02/07/2008
News: Madonna, Cuba, John McCain, Guantanamo, Marc Jacobs
Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto supports same-sex marriage: "I think that marriage between lesbians, between homosexuals can be perfectly approved and that in Cuba that wouldn't cause an earthquake or anything like that."
Lourdes: Madonna in training? Scientology meets Kabbalah at Malawi charity event. Rosie O'Donnell blogs over Tom Cruise: "my tommy was there / handsome as ever / he makes me smile / i love that guy."
Concerned Women for America pleased as punch that they soon may be able to discriminate against gays in Florida.
Marc Jacobs fashion house embroiled in bribery probe: "The former superintendent of Manhattan's 69th Regiment Armory, James Jackson, has been indicted on charges of demanding more than $30,000 to allow the space to be used by the designer and for other events. Marc Jacobs International allegedly made payoffs to Jackson through the designer's public relations firm, KCD Public Relations, to reserve the national historic landmark on key dates, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Wednesday. Neither Marc Jacobs International nor KCD was accused in the indictment, which was unsealed Wednesday. Cuomo said the investigation was continuing to determine if payments to Jackson, who was a public employee, constituted a crime. While the designer is cooperating fully with the probe, it could face charges of its own. A spokesman for the attorney general's office told WWD, 'Marc Jacobs International is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the attorney general and we cannot comment further.'"
Art and architecture group calls for entries on redesign of the White House.
Politico: five reasons Clinton should be worried.
Top commander of detentions at Guantanamo Bay confirms existence of secret camp: "Somewhere amid the cactus-studded hills on this sprawling Navy base, separate from the cells where hundreds of men suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban have been locked up for years, is a place even more closely guarded — a jailhouse so protected that its very location is top secret...Guantanamo commanders said Camp 7 is for key alleged al-Qaida members, who must be kept apart from other prisoners to prevent them from retaliating against long-term detainees who have talked to interrogators. They also want the location kept secret for fear of terrorist attack."
Florent restaurant being forced out of New York's meatpacking district. FLASHBACK: Destination Florent.
Who let Britney Spears out of the psych ward? Parents statement: "As parents of an adult child in the throws of a mental health crisis, we were extremely disappointed this morning to learn that over the recommendation of her treating psychiatrist, our daughter Britney was released from the hospital that could best care for her and keep her safe. We are deeply concerned about our daughter's safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk. There are conservatorship orders in place created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted." Spears hits Beverly Hills hotel as if nothing ever happened.
Two gay guys: Why are some gay men so mean?
Sex it up: Big Brother 9 producers to turn off A/C in order to get contestants to strip. "When this group of 16 singles enters the house, they will be told they are being matched up with their ‘soul mate,’ a stranger who may prove to be their true love or their worst nightmare. Whether there is a love connection or not, once paired up, the Houseguests’ life in the game depends on their partner. They must strategize, plot and scheme together as a couple for a chance at the prize. These ‘lovebirds’ will live together as a couple meaning they will sleep in the same bed, hold Head of Household as a couple, be nominated for eviction as a pair, and if the time comes, say their goodbyes together upon eviction."
Caving to far right: McCain skips promised vote on economic stimulus plan.
Wayne Besen: How are we paving the way for the first gay president? "In order for our Obama to fulfill his or her potential, it is essential that the GLBT movement runs serious presidential candidates in the next election cycle. That's right, "candidates" in the plural – meaning we run a Democrat and a Republican. The Democrat would play the role of Jesse Jackson – a trailblazer that will lose badly, but earn respect and lay the groundwork for the future. This sacrificial lamb will be known as "the gay candidate," so when our gay Obama is finally ready – he or she can transcend sexual orientation and win – or lose – on the merits. It is also crucial we run a credible Republican, in order to articulate the case for gay rights in front of conservative audiences. This not only would make the other candidates uncomfortable in their gay bashing, but this candidate could serve as a role model."
Posted 2:15 PM EST by Andy in Big Brother, Britney Spears, Cuba, Florida, Gay Marriage, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Madonna, Malawi, Marc Jacobs, New York, News, Reality TV, Rosie O'Donnell, Tom Cruise, Tom Westman | Permalink
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Why are some gay guys so mean?
Why, I don't rightly know 'cause Ahs just a Stepin' Fetchit, I mean, Miss Stepin' Fetchit.
Thanks, Brent & Mike, your video and message are right on time.
Da neh've of 'hat bitch (oh, I'm sorry, that's my Mae West, not Stepin' Fetchit--same era, different studios).
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Feb 7, 2008 2:29:52 PM
I know this is the last thing any one wants to read, but Britney Spears really needs serious treatment. She's getting into the vehicles of random paparazzi? I know there are more serious issues in the world, but if this woman dies from her and the indirect actions of the paparazzi and the American public, there will be blood on everyone's hands. Pop culture has created a culture and instability, it's sad.
As for gay men being so mean, I couldn't agree more. It seems (generally speaking) that gay men tend to be so insecure that cutting each other down is the "in thing". Having the perfect body, the nicely appointed home, car, job, trophy boyfriend - it's all an act to make themselves feel better. I find it especially sad as it simply causes a rift between us, at a time when gay society is facing one of their toughest battles: equality. How can we, as a group, fight for civil rights when we seem to be cutting each other down? It's EXACTLY what our enemies want, destruction from the inside, disintegrating any chance for cohesion and unity. It's time we started acting like men and respecting each other and ourselves.
Posted by: Cory | Feb 7, 2008 2:36:36 PM
Lordy. 5 reasons Hillary has to worry? From Politico, no less. The website happily married to Drudge. What a joke. If Obama and Hillary's Tuesday fortunes were swapped, the press would be declaring her over and Chris Matthews would be driving the head car for the ticker tape parade.
Posted by: Marco | Feb 7, 2008 3:03:28 PM
"...the 'throws' of a mental health crisis..."? What idiot pr knucklehead wrote that?
Posted by: kile Ozier | Feb 7, 2008 3:04:05 PM
Okay, Marco. If you find Politico suspect, perhaps you'd entertain the same exact info and prognosis from John Heilemann in New York magazine:
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/02/john_heilemann_on_the_democrat.html#more
He wrote an extremely fair and well balanced cover story on the Democratic race just a couple weeks ago.
Posted by: 24play | Feb 7, 2008 3:34:42 PM
I read about Marc Jacobs in the Post today, hey in NYC money talks..MJ knows the game...Britney will be just fine...nothing is wrong with her..she's an artist, eccentric, creative, dramatic...
RIP
Florent
Posted by: davey | Feb 7, 2008 3:35:20 PM
That's great if Cuba allows gay marriage. Now if they'd stop jailing the gays that would be even better!
Posted by: tommy | Feb 7, 2008 3:57:58 PM
Thanks for the article, 2Play, but I expect nothing less than Hillary loses/Barack wins in any scenario nowadays from most media outlets,
Although that article was more impartial,it still claims Barack has all the momentum as if he won the big prizes on Tuesday. If shelost them, cue to bag pipes for the media's early funeral.
They love their narratives. Sad but true.
But there's a link to a Kurt Anderson piece that contains a narrative so offensive and hilarious but is indicative of Obama supporters, IMO. I am talking in the press and elsewhere. Here's the quote:
"To what extent is her strength in those areas a function of vestigial and/or ambient, um, er, racism?"
Yup, gotta be racist not to vote for Obama. The only logical reason is racism.
Posted by: Marco | Feb 7, 2008 4:45:13 PM
The only reason Hillary should be worried is that, fairly or no, she's the gold standard for everything the Right hates about the Left and will mobilize them like nothing before ever has--including gay marriage in 2004.
Otherwise, she's all set.
Posted by: John | Feb 7, 2008 4:53:46 PM
I would have thought that Andy would try to stay somewhat neutral when it comes to the primaries.
It hurts me to think he is blindly following the entire media parade to crown Obama king.
What the polls were wrong again? What Obama received votes from southern black democrats - surely that means he can win the conservative south! Once the Repubs start labeling him "the most liberal senator" in the senate, you'll see Obama has clay feet.
This plan of hope and no details is so flawed and no one is pointing it out. Shame on you Andy. You may as well just start linking to Andrew Sullivan's pages too!
Posted by: James in Chicago | Feb 7, 2008 4:56:01 PM
Oh, Andy has done plenty of posts critical of Obama. I think it's actually been pretty balanced.
Posted by: don | Feb 7, 2008 4:59:53 PM
Why are some gay men so mean? Good question, there are more than a few here who should give us an answer since they go off all the time if anybody does not agree with them!
And, then there is McCain, now pandering for the far right bigots for votes, all the while, regular people are losing jobs, homes, and the dollar lower than ever, and, he lies and skips a vote? Do any of these people running for that office ever vote on matters of importance for the whole 2 years they are running? Sheesh. And, them he and Bush snuggling, BLEECH!
Posted by: Sebastian | Feb 7, 2008 5:44:57 PM
go cuba!
Posted by: dixiebeau | Feb 7, 2008 6:04:19 PM
Thanks Brent and Mike. I too tire of the bitchy quotient, especially as the Internets have made it all so public (and so much like the kids who post fight videos). If you really want to be bitchy, go after people like McCain and Rove.
And Brent's a cutie!
Posted by: David R. | Feb 7, 2008 6:08:45 PM
My favorite on poor Britney is the Rolling Stones cover story
'The Tragedy of Britney Spears'
Give me a fucking break. Cut her off from her family, they are too busy with the young one getting knocked up anyway.
'This plan of hope and no details is so flawed and no one is pointing it out. Shame on you Andy. You may as well just start linking to Andrew Sullivan's pages too!'
POSTED BY: JAMES IN CHICAGO | FEB 7, 2008 4:56:01 PM
James it was Andy's posts about Obama and his homophobic SC
fundraiser that made me change from voting for him to Hillary. Even if he had not, this is his site, he has every right to give his opinion, you don't like it, that's no sweat. Vote for who you want.
Two gay guys: Why are some gay men so mean?
What a lame piece. Let's start with the fact that there are mean queens in this world, I doubt as many as you would find in any beauty shop on any given day. Have you seen Steel Magnolias?
"If you don't have anything nice to say, then sit right down next to me."
Then there is Bush & Rove, do they get any meaner? Yes the entire GOP field running for president, with Romney's attack on Hillary or Obama helping the terrorist. Not enough for you? Howard Stern, OJ Simpson, Bill O'Riely or any one else on Fox, Ann Coulter, most straight kids in High School. This could go on for hours.
Get a grip. People are people. I think if anything there are more gays who are sympathetic because of our situation than others, not more. Two gay gays, get a life. And I know the writers are on strike still, maybe wait until they are back before you grace us with any new videos.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Feb 7, 2008 6:50:44 PM
A "gay Obama," would not, in order to whore for black homohating votes, spend campaign funds on a concert starring someone who says that gays are trying to kill America's children and then effectively tell those who disagreed, "Go fuck yourselves!"
A "gay Obama" would ACTUALLY "call out" homophobes for the BIGOTRY they nurse instead of allowing them to feel good about themselves by simply talking about hugs; and actually devote whole sentences in his speeches to overturning antigay laws and passing progay ones rather than simply dropping the Gay-word in a phrase in the middle of a litany of other minority groups.
A "gay Obama" would not lie to gays about what he/she actually did in his/her prior career as a state legislator.
A "gay Obama" would not go against his own church to be against marriage equality nor be for a state's right to legally ban same gender relationships regardless of what they're called.
A "gay Obama" would not tell other gays that "FULL equality" means "full except for that marriage thingy."
A "gay Obama" would, like his main opponent has, agree to be interviewed by LOGO and speak before major national and regional gay groups such as PFLAG and HRC and GMHC and Empire State Pride.
A "gay Obama" would have met with LGBT homeless kids as John Edwards did.
A "gay Obama," like his main opponent, would have marched in the major gay pride parade of the state he represents in the Senate.
A "gay Obama" would at least equal the call for increased AIDS funding that his main opponent has issued instead of only proposing one-fourth the amount.
A "gay Obama" would be running on substance rather than personality; would not be running as Elvis when he's actually running on Empty.
Posted by: Michael Bedwell | Feb 7, 2008 7:21:42 PM
Obama is no Nelson Mandela. Lets just put it that way.
Nelson Mandela supported re-writing the South African constitution to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. He fought to include health care as a right in that constitution as well. Nelson Mandela enforced a court order to outlaw the death penalty. Nelson Mandela hangs out with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and not ex-gay preachers.
For all of the gestures and speeches, the Obama movement lacks any of the radical tenants of truly revolutionary change. It is, in fact, a very mainstream campaign being wrapped in brightly colored paper.
So, the left-wingers who think Obama's going to change everything in America are going to come back in four years and claim they were "betrayed." By then, President Obama will be comfortably sitting in the White House with high approval ratings for his moderate compromises. So, he won't need the "progressives" anymore, and he'll simply ignore all their demands.
Ironically, Obama's career trajectory is vastly similar to that of one young and idealistic governor who ran for president on vague allusions to change in 1992. That governor's name?
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON
Posted by: John | Feb 7, 2008 10:47:06 PM
The "stimulus package" (talk about sex-wordage) is silly--we're paying ourselves! Completely useless and will hurt the value of the dollar, which is making everything more expensive. Bread and circuses?? Not good for the long haul.
Glad to see my Brittany (Bridiotny?) prediction came true--what will she think of next to stay in the news?
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Feb 8, 2008 1:01:45 AM
Just came back from Cuba, lovely island, but awful, lying government. Statements like these are meant to butter up international progressive opinion. The reality is that gay life in Cuba is illegal. There is no gay bar (the government hasn't allowed one to open). And gays in Havana meet outside of the Yara Movie Theater or the Malecon on the weekend to find out where the secret underground gay parties are going to be that weekend. I went to one behind a parking lot in the outskirts of Havana and another we had to get go under a small, pedestrian tunnel to get there. A friend of mine kissed a Cuban guy in public and the Cuban got a $20 for indecency (a huge sum in Cuba). So please take all this pro-gay talk in Cuba with a grain of salt. If they don't let gays kiss in public, I don't see how they're going to go for marriage.
Posted by: CIDEicade | Feb 8, 2008 5:08:17 AM
Thanks Tommy and Cideicade! Your service as the truth squad, however, is likely to invite the rantings of those who would rather believe the spoken lies than the reality "on the ground". I engaged in a tiresome comment thread on this very site regarding a similar previous posting. It rapidly devolved into a pity party for those who favor spicy Latin food and men but could not be bothered to learn the horrific conditions under which Cuban gays have lived and will continue to live, despite the propaganda spewed forth by the government.
Posted by: rudy | Feb 8, 2008 9:01:35 AM