On the Rag, Vol. 397

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

CyberSocket (L.A.): Porn stars on social media (yes, please!) / Online edition HERE.

Metro Weekly (D.C.): Total Embodiment -- An interview with Aydian Dowling / Read HERE.

Next (N.Y.): RuPaul's Queens Rev Up Their Engines / Read HERE.

Get Out!: Are you ready for a night of a thousand gowns? Online edition HERE.

Next South Florida: Florida Swimwear: Wynwood Tested, Cristian Diez Approved ...

More HERE.

Next Central Florida: Lance Bass Speaks Out / Online edition HERE.

Lavender (Twin Cities): Alan Cumming is living on the cutting edge / Read HERE.

QX (London): Catching up with Erasure's Andy Bell / Read HERE.

Odyssey New York: Are you ready for the Black Party? / Online edition HERE.

Frontiers (L.A.): Stephen Guarino Wants to Tickle Your Funny Bone / Read HERE.

And you can read the rag's oral history of "The Golden Girls" HERE.

Gloss (San Francisco): Prepare to curtsy for White Party royalty HERE.

Rage (San Diego/L.A.): The March 2016 issue is out now / Online edition HERE.

Edge (Boston): Catching up with Justin Vivian Bond, who is busy rehearsing a revival of the cabaret show Mx America in addition to preparing for the long-awaited return of boozy alter ego Kiki DuRane / Download HERE.

Flame (Detroit): DJ Marquis Detroit out front  / Online edition HERE.

Adelante Magazine (L.A.): Alex Favela is ready for action / Online edition HERE.

Lance Bass Not *NSync With What Being a Victim Means

I hate when people accuse others -- usually celebrities -- of divulging unpleasant news years after the fact "to get publicity." (We're all allowed to come to terms with slash decide when to talk about things in our lives as we see fit -- celebrities included.) But I also hate when people -- usually celebrities -- divulge unpleasant news after the fact in such a way that it makes very little sense and/or adds nothing to the conversation. 

Case in point Lance "I attend the opening of an envelope" Bass, who followed up Ashley Judd's sexual harassment allegation with a similar story about his early days in show business. He told Meredith Viera on her daytime show:

“When we started, there was someone that we worked with that was inappropriately touching us. I was even aware then, at 16, that this guy was a pedophile and he was touching me oddly."  

Bass. 36, said that he never told anyone about it at the time except the “guys.” 

“I mean, with the guys we would talk about it, we would kind of joke about it but it’s not a joking thing,” he said. “But as a kid, it was odd,” the singer added. “I am glad that we were aware of it and we didn’t feel victimized at the time.”

“But I didn’t feel victimized at the time because I was very aware of it, but it happened to us too.”

Huh? What does being "very aware" of something have to do with whether or not someone was victimizing you? Although Bass has said in the past that his imprisoned (known perv) former manager, Lou Pearlman, never crossed the line with him, it seems pretty clear that he is referring to him. And even if he's not, if some adult man was molesting him and other boys in the band, they were victims of a sickening crime, period. I'm not criticizing anyone in *NSync for how they reacted/handled what happened to them back then, but what exactly is Bass trying to say now? I'm sure he means no harm, but it could be interpreted that he is saying that he and his bandmates were able to "laugh off" being "inappropriately touched" by "a pedophile" (because it was a means to an end to becoming rich and famous). But what message does that send to others who are not able to do this? That they're pussies? That they're weak? That they are choosing to be victims and he is choosing not to be?

Although not the same situation, it sounds a little like Mackenzie Phillips when she thought she was in a "consensual" sexual relationship with John Phillips. She went around promoting her tell-all memoir announcing to the world that she wasn't an incest victim -- before finally having to be told by others that there's no such thing as a "consensual sexual relationship" with your FATHER.

Show me on the doll ...

Lancing an Ex

Photo speculation courtesy of moi

Find out how to get dumped by Lance Bass HERE.

P.S. Knowing that I would die laughing, a friend of mine who is Facebook friends with Reichen Lehmkuhl told me that the (I'm gonna say) "actor" recently posted a message on his (own) wall asking for people to "be on the lookout" for someone who has his iPhone. He vaguely explained that "a visitor who was in my home for a brief period of time seems to have made off with it." My friend was right!

Now For Something More Serious...

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This post was written by guest blogger Frank Anthony Polito.)

Today's (212) News:

From MSBC: Chelsea Stops Traffic on Gay Bar Crawl

Chelsea Clinton in Philadelphia

From NME: 'N Sync's Lance Bass Speaks Out About Being Gay

Lance Bass makes PSA for Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network

From San Jose Mercury News: San Ramon Valley Students Celebrate Gay Pride Week

Students spread awareness about accepting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Reichen Hawks the Family Jewels

Mr. Nightlife has all the details on Rick Reichen Burke's Lehmkuhl's new "activist" jewelry line.