Levi Johnston: Body Check

Well, that didn't take long. Almost-naked photos of Levi Johnson from his upcoming Playgirl spread are already flying around the Internet. He looks pretty good (of course, if you can't look good when you're 19, when can you?). And while I'm disappointed he didn't reveal all, you just know when he runs out of money and his mom needs some meth, he'll be back to show us more ... and then some. (Are you taking notes, Sean Cody?) See the first batch of pics HERE.

On the Rag, Vol. 64

A look at what's making news in New York and L.A.'s free gay rags:

Frontiers' Travel & Auto issue features a fun Q&A with sexy stuntman Frank Turek, who is definitely built for speed.

Next features a ginger (never-eats-bread) man on its cover, just in time for the holidays. (Nice log,)

Survival Instinct

While it sure feels like gay media is on its last legs, there was no sign of aging at INSTINCT magazine's Leading Men 2009 party downtown at Greenhouse, where editor in chief Mike Wood & Co. celebrated 12 years of success as they toasted "heroes in our community who stand up and stand out." From the busy red carpet (Ronnie Kroell and Scott Evans were spotted) to the roomful of well-deserving honorees (I got to meet Joe Jervis of Joe.My.God. fame, whom the mag calls "the not-so-average Joe"), it was a memorable night. (So glad Frank and Craig stopped by, and that the legendary Scooter and Christopher came along for a red carpet burn.) That the music was SO FUCKING LOUD you couldn't think (let alone talk), the staff was a bunch of surly chicks, and it was hotter than hell in the place and I still had a great time tells you that the party was really good (WHERE did all these new guys come from? Woof!). Oh, and fitness model/bartender Anton Antipov parading around with angel wings slapped on his back may have had something to do with my overall heavenly mood. Congrats to INSTINCT, and here's looking forward to the next dozen years. ...

I pray he's no angel

Frank and Craig

Ronneth

PROJECT RUNWAY 6 FINALE

*THIS POST IS BEING MADE BY (212) CONTRIBUTOR FRANK ANTHONY POLITO

As per usual, I'm off to a late start AND pressed for time... For my final Project Runway post, I thought I'd do something a little different. (Why not?) The overall consensus at the Park Slope Party Pad was: this year's season was kind of lame. Maybe this post will be too! In light of that, I'm going to type up my notes, as is... If I can read my own handwriting. Enjoy!

Before I get started, I will say that Craig & I arrived a tad bit late to our own party, after joining Kenneth at the Instinct Magazine party (holiday? anniversary?) at Green-something in Soho. Had a nice time (free Skky vodka drinks and guys in Undegear and angel wings!), got to meet Instinct Editor-in-Chief, Mike Wood, and JoeMyGod's Joe, saw One Life to Live's Scott Evans (aka "Oliver Fish"), and former Runway contestant Suede (thought about inviting him to our Runway party but...) Of course Kenneth got recognized left and right. Sadly, no one seemed to notice Yours Truly. But I'm just an author! (Truthfully, I'm no good at all that, "Don't you know who I am?" BS. I always take cards with me, yet I never seem to pass them out.)

In attendance tonight: Dan (back from DC), Tim, Nick & Adam, and Jay

Okay, here goes! (Remember, these are my notes as is...)

Carol Hannah is still sick. "She should suck it up and stop bitching." -- Craig

Off to work room...

"Eyebrows like punctutation." -- Craig on Christopher

L'oreal Salon with Collier Strong. "Is that his porn name?" -- Tim

Model fittings, Tim Gunn arrives to check on 13th look. To Irina: "It's beautiful." To Althea: "A little '80s shoulder." [Note: I'm told that my referring to Althea as "Without Nipples" has really irked Dan all these weeks, so I won't do it again this time!]

"That's Althea!" -- Irina re: copying her makeup

Tim to CH: "Scattershot all over the place." "She's got bird flu" -- our Tim (or did CH start swine flu? -- me)

Back to work room...

Next day -- Day of Show, Y'all

"She looks like a horse." -- Craig on Irina's helmet
"What's with women and horses?" -- Jay

[commercial]

Day of Final Show...

Up early, off to Bryant Park

Irina's talking about herself (worried) -- surprise!

@ the tent --
Kalyn is not in hair and makeup -- Tim worried/concerned

Tim is about the lose it!

Re Heidi: "Why is she wearing Eddie Izzard's clothes?" -- Nick (hot pink pant suit)

*Althea -- Sci Fi
"Impractical." -- Tim
"What the fuck?" -- Dan
Nicolas is there -- dyed hair
"Jennifer Beales" -- Dan
"Really underwhelming." -- Dan
The audience is screaming (why?)

Little green dress

*CH
"Already more interesting." -- Dan
"Always has rope business." -- Tim
"Like a bottle brush." -- Frank on tutu
"These models suck." -- Jay
"Looks like my cousin who I'm convinced was born a man." -- Nick on Lisa

Baby bottle brush?

*Irina
"Weird dominatrix." -- Nick
"All I see is black." -- Craig
"Looks like a fashion show." -- Adam
"A little Nazi." -- Tim
"She wins based on this?" -- Dan
"No one to root for?" -- Adam

Equus?

Judging: Michael Kors, Nina & Sezy Menkes, Fashion Editor Int'l Herald Tribune
"What's with the curl?" -- all of us on Suzy's hair
"Wilma Filntstone on crack." -- Frank

Paris vacation is new.

*Irina
Michael: "Warrior woman is not new character."
Suzy:
Heidi: "Looked finished."
Nina: "refreshing to see T shirts."
Michael: "Commendable" (all the work)
Nina: "Why so much black?" Gets little editorial. "We talked about it."

*CH
Nina: "loved 1st look/spirited"
Heidi: "loved Grecian goddess dress." (13th)
Suzy: comment on brush look "I noticed it."
Michael: "Connective thread was not cohesive."

Loved use of drapery and tailoring

*Althea
Michael: "Bravo for sportswear!"
Nina: "loved dash of color (green dress)"
"We get it Nina!" -- Adam
Heidi: "liked shiney top with belt."
Suzy: "great knit wear -- not sure where futuristic."
Nina: "Too many notes on this collection."

Judges comments
*CH -- played w/color the most, good w/tailoring
*Althea -- Nina: "Sense of coolness... Connected to streets." ("Living in Dayton!" -- Adam)
Kors: "Plugged into streets."
Suzy: "great knitwear/sportswear designer ("Susan Boyle of fashion" -- Frank re: Suzy)
*Irina -- Michael: "Best sense of showmanship."
Nina: "Very intimate" (t-shirts)
"The gown throws it off." -- Kors

Final comments
Irina -- "disappointed in lack of color": Heidi
Althea -- "amazing ability to translate street to fashion, not convinced if futuristic." -- Heidi
CH -- "impressed with execution"
"played best with color"
"admired strength and energy"
"lacked connective thread"

[spoiler alert!]

1) CH -- Aut
2) Althea -- Aut
3) Irina -- Winner!

"Who cares?" -- Dan
"She had an emotional reaction!" -- Tim
"Boogs!" -- Dan
"Everything happens for a reason." Craig hates that saying.
"God hates you." -- Nick

That's all folks!


*FRANK ANTHONY POLITO is a Brooklyn-based writer, and author of the novels Band Fags! and Drama Queers!

Queer Bait

Michael and I walked past something called the New York Queer Experimental Film Festival yesterday on 21st Street in Chelsea. I've never heard of it, but apparently it started a week ago Tuesday and runs through Sunday. Its Web site says "MIX NYC promotes, produces and preserves experimental media that is rooted in the lives, politics and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and otherwise queer-identified people. MIX’s work challenges mainstream notions of gender and sexuality while also upending traditional categories of form and content."

With a photo like this, I'm sorry I didn't know about it sooner. But if anyone has been or knows more about it, would love to hear from you. Visit the official site HERE.

Required Viewing

Brian Williams says of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart": In just the span of a short few years, Jon Stewart has gone from optional to indispensable. How did we live without it? (Newsweek via Romenesko)

Onesie Way or Another

I never aspired to have a baby, but this might just be reason enough to consider it.

Boys to Men (of the Year, 2009)

Photo highlights from GQ's Men of the Year, 2009, party in Hollywood:

Tom Ford and Neil Patrick Harris
Ben McKenzie and Amanda Seyfried
Chris O’Donnell and Elizabeth Banks
Danielle Panabaker and Hunter Parrish
Levi Johnston
Zach Galifianakis and Paul Rudd

Major Tom

He's rich, famous and handsome -- oh, and married to the most famous model in the world. But isn't it great to know Tom Brady has problems just like the rest of us? (You know, possibly not being the best quarterback in the world anymore.)

Flying the Coop

Anderson Cooper and Ben (Antoine) Maisani have only been dating eight months, but the National Enquirer is reporting that they're already moving in together. Could this be Step 1 to an AC 180? (Via BoyCulture)

Aren't you, Barracuda?

Win, Lose or Draw

Andy Murray draws a name from the pot with doubles pair Bob and Mike Bryan at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals player draw event in London. The end-of-season event will take place at the O2 Arena from Nov. 22-29 and will feature an interesting first-round rematch of this year's U.S. Open final, between Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro.

Active Passive Service

Don't you love it when a Marine Corps mag unwittingly profiles a gay porn star? The Mo-rine (lovingly described as a "cummy power bottom") is also starring in a military-produced movie that will debut at the National Museum of the Marines!

Quote of the Day

"I think it's insane that gay marriage is still an issue in America. It's quite embarrassing. We know much better than that ... I just can't believe it's taking so long to get some pretty obvious stuff on the books." -- Out piano rocker Sacha Sacket, whose quote in On Top Magazine regarding the passage of Maine's Proposition 1 was mysteriously picked up by USA Today.