Stephen Schwartz, Dan Savage and SF's Gay Men's Chorus Team Up For 'Testimony:' VIDEO

Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz and Dan Savage recently joined forces to turn segments of the Savage-created "It Gets Better" project into a sweeping emotional song encapsulating all the emotions that go with coming out and staying out in an at-times confrontational world.

"The song urges LGBT youth to hang on, telling them they're not alone, and showing them that life gets better," reads the video's YouTube description.

Performed by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, the track, appropriately called "Testimony," can be found AFTER THE JUMP, but fair warning, it may not be safe for work if you don't want your colleagues to see you getting a bit misty.

Some Reactions From Wingnuts On GLAAD's Commentator Accountability Project

GLAAD last week launched their Commentator Accountability Project, an initiative highlighting network and cable news guests who regularly spout anti-gay rhetoric to their right wing armies.The list includes people like Family Research Council's Tony Perkins, NOM's Maggie Gallagher and "ex-gay" advocate Alan Chambers.

AFTER THE JUMP, a sample of some of the most recent responses from conservatives both on and off the roster, plus some video and audio.

Bryan Fischer:

This is like McCarthyism. This is like a blacklist. Trying to identify those that they think represent a danger to their interests, to their agenda, and then to try to silence them… They want to take away our ability to participate in the public debate over homosexual issues. And they are proving that I am right. What did the Nazis do? They silenced their opposition.

Gary Bauer:

I’m pleased to report that my name was included on a list of pro-family, Christian leaders… What is this list? It is a media “black list” drawn up by [GLAAD]. GLAAD is working hard to silence conservative, pro-family, Christian voices in the media.

My friends, the culture war is real. This is just the latest example of the radical left’s intolerance and its assault on free speech. That is why Fox is under attack and why advertisers on the Rush Limbaugh Show are being threatened. It is more evidence of its efforts to force faith and conservatism out of public arena and into the closet.

Proposition 8 and Newt Gingrich supporter Jim Garlow: "There's 36 of us total. [GLAAD] wants to destroy these people and keep them off their air and keep them from interviews… We want to keep them from not being allowed to speak anymore."

Linda Harvey (not on the list, but hateful nonetheless):

The carefully cultivated Hate brand is a big seller among marginally informed youth who quickly process whom to heed and whom to dismiss. This volunteer sales force moves throughout the nation with whistleblowing at speeches, interruption of church services, heckling and predictable “H8″ protest signs.

...

Recognize this? Hate branding, focusing on Jews, succeeded in branding them as the 'enemy' in public opinion in Nazi Germany. It’s the method used today by Islamic radicals who spread ludicrous fables about Jews in many mosques.

First Look At David Cronenberg's 'Cosmopolis:' VIDEO

It's still unclear when director David Cronenberg's 'Cosmopolis' will hit U.S. shores, but the French are getting their first glimpse of the Robert Pattinson-starring flick, which comes out there in May. There's very little narrative in this short trailer, but the visuals promise some compelling cinematography, at least.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Gay Men Arrested In Dominica Plead Guilty, To Be Released Today

Here's an update on the two gay men arrested yesterday on the Caribbean island Dominica, where their Atlantis Cruise ship was docked, via the AP:

Two Southern California men have pleaded guilty to indecent exposure in Dominica following their arrest during a stop on a gay cruise of the Caribbean.

The men entered pleas on the eastern Caribbean island, where sex between two men is illegal.

They were arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure and the local equivalent of sodomy. Police said they had been seen having sex in plain sight of people on land.

The men each have to pay a $900 fine and will be released later today.

An additional UPDATE: A police chief in Dominca explains why the "buggery" charges were dropped.

"They could have been charged with buggery but because it is a very long process, we decided that it was in our best interest to deal expeditiously with the issue and get the individuals out of our island as quickly as possible," said Police Chief Cyril Carette.

“People coming to our island must be in conformity with our laws and if these laws are violated they must be prepared to suffer the consequences."

Simon Cowell Does Not Appreciate Jokes About Him Being Gay

Simon Cowell got a little touchy after comedian David Walliams jokes that he's gay. The duo were recording a segment on ITV's Jonathan Ross Show to promote Britain's Got Talent when Walliams, co-creator with Matt Lucas of Little Britain, quipped, "The main question I get is, Is Simon gay? Even my mum asks. She says, He's nice. Is he gay?”

Ireland's Independent says Cowell was none too pleased, which probably only further encouraged Walliams:

Cowell looked awkward and attempted to move the conversation on, by discussing how he likes to get up at 12 in the afternoon and go to bed at 5 in the morning, to which Walliams quipped “At 12 o'clock at night you're working quite hard - because that's when the lady boys come round.”

The X Factor boss then replied “It's worth pointing out that I have a relationship with ITV and most of this will be edited out.”

Is this a case of protesting too much or is Cowell just asserting the fact that he's an influential man? I think the latter. As one audience member remarked, "He is not used to being the butt of everyone's jokes." Maybe he should be.

AFTER THE JUMP, a picture of young Cowell worth sharing.

N.C. Group Posts Racist Obama Picture In Gay Marriage Criticism

This image isn't clear, but it doesn't need to be for readers to understand what the conservative John Locke Foundation meant when it included this racist and homophobic picture in a post blasting President Obama's campaign for opposing a proposed North Carolina ban on gay marriage. But, just in case you can't tell, there's the commander-in-chief, dressed in poorly designed drag and eating Kentucky Fried Chicken. Very mature, right?

"Out of no where, President Obama suddenly feels the need to declare his objection to North Carolina’s pending vote to ban on gay marriage," former radio host Tara Servatius writes in the post, called "Obama Goes Pro Gay Marriage to Get NC on Election Day."

The John Locke Foundation is funded in large part by conservative millionaire Art Pope, which is why the website Art Pope Exposed managed to catch the racist, homophobic image, called "Obama Gay" before the Foundation took it down.

While the John Locke Foundation no doubt hoped no one would notice, North Carolina's NAACP released a statement today demanding answers:

We at the NC NAACP have learned of the disgusting picture of our President on the John Locke Foundation blog and website. What we have seen so far has both racist and homophobic overtones, both of which are contrary to the fundamentals of our democracy. It's outrageous and it shows the kind of racialized, mean-spirited and divisive political attitudes that still exist in the South. On Thursday we will demand to know who authorized and developed such a racist and bigoted portrayal to be placed on the site of an organization that seeks to have so much influence into the shaping of public policy in NC. Whoever did it is completely over the line. It is reckless and dangerous. And should not only be an afront to the black community, the civil rights community, the LBGT community, but every North Carolinian.

Now, I understand that there's probably no way we can complete erase hate -- racist, homophobic or otherwise -- but when will bigots learn that the Internet's memory is long and its reach wide? if you put up a picture of President Obama "in drag" and eating fried chicken, someone is going to find it and blow up your spot -- and you deserve it.

In related news, the state's Catholic Bishops called the president's opposition to the ban "a grave disappointment."

"It is a grave disappointment, as it is reported to be the first time that the President has entered into this issue on the state level, further escalating the increasing confusion on the part of some in our society to the very nature of marriage itself," they said.

Maybe Obama's equality-minded opposition in the Tar Heel State is a precursor to a larger move?

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/21/3115378/nc-bishops-call-obamas-opposition.html#storylink=cpy