Gay 'Love Scene' in Aussie Cinderella on Ice Infuriates Some

A production of Cinderella on Ice had its premiere in Melbourne on Tuesday, and audiences were treated to a "gay love sequence" performed by skaters Andrei Benikov and Yuri Salimanov.

The surprise sequence has "pro-family" groups up in arms and gay groups cheering:

"Mr Mercer said his updated version of Cinderella, which replaces the role of the prince with the mayor's son and the fairy godmother with a gypsy, enabled modern audiences to better identify with the characters. And gay couples are part of contemporary society, he said. 'I don't think there is anything offensive about including a gay couple,' Mr Mercer said. 'You see them day in, day out on the street.' Australian Families Association national secretary Gabrielle Walsh said the gay dance, by skaters Yuri Salimanov and Andrei Benikov, was inappropriate. 'We need to protect our children. They don't need to grow up any quicker,' Ms Walsh said. Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce said the surprise inclusion of gay lovers was out of place in an audience of young children. 'They are making children's lives more complicated before they need to be,' he said."

A children's advocacy group had a different perspective. Said its CEO: "It's helpful as a way of breaking down prejudices."

A glimpse of the production at its New Zealand run (though I couldn't catch the gay bit), AFTER THE JUMP...

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Former Olympic skater Ryan O'Meara: I'm gay.

Madonna in bid to reunited Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake for her Sticky & Sweet tour. If that doesn't work, maybe Justin could just play both of them.

Bush to attend McCain golf fundraiser. FLASHBACK: "Playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal."

Sarah Jessica Parker whacked her mole.

Brisbane, Australia's gay, Aboriginal, and civil libertarian communities to march against Pope Benedict tomorrow: "We are protesting against the Pope's anti-queer, anti-abortion, anti-condom stance. The Pope is an extremely powerful and influential figure, who has called homosexuality 'an intrinsic moral evil', has said that abortion rights are a 'new holocaust', and who tells those in the midst of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa that contraception and sex education support a 'culture of death'."

Scores of Methodist ministers in California putting careers on the line to officiate same-sex weddings: "The pastors could lose their jobs and clerical credentials in the church, the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination. Ministers in Santa Monica, Claremont, Walnut Creek and other cities have already performed ceremonies for gays and lesbians or are planning to do so. In addition, 82 retired pastors in Northern California signed a resolution in June offering to perform such weddings on behalf of ministers who feel they can't do so themselves."

West Side Story revival to begin Broadway previews in 2009...

Barry Manilow: too thin?

Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals details of Phantom sequel at boozy UK bash.

Participants at the Anglican Lambeth Conference will be invited to take a walk on the gay side: "Peterson Toscano, who is also booked for the Edinburgh Festival and the Greenbelt Christian arts festival this summer, promises good humour and topicality when he takes to the stage at the Keynes Lecture Theatre at the University of Kent on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 July 2008, starting at 8pm. The lively theatrical performance activist will share his own spiritual story and experience, liberally sprinkled with excerpts from a play that tells how he survived the 'ex-gay' movement which has been encouraged in some Christian circles - 'Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'. The performances will also include a 'question and answer' session."

Anti-gay protest at McDonald's goes pathetically.

Matt Dillon: open wide.

Afghanistan, Bid Laden first: The John McCain blunder nobody has discussed yet.

Al Gore to make ' moon shot' challenge on environment: "Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace...'I have never seen an opportunity for the country like the one that's emerging now,' Gore told The Associated Press in an interview previewing a speech on global warming he planned to give Thursday in Washington."

Dennis Kucinich's impeachment resolution moves forward, ever so slowly...

H&R Block offers $100 coupons or free TaxCut software to gay couples their software blocked from filing online: "Connecticut taxpayers Jason Smith and Settimio Pisu and the ACLU sent a demand letter last March to Block asking the tax preparer to stop penalizing gay couples because the software in use then didn’t support Connecticut civil union returns. Filers who encountered that problem were asked to contact a Block tax service office for help, for which higher fees were charged."

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News: Bats, Clay Aiken, Figure Skating, John Bolton, Dr. Laura

Dan Savage lost his mother on Monday, and today penned a beautiful column about her. We offer our sincerest condolences. May she rest in peace.

David Beckham in trouble with the law.

Open wide: Clay Aiken demonstrates amazing oral technique.

John Caldera, an aide to San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, will carry the Olympic torch in San Francisco today: "As someone who is openly Gay, Latino and a U.S. Navy Veteran, I have learned to respect the many subsets of our society. At times, I agree to disagree with those who have conflicing ideas ordeals than mine and at times, through respect and discourse, mutual understanding is possible but in the end I always remember the immortal words of the great humanitarian, John Lennon: 'All we are saving is give peace a chance…'" (via outsports)

Elsewhere in SF, gays protest the torch's arrival.

Keanu Reeves wants to sing show tunes.

Charleston's City Paper asks, is Lindsey Graham gay?

Gabriel Rotello at World of Wonder posts a comical reminiscence about an interview he once did with the late Charlton Heston: "Finally, someone sent word that the cameraman was ready and I rose to escort the tottering titan down to the basement. It was then that I discovered what a careless PA had missed. At the top of the stairs hung a huge, poster-sized photo of the queerest of all the queers, Miss RuPaul, in full drag, giving major attitude and practically screaming "I AM GAY, GAY, GAAAAAAY."

Dr. Laura gets weekly segment on FOX News.

Mysterious illness decimating bat populations in Northeast: "This summer, it could affect everything from outdoor barbecuing to farming. In one of nature's most efficient if little-known feats, bats consume as many as 1,200 insects an hour after emerging from their sheltering places every night. This prodigious airborne feeding substantially controls mosquito populations and helps prevent plant-eating insects from damaging crops. The long-term effect of what appears to be a major die-off of bats is not yet known, but the possibilities clearly worry scientists."

Regarding Brandon Davis' "faggot" outburst we posted about earlier. Davis told TMZ: "I would like to apologize for the poor word choice when provoked by the paparazzi on Thursday, April 3rd. They by no means reflect my views and upbringing. I was taunted by the photographers and when they used vulgar sexual remarks against my mother I reacted as any son would."

Query to the National Post: Can figure skating make you gay?

John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to speak at Log Cabin Republican convention in San Diego this weekend.

Diane Sawyer takes on Rosie O'Donnell.

Jeff Klausner, San Francisco's director of STD prevention and control, targeting gay cruising sites in effort to promote safe sex: "Over the past few weeks, Klausner has been working with the city attorney, the National Institutes of Health, the California Department of Public Health, and the Department of Public Health in New York, whose large gay community also uses social networking sites for sex, in an effort to track down Adam4Adam's thus-far-anonymous and secretive owners. His aim: To get the site to slap the equivalent of a surgeon general's warning on its hookup forums and at least make users aware of the dangers of the anonymous, multiple-partner unsafe sex that is its stock-in-trade."

Pushing Daisies has a gay character.

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Johnny Weir: My Sexuality is Sacred, as is My Hand Lotion

The New York Times looks at the nation's top two figure skaters, Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir, and their very different styles (athleticism vs artistry). It's not long before discussion, or non-discussion as the case may be, of Weir's sexuality creeps into the article, and its author tries to get it out of him. But Weir does not relent:

"There are some things I keep sacred. My middle name. Who I sleep with. And what kind of hand moisturizer I use...If I was out to please 10-year-old girls and their 45-year-old mothers in Boise, Idaho, I could play the game and be nice and make my voice deeper. But I don’t see the point. I’m not alive for 10-year-old girls and their 45-year-old mothers in Boise, Idaho — or Colorado Springs, Colo."

The paper notes: "Weir was referring to the United States Figure Skating Association, which is based in Colorado Springs. He has claimed the federation has promoted Lysacek over him as a subtle form of punishment for his behavior."

Previously
Black Light Special: Johnny Weir for Heatherette [tr]
Figure Skater Johnny Weir to Portray Jesus on Ice [tr]
Former Skater Mark Lund Responds to Johnny Weir Outburst [tr]

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Rudy Galindo Talks HIV, Coming Out, Hips, and Johnny Weir

The Boston Globe has published a profile on figure skater Rudy Galindo. Galindo has been HIV-positive since 2000 and still skates despite having had two hips replaced with ceramic ones since he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a degenerative disease, in 2002.

Says Galindo: "I'm going to skate as long as my body holds up. I am getting older, [but] when you're on a winning streak, you don't walk away from the table. That's the No. 1 thing. When you hear that applause, when you're taking your bows, that's the icing on the cake. That's what it's all about, to feel that rush. It's like Sally Field said: 'They love me. They really love me.'"

Galindo discusses contracting HIV, as well as the other tribulations he has faced. They began early, growing up in a trailer park, where he says the other boys had brown skates at the rental rink: "I had long hair. They used to put out the white skates . . . and I was so mad and I used to cry. Kids would say, 'You're gay, you're a sissy.' I used to be short and got into all these trailer park fights. I was wiry. At 12 years old, I won my first novice national title. It was all over the newspapers in San Jose and then they were nice to me."

Galindo says that following his bronze at the 1996 World Championships, all focus turned to his sexuality:

"I didn't come out -- I was out," says Galindo. "The media was, 'Oh my God, you're gay,' and I'm like yes -- I've been out my whole life to my family and friends. Everyone in the skating community knew. But just because I won the national title, it's like, 'Oh, my God, you're gay.' The judges would say, 'You have to tone down your costumes, your choreography,' and I'm like, 'No . . .' I wanted to skate for the audiences, not for the judges."

Galindo adds that even though he once urged the media to out skater Johnny Weir after claiming Weir copied his style, the two are close friends. He says now that athletes should be allowed to come out on their own terms: "I just think a lot of those athletes can't come out because it's a team thing and they're just worried about endorsements. I'm not going to say they're cowards -- I don't want people to be mad at me. I just think their sexual preference is no big deal. Why do they have to come out? They do their jobs and that's it. Who cares what goes on behind closed doors?"

Galindo will be appearing this Sunday in Champions on Ice at Boston's TD Banknorth Garden.

Rising above it all [boston globe]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube: #85

DONATELLA VERSACE: Appearance on Jimmy Kimmel last Tuesday. (source: popbytes)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE: Condilicious shakes up the House... (source: virtual matter)

RICHARD SIMMONS: Adjustin' to the oldies on the Today show.

CANADIAN PAIRS SKATER JESSICA DUBE: Has her face slashed by a skate blade in competition over the weekend.

Check out our past guides to the Tube here!

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Black Light Special: Johnny Weir for Heatherette

I stand corrected. Looks like Johnny Weir did make an appearance at the Heatherette show. Apparently he participated in some sort of 'glowtastic' black light dance routine at the opening of the show.

Two more shots of Johnny getting made up after the jump...
(thanks stacey)

You may have missed...
Figure Skater Johnny Weir to Portray Jesus on Ice [tr]
Former Skater Mark Lund Responds to Johnny Weir Outburst [tr]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #78

EVAN LYSACEK: His winning long program at 2007 figure skating championships.

JOHNNY WEIR: Child of Nazareth. Weir, spooked by Lysacek's stunning program, fumbled into 3rd.

JANE FONDA: Her first anti-war rally in over 30 years.

DAVID BECKHAM: On being a prince in the Disney campaign.

Don't miss the rest of our Guides to the Tube!

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Madonna throws shade, debuts clothing line.

After short program, Lysacek leads Weir at U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Weir: "I got close. I'm going to keep fighting. To be in second place at the national championships, even though I've won three, it's still a great honor. ... It ain't over until the fat lady sings."

GLAAD's Neil Giuliano talks about Isaiah Washington incident: "Someone called earlier this week after seeing me on CNN and asked if I had any idea a week ago that this situation with Isaiah Washington would become such a big story. I had to honestly answer: yes. I knew the minute I saw it."

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"(BLEEP) Bless You." The word "God" censored from The Queen for inflight broadcast: "The word God was removed seven times in all after an inexperienced employee of a California company that edits movies for in-flight entertainment was told to take out all profanities - including any blasphemy."

Dreamgirls headed back to Broadway: "Krieger said it was too early to discuss details about the revival, but theater insiders speculate that Oscar nominee Jennifer Hudson may be asked to reprise the role of Effie on stage." Bet Jennifer Holliday's thrilled with that news.

Convicted sex offender/gay porn producer Bryan Charles Kocis slain, torched in home (warning - site NSFW): "No formal suspects have been named, but Citizen's Voice is reporting that police have questioned three California men he was involved in a "business dispute" with, one of which presumably is Sean Lockhart. Kocis, 44, was best known for his complicated ongoing legal battle with Lockhart, better known as gay porn star Brent Corrigan, 21."

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Figure Skater Johnny Weir to Portray Jesus on Ice

Attention-grabbing figure skater Johnny Weir told reporters at a press conference in Spokane yesterday that he has heard former skater Mark Lund's recent comments about him were "mean-spirited" but says he'll reserve comment until he's seen the actual tape: "When I have seen it, I'm sure I'll have something to say."

Weir is set to take the ice on Saturday night at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a long program free skate routine set to "Child of Nazareth" by Maxime Rodriguez, in which the flamboyant skater will tell the story of Jesus:

Said Weir: "In no way am I portraying the actual entity of Jesus. I'm just performing the story of his life. It's an interesting concept, an interesting idea to push myself forward and make myself better. It has nothing to do with anything else."

Weir defended his maverick image:

"It's more exciting to walk in a fashion show or portray Jesus than it is to sit at home learning how to play the piano or skating to 'The Nutcracker'...The risks I'm taking are natural to me. I didn't go to BlackBook and say, 'I want to pose in heels.' I said I'd do it because it's fun for me. It wasn't like I went in and said, 'Oh my God, I want heels. I want fur. I want glitter. I want to be made up totally like Amanda Lepore (the self-proclaimed No. 1 transsexual in the world).' ... I think the pictures are very interesting. They're not gaudy. They're not campy. They're just me modeling clothes."

Weir's main competition for Saturday's event will be Evan Lysacek. Weir hopes to equal Brian Boitano's achievement of winning four straight national championships. A record 146,311 tickets have been sold for this week's events.

Kudos to Weir for pushing the envelope. We wish him the best of luck.

You may have missed...
Former Skater Mark Lund Responds to Johnny Weir Outburst [tr]
Johnny Weir Hasn't Lost Touch with his Feminine Side [tr]
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Former Skater Mark Lund Responds to Johnny Weir Outburst

Former figure skater-turned-commentator Mark Lund has released a statement regarding recent criticism of his public trashing of figure skater Johnny Weir. The clip was in our guide on Tuesday, but I'll post it here again for those who didn't see it.

Statement from Mark Lund:

"It has unfortunately become typical that journalists and members of the media who dare to comment about a celebrity or public figure that acts outrageously often come under attack. I see I am now one of those unfortunate targets. This is in reference to remarks I made during the television show Reflections on Ice regarding the reigning U.S. Men's Figure Skating Champion Johnny Weir.

My credentials in the sport and art of figure skating are well known, as is my orientation as an out gay man. I stand by my statement "overly out without being out" 100%. I say to Mr. Weir, "You enjoy being outspoken and a free spirit. You have said frequently that you have been brought up to speak your mind. However, you refuse to support the very community that paved the way for you." I say to all those that believe my comments about Mr. Weir were homophobic to take a step back and realize the beliefs you are actually expressing. Mr. Weir is an individual who enjoys all the rights of the gay community without coming out to support the gay community. Now who is the hypocrite here? Most certainly not me.

With Mr. Weir posing for photos wearing heels and elaborate makeup in the pages of BlackBook magazine, I say, 'Please don't insult the grand drag queens of yesterday and today, unless you thank them for their tireless efforts of days past and present by acknowledging them publicly.'

My comments regarding his costuming were nothing more than what you see in the newsmagazines and on TV when journalists critique celebrities on the red carpet. I have never liked his costumes and they have become more and more elaborate in recent seasons. They do not represent the sport of figure skating that I love. Why don't we take a look at the competitive costumes of skaters like Robin Cousins and John Curry. They understood classical elegance. Without a slight to great ballet dancers, my comment that Mr. Weir looks like a prima ballerina on the ice was meant to illustrate what I feel is his outrageous presentation of the sport and art of figure skating. I know I am not alone in my comments.

As a gay man who grew up in a small town in the 1970's, I was able to look up to those in the sport of figure skating—gay and straight—who earned my admiration through character, dedication and sportsmanship. I am glad to say some of them are great friends of mine today.

Mr. Weir is free to wear what he wants, but he should back it up with actions. No one denies his enormous talent, but my comments were meant to reflect my feeling that he prefers drawing attention for being outrageous to drawing attention for being a great figure skater. The subject of the show on which I made my comments was a preview of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which is a competitive sporting event.

To Mr. Weir, and his apparent legions of fans, to quote the old scoring system, there has been no 6.0 in your collective performances."

Unfortunately for Lund, I think he's still on the losing end of this argument.

You may have missed...
Johnny Weir Hasn't Lost Touch with his Feminine Side [tr]
Johnny Weir: Pin-up Princess [tr]

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