NJ Couple Awarded $2.84 Million for 'Mob Attack' by Firefighters

Back in May I posted about Peter de Vries and Timothy Carter, a gay couple formerly from Secaucus, New Jersey, who filed suit against that town claiming that they were harassed in an April 2004 incident by a group of firefighters who were partying at the firehouse adjacent to their residence.

Earlier this week, they won their case:

"The jury on Tuesday awarded Peter de Vries and Timothy Carter $2.84 million in a civil lawsuit that some see as a victory for the gay community and a launch point for a possible criminal investigation. 'It was a mob attack and then the town government gathered around to protect the perpetrators,' the couple's attorney, Neil Mullin, said of the April 25, 2004, incident and its aftermath. The plaintiffs described the event as a 12-minute tirade that took place outside their home, next door to a Secaucus firehouse. They said it started when Carter complained about a raucous 1 a.m. party held in the firehouse parking lot. Mullin said he will refer the case to the state Attorney General's Office, so it could reopen a bias crime investigation and to the U.S. Attorney's Office for a possible criminal obstruction case. The Montclair attorney questioned whether Secaucus is a safe place for gay residents. 'The same leadership that protected these perpetrators is still in power, and I think that's most unfortunate,' he said. Secaucus town Administrator David B. Drumeler, on the advice of private attorneys representing the town, declined to comment on the verdict."

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NJ Gay Couple Files Suit Against Town Over Firefighter Harassment

A gay couple formerly from Secaucus, New Jersey has filed a civil suit against the town, claiming that they were harassed by a group of firefighters who were partying at the firehouse adjacent to their residence. The incident occurred in April 2004.

The Jersey Journal reports:

"On the morning of April 25, 2004, a gay couple living in Secaucus was awakened by the sound of raucous partying at the firehouse next door. After one of the men, Timothy Carter, approached a group of firefighters about 1 a.m. asking them to keep it down, they allegedly began berating him. When he returned to the house, what the couple described as a drunken mob shook their fence, banged on the side of the house and loudly threatened to kill the men and their dogs. Despite complaints to the town, Carter and his partner, Peter De Vries, allege little was done to discipline the firefighters and said they lived in constant fear before moving away...

... In opening statements yesterday before a Superior Court jury, Mullin said the firefighters shouted derogatory, anti-homosexual epithets and death threats. 'They're terrified,' Mullin said of the couple. 'They're paralyzed with fear.' Police arrived quickly but the hate crime was never fully investigated by Secaucus officials, according to court papers filed by the couple. But police made no arrests and no one from the firehouse was thrown off the volunteer force. In their defense, town officials noted the prompt response by police and the fact that the firefighters were officially off-duty at the time."

At the time, a hate crime probe was opened and then cancelled due to lack of evidence. The couple claims post-traumatic stress disorder and is seeking unspecified damages.

Gay couple: Secaucus violated our rights [jersey journal]

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Ryan Sutter Reignites Firefighter Fantasies

Despite being married for four years (he was the winner of reality TV's The Bachelorette back in 2003, Colorado firefighter Ryan Sutter hasn't packed on the post-nuptial poundage, and apparently still has a hunger for attention. Sutter and family were shot doing a From Here to Eternity-style photo shoot on the beach in Maui...

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Strange Bedfellows Filmmakers Sue Chuck and Larry Team

Back in July, just after Adam Sandler's I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry was released, I posted about a report in the Brisbane Times that Dan Murphy, the director and co-writer of the Australian film Strange Bedfellows, was concerned that Chuck and Larry filmmakers had ripped off his idea.

Yesterday, TMZ reported that the Bedfelllows filmmakers have filed a lawsuit against Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions and Universal Studios. Actor Rob Schneider is apparently the link in all this:

"According to the papers, Rob Schneider got a copy of Strange Bedfellows, and gave it to Adam Sandler, who then turned around and made Chuck and Larry. The Aussie company alleges that Sandler's company Happy Madison Productions have "continuously infringed [Bedfellows] copyright by distributing, selling, producing, and claiming authorship" over Chuck and Larry. As it happens, Chuck and Larry grossed $120 million in the U.S., while Bedfellows did about $4.2 million (U.S.) in its native land. The suit seeks unspecified damages."

Aussies to Adam -- You Stole Our "Gay" Firemen Flick! [tmz]

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News: Martian Moons, Brad Pitt, Fire, Mitt-Flops, USS Kitty Hawk

Human Rights Campaign: did the gay rights group use underhanded tactics to skew polling over ENDA in order to show support for dropping transgender protections?

Brad Pitt says he'll no longer do nude scenes in films: "I don't want to be embarrassed when my kids get old enough to see my films. I can't see any more nude scenes [in my career.]"

Australian ACT civil partnerships likely to move forward under Labor Party: "The incoming attorney-general, Robert McClelland, says Labor is unlikely to block a proposal by the ACT to legally recognise same-sex couples - a plan that was repeatedly stymied by the Howard Government. The ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, is planning to reintroduce a civil partnerships bill, which will give legal recognition to unions between same-sex couples. The plan was blocked by the Howard Government last year and the outgoing Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, threatened to do so again in February."

LOGO announces reality show about gay basketball team San Francisco Rockdogs.

China's refusal to allow USS Kitty Hawk to dock in Hong Kong not a misunderstanding: "Liu said "erroneous" actions on the part of the U.S. had 'disturbed and harmed' relations. He pointed to Congress' awarding its highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama last month. Although the Tibetan spiritual leader is lauded in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, Beijing demonizes the monk and claims he seeks to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet. Also hurting relations were arms sales to Taiwan, an island which China regards as a renegade province, he said. A White House spokeswoman said she was surprised by the explanation."

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provides new look at Martian moons: "Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive carbon-containing materials thought to originate in the outer part of the asteroid belt. This led to a commonly held view among planetary scientists that Mars' moons are primitive asteroids captured into Martian orbit early in the planet's history. More recent measurements have shown that the moons are in fact relatively red in their color, and resemble even more primitive D-type asteroids in the outer solar system."

Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the U.S. Government.

Arsonist continues to plague Provincetown — recent fire was 11th since October: "It's scary and sad that people are going around setting peoples' property on fire. It's ridiculous and wrong, if that is indeed what is going on."

David Beckham nuzzled in New Zealand.

Obama courting Michael Bloomberg as potential VP candidate? "An Obama aide said the meeting was scheduled because of 'mutual interest' and did not know whether the two had met before." Actually, they have: "Bloomberg, according to my spy, said he had met Obama for the first time about a year and a half ago, in the Senate subway, and was struck by Obama's eloquence. But 'he simply is not experienced enough to become president,' Bloomberg, I'm told, said. That's in part, at least, because 'senators have absolutely no idea what executive decision making is all about' — a familiar Bloomberg theme and one that would disqualify a number of candidates."

James Franco and Mila Kunis parody The Hills.

Log Cabin Republicans unleash Romney "Mitt Flops" ad: "The ad by the Log Cabin Republicans notes that Romney signed legislation in 2003 that increased taxes on New Hampshire residents who worked in Massachusetts. It also says Romney raised taxes on businesses, a point Romney disputes by saying he was merely closing tax loopholes...The radio ad represents the second effort by the Log Cabin Republicans to cast Romney as a flip-flopper. Last month, the group aired an ad in Iowa and on national cable that sought to undercut his support among social conservatives."

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FDNY Calendar Coverboy Michael Biserta Burns Up 2008

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New York firefighter calendar coverboy Michael Biserta, who extinguished hopes for any future NY firefighter calendars after the discovery of his appearance in a "Guys Gone Wild" video caused the FDNY to drop all future plans for publishing them, has come out with his own 2008 calendar.

Biserta reportedly joined the FDNY in April 2006, after the "Guys Gone Wild" video was filmed, and will not be disciplined for appearing in it.

And just as a reminder, here's the video that made headlines for the firefighter.

Check out after the jump for a short behind-the-scenes video.

Michael Biserta [ondisplaymen]

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News: Kelly Slater, Firefighters, Fort Worth, Amy Winehouse

Fort Worth Star-Telegram endorses city council candidate Joel Burns, who may become Tarrant County's first openly gay elected official.

Stuck: Someone should have warned Celine Dion that super glue bonds instantly with skin.

Jake Gyllenhaal may not be gay, but he has apparently spent a lot of time on the floor of a men's bathroom.

50 protest at Saudi embassy in London over public gay lashings.

Variety anoints Craig Zadan and Neil Meron monarchs of the movie musical: "If they make movies long enough, it's a good bet they'll dethrone the big one: 'Grease,' the top-grossing movie musical of all time. At present, Meron and Zadan have produced 'Chicago' and 'Hairspray,' No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on the box office tuner chart."

Panic! at the Disco says the fact that they're "dapper" doesn't mean that they're gay.

Whatever happened to Ace of Base?

Gay Iraqi group to close two of five safe houses for lack of funds.

Mysterious piece of metal falls from the sky in Delaware, slices through the roof of a parked car "like butter": "The object was turned over to FAA personnel from the Philadelphia office. The agency was doing procedural work Tuesday, but spokesman Jim Peters said he was confident the object did not come from a plane."

U.S. Coast Guard opens first-ever base in thawed Arctic.

British fire chief defends decision to discipline firefighters who interrupted men having sex in the bushes: "The firefighters were suspended on full pay during a six-week investigation and later fined and transferred to other stations after being found guilty of bringing the service into disrepute.Mr Pearson said he hoped members of those communities had not been frightened off from applying to the service for a job, but accepted some of his officers could be homophobic. 'My view is homophobia exists in society and I would be naive to think it didn't in my organisation. I hope we can now draw a line under this and move on.'"

Amy Winehouse jailed for marijuana possession: "The embattled singer -- whose unapologetic lyrics often reference her decadent alcohol and drug indulgences -- was carrying a small quantity (seven grams) of pot when she, her husband Blake Fielder-Civil and the person who is responsible for crafting Amy's beehives were caught in their hotel room Thursday night."

Surfer Kelly Slater detained after scuffle with paparazzi in Tel Aviv.

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Cruising in the Park: Tennessee vs. England

Two recent reports on gay men getting caught while having outdoor sex could not paint more starkly different pictures of attitudes in the rural South vs attitudes in Great Britain:

Johnson City, Tennessee police say a two-week sex sting that led to 40 arrests for indecent behavior is "just the beginning for authorities" in the area:

"'Part of this took place off the paved trails. There’s a thing out there (at Winged Deer Park) they’ve evidently termed the 'Man Cave,'' [Johnson City Police Chief John] Lowry said. 'It’s a good way off the paved trail. It’s underbrush that’s grown up and resembles a cave.' According to investigators, men frequent the Man Cave at all times of day specifically to take part in sexual activities with other men. During their investigation, undercover officers often would strike up a conversation with a man who was approaching the trail leading to the Man Cave. The conversation quickly would turn sexual and, many times, led to proposals for sex, police said."

Those arrested range in age from 26 to 85. They have also been shamefully hung out to dry (names, addresses, all) by the local media.

In Bristol, UK, four firefighters have been disciplined for interrupting a similar scene:

"The firemen shone their torches from their engine into bushes on the Downs - an area of parkland in Bristol said to be popular with people engaging in late-night outdoor sex known as 'dogging' - interrupting the four as they were involved in a gay sex act. One of the group later contacted the AIDS charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust, who advised him to make a formal complaint. That led to the firefighters being suspended while a three month investigation was carried out. Two of them have now been fined up to £1,000; one has been demoted in rank and the other given a written warning. Each of them has also been ordered to attend a two-day equality course. he fines are to be donated to a nominated gay-rights charity. The charity under consideration is the Jamaican Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), as Bristol has a large Jamaican community, although no final decision has been made. The four-man crew have also been transferred to other stations."

Police in Tennessee said they had received public complaints of inappropriate activity, while in England "Police said they had not received any complaint, but it was an offence to commit a lewd, obscene or disgusting act in a public place, which was capable of outraging public decency."

It's surely hot ammo for religious conservatives and their anti-gay propaganda. Unfortunately for them, it's all too often the Larry Craigs and Bob Allens caught up in the sting.

And it's not always a gay issue. The photo on top is from a recent article about a show of Kohei Yoshiyuki’s photography. Yoshiyuki documented heterosexuals having sex in public parks in Tokyo in the 70's and the peeping Toms who gathered to watch them.

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San Diego Firefighters Claim Threats After Gay Pride Complaint

Four firefighters who complained to the state's Department of Fair Employment and Housing because they were teased by colleagues and taunted with sexual innuendoes during a gay pride parade they were instructed to ride in say they have received "threats" since going public with their complaint.

NBC San Diego reports: "Capt. John Ghiotto spoke with NBC 7/39 Monday. He said he's received threatening phone calls in light of his and the three other firefighters' complaints. 'This is not what I wanted. This is not where I wanted this to go,' Ghiotto said. 'But… we had no other choice and hopefully this will make us a stronger department.' Ghiotto has been a firefighter for 28 years, 19 of them in San Diego. He said he and another firefighter have been transferred to another station. Their complaint has led to a new policy within the department, which states they will rely solely on volunteers for future parade participation."

The threats against the firefighters, who seek the right to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, were not specified.

Firefighters: Threats Made Over Gay Parade Complaints [nbc san diego]

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San Diego Firefighters Sue Dept for Gay Pride Sexual Harassment

Four of San Diego's city firefighters have filed a request with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing asking for the right to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department after they say they were forced to participate in the San Diego gay pride parade that took place on July 21. The firefighters say that while taking part in the parade they were sexually harassed, according to 10news:

"During the parade, the firefighters said, bystanders taunted them with sexually explicit comments and colleagues called to tease them for participating in the event. 'I was forced into a situation that would compromise what I hold true and what I believe in,' engineer Jason Hewitt said in a statement. The four contend the department failed to protect them from sexual harassment and didn't immediately act to correct the situation, Stirling said."

Fire Chief Tracy Jarman, a lesbian, has apologized to Fire Capt. John Ghiotto, Engineer Jason Hewett and firefighters Chad Allison and Alex Kane and says she's having the the city's Equal Employment Investigative Office take a look at the situation, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The city's firefighters have participated in the gay pride parade for the last 15 years without incident.

Says CBS8: "They're trained to risk their lives battling fires, but some local firefighters suggest nothing could have prepared them for the insults and obscenities they faced at this year's gay pride parade."

The Union-Tribune reports: "In statements filed with the state, the men said that along the parade route, they were subjected to offensive lewd comments such as, 'You can put out my fire,' and saw men blowing kisses at them. Then, they said, they had to endure protesters who yelled at them that homosexuality was a sin. Some comments were too risque to print."

So, according to the paper, they had to endure men complimenting them for their looks, as well as experience first-hand the religious bigotry gay people must endure every day.

Poor things.

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NYC Firefighter Calendar Canned After Michael Biserta is Exposed

After numerous websites published the report of NYC firefighting calendar coverboy Michael Biserta's appearance in a "Guys Gone Wild" video showing off his own firehose, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta announced that from now on New York City firefighters would be prohibited from posing in the beefcake calendar.

The calendar, published by the FDNY Fire Foundation, raises money for FDNY equipment and training. The 2008 issue will be its last.

Said the foundation's executive director Jean O'Shea: "We are in agreement with the decision. We're disappointed, but the department's reputation is more important than raising money."

The FDNY was taken by surprise with the news of their firefighter's extracurricular talents. Biserta reportedly joined the FDNY in April 2006, after the "Guys Gone Wild" video was filmed, and will not be disciplined for appearing in it.

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NYC Firefighter Cover Model Michael Biserta: Insert Hose Joke Here

Staten Island's Michael Biserta of Ladder Co. 131 in Red Hook, Brooklyn graces the cover of the forthcoming FDNY Firefighters Calendar of Heroes. But as Patric (Warning: NSFW) and Fleshbot (Warning: NSFW) point out, he's already had some experience with the media, appearing in a "Guys Gone Wild" video where he shows that a skill for fighting fires is not his only gift (Warning: NSFW).

A few more of this year's models after the jump...

You can find more where these came from...

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News: Mo Magazine, NYT Gay Slur, Hillary Clinton, Provincetown

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry edges out Hairspray at the box office. The ACLU suggests that after having a laugh at Sandler and James, moviegoers "find out what it's really like to be denied legal protections for your family" by visiting 10Couples.org.

Beckham bends it for Los Angeles. Cruises roll out the welcome mat.

New York Times Director of Photography Michele McNally named in internal homophobic F-bomb slur that inspired the company to send out a diversity memo.

AfterElton tabulates the 100 hottest guys.

World Jewish Congress secretary-general Stephen Herbits to head up Hillary Clinton's campaign efforts to the gay and lesbian community: "Herbits has in the past held several positions related to the gay and lesbian community in the United States. In his last post, Herbits served as the personal assistant to Donald Rumsfeld during his term as secretary of defense. He was then appointed secretary-general of the WJC."

CDC recruiting uninfected volunteers from Thailand, Botswana and the U.S. to test "pre-exposure prophylaxis" in trial HIV drug test.

L.A.'s Guerilla Gay Bar group invades Venice Beach and the New York Times takes notice: "the real motivation, according to the group’s manifesto, is to overcome boredom with a 'ghettoized and sub-ghettoized' gay scene — which in Los Angeles is synonymous with the club and bar circuit in West Hollywood. 'There’s a place for gay bars, but we feel gay people have become so segregated that some of them don’t go out into the wider community anymore,' said Matthew Poe, an organizer and the box office manager for UCLA Live, a performing arts producer and presenter. 'We want to suggest that the world is bigger than West Hollywood.'"

Frommer's Travel presents a podcast on the issues facing gay and lesbian travelers featuring MTV Roadtrips co-author Kelsy Chauvin, Frommer's editor Kathleen Warnock, Ed Salvato of OUT Traveler, and host David Lytle.

Madonna wants to direct movie about ex-con ex-boyfriend Chris Paciello.

And the queer men who indie rock.

Rosie O'Donnell's R Family takes over family week in Provincetown.

The World Without Us explores civilization's decay in the absence of human life: "How would the rest of nature respond if it were suddenly relieved of the relentless pressures we heap on it and our fellow organisms? How soon would, or could, the climate return to where it was before we fired up all our engines? How long would it take to recover lost ground and restore Eden to the way it must have gleamed and smelled the day before Adam, or homo habilis, appeared? Could nature ever obliterate all our traces?"

Seattle gets a local gay publication, 'Mo. Editor: "We're not a bar mag. ... You're not going to see a lot of 20-year-old men in their underwear. We're both 40-something gay men, so the magazine probably hangs out at the 30-plus-year-old range. And we've gotten great feedback about that. People like to look for themselves. Our mission is to get as many faces in the magazine, as many organizational logos and businesses into the pages as we can.

Human Rights Campaign criticized for lack of street-level action, campaign contributions.

First-of-its-kind book features gay male Canadian poets.

David Mixner on loss, loneliness, and healing: "For me, I have had to grow old without my peers. Without my friends to share the history of those joyous moments before AIDS hit - the flourishing of the Castro Street area, the excitement of the sexual revolution, the sheer high of coming out of the closet and the early days of our struggle for freedom. What a time it was to be alive and to be gay. I loved every day before the darkness hit. I would love to be able to sit around at dinner parties with friends no longer here and reminisce of those glorious days."

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FDNY's LGBT Group Says Chuck & Larry's Journey Feels Familiar

FireFLAG/EMS of the Fire Department of New York, "the nation’s oldest and largest LGBT firefighter organization", was invited by Universal Pictures to screen the new Adam Sandler film I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. While they said that some of the jokes might be considered offensive, they were generally pleased at the message of tolerance and said that the movie depicted experiences similar to ones many firefighters face when 'coming out' on the job.

FireFLAG/EMS President Mike Vissichelli issued a statement:

"While 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry' is a broad comedy, the reality is there are gay firefighters in many departments across the country, including the FDNY. The 'coming out' process in the movie mirrors what I, and many of my colleagues, have gone through on the job. Initially we may have dealt with disbelief, disdain, and even prejudice from our fellow firefighters. But significantly, as in our experiences, the film shows the process gay firefighters go through on the job as they move towards acceptance by their fellow firefighters. The film shows the journey that gay firefighters go through in their careers, the brotherhood of firefighters, and ultimately their respect for one another based on actions and deeds. Over the years, the FDNY and its members have become more supportive of gay firefighters and have made strides in improving how they are treated on the job. FireFLAG/EMS supports this progress and is actively involved in the department’s actions on gay-related issues. 'Chuck and Larry' is, of course, a comedy and some of the humor may be considered offensive to some, but the growth of the principal characters during the course of the film is the ultimate measure of how to judge the intent and heart of the filmmakers."

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Strange Bedfellows Director Wary of Chuck & Larry Similarities

Dean Murphy, director and co-writer of Strange Bedfellows, which was Australia's highest-grossing film in 2004 according to the Brisbane Times, is concerned that filmmakers involved in I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry, which opens in the U.S. this weekend, may have ripped off his idea.

The Times reports: "Starring [Paul] Hogan and Michael Caton, Strange Bedfellows was about a straight cinema owner and a mechanic who pretend to be gay to claim a financial benefit."

In Chuck & Larry, Adam Sandler and Kevin James play firefighters who pretend to be gay in order to claim domestic partner benefits from the city of New York.

According to the paper, "While he is yet to see the new movie, Murphy said he was struck by the similarities when he saw the trailer on the weekend. He heard other cinemagoers mention Strange Bedfellows as the trailer screened. Murphy has also been receiving emails every day saying Chuck and Larry seems like exactly the same film. 'It's obviously annoying if they have ripped the film off but until we see it, it's so hard to know,' he said. The American distributor of Strange Bedfellows is looking at possible copyright infringement. 'I don't think they've seen the other film yet but … they're going to have a careful look at it and see if there have been any breaches,' Murphy said."

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Steve Buscemi Defends Pro-Gay Message in Chuck & Larry

Actor Steve Buscemi, who plays an investigator for the city of New York looking into claims that two firefighters may be defrauding the city by posing as domestic partners in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, defends the film's approach to gay rights and gay marriage:

"I don't think you can tell what any movie is like by the trailer, and the premise is two very straight guys who are homophobic, pretending to be gay. It's what they learn about people's attitudes about gay people and gay marriage and that's what I found very interesting about the film; that this is being explored in this broad, comedic, hopefully, commercial film, and, from what I've experienced on set, to me, it champions gay rights and gay marriage. I don't think that is any kind of message that he wants to portray. I would not have been involved with (the film) if I felt like that's what it was doing."

Meanwhile, reviews have begun trickling in for the film.

The Advocate calls it a big yawn: "Though Chuck and Larry begin the film as mildly homophobic, their time posing as queer is supposed to open their eyes to gay acceptance. Really, though, it's just an excuse for the film to throw lecherous gay guys at them. While fending off one man's advances, Larry protests that “just 'cause you're gay doesn't mean you're horny for every guy you meet,” but in this film, it kind of does. Virtually without exception, the gays here are presented as sex-obsessed or as men who really want to be women. Biel's oblivious attorney enjoys spending time with Chuck because 'girls rule,' and even when another firefighter comes out for real, he's immediately drained of all masculinity and starts to sing 'I'm Every Woman' in the group shower."

And for a more mainstream perspective, Reuters says the movie wants to have it both ways: "Hit the audience with a barrage of homophobia and gay jokes yet wind up with an ecumenical, politically correct embrace of all points of sexual orientation."

They add: "The curious thing here is that Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor rewrote this long-in-development screenplay. Yet the authors of such smart comedies as 'Sideways,' 'About Schmidt' and 'Citizen Ruth' can't move the film away from the world of easy laughs and sitcom jokes into a realm where sexual prejudices and presumptions get examined in a whimsical yet insightful manner. One longs for something like Paul Rudnick's script for 'In & Out,' which was very funny yet delved into the trauma of coming out and the perplexing issue of homophobia in society."

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry opens July 20.

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Adam Sandler Jokes About Sex with Kevin James

Adam Sandler talks to Newsweek magazine this week about his upcoming role in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, in which he and Kevin James play firefighters who pretend to be gay in order to receive domestic partner benefits.

Said Sandler: "Kevin [James] and I have to pretend we're a gay couple. I know Kevin, and it's kind of a strange thing to have to play. So to ease the tension, before the first day of shooting, we had sex with each other. We just got it out of the way so it wouldn't be an issue. It's an old tip I picked up from working with Nicholson. We took some liberties in the movie. There's a scene where I mistake Kevin James's boxers for a pillowcase and stuff a pillow in them. That was not Kevin's real underwear. We used that as a mattress cover. This movie says there's nothing wrong with being gay. There's just something wrong with being gay for Kevin James."

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is scheduled to open on July 20.

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News: Independent Spirit Awards, Gay Millionaires, Bears

Independent Spirit Award nominees announced: American Gun, The Dead Girl, Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, Pan’s Labyrinth up for Best Feature.

The nation's first openly lesbian fire chief Bonnie Bleskacheck steps down after lawsuits accuse her of harassment and discrimination: "Three female firefighters have sued, alleging various acts of discrimination and sexual harassment. Two of the lawsuits were settled, but earlier this month, a male firefighter brought another lawsuit alleging he was denied advancement because he is male and not gay. A city investigation is still under way. This summer, a separate investigation by the city's Department of Civil Rights into a 2003 complaint by a male firefighter _ brought when Bleskachek was a battalion chief _ found it 'likely' that the department gave preferential treatment to lesbians or those who socialized with them."

Timothy Boham (aka porn actor Marcus Allen) was scheduled to appear in a Denver court today on charges he murdered his boss, openly gay businessman John Kelso.

Ricky Martin gets cheeky in Ocean Drive photoshoot.

Is gay as a film genre dead? Brent Hartinger looks at how other genres may be co-opting gay characters: "We've had gay mysteries (here! Networks' Donald Strachey mysteries), gay horror (Hellbent), a gay teen sex comedy (Another Gay Movie), a gay boxing movie (Fighting Tommy Riley) and even a gay science fiction movie (here! Networks' Deadly Skies, about a gay scientist, played by Antonio Sabato Jr., who helps prevent a meteor from crashing into Earth). None of these projects are 'about' the gay experience, even if the gay element sometimes adds an interesting thematic twist. Except for the gay characters, these are mostly the kinds of stories we watch when we're not busy being gay consumers."

Fighting anti-gay candidates with the pink dollar: Salon reports on wealthy donors like Coloradan and Quark founder Tim Gill who poured millions into the recent election to defeat anti-gay measures and candidates around the country.

Hazing charges against Vermont fraternity thrown out: "UVM officials suspended the fraternity based on rumors the pledges had been forced to dress up as Brokeback Mountain cowboys -- subjected to homophobic insults -- and forced to drink at a party in February."

Two bears meet in the woods...

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News: Daniel Craig's Manhood, Liver, Semen Hazing, Firefighters

Dame Judi Dench on co-star Daniel Craig's one-eyed trouser snake: "It's an absolute monster! Maybe I shouldn't have said that. How uncouth of me!"

Ryan Phillippe ready to sow his wild oats again.

Human liver the size of a one pence coin grown from umbilical cord tissue in a British lab.

Pentecostal pop star-turned-preacher to fund defense of Scottish firefighters who refused to hand out pamphlets at a gay pride event: "They were concerned 'on religious and practical grounds' about the prospect of appearing in uniform alongside the marchers, some of who dressed as nuns or priests wearing stockings and suspenders. All nine were given written warnings for failing to take part and were ordered to attend 'diversity training' courses. Brian Herbert, the watch manager and the most senior member of the group, was demoted and had his salary cut by pounds £5,000." UPDATE: Firefighter appeals rejected...

Massachusetts football players to be charged with indecent assault and battery for pre-season football camp hazing in which they tossed semen from a cup onto their victim.

On your bike, son! Prince William misplaces his gun: "He was so concerned that he spent two hours pedalling around on a friend's bicycle in a desperate bid to find it." May cost him top honor at Sandhurst...

Surge in Swiss HIV rates troubling: "In Switzerland three out of every 1,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS. Over the years better prevention has reduced infection rates among drug users and immigrants, but since 2000 new HIV infection rates among gay and bisexual men have continued to rise. In 2005, 49.3 per cent of all men diagnosed as HIV-positive were gay or bisexual, whereas they represented 36.5 per cent in 2004. And by the end of 2006, the Federal Health Office expects 300 new cases. Yet according to the authorities this is a phenomenon that other western European countries are also having to come to terms with."

How does Ricky Martin get in great shape? Zumba: "Zumba is a Latin high energy exercise routine created by Beto Perez that combines aerobic interval training with latin style dancing."

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News: Madonna Tiara, HIV Fugitive, A-Rod

Crowd of thousands cheer Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson "for calling President Bush a 'dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights violating president' whose time in office would 'rank as the worst presidency our nation has ever had to endure.'"

Now A-Rod has milk too.

National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals criticized when member advocates bullying of kids who cross gender role boundaries: "I suggest, indeed, letting children who wish go to school in clothes of the opposite sex - but not counselling other children to not tease them or hurt their feelings. On the contrary, don't interfere, and let the other children ridicule the child who has lost that clear boundary between play-acting at home and the reality needs of the outside world. Maybe, in this way, the child will re-establish that necessary boundary."

Madonna's wedding tiara on eBay auction with starting bid of $225,000. Shipping, however, is free.

Police launch manhunt for fugitive Mark James, sentenced to three years and four months for knowingly infecting his partner with HIV.

Scottish firefighters who refused to hand out leaflets at a Glasgow gay pride festival are ordered to undergo "diversity training": ""Firefighters are well aware that fire prevention education and spreading the fire safety message is not a minor part of their job - it ranks alongside fire-fighting as a core, statutory duty...Firefighters cannot, and will not, pick and choose to whom they offer fire safety advice."

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Rescue Me: Survivor Winner Tom Westman in FDNY Calendar

Featured prominently among the firefighting hunks in the just-released FDNY Calendar of Heroes 2007 is Survivor Palau winner Tom Westman. It's refreshing to see that over-40 Survivor winners can still go on to pin-up careers. He joins former castmate Jeff Wilson in that endeavor. Boys, on this hot Friday, we salute you.

You can buy the calendar here. A few more shots of the firefighting hunks after the jump...

Somehow I find these guys a bit more appealing than the Men of Mortuaries.

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(source)

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