GOP Florida State Rep. Allen Charged in Gay Oral Sex Solicitation

Florida State Representative Bob Allen (R-Merritt Island) was arrested on Wednesday after offering to perform oral sex on a male police officer for $20.

Local6 reports: "Investigators said Allen was acting suspicious and went in and out of the men's restroom at Veteran's Memorial Park, located on East Broad Street...Minutes later, authorities said, Allen solicited the male officer inside the restroom, offering to perform oral sex for $20. Allen was then arrested. Officers realized he was a public figure after the arrest, a news release said. Allen, who is from Merritt Island, was scheduled to be booked into the Brevard County Jail Wednesday night."

Allen is married and has a child.

The Miami Herald reports that Allen told a Central Florida television station the incident was ''a very big misunderstanding'' and a "gross mistake." Said Allen: ''I'm not in anyway associated with that they are saying, this is disgusting."

He also has some interesting recreational interests, according to his House profile.

UPDATE: Joe.My.god has a wealth of information on this guy, including the fact that he's "the author of failed Florida House Bill #1475, the 'Lewd and Lacivious Behavior Act' which would have made public masturbation in the presence of another adult illegal, whether the other adult consented or not."

(top image source)

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Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady, Has Died at 94

Former first lady Lady Bird Johnson, wife of 36th President Lyndon Johnson, has died at 94 after a brief hospital stay.

A brief note on one of her achievements, via the Human Flower Project:

"You don’t hear the word 'beautification' anymore. There aren’t any more idle groups of white ladies in white gloves. But in fact, Mrs. Johnson’s efforts—whatever they were once called—streamed into present-day environmentalism and conservation. 'After President Johnson left office, Mrs. Johnson continued to be a champion of environmental initiatives. In 1982, she founded the National Wildflower Research Center (now the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center), and in 1987, she helped add the native wildflower requirement as an amendment to the Surface Transportation Urban Relocation Authorization Act.' Now, native wildflower seeds or seedlings must be planted in landscaping all federal highways projects."

Surely something most can appreciate.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #150

GREAT AMERICAN GAY ROAD TRIP: A new film from NYC promoter and Dlist.com's Daniel Nardicio.

LUKE AND NOAH: The gay Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silberman) story line, from the past few weeks of As The World
Turns, in 9 1/2 minutes.

iPHONE: Will it blend?

KATHY GRIFFIN: Makes a visit to the Arizona State Penitentiary. (source: virtual matter)

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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As Holsinger is Scrutinized, Former Top Doc Says White House Muzzled Him

Two days before a Senate committee is scheduled to hold hearings on anti-gay surgeon general nominee Dr. James Holsinger, former surgeon general Dr. Richard Carmona, who was Bush's first surgeon general appointee, told a House committee that he was directed to keep quiet by the Bush administration on key health issues:

Said Carmona: "Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried. The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds. The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party."

Think Progress adds: "Carmona revealed that when he tried to explain the science of stem cell research to the American public, he was 'blocked at every turn, told a decision had already been made, stand down, don’t talk about it.' Additionally, political appointees were specifically assigned to 'vet his speeches' and 'spin [his] words in such a way that would be preferable to a political or ideologically pre-conceived notion that had nothing to do with science.' He was also barred from speaking freely to reporters."

Given these statements, is it any surprise that Bush has put up for nomination a man who concluded that gay sex is "intuitively" unnatural and wrote in a paper, "In fact, the logical complementarity of the human sexes has been so recognized in our culture that it has entered our vocabulary in the form of naming various pipe fittings either the male fitting or the female fitting depending upon which one interlocks within the other. When the complementarity of the sexes is breached, injuries and diseases may occur..."

If you'll remember, Holsinger also voted to oust a lesbian pastor from the clergy of the Methodist church and founded a congregation that advocated the "curing" of gays and lesbians.

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News: Zac Efron, Gay Games, Ft. Lauderdale, Barbra Streisand

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle, under fire from gays for his proposed "robotic toilets", attacks gay and lesbian library: "Naugle said Tuesday he's not going to apologize for his comments about gay sex in bathrooms, or gay people being unhappy. But he did say he was 'impressed' with the number of 'happy homosexuals' in his city. 'If I've learned one thing through this,' he said, 'it's that there are a lot of happy homosexuals in Fort Lauderdale.'"

Aaron Eckhart suffers for his craft: "I had to pretend that my nuts hurt, so I put a clothespin on my nuts. Otherwise, you’re just learning your lines and saying them. There’s no art in that. People say, ‘Why do you want to put a clothespin on your nuts?’ You know why? Because that’s what I do for a living."

Zac Efron to star in remake of Footloose.

J.P. Morgan analyst retracts "iPhone Nano" report.

Breaking tradition, Chicago declares 2006 Gay Games a financial success: "In 2003 when we launched the bid to host the 2006 Gay Games, we promised our local LGBT community, the City of Chicago, and the worldwide LGBT sports movement that the 2006 Gay Games would break even financially. We also made the commitment to leave a lasting and positive legacy for future Gay Games hosts - a sound business model upon which future Gay Games could be built. We are proud today to have fulfilled those promises.

"Landro" said to be "just friends"?

Bryan Singer's close collaborator, screenwriter Michael Dougherty (X2: XMen United, Superman returns), talks movies: "Watching a lot of movies as a kid, watching a lot of t.v. I grew up on the 80s when cable had just come onto the scene, so you know, they were digging deep into the libraries and digging out all these old movies and t.v. shows. So every day I was watching Twilight Zone episodes, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, old B&W monster movies, just constantly being barraged by so many different genres of film -especially horror films. It seemed like cable was really big on putting horror films in there. So in a very short time period I was being exposed to the very same horror films and shows that my Dad grew up with. Oh, and old horror comics. Like 'Creepy' and 'Eerie' were huge for me."

New Florida group raises $1 million to fight proposed amendment banning gay marriage: "By focusing on the ban's potential repercussions for live-in partners -- instead of on the polarizing question of gay marriage -- opponents are trying to duplicate their success last year in Arizona, the first state to reject a same-sex marriage ban."

Live from Manchester, Barbra Streisand's diva demands: "Waiting for her backstage were five fabric-upholstered furniture suites, 60 tables and 120 bath-sized towels. Even the security staff were immaculate in the 'dark jackets, blazers or sweaters with no T-shirts' that she requested."

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Report: McCain Feels "Gay Sweaters" Helped Undo Campaign

Oh man.

Radar reports: "In the final days of his imploding candidacy, John McCain has taken a page out of Richard Nixon's play book, finding increasingly bizarre explanations for his political failures. Strangest of all: He reportedly feels his handlers forced him to wear 'gay sweaters.' According to one insider, the knit-picking was the crescendo of a tirade by the Arizona senator, in which he blistered aides about the minutiae of the campaign. While many septuagenarians live in a perpetual state of sweater weather, McCain reportedly declared his frustration with being told to don the perceived homosexual outerwear in order to look younger and more approachable. 'He wasn't happy being dictated to. The sweaters were part of that,' the source says."

Actually, this look was more likely the real culprit:

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Brady Quinn is Bret Michaels' Rock of Love

Even though it's only ladies that are able to compete in Poison lead singer Bret Michaels' new trash 'celebreality' show Rock of Love, Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn looks to be trying his best to impress.

(via deadspin)

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APA to Review 10-Year-Old Policy on Counseling Gays and Lesbians

A six member task force of the American Psychological Association is set to review the organization's decade-old policy on counseling gays and lesbians, prompting concern from religious right organizations like Focus on the Family and hope from gay rights groups that they'll excoriate "ex-gay" therapy methods and institutions.

According to the AP, Focus on the Family and other groups sent them a joint letter, which read, in part: "We believe that psychologists should assist clients to develop lives that they value, even if that means they decline to identify as homosexual."

As they should, the APA says they'll base their findings on "scientific research, not ideology."

Said Clinton Anderson, director of the APA's Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns Office: "We cannot take into account what are fundamentally negative religious perceptions of homosexuality — they don't fit into our world view."

Hopefully the review will result in the public condemnation of "ex-gay" programs and their attendant negative societal repercussions.

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Big Brother 8 Gaywatch: Nick the Trick?

WARNING: SPOILERS

Nick Starcevic's activities (as edited by CBS for primetime) in the Big Brother 8 house have mainly consisted of striking up competing flirtatious relationships with some of the women, even strategically isolating one of them (Jen) among the other housemates by confronting her for making the false claim he was trying to kiss her.

Yet the BB8 internet feeds tell a slightly different tale. If he's not gay, then Nick appears to be doing a great job of at least placing that question in his housemates' minds. Nick's definitely a player, comfortable with allowing gay housemates Joe and Dustin to dry hump and massage him (below), respectively.

But the latest dish is the clip below in which Nick tells Zach and Dick that he has a "top 5" list of men with whom he would have sex. Later, he discussed the list with his "showmance" Danielle.

Sure, we like Ryan Reynolds too. Big Brother is, of course, a game of strategy, so the truth may be far from what we're seeing, but thankfully in the meantime what we're seeing is pretty easy on the eyes.

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(image source, source)

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GLAAD Sounds the "All Clear" for Chuck and Larry

GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) continues to put itself out there for I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry, saying the film promotes tolerance more than any use of broad comedic strokes might unwittingly mock the real-life struggle for marriage rights. Given its subject matter (two firefighters pretend to be gay in order to collect domestic partner benefits), there's little doubt that Chuck and Larry would have gays and lesbians involved in such struggles eyeing it suspiciously. One can see it in the comments to posts Towleroad has published on the movie already.

One commenter notes: "Let me see if I can get this straight (literally.) Gays can't marry and are therefore not eligible for the thousands of federal benefits that come with marriage. But these straight guys are pretending to get 'married' in order to get our second-class citizen domestic-partner rights? The entire premise of this movie is offensive. And we're supposed to be grateful that they throw in a few lines 'promoting' tolerance?Jesus, do they think we're that stupid?"

Another, based on having seen the trailers, says: "[They] are filled with what the typical straight person will think is funny, primarily gay stereotyped humor. Despite the fact most gays in America still do not have the opportunity to enjoy domestic partner benefits is not funny, and hopefully this point will come up in the film, but I will be surprised if it does. Somebody else will have to tell me if it does though, because I can't stand Adam Sandler and have no intention of seeing this drivel."

Damon Romine, entertainment media director for GLAAD, has been coming to the film's defense. In a statement to the Boston Herald published today, he agrees with the comments that the movie is punctuated with stereotypes, but says they are used to raise questions rather than offend: "Through this disarming type of comedy, there is this use of stereotypes and slurs, and it holds the mirror up for people to ask, ‘Where does this come from?’ At the end of the day, this is a comedy that actually stresses the importance of family and treating others with dignity and respect. The film actually does send a very strong message. I can’t imagine a studio movie being made five years ago that even dealt with marriage equality and discrimination."

Another Towleroad commenter who claims to have worked on the film sides with GLAAD: "Ok, I've seen this movie (I worked on it) and I'll tell you that everyone's getting too up in arms about it. It's a pretty harmless movie (too saccharine sweet and predictable for my taste) and the only offensive stereotype isn't even of a gay guy (to me, at least.) It goes overboard with the 'accept one another' (I know it isn't PC to say that, but really... it's tremendously overboard with the sentiment) and you can pretty much predict how everything is going to unravel after the first 15 mins. However, not truly offensive (at least to this gay man.) I'm more curious to see how this will play in the Red states..."

Some have suggested that the movie's premiere, scheduled for tomorrow night, was scheduled purposely to go up against the opening night of Los Angeles' largest LGBT film festival, Outfest — a night on which many of the industry's "gay Hollywood mafia" would be unavailable. Others wondered why, when gay-themed mainstream movies have in the past been made tentposts in the festival's line-up, Universal has made no attempt to have anything to do with it.

Of course, as with any product that comes out of Hollywood, it's difficult to please all the people all the time. Perhaps the best advice is to see it and judge for yourself. But this is the first film in a long time that I have noticed GLAAD putting such a preemptive stamp on. And since GLAAD and Universal have touted their efforts at working together on the film so publicly, this may well be seen as a test of how accurately the industry watchdog is living up to its name.

Gay advocacy groups pronounce Sandler’s ‘Chuck and Larry’ A-OK [boston herald]

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Moscow Homophobia a "Litmus Test" for Broader Ultranationalism

The NYT today reports on the anti-gay patrols that recently began around the chapel in Moscow's Ilyinsky Park that I posted about back in mid-June. The chapel and the park around it have a reputation as gay meeting places.

The paper talks to Igor S. Kon, a Russian sociologist, who says that the patrols, whose activities have expanded in recent weeks to being ethnic minorities under their hateful umbrella, are a "litmus test" for a broader ultranationist trend in Russia.

They report: "To the patrol’s supporters, the gay men who frequent the park are the aggressors. 'The sexual minorities have occupied territory,' said Larisa O. Pavlova, a member of a local parents’ association. She suggested that the area around the monument had become a site not only for gay cruising, but also for prostitution and drug dealing. 'The place where our kids used to stroll is now home to all kinds of vulgar acts,' she said. The Orthodox youth group has disavowed using force to remove gay men from the park, and claims to be the victim of several violent attacks near the monument. In one incident, someone fired on the patrol group with an air gun, hitting a person in the neck, several witnesses said. Though the police refused to comment, several members of the patrol accused gay people of organizing an intimidation campaign. Whatever the truth of the accusations, more outspoken groups have set up an unofficial protection service for the Georgiyevtsy, and on most nights, young men with shaved heads and army boots now greatly outnumber the patrol’s founders. As their movement grows, so does the specter of more violence."

It's certainly a ticking time bomb, one which Moscow authorities don't appear to have any interest in defusing.

A Clash of Cultures at a Square in Moscow [nyt]

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