News: Independent Spirit Awards, Gay Millionaires, Bears
Independent Spirit Award nominees announced: American Gun, The Dead Girl, Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, Pan’s Labyrinth up for Best Feature.
The nation's first openly lesbian fire chief Bonnie Bleskacheck steps down after lawsuits accuse her of harassment and discrimination: "Three female firefighters have sued, alleging various acts of discrimination and sexual harassment. Two of the lawsuits were settled, but earlier this month, a male firefighter brought another lawsuit alleging he was denied advancement because he is male and not gay. A city investigation is still under way. This summer, a separate investigation by the city's Department of Civil Rights into a 2003 complaint by a male firefighter _ brought when Bleskachek was a battalion chief _ found it 'likely' that the department gave preferential treatment to lesbians or those who socialized with them."
Timothy Boham (aka porn actor Marcus Allen) was scheduled to appear in a Denver court today on charges he murdered his boss, openly gay businessman John Kelso.
Ricky Martin gets cheeky in Ocean Drive photoshoot.
Is gay as a film genre dead? Brent Hartinger looks at how other genres may be co-opting gay characters: "We've had gay mysteries (here! Networks' Donald Strachey mysteries), gay horror (Hellbent), a gay teen sex comedy (Another Gay Movie), a gay boxing movie (Fighting Tommy Riley) and even a gay science fiction movie (here! Networks' Deadly Skies, about a gay scientist, played by Antonio Sabato Jr., who helps prevent a meteor from crashing into Earth). None of these projects are 'about' the gay experience, even if the gay element sometimes adds an interesting thematic twist. Except for the gay characters, these are mostly the kinds of stories we watch when we're not busy being gay consumers."
Fighting anti-gay candidates with the pink dollar: Salon reports on wealthy donors like Coloradan and Quark founder Tim Gill who poured millions into the recent election to defeat anti-gay measures and candidates around the country.
Hazing charges against Vermont fraternity thrown out: "UVM officials suspended the fraternity based on rumors the pledges had been forced to dress up as Brokeback Mountain cowboys -- subjected to homophobic insults -- and forced to drink at a party in February."
Two bears meet in the woods...
Report: Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams to marry.
The Top 10 naked people on Google Earth.
Poor Timmy... he's going to prison and is too cute... and will win the "popularity" contest. Ouchhhh!!!
Posted by: CaliNexus | Nov 29, 2006 3:20:36 PM
If true, and she did resign for a reason, it is a shame that Bonnie Bleskacheck used her position in this manner! We need gays to advance our cause, not just advance us. When in positions such as this we must operate completely above board and scandal free. Behavior of this manner only fuels the bigots fire.
Posted by: RB | Nov 29, 2006 4:35:14 PM
If you want a reason to smile today, click on the link to the article about some gay millionaires's donations in the last election. [Thanks, Andy!] Although Tim Gill has been doing it for quite a while, and donated $10 million this year alone, too few other rich gays have been MIA [and most still probably are]. But the tide seems to be turning. Even the Ohio nongay father of a gay son donated at least $1.6 million! And, much of their donations were geared to state and local elections which, as Gill observes, have too long been underserved by national gay groups. E.g., if Marilyn Musgrave had never been elected to state office in Colorado she might never have made it to DC to propose changing the Constitution. Assuming the new Dem majority in Congress will continue to block that and any other antigay bills she and her fellow neo-Nazis come up with, the most important arenas are now statehouses.
Posted by: Leland | Nov 29, 2006 5:08:59 PM
Thanks for your comments Leland!
If there were more people like Tim Gill.....
Posted by: Pandora | Nov 29, 2006 5:12:30 PM
Off Topic but:
Another reason to smile: I'M HOME!!!
I just wanted to say Thank You to all of my friends here who have kept me in their thoughts and prayers over the last week.
It was without a doubt the WORST Thanksgiving EVER!!!
I'm not quite up to posting today but I didn't want the day to pass without telling you all how much of a blessing you have been to me and my family throughout my ordeal. Your thoughts, prayers and concern meant the world to my family and me.
Special thanks to Andy, JT, Rudy and Leland! You boys SOOOOO Rock!!!
Big sloppy kisses from me and the husband!
See ya'll tomorrow.....
Posted by: Zeke | Nov 29, 2006 5:33:57 PM
FYI: RE the Salon article about pink dollars used to defeat homophobes
The writer (a reporter for the NY Blade) first pitched her story to The Advocate. They were completely uninterested: "The elections are over now. That's old news."
Typical.
Salon, however, thought the topic was fascinating and couldn't wait to get the story in.
Posted by: 24play | Nov 29, 2006 5:56:19 PM
Wow...
So I was looking at the Independent Spirit Awards... they gave NO recognition to Steve Carell's performance in Little Miss Sunshine, which was an acting tour-deforce... yet, they nominated both the son and Alan Arkan for competing Best Supporting roles in that movie (and neither of them came anywhere close to Corell's performance).
Add on to that the fact that Mysterious Skin, last year, only got ONE nomination by them... and that wasn't even Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance... and I REALLY don't hold all that much stalk into it as an organization.
Posted by: Ryan | Nov 29, 2006 6:05:32 PM
It's great to have you back Zeke...you have been missed!
Take care
Posted by: RB | Nov 29, 2006 6:07:37 PM
You're welcome, Pandora.
And, OMG, did I just have a three-way with Zeke and his hot hubby? [Hey, there were only two blindfolds—who do you think wore them?]
Great to hear you're better, Z! And, thanks again to Rudy and JT, for keeping us informed.
Posted by: Leland | Nov 29, 2006 6:12:19 PM
Zeke, glad to hear you're better. Towleroad hasn't been the same without you.
Posted by: mark m | Nov 29, 2006 6:23:48 PM
Hi Zeke!
Leland: are you against campaign finance reform and publicly funded campaigns?
Posted by: Anon | Nov 29, 2006 6:42:34 PM
Welcome back Zeke...you were missed.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Nov 29, 2006 7:06:27 PM
Anon: re financing election campaigns. I do believe in "public financing." I believe we would benefit from NO private money being allowed into a campaign in any way, even the candidate's own. Take X amount of money from a special tax fund and split it equally between the candidates. But, even were everyone to agree to that pipe dream [and I don't expect them to in my lifetime], how would one decide where to draw the line regarding how one qualifies as a candidate? I think the most we can hope for is banning corporate donations, group donations of any kind, and a strict limit on individual donations—strict as in if you try something like that scum sucking Nazi ass wipe Richard Mellon Scaife did for Nixon, laundering millions in donations through hundreds of groups, then you become someone's butt monkey in the federal pen. A year for every dollar you illegally donate.
But, of course, THAT's Pipedream #2. The easiest, cheapest way to make elections fairer would be to bring back the FCC Fairness Doctrine which Reagan shit canned [hard to believe I know]. For you youngins, it essentially meant that TV & radio stations had to allow equal time for opposing viewpoints when any controversial issue was discussed. Of course, that was before the major proliferation of "talk radio" and cable TV circle jerks like Chris Matthew's "Noballs." It would be a challenge to administer today in general, but I believe a variation of it could be applied during elections that would eliminate the need for/abuse of big money. Require public airwaves licensees to set aside blocks of prime equal time for candidates to present their views, and eliminate paid electoral advertising. None of this is going to happen, but that's what I'd like to see. Take "private" money out, and allow equal access to public opinion to all candidates [valid ones, again, however reasonably determined].
Posted by: Leland | Nov 30, 2006 12:24:03 AM
But you're thrilled when Gill spent $10 million of his private money? I think a good intermediate step would be full disclosure online of all donations and the raising of personal donations directly to candidates to like $25000, thereby eliminating the shady money laundering that is going on. Reagan-Carter was a squeeky clean election money-wise. Reagan got all his money from one guy basically. I don't know where Carter got his money, but pundits left and right always refer back to it as taint-free.
Posted by: Anon | Nov 30, 2006 11:15:51 AM
ANON. I realize my wish list was rather poorly written, but, dude, I was talking future not what's permissable now. Your second post has the distinct unpleasant aroma of the idealogue who cares more about "rules" than what's good for the people. Are you a member of the Federalist Society, too?. I sure as fuck am thankful Gill spent $10 million in an election in which the gay community's enemies were free to do the same thing. In short, we'll stop when they stop. As long as "private" money from anyone or any group/corporation is allowed in, some will find ways to launder it so they can [illegally] give more.
Reagan-Carter election squeaky clean re money? Reagan's money essentially all from one unnamed man [and, why weren't a sizable proportion of that man's donations illegal?]? Nonsense. Wherever the people behind Reagan went, and behind Nixon before him [many of them the same people], dirty money followed. Two words: Iran-Contra. But back to campaign donations themselves: I'm sorry to dent your fantasy with some facts, but, in addition to the millions the Teamsters and corporations gave to Reagan:
"On Tape, Reagan Appeals to Donors at White House
By Ruth Marcus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 10, 1997; Page A01
The setting was the stately East Room of the White House. Dozens of the party's biggest donors crowded in for a pep talk by the president, who thanked them for giving the party the "financial strength to recapture" the White House and urged them to do more.
"And let me ask you now, I know this is silly, but can I count on you to help?" the president asked to thunderous applause. "I thought that might be your answer. Besides keeping the White House, at the top of our list is getting back the Senate. And I know we've got a lot of people here today who'll help lead the charge."
That was 10 years ago. The president was Ronald Reagan and the contributors were the Republican Eagles, an elite group of donors who had given at least $10,000 in that year to the Republican National Committee.
In the month after the Sept. 30, 1987 event, the party collected $1.3 million in renewals and new memberships in the Eagles, the RNC finance chairman said at the time."
Posted by: Leland | Nov 30, 2006 1:27:35 PM
And, OMG, did I just have a three-way with Zeke and his hot hubby? -- Leland
Leland, I CAN NOT believe you said that! HOW RUDE! How many times do I have to tell you (AND the hubby) that I am the HOT one!!!! Hell, I made him put it in the wedding vows!!! ;)
Posted by: Zeke | Nov 30, 2006 2:18:15 PM
Hey Zeke. Good to see you at the key board again. Hope you are feeling better.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Nov 30, 2006 2:24:37 PM
Leland, I was talking about 1980, not later. I never looked into it, but Mark Shields for one, a heart bleeder if there ever was one, always used to site 1980 as a high point in campaign funding honesty. Most campaign finance reform gurus point to the 1988 Democratic campaign committee's activities as the turnaround towards the soft-money "plague" of the 1990's. Both parties became equal opportunity offenders in short order. Another thing to note was the difference in the 1980's between fund raising for congressional and the Presidential elections. I think the Eagle fund was congressional. Reagan was notorious for ignoring campaign donors once in office, as was Carter (for different reasons), but defense contract donors did quite well with George Schultz, Casper Weinberger and others in office to take care of them. California Republicans and the defense industry used to be synonymous, like Texas and oil. The conflicts between the Reagans and the Bushes is this divide between the defense and oil industries. They can't stand each other. When Reagan was in office he insisted on cheap oil while Bush has helped push up the price of oil. Bush has been great for defense contractors that supply the basics, but the high-tech stuff made in California (and the East Coast) has been low-balled, etc. It's one of the reasons the California Republican party has been so weak nationally in the last 20 years.
Posted by: Anon | Nov 30, 2006 2:44:29 PM
Thanks Patrick, Anon, RB, Mark M and of course Leland.
Anon, I attempted to send you a personal email of thanks, as I did with others here, but it came back undeliverable.
Posted by: Zeke | Nov 30, 2006 3:55:20 PM
Sorry! Thanks just the same. anon@gmail.com is fake of course. Nothing personal, I just hate spam. I hope you have a quick and full recovery.
Posted by: Anon | Nov 30, 2006 4:47:37 PM
The fire chief has been news for some time here in Mpls. In true Minnesota fashion, political correctness has kept this woman employed (though on paid leave) for far too long. It was repeatedly pointed out that if a similar preponderance of evidence existed against a male chief who was harrassing female (OR male) firefighters, there never would have even been a question of a possible settlement. He would have been out on his ass immediately.
How unfortunate that this woman could destroy so much progress with her selfish, adolescent behavior.
Posted by: Davey | Dec 1, 2006 4:49:14 PM
i've read in Wikipedia and IMDB, that from "Deadly Skies" exists 2 versions. One Gay and one straight. I would like to read more on this.
Posted by: Fg68at | Jun 19, 2007 10:29:41 AM
Andy Towle,
I CAME TO THIS PAGE BECAUSE I SAW THE WORD, "BEARS." SIR, DO YOU E-V-E-R USE THE WORD, "BEAR," TO MEAN HAIRY MALE? MORE HAIRY-MALE ARTICLES, PLEASE.
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON
Posted by: CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON | Jun 20, 2012 9:51:37 PM