News: Venezuela, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Chapel Hill, Mormons

Marriage Equality New York holding rally tonight to protest anti-gay vote in Maine: "Please join us at a rally on Nov 4th in Union Square on 14th Street side at 5:30pm urging the NYS Senate to vote and in response to the votes on marriage equality across the United States."

50 Cent is a power ______.

Venezuelan police harassing and arresting LGBT citizens: "Like most of those arrested, our identity documents and mobile phones were taken away, we were beaten, our sexual orientation was insulted in degrading language, and we were refused permission to speak to the Justice Ministry officials and members of the National Guard who were present."

Mark Kleinschmidt becomes openly gay mayor of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Just Jared interviews Glee's Mark Salling.

Author details how Tom Cruise personally audited him for Scientology: "You tell the ashtray, 'Sit in that chair.' Then you actually go over and put the ashtray on the chair. Then you tell the ashtray, 'Thank you.' Then you do the same thing with the bottle, and the book. And you do this for hours and hours."

Fort Worth, Texas task force makes recommendations on expansion of gay rights in the city: "Jon Nelson, an attorney and chairman of the task force, called the recommendations 'one of the most far-reaching actions this city has taken, in the shortest amount of time.'"

Louisiana Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell, who refused to marry an interracial couple, has resigned.

Female Spectacled Bears suddenly go bald in Leipzig.

Carrie Prejean - Miss California USA settlement details revealed: "We've learned the Pageant will fork over around $100,000 for Carrie's lawyers and publicists connected with the public battle royale. That money goes directly to her flacks and not into her bank account. We're told Carrie personally gets zilch. What Carrie walks away with: Her book comes out on Monday and we're told the Pageant won't fight her for writing it without its permission."

Sean Penn's son arrested at school.

Blu Dot tracks NYC abandoned chairs in "curb-mining" experiment.

Foundation for Reconciliation to deliver 2,000 signatures to Mormon leaders: "About 50 people are expected to deliver the petition to the offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday. Organizer Cheryl Nunn of Santa Cruz, Calif., says the petition is a reaction to the Salt Lake City-based church's support for Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in California."

Brad Pitt dresses up his beard with beads.

Facebook: the movie?

Seattle gay rights pioneer Paul Barwick reflects on applying for a marriage license in King County, Washington in 1971: We knew they weren't going to give us one, but damn it, they were going to have to tell us no to escort us out the door."

Early marriage equality advocates?

Gay Annapolis alderman candidate to file complaint over gay 'child molester' smears.

Dallas Morning News corrects article labeling OUT and The advocate "alternative lifestyle magazines."

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison recommends gay man as U.S. Attorney: "Some Republicans are vehemently and unapologetically not ready for that. That could make it even harder for Hutchison to woo social conservatives in her bid to outflank and oust Gov. Rick Perry in March. "

Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga to hawk MAC lipstick for AIDS fund: "MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick and Viva Glam Cyndi Lipstick, $14 each, will launch in North America on March 18 and globally throughout the month, with 100 percent of the proceeds being donated to the MAC AIDS Fund."

Kanye West and Lady Gaga Kill 'Fame Kills' Tour; 50 Cent Apologizes for 'Gay' Remarks

Kanye West and Lady Gaga's 'Fame Kills' tour has been canceled, MTV reports:

"Rumors about the tour's possible cancellation have been swirling for days, largely related to the negative publicity stemming from West's interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards last month. The tour, which West abruptly announced during a television appearance in the spring and was scheduled to launch on November 10 in Phoenix, was oddly not confirmed by either of the artists' reps until mid-September."

TMZ reports: "...we're told his concert tour with Lady Gaga was scrapped because ticket sales sucked. And "sucked" happens to be a nicer version of the word we were told. And not only that -- our insiders say another factor in the cancellation was West and Gaga's people were at each others throats like their last names were Gosselin. When it came down do it, we're told Gaga decided she'd be better off playing smaller venues ... and far from the headache caused by Kanye's ever present drama."

Rapper 50 Cent came under fire yesterday for remarks he made about the tour to radio host Angie Martinez in which he labeled it 'the gay tour', mocking Kanye for taking his CD to Ellen Degeneres because she has a gay audience.

Watch the interview, AFTER THE JUMP...

50 Cent later released a statement on his site: “During an interview with Angie Martinez yesterday, certain comments I made were taken entirely out of context. When I referred to the Lady Gaga tour as the “gay tour” I was basically repeating what I thought she had referred to the tour in the past. It was not my intention to offend anyone. I don’t have a problem with anyone’s lifestyle and have no issue with Lady Gaga, she makes great music."

In fact, Gaga did tell OUT magazine about an ultimatum she gave Kanye: "I just want to be clear before we decide to do this together: I’m gay. My music is gay. My show is gay. And I love that it’s gay. And I love my gay fans and they’re all going to be coming to our show. And it’s going to remain gay."

Watch 50 Cent's interview, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Olympic Torch, Marie Osmond, White Night Riots, Bette Midler

Obama and Cheney face off with speeches on terrorism.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of San Francisco's White Night riots, which happened after a court handed down the most lenient sentence possible to Dan White (voluntary manslaughter) for the murders of Harvey Milk and George Moscone.

What was Vancouver smoking when they designed the new Olympic torch?

Army veteran Brian Hughes in WSJ: Time to end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'.

New Hampshire Republican lawmaker and marriage equality supporter reveals "festering wound" of Governor John Lynch's request for revision of marriage legislation. GOP urging veto.

NOM comes out biting on NH.

First screen shots of Rihanna and Kanye West's new video "Paranoid".

Gerard Butler acts like the village idiot at The Village Idiot.

Castillo del Lago, former Madonna home goes on sale for $15 million. "When Pytka bought the mansion from Madonna in the mid-'90s for roughly $5 million, he considered it a standout compared with what else was on the market. Under her ownership, the house gained its notable red-and-yellow exterior. Although Pytka researched the home's history and looked at the original color, he opted to keep Madonna's color scheme."

General assembly of the Church of Scotland divided over gay minister: "On Saturday evening, elders will debate the appointment of Mr Rennie, a 36-year-old divorced father-of-one, as minister at Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen."

1969: New York Public Library to feature exhibit on emergence of gay liberation.

Marie Osmond discusses her lesbian daughter Jessica: "I love my daughter! She's my baby girl, come on. So what if she's gay? She's my daughter and she's an amazing woman and a good kid. I raised her, she better be good." You may remember her recent radio interview on the subject.

Colorado Governor signs bill allowing gay employees to share benefits with their partners.

Bette Midler and 50 Cent: New BFFs.

On the red carpet at LOGO's NewNowNext Awards...

Nevada Domestic Partnership bill called "vital" for state economy: "Our state cannot afford to lose any more revenue to other destinations because of a reputation as a place which is not socially or politically the right place to do business or to vacation."

D.C. Democrats in same-sex marriage debate.

Massachusetts marriage equality works: debunking the lies of the Right.

Investigation of Ireland's Catholic-run schools reveals rampant sexual abuse of students by male priests.

Anti-gay former Santa Fe, Texas city council candidate Michael Aldous arrested on drug possession charges: "During his campaign for a seat on the Santa Fe City Council, in which his father, Warren Aldous also ran, the two promised voters that if elected they would try to slash the budget of the Santa Fe Police Department in half.  Michael was battered in the press for making derogatory remarks against "homos" referring to an announced gay candidate."

Rapper Rick Ross 'Apologizes' to Gays, Makes Elton John an Offer

Rap artist Rick Ross, who called fellow rapper 50 Cent a "fag" in an interview last week on 93.5 The Beat FM, issued an "apology" for his language in a new video in which he also reiterates his assertion that 50 Cent is gay:

Said Ross: "I heard I offended the homosexual community recently with terms I've been using the last few weeks - terms like fags, punks, homos, gays — we all know. And what I want to say is I apologize. I sincerely apologize to the gay community, to the people I offended with the words like fags, gays, punks. You know, words like that. I apologize. And just to let the gay community know how sincere I am with my apologies, I'm offering and willing to do a record with a openly gay artist such as Curly, Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent. We all know he's gay. I'm willing to do a song...Even Elton John...Both two great gay artists...So I apologize to the gay community. That's from the boss...Now all the gays, we good. Peace."

Watch Ross' message, AFTER THE JUMP...

Music News: Rick Ross Calls 50 Cent a Fag, Plus M.I.A., 2 Unlimited, Pet Shop Boys Vs. Kylie MInogue, Jane's Addiction

ROBBIE DAW 

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad. Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Here's a transcription of an interview with rapper Rick Ross from Los Angeles radio station 93.5 The Beat FM, wherein Ross proceeds to explain to DJ Devi Dev why he calls 50 Cent "Curly."

Rick Ross: "He's not straight. He's gay. He's a fag. You know it. I know it. Listen, we're not gonna waste time on Curly. He's a monkey."

He then tries to get Dev to confirm on air that 50 Cent is gay, to which she replies, "Ross, I'm not gonna say that." She then asks him how he, in fact, knows this to be true.

Says Ross, "He's gay.The world knows he's gay. But more importantly, it's the truth that you heard he was gay. 'Cause everybody in the room said they heard he was gay, so I know you heard it."

Devi Dev: "Stop it. I didn't hear that."

Wow, it's like being in the lunchroom in second grade all over again. But with less of a maturity level. And speaking of which, Ross ambles out of the room at the end, because he says he's "starving."

   The grim truth about indie label survival discussed at this year's South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

   It's out with Amy Winehouse and in with M.I.A. at Coachella.

   Meanwhile, across the globe in Belgium, Ray Slijingaard and Anita Doth—aka 2 Unlimited!—are performing together for the first time in 13 years at the I Love The 90's: The Party fest in April.

   Jane's Addiction are offering two free songs ("Chip Away" and "Whores") for download. Both tracks were produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

    The American Idol alumni to date, ranked by album and single sales.

   Martina McBride (left), when asked by Out if America is ready for a gay country star: "Honestly, that’s a tough one. [Sighs] Our core audience, like you said, is very conservative, is very Middle America, very Bible belt. I don’t know. That might be a hard sell. I mean, I would be fine with it. But that’s -- I don’t know if we’re ready for that. I would hope so. I would love it!"

   Pet Shop Boys vs. Kylie Minogue?: When asked how some of the more upbeat pop numbers ended up on their new album Yes, Neil Tennant was quoted by the BBC saying the Pet Shop Boys and "every songrwiter in London wrote songs for Kylie's last album... We never heard anything back." Chris Lowe then "flatly" adds, "We won't be doing it again." Lowe later Twittered, "Don't always believe what you read in the press."

   THIS WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

The Decemberists' fifth album, The Hazards Of Love.

Lessons To Be Learned, the debut from Austrialian pop singer Gabriella Cilmi. The tracks were produced by U.K. team Xenomania, who also worked on the new Pet Shop Boys album Yes, and have recorded with Cher, Dannii Minogue and Girls Aloud.

The Grand, the latest mix from Chicago-based DJ Kaskade.

Ciara's new single "Love Sex Magic," which also features and was written by Justin Timberlake.

50 Cent Ready to Sign Up for RuPaul's Drag Race

This clip is apparently related to some feud that 50 Cent is having with Foxy Brown but he could always re-use it as an ad for that "butch" line of male cosmetics he's introducing.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP (Warning: language NSFW)...