01/17/2008
News: Prince William, Gay T-Shirt, Henry Cavill, Sundance Film Fest
It's always nice to see Bayard Rustin remembered.
Castro makeover for Harvey Milk biopic gets started.
Clash of the Sci-Fi titans: JJ Abrams' Star Trek hunks attend JJ Abrams' Cloverfield premiere.
RUMOR: Quentin Tarantino remaking Russ Meyer camp classic Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill.
Sundance Film Festival, which begins tomorrow, to feature more than 40 gay-related films: "Alan Ball, one of the creators of 'Six Feet Under' and the writer of 'American Beauty,' will be showing 'Towelhead,' about a young Arab-American girl who gets involved with an army reservist living in her neighborhood. Craig Lucas, the director behind 'Longtime Companion' and 'The Dying Gaul' is back with 'Birds of America,' starring Matthew Perry and Hillary Swank. His new film focuses on three siblings who are suddenly reunited and working through various identity issues. Director Tom Kalin returns to Sundance after 16 years with 'Savage Grace,' starring Julianne Moore as a mother who tries to cure her son of being gay. The film is produced by 'Boys Don’t Cry' producer Christine Vachon, whom Huang says has a special knack for bringing outsider queer films into the mainstream."
Airborne: Prince William and his strategically placed harness make first solo flight.
Virginia lawmaker Lionel Spruill trying to introduce legislation to ban rubber testicles from the backs of trucks: "They're offensive to some folks. It's OK to express yourself, but citizens have the right not to be subjected to something vulgar."
Europe's first gay nursing home opens in Berlin: "The newly built, four-storey nursing facility in the German capital could accommodate 28 patients in state-of-the-art rooms with private bathrooms and enough space for some of their own furnishings, said Christian Hamm, an architect and nursing home board member. 'When you're old … you certainly don't want to give up your identity and live in some hostile environment, possibly sharing a room with someone who despises you.' Potential residents are already signing up and have expressed delight at the prospect of living out their twilight years in a gay- friendly environment."
Gay T-shirt spotted in United Arab Emirates raises eyebrows: "Believe it or not, a T-shirt with sexually suggestive message — 'I am not gay but my friend is' — is being sold in one of the markets in Al Ain City. The offence is being committed despite the regular inspections by the concerned authorities to ensure that items sold in the city’s markets are complying with the local customs and traditions. An Emirati resident here complained recently that he found the offensive message on his 10-year-old son’s T-shirt. The father of the boy was astonished and wondered how such T-shirts entered the country."
Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan donates $25,000 left over from her campaign fund to the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Community Center of Central Florida.
Fleshbot interviews Dan Savage of SLOG at the AVN expo (warning site NSFW).
Tracey Ullman to debut new comedy show on Showtime in the spring: Tracey Ullman's State of the Union will feature a kaleidoscope of original characters and impersonations in a wide collection of irreverent and hilarious skits that range from sardonic parody and social satire to Bollywood musicals. The limited series is a snapshot of modern day America as seen through the brilliant comedic mind of Tracey Ullman."
The dashing Henry Cavill showed up to the Dunhill event in London to let a few folks get a whiff of him.
Our pop music columnist Robbie Daw laments the closing of the Virgin Megastore on Sunset and Crescent Heights in L.A.
Zac Efron rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in appendix emergency...
San Francisco Presbytery becomes first in nation to consider openly gay deacon as minister: "Lisa Larges, who has been blocked from ordination for more than 15 years, won on a 167-to-151 vote of the local presbytery's ministers after three hours of debate. Larges said the ban on gay ministers 'puts upon the door of the church an 'Unwelcome' sign for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families.' The action allows Larges, a deacon at Noe Valley Ministry Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, to submit to an oral exam later this year. 'It has been a long battle and I have been through a lot of discrimination,' said Larges, her voice shaking. 'The church is a beautiful, messy thing, and it's about loving the church in spite of the church.'"
Kathy Griffin to do show for veterans at Walter Reade hospital.
Posted 2:21 PM EST by Andy Towle in Bayard Rustin, Berlin, Film, Gay Seniors, Harvey Milk, Henry Cavill, Kathy Griffin, Los Angeles, Music, News, Prince William, San Francisco, Virginia, Zac Efron | Permalink
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I guess Rustin is one of the unsung heroes of both the Civil Rights and the Gay Rights Movements. But the glamour and recognition weren't what he was about, was it?
No matter what differences there are between the white gay "communities" and the black gay "communities", it's the hatred of gay people by too many in the straight white & black communities which should unite us...when we need to.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jan 17, 2008 2:40:37 PM
Disappointed to say that even with the strategically placed straps I don't see much in that Princely Package. Darn, I so wanted there to be a big sausage.
Posted by: Future King | Jan 17, 2008 3:06:01 PM
Why on earth is the royal family letting Prince William become a pilot. It really scares me. Can anyone say JFK, Jr.?
Posted by: What would the Queen say? | Jan 17, 2008 3:11:19 PM
Logo is currently running a documentary about Rustin. Their site (logoonline) has a schedule of showings.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 17, 2008 3:14:59 PM
With all due respect to the author of the article about Bayard Rustin, his assertion that, "The other organizers made sure that Rustin was not given any public credit for this historic event" is totally wrong. Though it is true several resisted his participation, and it was quickly eclipsed, as everything else was, by Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, Rustin position as chief organizer of the 1963 March of Washington was a matter of widespread public knowledge at the time.
Articles appeared in MSM papers about Thurmond's attack on him. He appeared at press conferences before the march, welcomed marchers from the podium in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and, afterwards, appeared on the cover of "LIFE" magazine, along with his also unfairly long-forgotten albeit straight mentor, A. Philip Randolph [whose idea the march was, and used that fact and his overall moral authority to force others to accept Rustin's lead].
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/brown/images/br0217s.jpg
http://www.racematters.org/assets/BayardRustin.jpg
http://videoindex.pbs.org/resources/eyes/images/ph7.jpg
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai3/protest/images/bayardrustin.jpg
As important as it is to tell and retell the story of this incredible man, is getting the details right.
Posted by: Michael Bedwell | Jan 17, 2008 3:17:52 PM
Henry Cavill is really dashing. Is that the right word -- dashing? It's a little more classy than "fuckable," though he certainly is that too. I keep having fantasies of him and Hugh Dancy together...
Posted by: The Other Jordan | Jan 17, 2008 3:32:00 PM
Whoa. The ad for Dunhill does not do Henry Cavill justice at all.
Posted by: EireKev | Jan 17, 2008 3:42:33 PM
I can honestly say I'm not that broken up about the closing of Virgin Megastore on Sunset. I've never been able to find some of the more esoteric bands I listen to, and frequently I'm unable to find kind of/sort of obscure recordings from larger, more mainstream acts. Besides, Amoeba Music next to the Arclight is a far better, far more interesting music store and always has been.
Posted by: peterparker | Jan 17, 2008 4:07:18 PM
Hey, I've been rushed to Cedars in an appendix emergency too! I feel a sudden kinship with the make-up wearing teen Disney heartthrob.
Posted by: PistolPetey | Jan 17, 2008 4:11:11 PM
Spruill is also presenting a bill that would force repeat DUI offenders to get brightly colored license plates. It's causing a slight controversy here. MADD is against it.
Coincidentally, my friend Blaine had to cover Spruill's bill to ban the "truck nuts" for the local news. It was hysterical watching him on TV calling auto accessories stores asking for "truck nuts" and "bumper balls".
http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?s=7625589
Posted by: RP | Jan 17, 2008 4:12:34 PM
great site; keep up the good work!
fyi: the link about rubber testicles has a character in front of the url (|http:.....)
Posted by: bostonman | Jan 17, 2008 4:23:22 PM
Thanks, Michael Bedwell,
you're right, we shouldn't just rely on one version when retelling the story of someone's life.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jan 17, 2008 4:30:41 PM
do you have to be a member of fleshbot to read the Dan Savage interview?
Posted by: clayton | Jan 17, 2008 5:59:43 PM
I live in Virginia, and I'd hate to see the balls disappear...kinda hot IMO
Posted by: John | Jan 17, 2008 6:05:31 PM
Won't miss the Virgin Megastore for even a minute, ridiculously overpriced, twice had my car hit in the garage. That complex has destroyed that neighborhood since the minute construction started.
The Tower Records, however, is another matter. I miss it every time I drive past them, ridiculously insane parking and all...
Posted by: David B. | Jan 17, 2008 6:14:53 PM
Andy, Walter Reed is the Army hospital in D.C. Walter Reade is the movie theater at Lincoln Center.
Posted by: Eric | Jan 18, 2008 1:01:41 AM
I always thought truck balls were weird.
Posted by: erik | Jan 18, 2008 1:31:05 AM