News: Gwen Araujo, Uruguay, Anton Yelchin, Madonna, New Zealand

Neil Patrick Harris to host Tony Awards.

Court upholds convictions in Gwen Araujo murder case.

Madonna gets frisky at MET gala.

One of People's Sexiest Men Alive 2003 tag-teamed by a gay escort and a dominatrix?

Pro-gay judge Carlos Moreno added to Obama Supreme Court justice shortlist.

Uruguay to lift military gay ban: "The defense ministry confirms that Minister Jose Bayardi has signed a decree lifting the ban imposed by the 1973-85 military dictatorship. The army said Wednesday it has received the decree, which has yet to be signed by President Tabare Vazquez."

Court: Florida must recognize adoptions by same-sex couples granted in other states.

Bill O'Reilly on same-sex marriage in 2002: "Look, I couldn't care less, to tell you the truth.... You want to get married? Knock yourself out. Go to Vegas. Have a good time. If you can get that changed, I'm not going to jump up and down and say I think it's wrong, because I don't."

NOM telling its minions to vote "no" on New Jersey lawmaker's marriage equality poll. Vote yes.

Star Trek's new Pavel Chekov gets a Vman profile.

Equality California opens Inland-area office: "Equality California is also adding field-organizing offices in Fresno, San Diego, Orange County and Sacramento, and hopes to open one in Palm Springs. It now has locations only in San Francisco and Los Angeles, along with a legislative office in Sacramento. The number of staff members who will focus entirely or primarily on marriage-related issues will skyrocket from 2 to 25 people."

British Apprentice contestants rebrand seaside town of Margate into gay resort destination.

Man saves kangaroo from shark-infested ocean. Surgeon saves frog from lawn mower!

Auckland, New Zealand police looking for man deliberately infecting young men with HIV: "He targets young and vulnerable guys. He makes them feel special and tells them that he loves them. They feel they love him. They become besotted with him. He develops a grip on them. He cuts them off from their family and friends." 

Mariah Carey as a frump.

Christopher Hitchens on Wanda Sykes' White House Correspondents Dinner performance: "The president should be squirming in his seat. Not smiling. The black dyke got it wrong. No one told her the rules."

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation unveils gay-inclusive ad campaign: “Dear guys who like guys and girls who like girls ... We’re into that in Philly. In fact, we have a place affectionately referred to as the Gayborhood. Heck, our street signs even shout, ‘We love everyone — gay, straight and not exactly sure.’ So come hang out with us and bring your favorite guy or girl. It’ll be fabulous.”

$10,000: Carson Kressley unfairly targeted for appearance fee at Australian bushfire charity event?

EW: Ryan Seacrest, end your gay-baiting banter. "This season, however, has been mercifully light on ''Ewww! You're a homo!'' back-and-forth. That is, until (Tuesday) night, when during a discussion of Danny Gokey's boogie moves, Ryan tried to score a laugh by declaring, 'I love it when Simon criticizes dancing. Randy, we've seen [Simon] dance in Vegas in those heels he wears. Not really a lot of rhythm.' Really, Ryan? In 2009, you're still courting Emmy nominations as Best Reality-Show host by using tired cross-dressing barbs"

The Gayest Thing I've Seen All Week

Though he's living up to his rep. as queen of high camp, imho Carson Kressley's 'Funny or Die' infomercial is a bit more 'die' than 'funny'. Call me a bore, but I actually enjoy talking to straight people.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Brett Favre, Kentucky, Gus van Sant, Dallas, Danny Noriega

Gay Kentucky couple blocked from adopting child through state's foster care system: "Phillips and Parsley said they are outraged because they had already passed a criminal background check and a home survey by a Sunrise employee who was fully aware of their living arrangement. And they have attended two of five classes required for certification through the free program, they said."

Gus van Sant on filming his new film: Paranoid Park. REVIEW: Van Sant "makes another pretty, vacant movie about pretty, vacant boys..."

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty posts video of himself smoking a cock.

Documentary explores Florida hate crime killing of Ryan Keith Skipper.

Gay porn films pulled from sale in the UK following barebacking investigation: "Two of the DVDs featured footage from a week-long shoot during which eight British models had sex with each other in multiple combinations without condoms. Four of those who took part were diagnosed as HIV positive soon after. One of the men told the BBC he was distressed that footage which he believed showed him becoming infected had been put on sale."

Green Bay Packers Brett Favre to retire. Sportrait flashback...

Lance and Ben document their romance.

Simon Cowell to produce Billy Eliot-Style musical on Britain's Got Talent winner, opera singer Paul Potts: "That particular day was one of the worst, the acts were just terrible, we were fed up and on comes this guy with a funny little suit and bad teeth who looked very nervous. I can remember looking at the other judges, with that 'here we go again' feeling. We had 2,000 people in the audience, and I'll never forget how much the room changed when he began singing." Video Flashback...

Steven Spielberg to launch social networking site for people interested in the afterlife: "The focus will be on users who’ve had or who are interested in sharing paranormal and extraterrestrial experiences. The new social network may also have original video content investigating alleged ghost and UFO stories."

Pink Speedo down under: Carson Kressley definitely not a fashion coward.

Dallas man claims he was assaulted at Station 4 nightclub: "Sid Gonzales, 43, said he suffered two broken bones in his wrist, a puncture wound to his hand and multiple bruises on his backside when two men assaulted him at about 11 p.m. Gonzales said he was near the main dance floor of the Dallas gay nightclub when two men and a woman walked over and stood nearby. Gonzales said he was 'a little buzzed' from alcohol but not intoxicated. He said he tried to be friendly and make small talk with the trio. But he said he was not trying to hit on the men, whom he described as straight-looking, well-dressed and college-aged. When Gonzales asked a few questions, the woman responded but the men said nothing and looked uncomfortable, he said. Gonzales said he reached out to shake hands with one of the men. The man grabbed Gonzales’ arm, twisted it in the air and slammed it against a knee. Gonzales said the first man also stabbed him in the hand with an unidentified object, while the second began kicking him in the backside."

American Idol contestant Danny Noriega wishes you a Merry Christmas.

30th Sydney Mardi Gras Draws Crowd of 300,000

The 30th annual Mardi Gras went off over the weekend in Sydney, drawing a crowd of at least 300,000.

AP: "What began in 1978 as a protest march by 1,500 brave homosexual, lesbian and transsexual men and women that was harshly disbursed by police has grown into one of the world's largest and most flamboyant gay pride events. This year's procession of 150 floats was led by the '78ers' — a group of 186 of the original marchers and their partners, who drew rapturous cheers."

Below, coverage from the Australian video featuring Margaret Cho, Kathy Griffin (who arrived there, of course, on the pink flight, and Carson Kressley, whom they identify as Carson Daly:

Craig Gee, who was brutally beaten in an anti-gay attack on Oxford Street three months ago, marched in the parade with his partner Shane Brennen.

Said Gee: "Unfortunately, homophobic violence will only recede when gay people [decide to] stand up and be counted. Shane and I are determined not to feel ashamed of our sexuality, nor to feel scared to walk the streets of Sydney, our home. To lead Mardi Gras will play a huge part in our recovery and we hope that with the support of 10,000 other marchers we will be able to do it."

Main photos by Morgan Carpetner for Same Same, where you can find many more galleries of the parade and parties.

MArdi Gras photo coverage [same same]
Sydney Celebrates 30th Gay Mardi Gras [ap]
BBC Slide Show [bbc]
30-year Anniversary look-back [news.com]
Video [news.com]

News: Coral, Indiana, Rufus Wainwright, Berlin, Neil Patrick Harris

Indiana Senate votes 39-9 to ban same-sex marriage: "The amendment now goes to the House, where it died last year and where it's stalled again this year. State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, the chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, which was assigned the bill, has already said he will not give it a hearing because this session's focus is on property taxes."

Someone commit him: Ambulance-chasing Bobby Trendy holds Britney vigil outside UCLA medical center.

Elton John holds fundraiser for gay London mayoral candidate and former top cop Brian Paddick.

California same-sex marriage foes relaunch drive for constitutional amendment: "Signature gatherers have been spotted by people out in the field, [Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California] told the Bay Area Reporter Tuesday, January 29. He said the measure's supporters have raised over $350,000 so far, and he said signatures are being collected in the Sacramento and Central Valley areas, as well as in Southern California. Kors said there isn't "extensive visibility" yet and that he wasn't aware of signatures being gathered in the Bay Area. Kors said the anti-gay groups need about 1.1 million signatures by April 21 in order to collect the nearly 700,000 valid signatures needed to put the measure before voters. Kors said he and others just learned of the group's efforts last week, and are working to develop plans of their own."

Gray January: NYC gets no snow for first time in 75 years.

Carson Kressley on Carson Kressley: "I can't say what people are thinking, but I'm never going to defend my actions as being one way or another. I defend them as me being me. If I say I was being stereotypical and I do what "shouldn't" be stereotypical, then I'm living my life for somebody else and I'm marching to the beat of somebody else's drummer, and that, I think, is a worse thing."

The case for Katie Holmes faking the NY Marathon.

Researchers: Human sunscreen killing off coral reefs around the world. "Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species. The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities. Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies...The researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching."

More Becks on the beach photos.

Rufus, Rufus, Rufus: Victoria Beckham isn't the only one appearing naked on those new Marc Jacobs T-shirts.

New York City comptroller William Thompson leads anti-discrimination charge with the LGBT Community Center and the New York City Pension Funds, calling on more than two dozen large companies including ExxonMobil to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity: "We must work together to make sure that corporate America embraces acceptance and affords all employees the same protections..."

New York Post endorses Barack Obama.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to duet for Broadway Backwards 3, the gender-bending concert of show tune favorites benefiting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Hundreds of Pennsylvania students sign petition to force administrators to take on anti-gay bullying: "The petition circulated after an openly gay senior student left school halfway through the year, claiming he was repeatedly harassed by fellow students. Superintendent David Volkman says the district has formed a new committee to look at the issue. He says the school is already looking at ways to reinforce its harassment policy, and has created 'safe rooms' for students who would like to talk with teachers about the issue."

Europe's first gay old folks home fully booked.

New York's Gay City News endorses Obama: "The McClurkin episode, unfortunate as it was, pales in comparison to the divisiveness that Senator Clinton has allowed her campaign to devolve into. Her comparison between the roles played by Dr. King and President Lyndon Johnson in advancing civil rights can be chalked up to inartfulness. The comments coming from her surrogates are far more disturbing, forming a pattern that sadly can no longer be ignored."

News: Mariah Carey, Vermont, Darren Manzella, Dolce & Gabbana

New York City department of health eyes bathhouses after new report on increase in HIV infections in men under 30.

Scott Jordan, swimmer at conservative, religious St. Bonaventure University comes out to teammates: "'Scott, you're gonna get so much ass this year,' [one teammate] said to me. 'The girls are gonna be all over you.' I took the plunge. 'That’s not the kind of ass I’m looking for,' I replied...He didn’t believe me at first; In fact, most everyone I’ve come out to hasn’t believed I’m gay. But once he realized I wasn't joking around, I told him it wasn't a secret anymore. I told just three teammates that summer, purposely telling one teammate in particular because I knew he liked to gossip (yep, straight guys gossip too). As planned, gossip took care of the rest. When I got to school a month later it felt like the entire campus knew I was gay, and I had only told three people."

Mariah Carey squeals about possible duet with J Lo: "I'd rather be on stage with a pig."

Carson Kressley's How to Look Good Naked debuts higher than any other reality show in Lifetime's history.

Patrick Dempsey just stands there for Versace.

UK man convicted of two counts of assault for homophobic attack on straight teen in nightclub.

California fringe group grades GOP candidates on their support for the "natural family". Huckabee and Paul rate highest, Romney scores a "0".

Dolce & Gabbana lines 'em up for Fall/Winter campaign.

Swimsuit issue: Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson frolic in Hawaii.

Gay nightclub proposed in Madison, Wisconsin would be one of city's largest.

Philly anchorwoman Alycia Lane, suspended for calling a police officer "dyke bitch," was relieved of her duties: "'Alycia Lane "has been released from her contract effective immediately,' KYW-TV said in a statement Monday, the day she had been due back on air. Lane is accused of scuffling with a plainclothes female officer during a traffic dispute last month. A police complaint also said she used a sexual slur. Lane has denied the allegations. The 35-year-old newscaster previously found herself the target of critical news coverage, and snickers, after it was reported she had e-mailed bikini shots of herself to a married ESPN sports anchor and she tearfully discussed her divorce on the 'Dr. Phil" show.'"

EAT ME: Woman commissions wedding cake in her own image.

USA Today takes a look at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 60 Minutes Army Sergeant Darren Manzella: "Manzella says he was invited to join more than 600 members of an invitation-only MySpace group, Guys and Gals Like Us, for gays who don't hide their orientation from their units. The members use pseudonyms because some gay servicemembers have been discharged for acknowledging their sexual orientation elsewhere online. Nearly 12,000 troops have been dismissed under the policy approved by President Clinton in 1993. Discharges peaked at 1,273 in 2001 and have fallen sharply since the war began. 'A lot of servicemembers are getting 'wink-wink' treatment from their commanders,' says Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, which studies the policy."

Last year we winner flattered to win Queerclick's Gay Bloggies - this year, Frank at OMG Blog took the prize. Congrats.

Gay-friendly gay bashed in Seattle.

Vermont opponents of same-sex marriage step up their efforts: "Several prominent opponents of gay marriage will announce at a Statehouse press conference Tuesday morning the formation of the Vermont Marriage Advisory Council, a group that will hold hearings on the benefits of traditional marriage. Stephen Cable of Rutland, the founder of the conservative group Vermont Renewal, said the formation of this traditional marriage council is in response to what he says is the pro-gay marriage leanings of the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection. 'The council will be holding forums to delegate information on the social goods that come with the institution of marriage,' Cable said Monday afternoon. 'After that, the council will open up the microphone to hear from Vermonters.'"