Tebow's Gay Baggage ... and a Packer's Denial

Given that he's an evangelical, and that his own pastor is anti-gay, Viv Bernstein asks the question whether it matters to new employer ESPN what Tebow's views on gay issues might be. Read HERE.

And in related news, Aaron Rodgers finally addressed Internet rumors that he is gay today: 

“I’m just going to say I’m not gay,” he said Tuesday on 540 ESPN Milwaukee. “I really, really like women. That’s all I can really say about that.” 

That topic came up when he was asked about the positives and negatives of being a celebrity, to which the Chico native and Cal product talked about the “uncool side” of dealing with “crazy rumors.” 

“There’s always going to be silly stuff out there in the media which you can’t worry too much about, and I don’t,” Rodgers said. “So, just, keep on trucking. I think professional should be professional, and personal is personal.”

Times Squares

The scene from my office, hilariously analyzed by a coworker:

So, their plan is to stand out there in freezing cold for 11 hours so that they can feel excited when an arbitrary time segment passes, and they may actually see the top of Ryan Seacrest's little gelled-up hairdo. OK. Well, best of luck in 2014 and always!

Blondie goes on at 9:25.

Itz Genius!

Great response by Dave Itzkoff to my post yesterday HERE. 

Hawaii Five Oh-No ...

IT FITS! Hawaii woman with 36-character last name wins battle to get her mouthful of a moniker on her license 

 Good for her, I guess. But boy would I not want to be the person who takes her lunch order at a diner.

Get a Wife

The New York Times reports that less than two weeks after a federal judge cleared the way for hundreds of gay couples to marry in Utah, officials of the socially conservative state made an emergency request to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday asking the high court to put the unions on hold.  Even more disgusting, the state's new attorney general vowed to "spend whatever is necessary to defend the same-sex marriage ban," money that obviously could be better-spent, you know, helping people in need. And these people call themselves religious?

Pick a Side

Which team are you on, Teamm8 -- the Aussie purveyor of skimpy briefs -- or Team8 -- Roger Federer's new sports management firm? 

Bad Lay(out)

28 Newspaper and Magazine Layout Disasters 

 These are pretty good. See 'em all HERE.

Retro Ad Watch: Roscoe Tanner for Converse

When I look at Roscoe Tanner's legs in this 1978 ad for Converse tennis shoes, I can't help but wonder how I only ranked him as the ninth hottest tennis player of all time!

Song of the Day: 'Tennessee Flat Top Box' by Johnny and Rosanne Cash LIVE!

Incredibly rare of footage of Johnny Cash inviting his daughter Rosanne to sing "Tennessee Flat Top Box" with him at a backyard book party to celebrate the publication of wife June's latest book about Mother Maybelle Carter in 1989. (The person who posted it notes that the dinner was held out on the tennis courts of Johnny and June's house.) While some have argued that YouTube has destroyed the "you had to be there" mystique of one-off television moments and events, I can't help but marvel at something this precious. Also have to wonder if the Cashes themselves -- grandkids, etc. -- even know it exists.

Morning Wood

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Aaron Rodgers' 'Dad' Calls Gay Rumor Post 'Disgusting'

UPDATE via Twitter: Aaron Rodgers just said on a radio show: "I'm not gay. I really, really like women."

A man purporting to be Aaron Rodgers' father -- but more likely a pussy of a Packers fan -- just sent me this email. He wants me to know, among other things, that Aaron is engaged to a "beautiful Christian woman." (Emphasis mine and, I think it's safe to say, his.) He also doesn't seem to be very familiar with First Amendment law, but here you go ...

From: EDWARD RODGERS 
To: KENNETH M. WALSH 
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 6:10 PM 
Subject: Dumbass post 

I'm Aaron's dad and this is a disgusting post. Aaron is actually engaged to a beautiful Christian woman. You are a slime ball for spreading this bullshit. How would you like your sorry ass sued!!! 

 Sent from Ed Rodgers' iPhone 5  
 __________________________

No word if said fiancee is the woman pictured above, who was eloquently described this way in a blog post by Terez Owens:

Here’s Aaron Rodgers with his latest girlfriend Destiny Newton frolicking on the beach…She’s blond…check…Tramp stamp…check…Stripper name…check…and looks like she’s up for a good time…

Something tells me a simple "He's not gay -- not that there's anything wrong with that" would have been a better route to go for Papa Rodgers, but what does a "slime ball" like me know about good graces?!

Tim Tebow Lands ESPN Job

And speaking of professional athletes everyone thinks are gay, fallen quarterback Tim Tebow has signed on to be a football analyst for the cable network and upstart SEC Network. Good for him, although I think I prefer him as an underwear model.

Frog In Your Throat? (Or, Mr. Toad's Wild Mixed Greens)

This is what a colleague of mine found in the salad she purchased today at the Pret-a-Manger on Sixth Avenue at 47th Street. The British chain may have cut the size of its salads nearly in half while considerably upping the price, but at least they're not charging extra for frogs (toads?) in the Salad Niçoise. )I've heard it tastes like chicken.)

Tweet Nothings

Good lord. Someone purporting to be Aaron Rodgers' dad just wrote to tell me, among other things, that his son is engaged to a "beautiful Christian woman." Read HERE.

While neither Aaron Rogers nor Kevin Lanflisi have commented on speculation that they were lovers ...

these messages (from happier times) certainly show a close and rather sweet bond.

Seen HERE.

The entire story is based on anonymous sources, but the latest morsel is that Rodgers backed out of the NFL coming-out party last summer and got engaged to Destiny Newton. I've reached out to Kevin Lanflisi  via social media. Stay tuned.

For Christ's Sake

 Facebook banned this photo for being PORNOGRAPHIC?!!!

Sign Language

Again, 'Thank You for Being a Friend'

I was born without the "Golden Girls" gene -- reenact "The Brady Bunch" and I'll be there in a flash! -- but I know 99 percent of you will love this:

After sold-out runs in 2009 and  2010, THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND returns for its third limited-run engagement. This unauthorized musical parody inspired by the beloved TV sitcom “The Golden Girls,” features a book by Nick Brennan (who also directs), music by Jeff Thomson, and lyrics by Luke Jones and Cisco Cardenas. A six-week limited engagement begins Jan. 8 -- Wednesdays at 7 p.m. through Feb. 12 -- at Laurie Beechman Theater, located inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street -- at Ninth Avenue. 

For tickets, click HERE.

How Swede It Is

Did you hear that Roger Federer has added "childhood hero" Stefan Edberg to his coaching team? Not sure if it's too little too late or not, but "Legs" will join Fed in Melbourne for the season's first Grand Slam event. Meanwhile,

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Novak Djokovic maintained his unbeaten record in Abu Dhabi by beating David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 Saturday to win his third straight World Tennis Championship title. Djokovic, who finished the year with a 24-match winning streak on the ATP tour since losing the U.S. Open final to Rafael Nadal, needed just 82 minutes to dispatch the third-ranked Ferrer in the final of the invitational exhibition tournament.

Mug Shot Monday

Oregon man on meth fights off cops while masturbating in bar: police

Andrew Frey, 37, was charged with resisting arrest and public indecency after bizarre episode in Iggy’s Bar and Grill. Frey told officers he took methamphetamine Saturday and had no recollection of the obscenity.

I blame the cops -- they could have at least let him finish. Read HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Song for Zula' by Phosphorescent

From the critically acclaimed album "Muchacho."

Morning Wood

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