn parody 

 For someone who writes a pretty funny show, Lena Dunham sure seems like a stick in the mud. Read HERE.

Novak Djokovic for UNIQLO's AIRism

Love going to work and seeing the subway cars plastered with my favorite Serb, whose asymmetrical shoulders make me feel a lot better about my strange body!

NYPD Woo!

I love that they sent the cop from Central Casting to arrest Amanda Bynes! 

Husbands and 'Wives'

Losing a ‘Boyfriend,’ the Best Way Possible

Heartwarming Modern Love piece by Augusten Burroughs about marrying his literary agent and true love, Christopher:

For me, saying “I am married now” is like saying “I am lucky now.” I stumbled and crashed my way into the literal arms of something I never quite believed in before: my soul mate. A man who frequently smells like cheeseburgers and makes me laugh hard every day and makes me want to be worthy of being his husband.

Read HERE.

Why I Have a Hard-On for Weiner's Mayoral Run

If this is what we have to look forward to, keep it coming ...

Starbucks Strikes Out

Derek Jeter uses phony name 'Philip' at Greenwich Village Starbucks 

 The ever-reliable New York Post is reporting that Derek Jeter used a fake name when ordering coffee at a Starbucks downtown. But anyone who's ever gone to the chain knows "Philip" is exactly what baristas write on your cup when you say your name is "Derek."

And I'm Diness, thank you very much.

The First 5 Years of AIDS

The New-York Historical Society's gallery of photos from the first five years of AIDS is fascinating:

1983: Fighting for our Lives: An AIDS Candlelight March

1983: First AIDS Memorial Service in New York City, Central Park Bandshell

1985: Brad Davis and D.W. Moffett in a scene from the stage production of "The Normal Heart"

More HERE.

Song of the Day: 'I Belong to You' by Lenny Kravitz

I was fairly immune to new music in the 1990s -- and, well, pretty much ever since -- so I didn't really experience the Lenny Kravitz phenomenon. (He was the son of the Jeffersons lady who married Lisa Bonet to me.) Heard this one in a restaurant last night and was really taken by how infectious it is. Figured it must have been a No. 1 hit back in the day, but was stunned to see it stalled at No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 1998. #stunned

Morning Wood