11/27/2007
Blog Defends "Fabrication" Claims By Alleged Trent Lott Escort
Big Head DC, the blog that is claiming a male escort is behind Senator Trent Lott's recent abrupt resignation, has fired back at claims by the escort, Benjamin Nicholas, that quotes in Big Head DC's item were "fabricated".
Now, Big Head DC has published his entire email exchange with Nicholas.
The exchange DOES NOT yet provide any real evidence that there was a relationship between Nicholas and Trent Lott, however, it's certain to be picked apart in minute detail, such as this remark:
Nicholas: "I’m a blogger as well, so I’m well aware that nothing in this world is ever truly ‘off-record.’ Trent is going through his fair share of scrutiny right now and I don’t want to add to it. All I can say at this point is no comment. It’s the professional thing for me to do."
Addressing Senator Lott as "Trent" seems to imply that the lawmaker was more than a passing acquaintance, but that's pretty much all I can glean from the exchange.
Big Head DC adds: "It is of course Nicholas’ way of framing his answers in these e-mails, i.e. 'no current affiliation with Lott,' referring to the senator as Trent, etc. that has helped lead many today to question why Nicholas has decided to backtrack. Perhaps he had promised an exclusive to another publication, and accidentally dropped the ball? Perhaps some of his current clients became frightened, so he decided to try to make the story go away? Or perhaps he has felt some other sorts of pressure. We do not know at this point. But, rest assured, we are working to find out."
The E-mails Benjamin Nicholas Says He Didn’t Send [big head dc]
Previously"
The Latest on the Trent Lott Gay Escort Rumors [tr]
Is a Male Escort Behind Trent Lott's Resignation? [tr]
Posted 2:06 PM EST by Andy in Benjamin Nicholas, Larry Flynt, News, Republican Party, Trent Lott | Permalink
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The escort wants to act professionally? Huh, that's a switch. Also, the word "professional" made me giggle, almost laugh. Get it? Because acting professionally for him is acting as a prostitute? No?
I am so bored right now.
Posted by: David | Nov 27, 2007 2:21:46 PM
Is there no end to the right-wing anti-gay hypocrisy?
BRING IT!!
Posted by: the other jeff | Nov 27, 2007 2:42:06 PM
"share of scrutiny right now and I don’t want to add to it."
If he didn't have a relationship with DL TL, which would cause scrutiny, then why would he be worried about adding to it?
It seems if he was just a friend (hehe, can you imagine even THAT scrutiny?) or not even in the same sphere the answer would be "I never met the man before and I don't know what you are talking about."
Posted by: Darren | Nov 27, 2007 2:43:49 PM
I've been a reader of Benjamin's blog for years now... and I do have to stand up for him here. He didn't invite this. He didn't contact any journalist. And if you read his emails, it's fairly obvious that he's trying to find a balance between honesty, privacy, and tact. Why don't we focus on attacking Trent Lott, who has been a hypocrite and a joke of a leader? Or the journalist who stated "off the record" and then dropped his feigned integrity within hours. In this circle of three, it's the escort who has shown the most class and professionalism.
Posted by: jeff | Nov 27, 2007 2:58:27 PM
Benjamin Nicholas is a blogger? That's funny, I thought he was a serial plagiarist. Joe over at Joe.My.God dredged up the fact that Nicholas was caught plagiarizing nearly the entirety of his blog "15 Minutes" earlier this year. If that's how he acts "professionally" I'd hate to see the attitude he gives his clients.
For more on this, visit:
http://mc.daddysreviews.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=109153&mesg_id=109153&listing_type=search
Posted by: Tread | Nov 27, 2007 3:00:08 PM
"In this circle of three, it's the escort who has shown the most class and professionalism."
If he's showing 'class' and 'professionalism', he must be the stupidest 'professional' on the planet. To make statements about having no 'current' relationship with 'Trent', he's either trying to telegraph that he indeed did have such a relationship or he's just plain stupid. If he wanted to be classy and professional, he could have just said 'I have a policy of never commenting as to whether someone has been a client'.
Posted by: chicagogo | Nov 27, 2007 3:13:04 PM
Ya know, I don't think I've met a gay man yet who hasn't been tempted to make a quick buck on his bod.. so I'm not throwing any stones towards the oldest profession or it's practitioners. Sodomy was against the law in a ton of states too, until recently and I violated that law every chance I got. (well almost every chance)..
The story here is Trent Lott.
The now, alleged, gay-esque (like Craig) anti-gay lawmaker who has been making a living making life hell for those of us who are honestly queer.
Perhaps, he, Craig, and Haggard need to set up a mountain retreat somewhere so they can all meet and do circle jerks together.
*primal scream*
Posted by: Darren | Nov 27, 2007 3:13:22 PM
Some random blogger claims a relatively obscure rentboy had an affair with a senior senator.
Normally, people wouldn't pay any attention to such a flimsy story. More interesting is the fact that, after Larry Craig and all that, these kinds of rumors automatically have legs.
Posted by: Dan | Nov 27, 2007 3:53:05 PM
I don't care that Benjamin is an escort. I don't care that he might have plagiarized his blog. I don't care whether he contacted the media or if it was brought to light by someone else. I don't care that he's being coy, or trying to be discreet about his clientele in the middle of a media inquiry. (Frankly, I can understand why he'd be reluctant to say anything. If one of his clients is a high-ranking politician, then it's likely that several of his clients are high ranking politicians.)
The only thing that matters... the ONLY thing that matters... is the question of whether or not this horrible bigot has been having sexual relations with a man while serving as one of the most active and influential voices against the civil and human rights of gay and lesbian people. The truth must come out about this, even if it means a temporary lull in Benjamin's caseload. Unlike the Clinton blowjob scandal, this actually shows unbelievably calculated hypocrisy that did terrible harm to some of our fellow Americans.
Given Benjamin's obvious beauty, I sincerely doubt that his escorting business will be irrevocably harmed by a Lott outing. His dance card will be full within a couple of months.
Posted by: Brian | Nov 27, 2007 3:57:30 PM
Come on, we all KNOW this story is true. All who have a shred of common sense, that is.
And as usual the respectable 'mainstream' 'major' media are the absolute last ones to the table. What use are they?
Posted by: Miles | Nov 27, 2007 5:16:06 PM
I want this story to be true, but I'm automatically skeptical of any site that would put before its story: "Must credit Big Head DC"
Posted by: crispy | Nov 27, 2007 5:30:07 PM
Easy solution to this problem:
1. Legalize prostitution, both heterosexual and gay, and bring the "oldest profession" into the daylight. By decriminalizing prostitution we begin to remove the stigma for those who use their services.
2. Pass sweeping reforms for gay and lesbian rights, including but not limited to the right to marriage. This would encourage more people to come out and reduce the number of closet case Republicans.
See? Easy!
Posted by: Jonathon | Nov 27, 2007 5:47:50 PM
Is there no end to the right-wing anti-gay hypocrisy?
To answer "the other Jeff's" question ... of course not Repulicanism is based on ELITISM and SELF SERVING GREED. Remember they are FOR the accumilation of wealth among those that deserve it. They want to be "the best" - the "ELITE" and they will lie, cheat and steal to be seen as part of that group here on earth or in heaven.
Just like those Frat brothers we all found stomach turning in college. So there will never be an end of frauds being exposed because fraud is all Republicanism and Elitism is.
Posted by: rjp3 | Nov 27, 2007 6:44:57 PM
And if you read his emails, it's fairly obvious that he's trying to find a balance between honesty, privacy, and tact.
If this hustler has never worked for Lott, the appropriate and "balanced" response would have been, "You've got the wrong guy, dude." If he had worked for Lott but didn't want to say so but also didn't want to lie about it, he should have never replied to BHDC's e-mail, or should have stuck to his original "no comment."
Of one thing we can be certain: Benjamin Nicholas's days as a high-end fuck toy are over. Frankly, I suspect they were over a long time ago, because no one whose identity is truly sensitive is going to patronize a kid who writes a newspaper column about his exploits. Or, to put it differently, anyone in a sensitive position who kept seeing this kid deserves whatever comes next.
Even if Nicholas's columns don't name names, such a hustler has "unstable fame-seeker" and "potential extortionist" written all over him. Someone who really wanted to protect his identity would have avoided Nicholas a long time ago.
The latest e-mail exchange with Big Head DC (love the blog name, by the way) puts the final nail in the coffin. Nicholas just couldn't resist e-mailing the other blogger. His coyness will cost him whatever business remained among those clients who value discretion.
A few other points to make.
First, Big Head DC should post HTML copies of the e-mails between its blogger, Mr. Carpiccosio, and Nicholas. Include the full headers, so others can do trace routes on the endpoints. This should put a swift end to any doubts that the e-mail exchange was real.
Secondly, Big Head DC should come out with the rest of its evidence. In particular, in the first posting about this, BHDC wrote: e-mail and other records confirm that the two have met on at least two occasions. So let's see the records.
God only knows where this is going. I think the underlying story has the ring of truth, but the longer BHDC refrains from laying the rest of its cards face-up on the table, the more likely it is that this will all go away and that Trent Lott will win out.
Should be an interesting little scandalette. I notice that John Aravosis of AmericaBlog, who aspires to be the reigning queen of the gay blogosphere and its arbiter of fact and respectability, has been pissing all over the BHDC story. Interesting.
Posted by: Charles Wilson | Nov 27, 2007 8:03:50 PM
Note: In the long e-mail above, the first paragraph should have been italicized. I was quoting someone else's words, and responding to them. Sorry for any confusion that might have resulted.
Posted by: Charles Wilson | Nov 27, 2007 8:07:33 PM
I vote for Jonathan!
Posted by: Gregg | Nov 27, 2007 8:14:46 PM