10/13/2008
News: Womanizer, Marc Jacobs, Baldness, Tina Fey, ACORN
McCain debuts new speech, portraying himself as underdog: "Allies are calling this 'hitting the ‘reset’ button' on the campaign, with McCain re-emerging after a long Sunday strategy session with a feisty tack that uses candor and humor, at a time when his rallies have become known for raucous rage and clumsy attacks. But it’s more like hitting the panic button."
Britney Spears' new "Womanizer" video.
Tina Fey "done" if Palin wins: “We’re gonna take it week by week. If she wins, I’m done. I can’t do that for four years. And by ‘I’m done,’ I mean I’m leaving Earth.”
Jacob Reitan, graduate student and former head of Soulforce, pens open letter to Ellen DeGeneres asking why she has not donated to Proposition 8: "Why is this? You make tens of millions of dollars a year. You and Portia recently got married. Surely, you know how important keeping that right is to you and your family. If we are to win, we desperately need your financial support." It's a question that has been simmering. Donate to No on Prop 8 HERE.
Karen Ocamb: Are Democrats and Obama throwing gays under the bus with regard to Prop 8?
Hilary Duff, Lance Bass, Jennie Garth work the red carpet at GLSEN's Respect Awards...
Mormons speak out against the Church of Latter Day Saints' campaign for ban on same-sex marriage.
Scientists discover genetic variants that boost the odds of male baldness: "he two variants are located on a stretch of DNA on Chromosome 20, according to a study carried out on 1,125 men of European descent. These variants are present in one in seven Caucasian men and provide novel insights into the cause of this common and sometimes distressing condition,' the team said."
Barack Obama received endorsements from 15 newspapers on Sunday: "Backing Obama: In Ohio, The Blade in Toledo and the Dayton Daily News; the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Tennessean of Nashville, the Wisconsin State Journal. the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times, and in California the Fresno Bee, Sacramento Bee, Contra Costa Times, The Herald of Monterrey, and The Sun of San Bernardino (which had picked Bush over Kerry). Joining the Obama team in battleground states were the Muskegon (Mich.) Chronicle, the Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Express-Times and Springfield (Ohio) News."
Marc Jacobs, his skirt, and his boyfriend take the streets of Manhattan.
Miami Herald recommends "no" vote on anti-gay Amendment.
Scissor Sisters to play surprise gig at New York's Mercury Lounge?
Orlando Gay Pride focused on "emotional pleas" to defeat Amendment 2, and police chief Val Deming's pledge to fight anti-day hate crimes: "'We will not tolerate any individual who would threaten to do harm because of someone's race, religion, political affiliation or sexual orientation,' she said. Demings' remarks came 10 years to the day of the death of Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a split-rail fence and left to die on a Wyoming prairie. She was followed by the parents of Ryan Keith Skipper, a 25-year-old gay man who was killed in Polk County in 2007, and Sean William Kennedy, a 20-year-old Greenville, S.C., man who died in 2007 after being punched in the face because he was gay."
Kylie Minogue musical waiting in the West End's wings?
Rupert Everett to star opposite Christine Ebersole in Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit. Performances to start at the end of February.
Hugh Jackman in his birthday suit.
ELECTION THEFT: A warning about what the Republican Party may be trying to do with the recent ACORN scandal. Here's something else to read for anyone who's fallen for the GOP's Dixie-chicking of ACORN.
Posted 3:10 PM EST by Andy in Barack Obama, Britney Spears, California, Florida, Gay Marriage, GLSEN, Hugh Jackman, John McCain, Justin Timberlake, Kylie Minogue, Marc Jacobs, News, Orlando, Sarah Palin, Scissor Sisters, Theatre | Permalink
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Well, if the point of donating money to the No on 8 campaign is to pay for advertising against the proposition, then isn't Ellen essentially giving the equivalent of thousands of dollars of completely free publicity by speaking out against it and about her relationship? And now they're trying to shame her?
I've been inundated by ads against Prop 8 ever since the Olympics (not all connected to the official No on 8 group either). I've donated money as well. I think it's safe to say at this point that if Prop. 8 passes, it is not because people haven't been informed enough about it and the consequences.
Posted by: Scott | Oct 13, 2008 3:33:34 PM
You can view the donors list for No on 8 at the California Secretary of State's website. A few famous names posted since Friday:
Suze Orman $10,000
Judith Light $1,000
Perez Hilton $1,000
Posted by: crispy | Oct 13, 2008 3:39:37 PM
Good for you for your donation, Scott, but keep your day job which one assumes has nothing to do with running election campaigns. If it was just a matter of the public seeing examples of positive gay individuals and couples, Prop 8 would never have gotten enough signatures to qualify for the ballot; neither would have its predecessor Prop 22; federal DOMA and its 45-some state equivalents would not exist, nor would some 20 states have amended their constitutions to ban marriage equality; DADT would not exist; federal hate crimes legislation would have passed long ago [including in Matthew Shepard's Wyoming], and trans-inclusive ENDA would be law thus overriding those 30+ states that have none.
Ellen has accomplished a great deal, but neither she, nor Rosie, nor Elton, nor Greg Berlanti, nor Gus VanSant are saints beyond criticism, and their having abandoned their own people where it most counts [contributing money to pay for advertising to counteract the millions of dollars in lies being broadcast by the American Taliban] at this history-making time is shameful.
I am one of those who frequently pillory gay Repugs. THIS is no better than a gay person endorsing McCain.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Oct 13, 2008 3:57:45 PM
I'm a little surprised that Judith Light didn't give more. I'm certainly not complaining, as it's much more than I can afford to give, just surprised...
As for Ellen - it's true that she has basically given thousands of dollars worth of free publicity, but I imagine (and I could be wrong) that most of the people who watch her show and vote in California would be voting No on 8 whether she mentioned it or not.
Posted by: JP | Oct 13, 2008 4:06:23 PM
"THIS is no better than a gay person endorsing McCain."
You're ... not kidding, are you? I really should know better than to get involved with blog comments. Well, I'll just continue to read Towleroad and stay away from the responses. Lesson learned.
Posted by: Scott | Oct 13, 2008 4:59:29 PM
To answer the question of whether Democrats are throwing gays and lesbians under the bus one only needs to read the comments on Karen Ocamb's article. Fuck the Democrats. I had just decided to go ahead and vote for Obama. Now, I'll just be going in and voting against Prop 8.
I'll also vote in favor of the restrictions on abortion since it's about time some of this crap lands in the hetero's front yard. I'm a 54 year old gay man, abortion doesn't mean shit to me. I'm never going to need one. I'm going to be as interested in abortion rights as the average straight person is in my rights. Hell, maybe I'll start donation to right to life organizations!
Posted by: hamp | Oct 13, 2008 5:12:03 PM
On a lighter note, Marc Jacobs and especially his boyfriend are shining examples of why the average person is alienated by and mocks "fashion." I'm sure his boyfriend's outfit cost a fortune and that he's an attractive guy, but the clothes are ill-fitting, unflattering, and essentially unpleasing. Just another expression of "look at me!"---by someone who already gets looked at relentlessly.
Posted by: Paul R | Oct 13, 2008 6:27:02 PM
I don't know. Seems to me that it's none of your damn business how much Ellen does or doesn't donate. I'm just not that comfortable with this whole idea of intimidating people into giving money. It's her money. She earned it. If she wants to give, then she can. If not, then I don't think it's anyone's role to try to shame her into it. I agree, it would be great if she did give - but who made this guy the donation police?
Posted by: Daniel | Oct 13, 2008 6:44:15 PM
The answer to whether Dems and Obama are throwing gays under the bus regarding Prop 8: yes, of course. And what is sad is that recent polling today shows that it is probably impossible that Obama will lose. And even now he can't muster the decency to urge California voters to vote against Proposition 8. Which is because he, like so many, honestly think marriage should be reserved for a man/woman.
I appreciate his desire for us to have equal recognition under the law in terms of the rights/benefits conferred to straight people through civil marriage, but he's simply on the wrong end of the issue. Forty years from now when history shows that marriage equality is the right side of the issue, it'll be a shame that such a progressive candidate couldn't step up to the plate.
Then again, why should he? 90% of gays are going to vote for him and all of the Dems on a ticket anyway. They are rewarded for their less than enthusiastic support for equality.
I'm not arguing that he's not a better option for gays than McCain, but with the current position of dominance he has, you'd think he'd throw a bit more love our way. It makes me at least question where he really stands on the issue. I usually accept the "I think marriage is between a man and woman, but think gay couples should receive equal treatment" line as just being "safe" and that many Dems really are okay with gay marriage (Obama included), but now I'm not so sure.
If we can't manage gay marriage in CA, then it makes me think it's not likely to be a reality on any federal level in my lifetime.
Posted by: Caleb | Oct 13, 2008 7:30:02 PM
First of all, Obama HAS come out against Prop. 8 -- he did so back in June. It would indeed be very nice if he could make some kind of appeal, though of course that would be used by the right against him.
As to gay marriage not making it on the federal level in your lifetime, Caleb... just remember where we were 10 years ago. No marriage anywhere. No Civil Unions anywhere. Zip. There have been huge changes, and the Democratic party can now openly support something like Civil Unions.
The change is happening faster and faster, and I think it will come in my lifetime.
On the other hand, I see Hamp's point -- I read some of those comments on huffpost as well, and I'm always amazed how quickly supposed "liberals" jump on that antigay bus. They're just waiting for an excuse to tell us to keep quiet and wait our turn.
Posted by: Kevinvt | Oct 13, 2008 8:43:53 PM
Caleb,
I'm not sure in what way the Obama campaign could get involved in this without worrying about a backlash nationwide. I don't know what the strategy is for this.
Is anyone out there a political strategist who can comment on the way for Obama to engage in this without Palin using it rile up the fundies? Seriously, besides his repudiation of 8, how should he fight this without McCain turning it against him?
Back around the time of the FISA vote, members of mybarackobma.com created a mini-firestorm to force Obama to respond to their concerns. The risk is that if there's too much visible protest that "forces" Obama to do something, the fundies would see that as weakness and use it against him. On the other hand, game on. Making him respect the gay vote is important.
On the national level, I think we have a better shot by focusing on the Supreme Court. Getting a case to the Supreme Court like Loving v. Virginia is the best hope for overturning all marriage bans.
Posted by: noah | Oct 13, 2008 8:46:58 PM
Yeah ACORN certainly has nothing to explain...
* Connecticut: local investigators are reviewing numerous reports of registration fraud committed by ACORN, including one case where a 7 year-old girl was registered to vote.
* Florida: ACORN submitted hundreds of duplicate registrations to the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections.
* Indiana: Almost half of the 5,000 registrations submitted by ACORN in Gary have been rejected for fraud and other irregularities.
* Missouri: ACORN is being blamed for hundreds of bogus and duplication registration applications that are "bogging down the system."
* Nevada: The Las Vegas office of ACORN was raided by state law enforcement for its alleged involvement in voter fraud. In addition to registering the Dallas Cowboys starting line-up, ACORN also used prison inmates through a work release program to conduct voter registration activities.
* New Mexico: ACORN was exposed for employing numerous felons to collect voter registrations including sex offenders and persons accused of identity theft. The FBI is currently investigating 1,400 registrations.
* Ohio: ACORN admitted to Cuyahoga County election officials that it cannot eliminate fraud from its operation. The Board has been investigating ACORN registrations since August.
* Pennsylvania: Thousands of ACORN registrations have been turned over to federal authorities for investigation.
* Wisconsin: 39 ACORN employees are under investigation for registration fraud and 2 have already been indicted.
Posted by: Las Vegas | Oct 13, 2008 9:11:51 PM
From your lips to McCain's ears, Las Vegas!
’Cause it ain't stickin'. The old geezer's campaign did nothing but whine about Ayers and ACORN last week, and what happened? He slid another 3 points behind Obama. So maybe if they keep it up all this week, McCain'll be down by 10 or 12 by next Monday.
Bring it on. With the financial system in ruins, voters' retirement accounts shrunken by 40% in the last year, and people everywhere wondering how they're gonna pay for gas and whether they're gonna have a job come the holidays, nobody gives a shit about Ayers or ACORN, all they want is a president who seems to be taking the situation seriously and knows what he's doing. And that definitely ain't McCain.
Posted by: 24play | Oct 13, 2008 9:25:23 PM
Voter fraud is not funny no matter if its from a Republican who registers voters and slams them to the party they dont want.
Or Democrats who register 7 year olds or the Dallas Cowboys.
People are hurting and they are desperate for anything, even the most left wing president in recent history.
Posted by: matt from california | Oct 13, 2008 11:27:22 PM
Even a black man, Matt! Can you fuckin' believe it?! People are desperate enough to vote for A BLACK MAN! For PRESIDENT!
Posted by: 24play | Oct 13, 2008 11:42:42 PM
Marc is looking so desperate. why is he doing this? he looks like a fool. Is he trying to start a trend? Sorry to break it to him but just because hes the Marc Jacobs doesn't mean he can start a skirt trend for men so ridic. and then a murse? ugh 1 at a time. Somebody please get their son.
Posted by: Lo | Oct 14, 2008 12:33:13 AM
I just got home from the secret gig and it was amazing they played about 15-18 songs.. mostly new stuff that will be on the new album.. its very different from what they normally do with a very islandy/reggae sound... it was an amazing show and the crowd was pumped to see them....
Posted by: matt | Oct 14, 2008 1:29:44 AM
If you want to CONTACT ELLEN, here's the url http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/respond/?PlugID=10
She is enjoying the benefits of marriage.. she is enjoying the HARD work of many that fought for the right to marry. She needs to do WAY more than a mousy 15 second psa on her own website. Not good enough. Sorry. I agree what she does with her own money is her business, but girl gotta put her wallet where her mouth is. She is loaded and it's people like her that can make a ***giant*** difference. I've donated $300, and I'm a lower middle class dude in expensive SF. If she can't shell out AT LEAST that much, she'd mooching off the hard work of others and needs to show re$pect. That's just how I feel.
Posted by: pickles | Oct 14, 2008 1:54:07 AM
It seems ACORN omitted the "yet" from their statements. But since the Huffington Post is every bit as fair and balanced as fox news I should take it with a large grain of salt.
But then again Obama supporters don't believe in rational thought so...
Posted by: james Wade | Oct 14, 2008 2:39:41 PM