Towleroad Talking Points: Is Manti Te'o Gay?

BY SAM GREISMAN

A look back at today's top stories

GAY NEWS

If you haven't been following the story about Notre Dame football player Manti Te'o and the girlfriend that doesn't exist, you really should be. News broke yesterday that Te'o's relationship, which had made headlines when his "girlfriend" had died just hours after his grandmother, was with a fake person. Now questions have arisen as to Te'o's involvement and some are wondering whether he was simply 'Catfished' or if this is was all a big way of hiding his true sexuality. Either way we can all agree it is bizarre. 

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti made a strong, disappointing stand today when he came out against gay marriage. On the flip side, French Elle supports the freedom to love. A gay man who was discharged under DADT has been chosen to be on stage with Obama during the inauguration as a citizen co-chair. And a horrifying story out of Louisiana where four gay men were attacked by a man during a showing of The Guilt Trip. 

**

ENTERTAINMENT

For you Tolkien fans, take a look at Elijah Wood's final moments as Frodo Baggins. Also Rachel Maddow took down the trolls from the NRA last night. 

Lance Armstrong's Confession: VIDEO

Yes, I doped, and it wasn't humanly possible to win seven Tour de France titles without it.

In a nutshell, AFTER THE JUMP...

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1287

CLOSE-UP: Dita von Teese makes her music video debut.

START: Pauline Phillips discusses Dr. Abby's roots.

DUO: When LeVar met Jay.

SUBWAY RAP: Brought to you by Grandmaster Caz.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

News: Dear Abby, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bette Midler, 'Guy Code'

GQ magazine, Andy Cohen discusses why straight guys love his show: "I show a bunch of boobs and asses and good-looking women. I get your wives and girlfriends playing drinking games. I get 'em wound up, I get 'em drunk, and just when they're at the point where.... [then] I'm off the air.'"

MTV2's testosterone-laden show Guy Code will be addressing the gay spectrum next week, and most of the gents agree there is such a spectrum.

They don't illustrate like this anymore.

On gun control and gay marriage: "...The long-term trend on gun control, unlike gay marriage, has been a rise in opposition. As recently as April, the Pew Research Center put out a report noting the divergent trends on the two issues, noting that 'on gun control, Americans have become more conservative; on gay marriage, Americans have become more liberal.'"

  Michael Triplett, president of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association, has died at the age of 48 after a battle with cancer. From the group's website: "His quiet demeanor masked a steely resolve and an uncanny ability to push our organization forward. Michael quickly became someone who could be relied on both to provide sage advice as well as the time and energy to help us accomplish our goals…. Michael was truly a joy for all of us to work with, and his loss will be felt among our organization for years to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with his partner, Jack and his family in Alabama."

An unknown number of hostages are dead during a state-run raid to end a siege in Algeria.

This camera can capture 3D images of falling snow.

Chris Christie calls the NRA ad attacking the President for using Secret Service for his children "reprehensible."

Sorry, conservatives, but Bette Midler is right about Ronald Reagan and the mentally ill.

Hateful Family Research Council leader Tony Perkins is wrong about It Gets Better, which he calls a "deceptive lie."

Pauline Friedman Phillips, the woman who wrote the Dr. Abby column as Abigail Van Buren, died at the age of 94.

A Toronto man accused of murdering his husband is now asking for the victim's $2 million life insurance and is also demanding his mourning family never see a dime.

Nicholous Hoult looked refreshingly hot at the Rome premiere of Warm Bodies.

You will be forgiven for taking some time to watch Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj hate one another.

Heads up, Australia - Robert Pattinson brought his guitar.

Matt Bomer is designing men's apparel inspired by his show, White Collar.

There's a new support group for GBT men in Atlanta who have been victims of hate crimes.

Retired Baptist Rev. Howard Bess stands with gay students at evangelical Wheaton College: "I am one of those supporters though I am not gay. Wheaton College is my alma mater and I am proud to be a Wheaton graduate. I found Wheaton to be a home for a rigorous academic education, and Wheaton’s student body and faculty comprised the greatest group of people I have ever known. They were dedicated, hard-working and highly principled. To them, Christ was Lord; nothing else was so important."

British Evangelical leader Steve Chalke comes out for recognition of same-sex relationships: "When we refuse to make room for gay people to live in loving, stable relationships, we consign them to lives of loneness, secrecy and fear."

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is again leading the call for Homeland Security and the Justice Department to guarantee that married bi-national same-sex couples not be deported or separated before the Supreme Court rules on marriage equality. "By taking these interim steps, vulnerable families affected by DOMA can remain together until the Supreme Court issues its decision," Gillibrand and other senators wrote. "Preserving family unity is a fundamental American value and is the cornerstone of our nation’s immigration law."

"No more wedding jokes, please," says Kim Kardashian.

Elijah Wood's Last Day As Hobbit Frodo Baggins: VIDEO

After twelve years, six films and billions of dollars, Frodo Baggins is off-set. In this video, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at actor Elijah Wood's final day playing the heroic hobbit and hear how he and director Peter Jackson feel about calling it a wrap. Spoiler: they're sad.

Watch it AFTER THE JUMP...

NOM Prays Tired Lies Will Stop Rhode Island Marriage Equality

The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee last night set the date for a vote on that state's marriage equality bill: next Tuesday. With passage looking more likely, the panicked anti-gay activists at NOM are pulling a familiar, desperate trick: placing a full-page, lie-filled ad in the local newspaper.

Luckily, the recently launched coalition Rhode Islanders United For Marriage was ready to strike down their claims in a lengthy press release. Here are two examples:

    •    Claim: Marriage equality legislation will force schools to change curricula. For example, opponents of marriage equality have said, "In Massachusetts, children as young as second grade have been taught about homosexual marriage in class."

    •    Fact: Minnesota Public Radio has called this claim misleading: "There's no evidence that same-sex marriage is taught throughout Massachusetts, and the state doesn't require such curriculum." The claim was also previously debunked by PolitiFact Rhode Island, which rated it "false."

 

        •    Claim: Small businesses that oppose marriage equality will face lawsuits.

        •    Fact: A Seattle Times investigation "failed to turn up any evidence that same-sex marriage had produced a rash of suits involving businesspeople." The Times "also checked with human rights commissions in four of the six states where marriage is legal; the commissions said there was not an increase in discrimination findings or suits involving same sex marriage."

Check out the main text of their ad, via Joe.My.God, AFTER THE JUMP.