Notes From My Nightstand

I'm still plugging away at "Helter Skelter" -- and have "In Cold Blood" waiting in the queue -- but here's what I've been reading lately:

"A Paper Life" by Tatum O'Neal: A fascinating memoir for a Gen Xer like me, who grew up on a diet of "The Bad News Bears" and "Little Darlings." Her childhood was even more harrowing than I knew -- and I wish I could say I was surprised to learn that John McEnroe is an awful lot like (fellow narcissist) Ryan O'Neal, or at least was back in the day. This book would have been a lot easier to swallow if I didn't already know the tragic post-publication "ending," where our flawed protagonist winds up overdosing and nearly dying in 2020, lucky to be alive as a shell of the person she once was.

"The Harder I Fight the More I Love You" by Neko Case: A childhood that rivals Jeannette Walls's goes a long way to explain why the gifted musician is the way she is -- yikes. Warning: she literally mentioned the New Pornographers once in passing(!).

"Then Again" by Diane Keaton: Not at all what I was expecting, which probably makes perfect sense coming from this idiosyncratic woman. Wish it hadn't been a "dual" memoir shared with her late mother -- start it and you'll see what I mean -- but now that Diane is someone's late mother, it did make for a haunting read.

"What Falls Away" by Mia Farrow: I think it's safe to say that NO ONE will ever live the life she did -- are we sure she wasn't the inspiration for "Zelig"?! -- and while I still maintain that she's a bit nutty, I would like to go on record saying that I have long let Woody Allen off the hook more than he deserved as he seems like a truly awful person whether he's a child molester or not. To her credit, she questions what it says ABOUT HER that she stayed with him after so many red flags, many of which I was not aware of. 

"My Mother's Keeper" by BD Hyman: I've had this "Bette Davis tell-all" for decades since hearing about the infamous Stouffer's macaroni and cheese incident but finally got around to finishing it. While it's certainly no "Mommie Dearest," it frequently provided LOL moments due to the acting legend's complete inability to act like a normal person around her family or anyone else!

"In Her Sister's Shadow: An Intimate Biography of Lee Radziwill" by Diana Dubois: I've been on a Princess Lee kick -- does everyone know about turn as Tracy Lord in "The Philadelphia Story," her disastrous made-for-TV remake of "Laura" (opposite Farley Granger) and her attempt to be a talk-show host ... and why isn’t it all on YouTube? -- and am hoping there's a sequel that covers the balance of her life after this book's publication in 1995.

Tell me what you're reading in the comments!

On the Rag, Vol. 905

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Kieron Moore, Vladimir La O Moran, Chico's Angels, Sam Morgan, Jacob Elordi, Charlie Puth and more BELOW.

A Change of Seasons

 

Spring has arrived on my block of the Upper West Side. Why doesn't my heart go dancing?

Editor Seeks Good Hed

 

Sounds about right! 

Tennis Tuesday

 

If reincarnation exists, where do I sign up to come back as a pair of his compression shorts? More BELOW.

Remains of the Day (04/28)

Gayety: Billy Porter had the WeHo crowd howling as the cast of “The Broken Hearts Club” reunited for a 25th anniversary screening packed with stories and laughs

ACLU: Mapping attacks on LGBTQ rights in U.S. state legislatures in 2026

Queerty: A lesbian couple's “We Are Breaking Up” photoshoot goes viral

The Randy Report: Russian court labels top LGBTQ rights group an "extremist organization"

Socialite Life: In case you missed your weekly fill of male models

People: "Heated Rivalry" creator says he wanted to portray "queer joy" -- and something f**king horny too"

PinkNews: Texas university bans all LGBTQ topics in classrooms

MNPP: Raise your hand if you'd let Jacob Elordi fling you around like this

Attitude: Fashion mogul Adam Frisby and partner Jamie Corbett’s surrogacy petition to be considered for parliamentary debate

Instinct: Homophobic hate crime subway suspect arrested 3 months after evading NYC authorities

Page Six: Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of the Ronettes, dies at 80

Out: Joe Locke's upcoming role as a pregnant sex worker is sending fans into a frenzy

Advocate: Grindr’s first White House Correspondents Dinner bash was so packed the booze ran dry as oysters, caviar-topped ice cream and marathon bar lines took over a Georgetown mansion

Gothamist: Does the home of Stonewall still need a gay NYC Council seat? 

DW: A turn-of-the-century palace scandal involving Kaiser Wilhelm II’s inner circle, the Eulenburg affair saw a journalist expose alleged same-sex relationships among top officials -- triggering sensational trials, political infighting and a moral panic that rocked imperial Germany

Hot Cat of the Day: "We’re at a neighborhood bar in Memphis and this cat just walked in and jumped up on a stool and everyone was like, 'Oh hi, Edgar,' and this is obviously one of the best places in the world." -- My friend Jesse

Weekend Tennis Roundup

The men and women are battling it out in Madrid, but it's the off-court action that has my full attention BELOW.

Remains of the Day (04/24)

 

Dennis, Anyone?: Singer-songwriter turned author Mike Maimone opens up about love and loss in “Guess What? I Love You” -- a funny, romantic and heartbreaking tribute to the late Howard Bragman

Page Six: Don't you hate when you lose your job over an affair you denied but leaked photos keep dripping egg on your face? 

EW: New photo of Jack Nicholson with Joni Mitchell shared on actor's 89th birthday

Greg in Hollywood: The women of "Melrose Place" reunite!

Saturday 'Stache: Christ almighty

OutSFL: Phoenix Vale's "Across the Net" follows two rising tennis stars whose romance collides with ambition and identity, revealing the steep personal cost of chasing success while trying to live authentically

THR: Oh goody, yet another chick on Grindr

Out: Donations are pouring in for gay dads of a newborn after a clash with a troll left one facing felony charges

Attitude: Homophobia is alive and well in professional sports

Broadway World: An all-star lineup including Kristin Chenoweth, Donna Murphy and Beth Leavel will salute Liza Minnelli at a glitzy 80th birthday concert celebrating her six-decade career at Carnegie Hall

Instinct: "Running Point" is back with bigger beef and hotter men

Advocate: The Catholic church -- like most religious institutions -- really doesn't like us

GQ: Why playing tennis might help you live longer

Out: François Arnaud congratulates Jacob Tierney for another coveted Heated Rivalry award 

Speedo Sunday: Blond leading the blond

Hot Cat of the Day: "I answer to no one." 

Come Into Her World: Kylie Minogue is getting the Netflix treatment, with a first look at an intimate docuseries promising rare access to her archives, candid reflections and the woman behind the hits

Carlos Pulls Out: God this sucks. I was watching when Alcaraz did the trick shot that hurt his wrist. Is there anyone who can stop Sinner at Roland Garros now? Praying Arthur Fils somehow rises to the occasion, but on home turf that always seems to be a tall order for a Frenchman. 

On the Rag, Vol. 904

 

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Yuri Tolochko, Vince Torres, Arad Winwin, Tom Daley, Vinnie Hacker, Deborah Cox and more BELOW.

Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!

I love that Christine Taylor looks more like Marcia Brady in my mind than Maureen McCormick ever did -- kind of like when Cher guest-starred on "Will & Grace" and Jack corrected her on how Ms. Sarkisian is supposed to behave. Three cheers for live-action hyperbole! 

Remains of the Day (04/22)

 

The Caftan Chronicles: Sean Strub -- now 67 and still adding chapters -- nearly died of AIDS in the ’90s while launching POZ magazine, and has since cycled through roles from activist to mayor, even pausing (briefly!) to reflect on it all

Broadway World: Nora Burns, Mike Albo and David Ilku talk 25 years of Unitard, coming soon to Joe's Pub

AP: Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ legislation violates EU law, court finds

People: Jane Wiedlin opens up in “TMI: Memoirs of a Go-Go” -- a book that goes beyond the Go-Go’s to reveal there’s “so much more to tell"

Wrestle Wednesday: Singlet on or off?

80 Candles: Happy birthday to John Waters, who got quite a RUSH joining Debbie Harry in the octogenarian club!

Attitude: "Heartstopper Forever" release date confirmed by Netflix

PinkNews: Pastor who rallied against "Heartstopper" pleads guilty to child sex offences

GCN: Museum of the Moving Image’s "First Look" series features LGBTQ filmmakers, themes

IPR: Lawmakers in Iowa, the third state to allow same-sex marriage, passed a bill protecting foster parents' religious objections to LGBTQ policies

I 🩷the UWS: Newlywed Milos Raonic just purchased a three-bedroom unit at the Dakota for $5.3 million in cash. Time to be on the lookout! 

Instinct: Ryan Phillippe is bringing trouble (and abs) to "9-1-1: Nashville"

MetroWeekly: A gay father is facing charges after allegedly punching a right-wing influencer following a street interview that veered into inflammatory questions about same-sex parenting

Out: Resurfaced photos of Zane Phillips show his hot twink to twunk transformation

Advocate: Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, a black lesbian librarian, has been tapped by Mayor Zohran Mamdani to serve as NYC’s chief keeper of records -- a preservation-minded pick as the U.S. faces scrutiny over efforts to strip or alter public data

Hot Cat of the Day: Get ready for your heart to runneth over.

Biology Over Ideology: I'm largely done talking about this well-intentioned overreach that affects virtually no one but is being weaponized against all LGBTQ people, but happy to see other reasonable minds are not. Also, if you think ringing the warning bell about THIS KIDNAPPED 10-YEAR-OLD is helping the cause, yikes.

The Bitter End: I'm going to see New Pornographers tomorrow night at Webster Hall, but if they're not coming to a venue near you then you can watch them perform four songs off their new album HERE.

Tennis Dominates as Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka Win Laureus Awards

 

It was a big night for my one and only sport at the Laureus Awards, where Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka picked up the top honors in Madrid -- he as Sportsman of the Year, she as Sportswoman of the Year -- capping off dominant 2025 campaigns.

Alcaraz, who showed up with his wrist very much a topic of conversation, reflected on the highs (multiple majors) while keeping one eye on getting back in shape for Roland Garros, while Sabalenka called her whirlwind season “crazy,” full of lessons and big wins.

Elsewhere, the ceremony spread the love to the likes of Lando Norris (breakthrough), Rory McIlroy (comeback) and Paris Saint-Germain (team of the year), but tennis was definitely the star of the show.

Full red-carpet glory -- including proof that Lorenzo Musetti and Joao Fonseca are two of the sexiest men alive -- BELOW.

Tennis Tuesday

 

On the court, Patrick P says he's "80% fit / 20% skill." In a suit, however, I say he's 100% sex. See for yourself BELOW.

Remains of the Day (04/20)

People: Shocked to hear that Patrick Muldoon, of "Days of Our Lives," "Starship Troopers" and "Melrose Place" fame, died of a heart attack at just 57 ... Daphne Zuniga remembers her costar HERE.

SCOTUS Blog: Supreme Court will hear religious liberty case on Catholic preschools and LGBTQ families

Page Six: "Speechless" Cher discovers she has secret granddaughter from son Elijah Blue Allman's affair with Julie Andrews's granddaughter(!)

SCMP: In Bangkok, Malaysia’s first Mr. Bear winner finds spotlight gay life rarely gets at home

Variety: “Facts of Life” star Mindy Cohn reveals cancer has returned nearly a decade since last battle

NYT: LGBTQ community expresses hesitancy about Hungary’s hot new leader

EW: "Heated Rivalry" showrunner calls season 2 "much more serious territory," teases new character Troy as "quite damaged"

Out: Soap star James Sutton has joined OnlyFans, saying the platform will let him “share more of who I am"

Advocate: Supreme Court passes on case over outing trans students

Socialite Life: Male Model Monday featuring Alexis Otero Peña, Joan Güell, Omid Heydari and more

MetroWeekly: Ian McKellen paints a brilliant portrait of an artist in Steven Soderbergh’s clever crime dramedy "The Christophers"

Politico: Satire website The Onion launches new bid to take over Alex Jones's Infowars

The Randy Report: Poll finds California governor’s race shakes up after Swalwell exit

THR: Christina Applegate breaks silence amid hospitalization reports to give health update

MNPP: Joel Kinnaman three times

Hot Cat of the Day: How did it take us nearly 10 years to realize Harvey is as big a tennis fan as we are?!

Madonna Makes Another 'Comeback'

By now you've likely heard that Madonna took the stage at Coachella over the weekend to tease her sequel to "Confessions on a Dancefloor," which she debuted in the desert some 20 years ago. That era helped put my blog on the map, after Queerty and Towleroad linked to my post noting her resemblance to one Valerie Cherish ... and would you believe Madge up and did it again? 

After her surprise performance with Sabrina Carpenter, the Queen of Pop was seen getting into the groove with her boyfriend, Akeem Morris, while watching Anyma’s main stage set -- but you'd be forgiven for thinking she'd popped by the Viper Room to see Juna Millken's band rock the night away circa 2005.

I can almost hear her "Room & Bored" costar shout out from the stage: "Madonna Ciccone, looking hot!"

UPDATE: How cute is this "A League of Their Own" reunion? 

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Titles for Arthur Fils, Ben Shelton, Elena Rybakina and Marta Kostyuk. Full report plus all the ATP beef that's fit to post BELOW.

In Loving Memory of Saul Zabar

 

Proud to live in a neighborhood that would remember a guy like this.

Remains of the Day (04/17)

SCMP: Meet Joel Kinnaman, who plays the brutally handsome Robert on Apple TV’s delicious "Imperfect Women"

JNS: Michigan man sentenced to seven years in foiled mass-casualty plot targeting Jews, LGBTQ community

Greg in Hollywood: A jacked Richard Gadd talks “Half Man,” modern masculinity, "sexuality crises" and “Baby Reindeer”

Watch: Armistead Maupin recalls finding freedom in the baths, tracing a candid journey that changed his life

Saturday 'Stache: Save me, Paul Anthony Kelly with a mustache. Save me. 

Entering the Lung: I can't say I approve of turning favorite works from my youth into Broadway shows. But if someone had to write a "Thelma & Louise" musical, I can't think of a better person to do it than Neko Case. (Anyone know what's become of Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal's "Norma Rae"?)

The Randy Report: Oh, Tennessee ... this is right up there with White Entertainment Television

Instinct: A blond David Corenswet is spotted filming his latest football flick

Attitude: Jill Biden makes a five-figure bid for a “Heated Rivalry” season 2 cameo and cast dinner but misses out; “Guess I won’t be heading to the cottage after all."

DNA: Mathematician-turned-comic Matthew Broussard makes grammar jokes cool -- but it’s his sharp, self-deprecating riffs on gay marriage and sexuality that are really taking off online

Rage: Matteo Lane breaks down the work, rhythm and borderline obsession behind comedy that only looks effortless

Out: "Heated Rivalry" creator Jacob Tierney goes viral for getting candid about his HIV diagnosis

PinkNews: Gay adult star Ty Roderick hospitalized after "terrifying" knife attack

Deadline: Jonathan Bennett joins "General Hospital" as Joe Fitzpatrick

Speedo Sunday: You won't forget Italian model Alessandro Cavagnola

Hot Cat of the Day: Can a man who loves cats save Hungary?

RIP: Iris Long, the chemist who quietly armed ACT UP with the science to fight back, has died at 92

On the Rag, Vol. 903

 

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Jermelle Simon, Brett Vergara, Jordy, Reece Frith, Eric Sedeno, Cruz Beckham, Dan Levy and more BELOW.