Sportrait: Ben Cohen

British rugby bear Ben Cohen disrobes again for this month's issue of Attitude.

Says Cohen: I don't think I've got a good body. And that's not cause I want you to say I have. I don't look in the mirror and go: 'Fucking hell Benny, good body.' I look at it and go, actually, I need to lose some more weight, I need to do some more work and I'll go into the gym and I'll try, I don't really think I have a good body. If people do than fair enough. I think it's my genetic make-up. I don't really have much of a say in it."

More shots, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Ben Cohen, Ryerson, Bachelor, Illinois, Arctic Icecap

Bad sign for the future of the Arctic ice cap: thickest, oldest, toughest ice melting...

British rugby stud Ben Cohen releases details on a night with his gay fans: "'Moving away from the more traditional rugby testimonial theme, the Ben Cohen Testimonial Committee is holding a ground breaking event at The Dorchester in London,' his publicist Jill Tipping said. 'BENediction is an exclusive evening of fun, feasting and frivolity aimed primarily at including his legions of fans in the gay community in the testimonial celebrations. Guests are promised a 'whole host of treats and surprises making this event a real one off and not to be missed. Ben Cohen fans need to make sure that they reserve their places quickly as they are expected to snapped up fast,' Tipping said. Of course, we are not sure how far Cohen will take the concept of 'one off,' but he has never been shy about marketing his physical assets."

If you missed the first episode of this season's The Bachelor (and I have a feeling many of you did), you can catch up real quick: this mess was what it was all about.

AfterElton looks at Jimmy Kimmel and the gays.

Beckham power shops and rocks the plain white tee.

Central Illinois' only gay newspaper shuts its doors: "The Flame is out. After 111/2 years of publication, Prairie Flame, central Illinois’ only newspaper that concentrated solely on gay issues and events, has called it a day...Volunteers distributed copies of each edition over much of the state, from Springfield to the Quad Cities, Joliet, Champaign and Effingham. Circulation was more than 8,000, and there were more than 200 places where the free newspaper could be found. But production costs kept rising, and ad revenue could not keep up."

Anderson Cooper underwent surgery for skin cancer: "I’ve been off for the last couple of days. I had minor surgery on Monday. I hadn’t planned on mentioning this, but I still have stitches and you’ll no doubt notice them tonight. Don’t want you to think I got into a fist fight with Charlie Rose."

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo under fire for bullfight commercial: "The advertisement, for Fuji Xerox, shows the Portuguese winger taunting the bull with a football in the manner of a matador with a cape."

Ryerson University in Toronto sees gay bashing spike: "Ryerson's queer student group is scared homophobia is spreading across campus after its door was vandalized and grafitti saying 'gays must be exterminated' was left on a bathroom stall for at least three weeks. 'I have no doubt that we were targeted,' said RyePRIDE member Jesse Trautmann about a series of students' union stickers pasted on the group's door and nearby positive space posters on March 10. The office is located on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre. 'The amount of time it would have taken to cover the entire Rye- PRIDE sign — it was intentional.'"

Group pushes for "gay village" in Ottawa, Canada.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie still together, or just playing for the cameras?

Rugby Stud Ben Cohen Attempts to Recreate Fatherhood Poster

Rugby stud Ben Cohen spent some time in the studio recently attempting to recreate a famous poster from the 80's featuring model Adam Perry which was apparently the DILF equivalent of the famous Farrah Fawcett poster. Cohen poses here with one of his twin girls. See the Daily Mail for a shot with both of them.

(via queerty)

Previously
British Rugby Star Ben Cohen Says Sport Ready for Gay Player [tr]
Fresh Off Beefcake Blitz, Ben Cohen Prepares Return to Rugby [tr]
British Rugby Stud Ben Cohen Planning a Gay Night in London [tr]

British Rugby Star Ben Cohen Says Sport Ready for Gay Player

Rugby player Ben Cohen gave a short interview to Outsports and says he doubts there would be opposition in the sport to a gay player:

"My impression is that it would be fine to be able to ‘come out’ in rugby. Most rugby players are cool about it and think that people should be allowed to live their lives how they want to, but I can’t speak for everyone. The key thing is the individual needs to be able to take the pressure of top-level rugby and the knowledge that his teammates know he is gay. I don’t know for sure, but my feelings are that if he were completely open about it, after the first bit of banter, things would calm down. We all take banter all the time about different things. It’s a bloke thing, isn’t it? Would there be opposition? This is the 21st century. Or would [the question] be where would the most interest come from? The media I would suggest. The players and fans would be more interested in his standard of playing I would suggest....One of my aunties is a lesbian and lives with a female partner. We are all laid back about it because it has always been the same. I grew up in an open-minded environment because my Dad worked in the nightclub industry, so it has never been much of a shock to meet up with a gay guy. I am more interested in the personality of the person than what their sexuality is, and whether we can have a good conversation. I like a good chat."

Cohen also admits to being "gobsmacked" at knocking David Beckham off the top of a list of 'gay icons' in the Sunday Times.

Previously
British Rugby Stud Ben Cohen Planning a Gay Night in London [tr]
Ben Cohen Strips Down for Men's Health [tr]
Ben Cohen Gives Good Face [tr]

News: Voyager 2, Liza Minnelli, Morocco, Florida Gay Marriage Ban

Group proposing amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Florida reaches necessary 611,009 signature goal: " One of the signatures belongs to Gov. Charlie Crist, although the state's top Republican has not trumpeted the issue during his first year in office." And why is this significant?

Liza Minnelli collapses, tumbles off stage in Sweden...

Human Rights Watch demands Morocco overturn the convictions of six men sentenced to prison for homosexual conduct: "The men have been in jail since they were first arrested by the police between November 23 and 25, 2007, after a video circulated online – including on YouTube – purporting to show a private party, allegedly including the men, taking place in Ksar el-Kbir on November 18. Press reports claimed the party was a 'gay marriage.' Following the arrests, hundreds of men and women marched through the streets of Ksar el-Kbir, denouncing the men’s alleged actions and calling for their punishment."

Shooter at New Life, Ted Haggard's former Mega-church, may be a victim of the church's ex-gay reparative therapy program.

Spice Girls reveal their aircraft: Spice One.

Arctic ice melting at alarming pace: "An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years...'The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coal mine for climate warming,' said NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally, who as a teenager hauled coal. 'Now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died. It is time to start getting out of the coal mines.'"

Plaque to be laid commemorating site of early gay bar, honoring Black Cat Cafe's role in San Francisco's gay rights movement.

Gay cruise plans March takeover of tropical island in Australia.

Ben Cohen gets suddenly modest for Gay Times.

Spain recognizes UK couple's civil partnership after protracted campaign: "Their campaign paid off, as the Spanish government has now agreed to recognise the civil partnerships of UK lesbian and gay couples. 'We visited the British Consul on 29th November to change our status in our passports,' the couple told PinkNews.co.uk. 'We have made a little bit of history by becoming the first UK same-sex couple resident in Spain to have their civil partnership acknowledged in law and in the observations section of our passports.'"

Voyager 2 probe reaches edge of solar system...

Isaiah Washington shows up unannounced to join Grey's Anatomy cast on "diversity day" at the writer's strike: "Asked if Washington was with the Grey's group, Heigl, who had previously publicly criticized Washington told The Daily News, 'He's not with me.' But Washington denied there were problems with his former co-workers. 'They're former castmates. I've been in over 25 movies, I have lots of former castmates.' he said."

Gay Washington D.C. council member calls for transit police probe after recent alleged anti-gay assault on Metro train.

Fresh Off Beefcake Blitz, Ben Cohen Prepares Return to Rugby

Fresh off a beefcake media blitz, rugby player Ben Cohen is ready to return to the game: "...standing on a chilly touchline at Richmond's Athletic Ground, is an older if not noticeably wiser athlete who sees no reason why he cannot regain the England jersey he last wore over a year ago."

The Guardian points out that he's got a fanbase that isn't necessarily attracted to him for his athletic abilities: "Cohen does not enjoy the uncritical adoration of everyone within the macho world of English rugby but admirers of his physique are unfazed by the summer fall-out at Northampton which caused him to leave the club he joined as a 16-year-old. Nor, on a recent promotional visit to Prowler, a specialist gay outlet in Soho, did anyone query his decision to reject England's call in the build-up to the World Cup. Or ask whether flogging topless calendars for his testimonial year is not a slight come-down for a 29-year-old World Cup winner who should still have plenty to give his chosen sport."

Cohen remains coolly unfazed by those who might criticize the courting of his gay fans: "Some people are really homophobic but my auntie's a lesbian and it really doesn't bother me. We're in the 21st century. They're happy and that's what it's all about. You're only on this earth once, you only get one shot at it."

Previously
British Rugby Stud Ben Cohen Planning a Gay Night in London [tr]
Ben Cohen Strips Down for Men's Health [tr]
Ben Cohen Gives Good Face