Friday, August 31, 2012

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Hollywood Republican Values


 Republicans hate when Democrats have celebrities on their side, with their "Hollywood liberal" attitudes and lifestyles. But they sure don't mind it when they're on theirs. (See also: Reagan, Ronald, the country's first and only divorced president.)


On the Rag, Vol. 214

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


Get Out! puts the boys of Boxers Sports Bar out front. Online edition HERE.


Boi magazine's cover model looks all man to me. Online edition HERE.


Odyssey New York puts Ramona Rizzo (and friends) of VH1’s “Mob Wives” out front. Online edition HERE.


Next features someone named Bianca del Rio as Eva Peron. The mag's summer yearbook is online HERE.


Metro Weekly wants you to meet Nick McCoy, the gay activist hoping to become the District of Columbia's next rising political star. Read HERE.

Song of the Day: ' ... Baby One More Time' by Jessica Hendy and Jacob Yates


  First saw Broadway star Jessica Hendy when she provided guest vocals at the Skivvies' debut at Joe's Pub. Now she's back with friend Jacob Yates -- whom she met in a regional production of "Next to Normal" -- performing a nearly unrecognizable cover of the song that put Britney Spears on the map. Check it out:
   

Prominent Catholic Priest Says Clergy Sex Abuse Victims Are Often the Seducers


Saints preserved! Did you hear about this prominent Catholic priest (Father Benedict Groeschel) who told the National Catholic Register that victims of sexual abuse by priests are in "a lot of cases ... the seducer"? While I'd like to think his comments are more nuanced than "priest blames children for being abused by other priests" -- you can decide when you read them below -- he seems to be missing the pivotal difference between an adult going to his/her priest and an inappropriate relationship blossoming and a child becoming an unwitting pawn to satisfy a priest's twisted desires. (The "poor" Jerry Sandusky bit should have been a red flag.) The story was removed and an apology was issued only after people protested. But Commonweal has the lowlights, some of which I am posting here:

Part of your work here at Trinity has been working with priests involved in abuse, no? 
A little bit, yes; but you know, in those cases, they have to leave. And some of them profoundly — profoundly — penitential, horrified. People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to — a psychopath. But that’s not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer. 
Why would that be? 
Well, it’s not so hard to see — a kid looking for a father and didn’t have his own — and they won’t be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping but not having intercourse or anything like that. It’s an understandable thing, and you know where you find it, among other clergy or important people; you look at teachers, attorneys, judges, social workers. Generally, if they get involved, it’s heterosexually, and if it’s a priest, he leaves and gets married — that’s the usual thing — and gets a dispensation. A lot of priests leave quickly, get civilly married and then apply for the dispensation, which takes about three years. But there are the relatively rare cases where a priest is involved in a homosexual way with a minor. I think the statistic I read recently in a secular psychology review was about 2%. Would that be true of other clergy? Would it be true of doctors, lawyers, coaches? Here’s this poor guy — [Penn State football coach Jerry] Sandusky — it went on for years. Interesting: Why didn’t anyone say anything? Apparently, a number of kids knew about it and didn’t break the ice. Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime. It was a moral failure, scandalous; but they didn’t think of it in terms of legal things. If you go back 10 or 15 years ago with different sexual difficulties — except for rape or violence — it was very rarely brought as a civil crime. Nobody thought of it that way. Sometimes statutory rape would be — but only if the girl pushed her case. Parents wouldn’t touch it. People backed off, for years, on sexual cases. I’m not sure why. I think perhaps part of the reason would be an embarrassment, that it brings the case out into the open, and the girl’s name is there, or people will figure out what’s there, or the youngster involved — you know, it’s not put in the paper, but everybody knows; they’re talking about it. At this point, (when) any priest, any clergyman, any social worker, any teacher, any responsible person in society would become involved in a single sexual act — not necessarily intercourse — they’re done. And I’m inclined to think, on their first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime.
What do you think of his comments? Sounds like he could stand to watch "Deliver Us From Evil," Amy Berg's shocking documentary about clergy sex abuse, which showed the true damage this type of abuse does to its victims -- and the victims' families -- like nothing I've ever seen.

You can keep reading HERE.

Courting Style


Martina Navratilova gives us her best Beverly Baker (circa 1981 and 1951)

Love that the Daily News ran this slide show of women's tennis fashions through the years, although I'm fairly certain the photo on the right below that they have identified as Chris Evert is actually transsexual Renee Richards, only with the negative flipped the wrong way!!!! To see them all, click HERE.


  Venus makes an ass of herself ...


I doubt many were experiencing Venus envy after seeing this look at the 2010 French Open.

Sign Language


 Sure, no problem. Here's your "money."

The RNC Wants to Sex You Up


 WARNING: Language may not be suitable for all places of employment.

Page 1 Consider (08/31)





Morning Wood


 This photo is current yet the model has a decidedly retro look about him, no?

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Major Woody for Tim Tebow


Jets fans are already getting tired of all of the Tebow mania that has taken over the coverage of their favorite underperforming team. But owner Woody Johnson stands by his decision to bring the former Gator to New York in March as his backup quarterback, saying, “I don't think you can ever have too much Tebow." (Via NY Post)


BREAKING: Andy Roddick to Retire


 On his 30th birthday, Andy Roddick just announced that he will retire from tennis after his next loss. I feel for Roddick: He burst on the scene as the successor to Sampras and Agassi and seemed to be up to the task when he won the U.S. Open in 2003. But just as it seemed he was slated for a career of major victories, Roger Federer suddenly reached his potential and before Roddick could figure out how to beat him, another all-time great came along, named Rafael Nadal. Still, Roddick will leave the game as a former No. 1, the owner of 32 titles and a colorful chapter in its history. Is there any way this guy won't wind up being the next great commentator? Full story HERE.


Statement on Andy Roddick from ATP Executive Chairman and President Brad Drewett:
"I would like to congratulate Andy on an outstanding career and thank him for 13 years of fantastic memories. A former ATP World Tour No. 1, Andy is one of the greatest competitors this game has ever seen, and his presence at the top of the men's game for more than a decade is a testament to his talent and determination. "Perhaps even more important than his accomplishments on the court, Andy has dedicated himself to raising millions of dollars to help children in need through the Andy Roddick Foundation. "Andy will be sorely missed by his fellow players, tournaments and not least his millions of fans around the world. "Everyone at the ATP wishes Andy and his family all the very best in the future."

Lindsay Lohan Goes to the Taylor




  I don't give a flying f**k about Lindsay Lohan, but I do love Elizabeth Taylor. What do we think of these just-released photos from Lifetime's "Liz & Dick" biopic?

I'll Have the Mush Mouse, Please


 Nothing like some "pulverized mouse" to get an injured baby bobcat back on her feet. Four-week-old Chips was a victim of California's wildfires. Read HERE.


Fifty Shades of Gay


I'm starting to get tired of these Andrew Christian underwear videos, but I was so tickled with my headline that I couldn't resist posting the overexposed company's latest "S&M" themed clip. Watch HERE.

Congrats, W!


 From HERE.

Aaron Schock Showers with Paul Ryan Every Morning


The only way I wanna see either "confirmed bachelor" Aaron Schock or Paul Ryan in a position of power is if they're making a sex tape together. (Schock told TMZ that Ryan needs to "flaunt his body," so it certainly sounds like he's raring to go.) My pal says that while there's "no confirmation of any other joint activities [other than working out and showering together] ... geographically speaking, Wisconsin tops Illinois." (Via CBS Chicago)

Caption Me


 Not sure if you heard, but the so-called "Tanning Mom" has invaded Manhattan. (Lock up your adopted and test-tube babies, boys!) Last night she was on stage being roasted by drag queens at the new nightclub XL before she got tossed for being too soused. (Has someone being roasted ever been evicted from their own roast in the history of the world???) Looking good, lady! Read HERE.

GOP Demands Freedom of 'Choice'


Sam Bee is a little spotty these days (but then again, so are all of the current crop of "Daily Show" contributors), but she certainly didn't mess up this piece on how important it is to Republicans for Mitt Romney -- and everyone else -- to have the right to choose ... about other people's right to choose.

Photo of the Day


  Via Reuters: A dog has a seat on a buffalo who is cooling off in the Ravi River in Lahore, Pakistan.

Men of Style


These are my two favorite moments from the New York Post's great Alexa fashion supplement in yesterday's paper. (Go to Alexa online HERE.)


  I bought a couple sweater vests last year. A three-piece suit might be next.

The beard thing definitely comes back every few years. Remember my roundup in 2006?

Thursday Ad Watch


Sign Language


With thanks to Jamie, who spotted this gem in San Francisco. The salon's motto is "Because You Can't Blo Yourself," which from what I've seen on the Internet, isn't entirely true ...


Song of the Day: 'I'd Do Anything' by Dead or Alive


 This one was suggested by my friend David over dinner last night. He remembers being deep in his Culture Club phase when it came out -- and what a shock to the system Pete Burns' raw sexuality was after Boy George's "I'd rather have a cup of tea" than have sex routine. "Sophisticated Boom Boom" was a great album, and even though I liked the subsequent singles -- who could possibly resist "You Spin Me"? -- I never bought another album by the band, a decision I've always been OK with since subsequently hearing them manage to ruin Blondie's "Picture This" on their 1995 LP.


David also pointed me to this. Oh, my!

Page 1 Consider (08/30)





Morning Wood


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

John Travolta's Ex-Lover Kisses and Tells (UPDATED)


  John Travolta's ex-lover Doug Gotterba has granted a "tell-all" interview that appears in the upcoming issue of the National Enquirer. In it, the former pilot details their relationship, how Travolta wanted to make a sex tape and how he admitted he prefers having sex with men to his wife, Kelly Preston. Based on the cover, though, it's their "private photo album" that will tell the true story! BuzzFeed has a few more details  HERE.



WATCH: Koala Makes a Splash!


Turns out there's video of that adorable koala bear that decided to jump in the water and say hi to some people on a canoe!

 

Onion: Gay Marine Beaten to Bloody Pulp to Fire Up RNC Crowd


Read this brilliant Onion piece HERE. Naturally, not everyone "got it":