News: Ian McKellen, Cher, The Onion, Larry Sinclair, Gay Androids

Supreme Court rules in favor of right to bear arms.

Sir Ian McKellen made a Companion of Honour by the Queen.

Cher has a stalker who tried to grab her by the wrist in Nashville.

Obama-accuser Larry Sinclair, who was arrested last week when his criminal record caught up with him following an appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., is being defended by some as a "political prisoner".

Remember Britain's Got Talent's angelic bullied choirboy Andrew Johnston? He didn't win, but he did just get a £1 million deal with Simon Cowell's record label.

Houston-area homes and vehicles targeted by spray paint vandals using racial and homophobic slurs: "Fort Bend County Sheriff's detectives are investigating more than a dozen incidents of theft and vandalism involving racist and obscene words spray painted on homes and vehicles. The incidents were reported about 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the New Territory development, said sheriff's spokeswoman Terriann Carlson. 'It appears that white spray paint was used on all of the vehicles and the residences and racial and derogatory slurs such as the swastika symbol, and male body parts,' Carlson said. The slurs also targeted homosexuals, she said."

HRC President Joe Solmonese on the first congressional hearings to educate members about gender identity issues. More on the hearings from Pam.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: HIV/AIDS infection rates for drug users, prostitutes and gay men around the globe are on the rise. "'HIV is a long-term and complex disaster on many levels ... For marginalized groups across the world — injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men — rates are on the increase,' said the Geneva-based humanitarian agency. Those groups, living on the fringes of society in many countries and especially in the developing world, 'often face stigma, criminalization and little, if any, access to prevention and treatment services,' it added."

West Hollywood's historic 'Tara' mansion may get new life as a same-sex wedding location.

The Onion celebrates Gay Pride.

Lesbians in Vancouver claim comedian crossed homophobic line during routine: "Ms. Pardy alleges that she and her same-sex partner were subjected to a tirade of homophobic and sexist comments by Mr. Earle. Mr. Earle denies that he discriminated, while admitting that his interactions with Ms. Pardy and her partner were heated."

A Cristiano Ronaldo fix for you.

18-year-old gay Boston drop-out Alex Quince triumphs with perfect score on the GED reading test: "A quiet teenager making A's and B's, he ran away from home, dropped out of school, and tried everything from marijuana to heroin. He struggled with his sexual orientation. When his mother called his cellphone, sick with worry, he responded with a text message. 'I'm gay,' it said. 'I'm not coming home.'"

Hugh Jackman has left the beaches of Sydney and is now stunning onlookers in St. Tropez.

Does everyone in the world have a sex tape?

A police force of 2,000 guarded today's gay pride parade in Jerusalem. If numbers are correct, that's one officer for every person who took part.

Gays in Oregon question commitment of Senator Gordon Smith. HRC's David M. Smith: "Our view of Gordon Smith is, he has been a leader on a number of our issues. His record is strong and he is very clear about it, and we appreciate everything he's done and continues to do. [But] we will not be endorsing him."

With Wall-E on the verge of release, Radar posts a brief history of gay androids.

ABC: Barack and Michelle Obama putting mark on the fashion world.

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News: Jim Neal, Ronaldo, Gay Sauna, Smiley Face, Charlie Crist

AFA asks followers to bombard Procter & Gamble with complaints over Luke and Noah's kiss.

Brazilian footballer Ronaldo caught up in tranny hooker extortion plot: "He told police he knew they were hookers, but didn't know they were dudes. He took the three trannies to a motel where he discovered the truth. He offered them around $600 each to leave. Two of the trannies accepted, but the other tranny, Andre Luis Ribeiro Albertino (above), demanded $30,000 or else."

Out has an exclusive excerpt from John Barrowman's new autobiography, Anything Goes.

Hillary Clinton supporter set up Reverend Jeremiah Wright appearance at National Press Club.

HRC refusing to support gay candidate Jim Neal in North Carolina...

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter appoints liaison to LGBT community. Mayor: "For the first time, the LGBT liaison will actually be operating out of the mayor's office, working across city government to advocate for the needs of Philadelphia's LGBT community."

Australian forum hears calls for gay-friendlier nursing homes.

Male autograph seekers mob Lance Bass outside Villa nightclub.

Police raid gay sauna in Israel: "The association's chairman, Mike Hammel, said that 'the sauna is a meeting place for men looking to meet men.' Hammel received many complaints from the sauna's visitors accusing him of slander. The sauna is viewed as a recreational place for gays around the world. In Tel-Aviv, for instance, there are three running saunas. A. established the sauna in Haifa a few months ago, investing large sums of money, and has run it ever since. This is the only place in the north serving as a meeting place for the gay community. 'Saying that this place provides prostitution services, is simply ignorance and stupidity', he said to Ynet. 'Only in Haifa can they come to a place for gays, remove people as if they were a herd of animals, and simply place them under investigation for prostitution.'"

Smiley Face: Investigators discover common link between 40 murder cases of young men across the country. "Gannon and Duarte have done something that no other law enforcement agency has ever done in this case -- they looked at the big picture and visited each site where the young men disappeared. While most local investigations focused on where a body was recovered, Gannon and Duarte tried to figure out where the body went into the river. City after city, when they'd find the spot where the body went in, they would find something else: The symbol of a smiley face."

Cher reminisces about affair with Tom Cruise: "It could have been a great big romance because I was crazy for him."

Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley doing what he does best.

Military responds to disgusting video of conditions at Fort Bragg: " Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust. Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in. Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed."

Letter from Bible beater to underwear company condemns "evil, immoral clothing that will keep souls out of the holy, heavenly kingdom."

Who knew? Florida Governor Charlie Crist has a wife (or at least some want him to be seen that way).

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Cher: Gay Men Understand What it's Like to be an Outsider

She's back...

Cher is returning from the 'retirement' she took three years ago, taking up (literally) where Celine Dion left off at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, USA Today reports:

"The indestructible diva, who retired from touring in 2005, will star in a song-and-dance spectacle starting May 6 at the 4,100-seat Colosseum in Caesars Palace. She'll perform four shows weekly for one month, then return mid-August through early October, leapfrogging stints with Bette Midler. Her pact with promoter AEG Live extends three years.

Says Cher: "Creatively, we're doing something that's never been done with sets. Getting the whole thing in book form, in pictures, has taken months. Our set moves down from the ceiling, in from the sides, up from the floor. We have screens in the foreground, the center and the back. We can change a city into a forest in two seconds. You'll see a different stage for every song."

The show plans to cover "all chapters of Cher's career, from her Sonny & Cher start to her recent dance-pop phase" according to the paper.

She also talked to USA Today on a variety of topics, and gives a nod to a devoted fanbase:

"On every list, I was always on my way out. Gay men understand that I understand what it's like to be an outsider. To singers, I wasn't a singer. To actors, I wasn't an actor. I know what it's like to fight for your place. Besides, gay men are very choosy, and they have great taste."

On her age (61): "How did this happen? I used to be the youngest one around. I remember talking to my grandmother when she was in her 80s, and I said, 'How does it feel?' She said, 'I only notice it when I go to the mirror.' She was up for anything. So am I. I'd better do what I can do while I can do it."

On her public persona: "I find that men are intimidated by who they think I am. One night, Michelle Pfeiffer and I wanted to go out dancing, so we went to a club, sat down, and no one asked us to dance. I thought, this is crazy. Two of my gay friends came in and we danced with them for an hour. You have this baggage that comes with your image."

On tattoos: "I might take some more off. When I got tattooed, only bad girls did it: me and Janis Joplin and biker chicks. Now it doesn't mean anything. No one's surprised. I got a tattoo right after I left Sonny (Bono) and I was feeling real independent. That was my badge."

On the paparazzi: "I used to be able to run around in my sweats. Now I'm a prisoner. I think 'scum' is a perfect word for these people. They're meaner now. Before, they would be happy to get a picture. Now they want something salacious or to make you look bad. "Everything's more mean-spirited now. My sister was telling me about a show that hooks people up to lie detectors (Fox's The Moment of Truth). I don't like reality shows. I saw American Idol one time and said, 'Well, I never need to see this again.' I thought it was boring. I wasn't entertained."

Cher also says she's supporting Clinton this election cycle: "I'm supporting her because I know her and I like her and she's smart and a tough girl. But I don't have much respect for either party. I just think Republicans are worse."

Cher plans 'visually unbelievable' Las Vegas gig [usa today]
Cher shares: Life, love, tattoos, politics, paparazzi [usa today]

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News: Cornwall Great White Shark, Gordon Brown, Cher, Estonia

Veanka McKenzie, a worker at New York state's Human Rights Division, has filed a lawsuit alleging that the division discriminates against women and blacks in its dress code, offering preferential treatment to gay white men, some of whom are inclined to wear cowboy hats: "Lawyers for McKenzie, 40, argued that the inconsistent policy was a reaction to negative publicity about alleged ageism and race discrimination against whites when Commissioner Kumiki Gibson, who is black, fired two older Caucasian women. Tom Shanahan, a spokesman for the Human Rights Division, said, 'We categorically deny the allegations and we look forward to vigorously defending against them.'"

Becks' pecs: Motorola uses the subtle approach to marketing their new phone.

Does Bush have a new poodle in UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown? "Gordon Brown last night praised George Bush for leading the global war on terror -- saying the world owed America a huge debt. The Prime Minister vowed to take Winston Churchill's lead and make Britain's ties with America even stronger. Mr Brown stunned critics by THANKING President Bush for the fight against Islamic extremism, and insisted the UK-US relationship will be his No1 foreign policy priority."

Mark Carter, a polieman in Great Britain who was crowned Mr. Gay UK last October, has lent his support to a hate crime reporting center. Carter: "It is very important that the public can have a facility to report hate incidents other than at police stations. If minority groups are unlikely to report incidents, then the police cannot do their job correctly."

Debate over Great White Shark spotted off the coast of Cornwall, UK continues: Some experts are skeptical while others insist it's possible: I would not rule out the possibility of this being a Great White — the tail is identical. There are other sharks off the coast of Britain that have similar features. But I would be amazed if there are not Great Whites in the sea off Cornwall. There is a plentiful supply of food and I cannot see why they could not thrive in the conditions."

Al Gore's son enters guilty plea in Prius drug charge: "In case you're not familiar with this case, young Mr. Gore was pulled over for going 100 mph in his Toyota Prius over the July 4th holiday weekend, and subsequently charged with possession of various drugs found in his vehicle."

Cher at work on new album with "very very difficult songs."

Estonian capital of Tallinn receive authorization for gay parade: " Police suggested in mid-July that organizers reroute the march away from the city center, saying six participants in the 500-strong Tallinn Pride parade were seriously injured when attacked by Estonian nationalists last year. Several organizations representing sexual minorities in the ex-Soviet Baltic state of 1.4 million approached the president, prime minister and other senior government and city officials for assistance after the police refusal. The issue was resolved when organizers agreed to hire security guards to ensure the marchers' safety in line with police recommendations."

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News: Hillary Death Threat, Spock, Hurricanes, Portishead

Pacific Justice Institute, a conservative, non-profit legal defense group specializing in religious freedom and parental rights, challenges Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels for ordering city departments to recognize employees in gay marriages sanctioned elsewhere. Matthew McReynolds: "It's our position that this goes way beyond employee benefits. He was just using this as an opportunity to undercut the (state) Defense of Marriage Act."

Manhunt underway for Norman Imeson in Canada. Imeson is wanted in connection with the murder of Carlos Rivera, 26, who was a bartender at Taps, a gay strip club in Windsor. Police warn, do not pick up hitchhikers: "People should just be extra cautious. We believe (Imeson) does not have a mode of transportation . . . In rural areas, people leave their doors open, their cars open, so they should be careful."

REPORT: Genre editor Chris Ciompi is out, to be replaced by Men's Fitness editor Neal Boulton. Also, Genre possibly bankrupt. This all sounds so familiar.

Secret Service looking into death threats against Hillary Clinton posted on Bill O'Reilly's website: "If Hillary wins...my guns are loaded."

Believe: Cher Meets Portishead.

Elton John regrets keeping mum on gay issues when he was younger: "I have to speak my mind because as a gay man now I have a responsibility to. I sat back too long. I mean when (AIDS charity) Act Up were going in and trying to change the face of AIDS awareness in America because nobody else was doing it, I sat back and did nothing. I don't know why I didn't do anything. I just look back and question myself."

TomKat gets down at Beckham bash.

Ptown: Historic 12-ton belfry that has been sitting on the ground since 2002 to return to the top of the Provincetown Library at 5 am tomorrow. "Library Director Debra DeJonker-Berry expects a huge crowd of well-wishers to be present on Commercial Street and on the nearby beaches to watch this historic event. The 29-foot tall belfry has sat on the front of the Library property since 2002 when it was hoisted to the ground for restoration and so that structural repairs to the building could be completed."

Tolerance rally in Georgia canceled after rumors fly that it is planned as a gay parade.

His cuteness Paul Rudd pays a visit to TRL.

Hungarian Secretary of State for Human Resources Gabor Szetey speaks out on coming out: "I think my coming out took so long partly because I was 22 in 1990. Until I turned 22, I thought I was an alien. I really opened up in New York where Gay Pride meant that several hundreds of thousands of people marched: it was a carnival, a huge party where families joined with their kids to have fun and educate their kids about tolerance. I will be the happiest if I don't have to speak about this issue any more. If I have to, I will."

Vulcanized: Zachary Quinto (Heroes' Sylar) to play Spock in new JJ Abrams Star Trek film.

Hurricane outlook cut for 2007: "The season will bring 14 named storms, of which six will become hurricanes and three will become major hurricanes, WSI said in its revised outlook. WSI had previously expected 15 named storms of which eight would become hurricanes and four would become major hurricanes. 'Because the ocean temperatures have not yet rebounded from the significant drop in late spring, we have decided to reduce our forecast numbers slightly' said Todd Crawford, a WSI seasonal forecaster."

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News: Sea Monster Discovered, Sex Party Death, Pelosi's 100 Hours

Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour plan.

Scientists discover massive sea-dwelling reptile fossil: "It's like a sea lion with a crocodile skull in the front but it's a 10-meter (33-foot) sea lion, the size of a bus. Its jaw features a hundred or so teeth, some of which are 'the size of cucumber.' Imagine that its teeth were placed around a tongue on which a grown man could lie down before being swallowed in a single gulp."

Iraq: Tony Snow spins Bush' statement that bloodshed in Iraq is 'just a comma'; Journalist Michael Ware slams Condoleezza Rice on recent statements about the situation in Baghdad: "U.S. Officials and contractors and all manner of people will come into six to 12 months in Iraq. But never leave the green zone. They don't know even what it's like to walk an Iraqi street. Certainly not without the shroud of heavily-armed American soldiers about them. They don't know what it's like to go to someone's home and sit and talk with them. To shop in the markets. To have blackouts. To not have water. To have the cure for benzene. Secretary Rice is so far from that reality that she couldn't possibly hope to understand it."

Madonna makes a visit to the orphans of Malawi.

At the end of August I mentioned the death of a man who fell 60-feet from a window at the home of the great-grandson of 19th Century German chancellor Otto von Bismarck following an alleged sex party. A recent inquest in Britain has provided more details.

Cher's wardrobe, possessions snatched up at auction: "The top-selling costume was a Bob Mackie-designed rock 'n' roll outfit that was sold for $60,000, up to 20 times its estimate of $2,000 to $3,000. The single most expensive lot was for 60-year-old Cher's black 2005 Bentley, which fetched $204,000, while the "Gothic Revival" brass bed from her Malibu residence earned $84,000."

[spoiler warning] A gay on Lost? Of course it would have to be the creepy, child-abducting Other.

Study: Marijuana may stave off Alzheimer's. "New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function."

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News: Mapplethorpe, Anti-gay T-shirt, Cher Auction

Latvian foreign minister Artis Pabriks accuses Belarus of "aiming to humiliate" diplomat by broadcasting hidden camera footage of a gay sex tape found in the diplomat's apartment. Pabriks: "It is in breach of the Vienna Convention, because it was a violation of the private space of our diplomat. I think that it is not clear what exactly the Belarussian position is at this moment, because they are avoiding to give us any explanation."

Robert Mapplethorpe portrait retrospective opens at National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. Guardian: "Photographers' lives leak into their images, wherever they point the camera. In Mapplethorpe's case, death and the diabolic were always there. Gleeful Mapplethorpe, demonic with a bull-whip up his arse. Mapplethorpe facing the camera and facing death, holding a walking stick topped with a skull. Mapplethorpe posing with a machine-gun, a cigarette, a flick-knife. A bound penis, with a little brass devil dancing nearby with a pitchfork. His art is always priapic. And, at its best, it is full of life, even if pain and death are never far away."

Breaking away or breaking up: McConaughey rides solo.

Larry McKeon, an openly gay Illlinois lawmaker who helped write the state's LGBT anti-discrimination law, is stepping down. Urges committee members to appoint another openly gay man as his successor: "I think if the community were to lose this seat, it would disenfranchise an entire community, not only here on the North Side of Chicago but throughout the whole state. I receive calls from people throughout the state who feel they have no representation with discrimination and health care."

Young bigot Tyler Chase Harper, who caused an uproar in late 2004 by wearing a t-shirt with "homosexuality is shameful" scrawled on it to his San Diego school, will not be having his case reconsidered by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In April, the Court ruled that the school had the right to forbid Harper from wearing the shirt, saying that it might provoke attacks against gay and lesbian students.

Swiftboaters out to get Iraq war critic John Murtha and "'Redeploy [him] From Congress' to his backyard."

Cher to auction Bob Mackie gowns, giant Gothic "things": have loved everything I ever bought. I have loved them and kept them for all these years and now it's time for them to go on."

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