Hugh Jackman Not Gay, Just the 'Worst' Kind of Straight Guy

Hugh Jackman, whose wife is tired of fighting off rumors that he's gay from the privacy of her bathroom stall, tells MTV that he's not gay but, as some call it, a stag hag.

In his own words:

MTV: You were pretty forthright with People magazine when they asked you about the three biggest rumors about you.

Jackman: Gay, gay and gay.

MTV: You said in that article that the rumors while you were playing Peter Allen in "The Boy From Oz" [on Broadway] bothered your wife. Did they ever bother you?

Jackman: Come on. No, it's ridiculous. I just think the whole idea of judging someone based on their sexuality is ridiculous. In Australia, we're much easier on all those fronts. I was playing a gay guy. I actually took it as a compliment. I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I remember when I was about 19, me and my mate used to go to these dance parties which were 80 percent gay guys, 18 percent girls who were sick of heterosexual guys hitting on them, and then vultures like me and my mate. We would go there until 2 in the morning, when the girls were really drunk and wishing they weren't with 80 percent gay guys.

MTV: So you're basically the worst kind of straight guy?

Jackman: The worst! The leech! The vulture!

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Hugh Jackman in the Ring

These shots from Italy's November Vanity Fair certainly won't help his wife's campaign from the bathroom stall.

Five more, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Hugh Jackman's Wife Battles Gay Rumors from Bathroom Stall

Hugh Jackman's wife is apparently not happy that some think he's gay:

"The actor, who was this week named the sexiest man alive by People magazine, said wife Deborra-Lee Furness often has to assure people that her husband is straight. 'She said the most infuriating times would be in the bathroom because all she'd hear is: 'Is he or isn't he gay?' 'I don't know, he's married'. 'Oh, who cares? I'm sure he's gay'," he told People. 'She used to call out from the stall: 'He's not gay. I'm telling you he's not.' And there would be silence until someone said: 'I think that's his wife.'"

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News: Malcolm Smith, Star Trek, Lieberman, Asbury Park, Beatles

Stop a marriage referendum in New York: "On November 4th, New Yorkers gave the Democrats a two-seat majority in the New York State Senate. Finally, it seemed, Democrats would be able to put marriage equality to a vote and Governor Paterson would be able to sign it into law. However, three Democrats refuse to endorse Malcolm Smith as the new Majority Leader because Malcolm Smith has promised to pass marriage equality in New York. Senator Rubén Díaz, Sr. and Senator Pedro Espada, Jr., both from the Bronx, and Senators Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, are all threatening to caucus with the Republicans to stop gay marriage in New York."

Hugh Jackman busts a few faces, but thankfully no one's looking there.

Trailer for new Star Trek film beams in.

A secret ballot vote by Democrats on Tuesday will determine Joe Lieberman's fate in the Senate: "Senate Democrats will decide by secret ballot Tuesday whether to take away Sen. Joe Lieberman's chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — a post from which he oversees U.S. security issues, as well as the operations of a wide segment of the federal government. The anger over Lieberman's campaigning for the Republican presidential candidate is still boiling — fueled by memories of his undercutting Barack Obama, including in a nationally televised speech at the Republican National Convention."

More on Rosie O'Donnell's upcoming variety show.

Gregory Craig to be White House counsel: "Craig is intimately familiar with the president-elect’s record because he played the role of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in debate preparations. The officials said Obama has settled on Craig but were not sure when the appointment would be announced. The choice gives the president-elect both experience and loyalty. During the primaries, Craig was an early Clinton alumni defector to Obama."

It's the Mad Hatter!

Bill Ayers talks back.

It's not easy for gay youth in rural British Columbia: "Gay or bisexual teenage boys living in rural B.C. are nearly twice as likely to have attempted suicide and been physically sexually harassed in the past year than their peers in urban centres."

Paul McCartney talks of 14-minute unreleased 1967 Beatle epic "Carnival of Light".

South Korea reviewing ban on gays in the military: "The ban has been under review since a local military court asked the upper tribunal in August to determine whether the existing military criminal code banning homosexuality among soldiers is constitutional. The code stipulates that soldiers be jailed for up to one year for engaging in homosexual acts or sexual harassment while in service."

PETA protestor targets Lindsay Lohan with flour bomb outside Paris hotel.

Queens couple first gays to wed in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Researchers identify possible fossilized velociraptor egg nest.

Recession stops neo-gay enclave of Asbury Park, New Jersey in its tracks: "Various big residential plans came and went, but, partly because of an influx of gay men and lesbians looking for cheaper alternatives to places like Fire Island, it began coming back around 2000. The residential revival helped bring back downtown, now quite alive with shops and restaurants. Then came the beachfront development, beginning around 2005. From 2007 to 2008, the number of daily beach-access badges sold during the summer increased to 52,000 from 38,000. Live Nation, the concert promoter, signed an agreement to promote music at various locations. After all those years of going nowhere, Asbury Park was clearly going somewhere. And then, boom — the bottom fell out of the economy."

Karl Rove will never repudiate George W. Bush.

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Robert Buckley and Hugh Jackman: Abs for Same-sex Marriage

There are many different approaches being used in the fight against the anti-gay Proposition 8.

Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley and Hugh Jackman feature in this absolutely fake and unofficial endorsement for the No on Prop 8 campaign cooked up by celebrity parodist David Gilmore at Pretty on the Outside.

Let's make sure that same-sex marriage is a reality and not a fantasy.

DONATE to the battle against Prop 8 HERE.

Earlier today
Thinking Different: Gay Hollywood Professionals Launch Grassroots Viral Campaign to Fight Prop. 8 [tr]

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News: Womanizer, Marc Jacobs, Baldness, Tina Fey, ACORN

McCain debuts new speech, portraying himself as underdog: "Allies are calling this 'hitting the ‘reset’ button' on the campaign, with McCain re-emerging after a long Sunday strategy session with a feisty tack that uses candor and humor, at a time when his rallies have become known for raucous rage and clumsy attacks. But it’s more like hitting the panic button."

Britney Spears' new "Womanizer" video.

Tina Fey "done" if Palin wins: “We’re gonna take it week by week. If she wins, I’m done. I can’t do that for four years. And by ‘I’m done,’ I mean I’m leaving Earth.”

Jacob Reitan, graduate student and former head of Soulforce, pens open letter to Ellen DeGeneres asking why she has not donated to Proposition 8: "Why is this? You make tens of millions of dollars a year. You and Portia recently got married. Surely, you know how important keeping that right is to you and your family. If we are to win, we desperately need your financial support." It's a question that has been simmering. Donate to No on Prop 8 HERE.

Karen Ocamb: Are Democrats and Obama throwing gays under the bus with regard to Prop 8?

Hilary Duff, Lance Bass, Jennie Garth work the red carpet at GLSEN's Respect Awards...

Mormons speak out against the Church of Latter Day Saints' campaign for ban on same-sex marriage.

Scientists discover genetic variants that boost the odds of male baldness: "he two variants are located on a stretch of DNA on Chromosome 20, according to a study carried out on 1,125 men of European descent. These variants are present in one in seven Caucasian men and provide novel insights into the cause of this common and sometimes distressing condition,' the team said."

Barack Obama received endorsements from 15 newspapers on Sunday: "Backing Obama: In Ohio, The Blade in Toledo and the Dayton Daily News; the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Tennessean of Nashville, the Wisconsin State Journal. the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times, and in California the Fresno Bee, Sacramento Bee, Contra Costa Times, The Herald of Monterrey, and The Sun of San Bernardino (which had picked Bush over Kerry). Joining the Obama team in battleground states were the Muskegon (Mich.) Chronicle, the Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Express-Times and Springfield (Ohio) News."

Marc Jacobs, his skirt, and his boyfriend take the streets of Manhattan.

Miami Herald recommends "no" vote on anti-gay Amendment.

Scissor Sisters to play surprise gig at New York's Mercury Lounge?

Orlando Gay Pride focused on "emotional pleas" to defeat Amendment 2, and police chief Val Deming's pledge to fight anti-day hate crimes: "'We will not tolerate any individual who would threaten to do harm because of someone's race, religion, political affiliation or sexual orientation,' she said. Demings' remarks came 10 years to the day of the death of Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a split-rail fence and left to die on a Wyoming prairie. She was followed by the parents of Ryan Keith Skipper, a 25-year-old gay man who was killed in Polk County in 2007, and Sean William Kennedy, a 20-year-old Greenville, S.C., man who died in 2007 after being punched in the face because he was gay."

Kylie Minogue musical waiting in the West End's wings?

Rupert Everett to star opposite Christine Ebersole in Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit. Performances to start at the end of February.

Hugh Jackman in his birthday suit.

ELECTION THEFT: A warning about what the Republican Party may be trying to do with the recent ACORN scandal. Here's something else to read for anyone who's fallen for the GOP's Dixie-chicking of ACORN.

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Hugh Jackman is Jacked

Hugh Jackman celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday by taking a dip at Bronte Beach in Australia.

One more shot, AFTER THE JUMP. More at Just Jared.

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News: Montana, Hugh Jackman, Parasites, Ig Nobels, Tuna

Montana woman files appeal over historic Montana same-sex partner custody ruling.

Where did Charlie go when he was young? Tuna kindergarten.

Interested in what Shrek the Musical sounds like? Download a free tune.

Gold-winning gay Aussie Olympian hires "the man who helped turn Ian Thorpe into a multimillionaire, David Flaskas, to manage his career away from the dive towers." Mitcham has yet to score a major sponsorship - is homophobia to blame?

Canadian candidate who told a high school assembly gays should be executed is banned from future debates.

Senator Larry Craig gives farewell speech to empty chamber. Crapper goes unmentioned in colleague Mike Crapo's good-bye lauding the accomplishments of his retiring colleague : "It has been a privilege for me to serve with Senator Craig during my time in Congress. My wife, Susan, and I wish him and his wife, Suzanne, well as they begin a new chapter in their lives."

Police looking into violent gay bashing outside club in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: "The victim was treated in hospital. Shortly afterwards a man appeared at hospital with injuries to his hand. Police say the man bragged about his assault at the Embassy Club."

Hugh Jackman lookin' spiffy.

Catholic churches in Michigan town of Hamtramck urge voters to reject town's anti-discrimination that includes protections for sexual orientation: "We have to keep the morals and have the regular families and bring up children according to God's law. Keep it the way it was from the beginning."

Equality Maryland to honor transgender model Isis.

Alien parasites killing sharks off the coast of Oregon. Damn, those things look nasty.

I'm very sorry to report the passing of Rupert, the cutest deer ever.

Facebook censors gay men's retailer Priape: "Michael Ain, Priape's director of marketing and sales, says Facebook is treating Priape differently than it does similar pages aimed at heterosexual audiences."

Duke University to host Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson: "Janie Long, director of the Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Life-which organized Robinson's visit-said she hoped his appearance would help to open a campus conversation on faith and identity. 'This is something that I deal with with students quite frequently,' she said. 'And because I very much want students from all kinds of faith backgrounds-it's not students that are Christians, it's really all faith backgrounds-it's a chance for those students to be exposed to someone who I think is really an excellent role model in terms of balancing different parts of identity.'"

Madonna and A-Rod reportedly dine together in NYC.

Out Dartmouth runner Jamal Brown shares his experiences as an openly gay college athlete.

There are two out gay men on this season's Top Chef — meet them.

Broadway's Hairspray to close.

Annual Ig Nobel Prizes awarded.

CBS in trouble for Survivor peen moment that nobody saw.

A new comedy TV series based on the childhood memoirs of Simon Doonan by the writer of Beautiful Thing comes to the BBC: "This glittering and hilarious series delves inside Simon's youthful memories and his desire to escape suburban Reading and live amongst the 'beautiful people' - from his perspective as a window dresser in a New York department store."

CDC: 1 in 5 unaware they are infected with HIV.

Building in Bangkok's gay area collapses: "The collapse happened on Tuesday in Bangkok's Silom Soi 4 at around 4pm local time (10pm NZ time), when the Soi is largely unattended. There are no reports of fatalities or injuries. The four-story building, currently under renovation and operating as Roxy Club, partially fell to the ground, crushing motorcyles and furniture, leaving the street covered in large pieces of concrete and other debris."

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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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Hugh Jackman Trains for Your Fantasies

Hugh Jackman was spotted having a swim at Bondi beach in Australia with his trainer over the weekend. Though the shot above may look like Jackman is showing his public support for California's same-sex marriage decision, it's actually just a bit of greeting card-worthy PhotoShop magic crafted by our friend David Gilmore at Pretty on the Outside.

Below you'll find one of the actual shots, which is about an arm's length away from the fantasy pictured above, so eat it up.

More of Gilmore's fantasies at POTO, and a selection of the Jackman/Trainer shots at A Socialite's Life.

And AFTER THE JUMP, a bonus shot of Wolverine in the surf.

G'day Mate.

Previously
Hugh Jackman Back in Sideburns for Wolverine [tr]
Hugh Jackman: You Can Leave Your Hat On...or Not [tr]
Hugh Jackman Entertains at the Beach [tr]

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News: Michael Stipe, Tel Aviv, Anthony Minghella, China and Tibet

China closes off media access, shuts down YouTube, CNN, and Google amid violent crackdown in Tibet. China has also begun parading Tibetan prisoners on military trucks in Lhasa. Dalai Lama threatens to step down...

Michael Stipe comes out? "It was super complicated for me in the ’80s. I was totally open with the band and my family and my friends and certainly the people I was sleeping with. I thought it was pretty obvious. Now I recognize that to have public figures be very open about their sexuality helps some kid somewhere out there."

GLAAD hands out media awards in New York; Barbara Walters, Judy Shepard, Brian Graden and films The Bubble and For the Bible Tells Me So all honored. Who was there?

Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella dies at 54: "Minghella's publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London's Charing Cross Hospital. He said Minghella was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, 'and the operation seemed to have gone well. At 5 a.m. today he had a fatal hemorrhage.'"

Pennsylvania senate proposes amendment banning gay marriage: "Constitutional amendment legislation failed in the last legislative session but is being considered anew in the current session. During a Senate committee hearing, Maggie Gallagher, President of the National Organization for Marriage, said an amendment to the state constitution would protect against a judge’s ruling that could strike down state law defining marriage as between a man and woman…'It’s not a fantasy that this could happen. It is happening – it’s happened in New Jersey, it’s happened in Connecticut' Gallagher was speaking to Republican Senator Jane Earll of Erie, skeptical of the need for a constitutional amendment: 'We are going to hold our constitution hostage to the wackiest judge in some other state. I just think that amending the constitution is a very drastic measure.'"

Janet Jackson opens wide for Black Book.

Tel Aviv hoping to attract more gay tourists.

Richard I slept in the same bed with French King Phillip II but it wasn't a gay thing: "It was an accepted political act, nothing sexual about it; just two politicians literally getting into bed together, a bit like a modern-day photo opportunity."

Chad Allen, Janeane Garofalo, Rebecca Gayheart, Soleil Moon Frye, Patrick Muldoon and Brad Rowe team up for gay indie screwball comedy For Better or For Worse: "Frye will play the lesbian minister presiding over the ceremony at the home of one groom's mother (Ruta Lee). The guests include the jilted ex of one of the grooms and his new beau (Muldoon and Allen), a closeted neighbor (Stanley Kamel), a wallflower sister (Gayheart), a family-man brother (Rowe) and his nanny (Garofalo), who has a bombshell to drop."

Ch-ch-ch-changes. Spot the differences in Ryan Seacrest 2.0.

Brazil gets another new gay magazine.

Hugh Jackman spends more time naked than dressed.

Anti-gay graffiti causes stir in Northern California town of Fortuna: "A Fortuna resident noticed anti-homosexual words painted on several mailboxes on her street and filed a police report Thursday. The derogatory words, 'fag' and 'gay,' made her so irate, it took her more than an hour to stop shaking, she said. The Fortuna Police Department is treating the vandalism as a hate crime because the intent was likely to express hate, FPD Sgt. Jack Bernstein said. 'It’s concerning for us to have something like this.'"

Police officers punished in Austin, Texas after remarks: "Cmdr. Calvin Smith, who has worked for the department for 34 years and supervises the Austin police training academy, told the fellow commander that he was worried about the 'kind of message' the potential transfer of a gay female officer would send at the academy, which already had two lesbians working there, according to a disciplinary memo. Cmdr. Larry Oliver was fired for failing to report the comments, even though he later confirmed to investigators that he thought Smith was referring to 'their being lesbians,' a disciplinary memo said. He was fired after refusing Acevedo's offer of a 30-day suspension."

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A Hot Wolverine Picture, and it's Not Hugh Jackman

A camera array set up in the Tahoe National Forest of the Sierra Nevadas caught something on film that shocked and delighted ecologists and wildlife experts: the first image of a wolverine in that area in more than 30 years.

The HuffPo reports: "Forest Service Ecologist William J. Zielinski reported that the find (which came as a result of work by graduate student Katie Moriarty) was confirmed by wolverine expert Jeff Copeland. Zielinski and his team are now working to find out where this wolverine came from. Wolverines need immense ranges to survive and can cover hundreds of miles in a few days. They need help though: they've been exterminated through large parts of their range and it's unknown how many live in California."

There have, however, been some confirmed sightings in New Zealand.

Related
The Real First Wolverine Shot: Hugh Jackman is a Hairy Beast [tr]

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News: Prince Harry, Eagle Scout, Wolverine, Orlando Bloom

Vigil against violence to be held today in Fort Lauderdale at 4:30pm: "Join the coalition of community leaders and organizations as we gather to remember Simmie Williams and stand up against the rising tide of violence for a memorial service at the murder site at the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale."

Prince Harry has been fighting undercover in Afghanistan for the past 10 weeks: "The news of his operational posting leaked out following the breakdown of a news blackout agreement with the media when the story was posted on the US-based Drudge Report website. The chief of the general staff, Sir Richard Dannatt, who is head of the British army, expressed disappointment over the leak. 'I am very disappointed that foreign websites have decided to run this story without consulting us,' he said. 'This is in stark contrast to the highly responsible attitude that the whole of the UK print and broadcast media, along with a small number overseas, who have entered into an understanding with us over the coverage of Prince Harry on operations.' Dannatt, who had opposed Harry's deployment to Iraq, went on to praise the prince's performance on deployment."

Orlando Bloom is tired of complaints about his natural manly scent.

NYC sees surge in gay syphilis cases: "After seeing the number of syphilis cases remain stable in 2004 and 2005 then decrease in 2006, the city health department is reporting that syphilis cases increased by 60 percent in 2007 over 2006, with that growth due to new infections among gay and bisexual men."

Bollywood actor rejected: not gay enough to play a fashionista. Kushal Punjabi: "I really got along well with Madhur. He's my kind of director. But I really didn't see myself in that role at all. I'd like to work with directors like Madhur who look at actors as actors and not as stars."

Ben Affleck discusses his revenge sex video with Jimmy Kimmel: "You couldn't really do it half-speed. You had to be painting toes and blow-drying hair. At one point we were going to take a bath together, but the bubbles couldn't get high enough, so that ended up getting scrapped. The little outfits, the short shorts, the hands in the pockets -- it wouldn't have been funny if you didn't really commit to it."

Underwear day takes over Brazilian capital.

Gay Canadian Health Minister Smitherman criticized for proposing to wear adult diaper as test in response to nursing home 'filth' issues: "Opposition politicians, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a nursing home association said Smitherman's plan to test drive a diaper shows he doesn't understand the issue is about staffing levels – not diaper technology. 'For him to suggest that's his answer is a disgrace,' said Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory. 'It's some kind of a sideshow he seems determined to put on when, in fact, I think people in Ontario would say: 'George Smitherman, do something about it. Let's see the revolution you promised in long-term care.''"

Hugh Jackman: the claws come out.

Fans go wild: New video of the pint-size breakdancing Beckham.

Matthew McConaughey wins mag's honors for mightiest mammaries.

Texas governor Rick Perry holds book-signing for Boy Scout tome: "Perry's tour to promote the book has garnered national attention. The book debuted at No. 1 on The Washington Post's best-seller list for hardcover nonfiction in Washington-area bookshops. His office touted that achievement the day after The New York Times Magazine published an interview in which Perry said scouting was about building character and not about sex. The word 'homosexual,' he said, suggests that gay people are focused on sex."

Eagle Scout leaves organization disgusted by anti-gay policies: "I am ashamed an organization to which I owe so much has chosen to take such a myopic stance on this issue and hides behind a legal veil to exclude gay Scouts."

Wired publishes disturbing new photos from Abu Ghraib (warning: extremely graphic)

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News; Jane Russell, Episcopals, Scott Heim, Heathrow, Paul Burrell

Iran's 'cure' for homosexuality: financial assistance for a sex change operation. Cleric: "Islam has a cure for people suffering from this problem. If they want to change their gender, the path is open."

Jane Russell shows Hollywood how a real movie star works Oscar's red carpet.

Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo may not be gay, but he is fast.

Elton John talks to CBS about his AIDS Foundation and recent reports that cases among young gay men are on the rise: "We are facing an uphill battle again in countries that you thought you'd crossed, you'd done that, you've covered that territory. Because people think, 'Well, you know, even if I do get HIV, I'm going to be OK.' They don't realize the toxicity of the drugs they have to take. And I just think it's so reprehensible, with the information available to them. But they do it and so we have to help them."

Da-Tah: a Scissor Sisters mash-up album, free for download. (via arjan writes)

Gay couple told to cool the PDA at swank New York restaurant Cipriani? "A gay editor was dining with another young man recently when a Cipriani staffer asked the duo to turn and face the bar. The waiter conveyed to them that Cipriani is a 'family restaurant' and they might offend other diners. The restaurant contends their actions were less gay bashing and more preserving the sanctity of fine dining from what one witness called 'blatant crotch-grabbing.' 'There was an unfortunate incident a few weeks ago where two individuals were acting inappropriately in a sexual manner at the bar of an upscale restaurant. It should go without saying that this behavior is completely unacceptable for anyone, regardless of sexual orientation,' a spokesman for the restaurant asserts."

That other awards show, The Independent Spirit Awards, was a touch less formal than the Oscars.

The Miami Herald talks to Gay American Heroes project founder Scott Hall.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams backing secret plans to create "parallel" church for American conservatives defecting over the church's gay policy: "According to insiders, Dr Williams has given his blessing to the plans to create an enclave for up to 20 conservative American bishops that would insulate them from their liberal colleagues. The scheme would allow them to remain technically within the Episcopal Church but under the care of like-minded archbishops from abroad. The Primate of the West Indies, Archbishop Drexel Gomez, a moderate conservative, has agreed to participate, and other primates could be recruited. However, the initiative is likely to infuriate liberal leaders of the Episcopal Church, who will see it as an attempt to undermine their authority and interfere in their affairs."

Pastor Ken Hutcherson's hate sermon: "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I’d rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."

Wolverine shows off his washboard abs.

AfterElton talks to Michael K. Williams about Omar and the developments surrounding his character on last night's episode of The Wire [SPOILERS].

Novelist Scott Heim talks to the Boston Globe about his new book We Disappear and his escape from crystal meth addiction: "The drug didn't do anything for me anymore. It was just keeping me alive. It wasn't about pleasure; it was just obliterating the sadness. You don't write when you're on drugs because the last thing you want is to be alone. Crystal meth was erasing me, and the deeper I got I saw only three outcomes: death, prison, or recovery."

First look inside London Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5.

Brit tabloid News of the World charges Diana butler Paul Burrell of leading 'secret gay life': "Paul IS a greedy liar, a devious snake. He's also ruthless and selfish. He's always made out that he's this happily-married family man when in reality he's gay and only interested in sex with men. He told me he hadn't slept with Maria for years. He's constantly on the lookout for gay pick-ups all over the world. And he shamelessly uses his back catalogue of Diana stories to hook his targets. He tells them all sorts about her to get them in the sack. His taste is for pretty, younger guys. He'll brag about his wealth and royal connections. There are plenty out there who fall for it."

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The Real First Wolverine Shot: Hugh Jackman is a Hairy Beast

My, what big nails you have.

As I mentioned yesterday, the upcoming prequel to the X-Man story, Wolverine, features a look into the character's pre-X-Men days.

Says Jackman: I know it seems odd given, you know, the guy is already half animal. But with all the success of the X-Men, you feel the pressure to keep pushing it further...I became a fan of Wolverine like everyone else. That's why I keep holding on to the character. I think one of the reasons the X-Men took off is that it connected in a way nobody saw. They're mutants with powers. But they're also outcasts for being, and everyone connects with that on some level. And who wouldn't want the power to get back at the people who ostracized you?"

Via USA Today.

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Hugh Jackman Back in Sideburns for Wolverine

Hugh Jackman is back in leather and sideburns for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, shooting in Australia and New Zealand. The film explores Wolverine's pre-X-men days and Logan's early life, and is set to arrive in theaters in 2009. Grr.

(source via Cinematical)

UPDATE: Well, they aren't exactly Wolverine shots, but there's nothing wrong with Jackman any old time.

Previously
Hugh Jackman: You Can Leave Your Hat On...or Not [tr]
Hugh Jackman Entertains at the Beach [tr]
Jackman to Meet Marsden in Brokeback on Broadway? [tr]

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Hugh Jackman: You Can Leave Your Hat On...or Not

Hugh Jackman seems to spend all his time at the beach in Sydney these days, but he's dodged the Fedora trend in favor of this slick Panama number, which he soon ditches as well.

Previously
Hugh Jackman Entertains at the Beach [tr]
Jackman to Meet Marsden in Brokeback on Broadway? [tr]
Hugh Jackman Catches a Few Rays [tr]
(via Page Six)

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News: Facebook Bust, Brian Paddick, Equus, Slava Mogutin

Some students at Notre Dame donning "Gay? Go to Hell" T-shirts.

Bank intern busted by boss after "something came up at home" excuse for his day off was later revealed on his Facebook profile. He does make a cute fairy though.

Alabama gay activist Ken Baker dies at 50: "Unity United Church of Christ recently awarded Baker the Crystal Cross for his advocacy work. He was recognized specifically for his role in starting Equality Alabama and Communities of Faith for Full Inclusion. 'He's sure going to be missed around here,' said longtime friend and colleague Lynn Shaw, who is a past president of the Montgomery Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). 'I just can't believe how everyone's going to go on and function because he was involved in so many things.' Baker, who was gay, was known as a quiet, humble man who was creative and determined in his efforts to promote gay and lesbian rights."

Board of Education in Jefferson County in Kentucky recommends expanding harassment and employment policies to protect gay and lesbian employees, although transgender people are left behind for now: "We decided to include sexual orientation at this time, but decided to hold off on making a decision about transgender because, as of right now, gender identification is both a new and broad definition."

Janice Dickinson has joined the cast of the UK's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and nature is turning her into a savage: "I'm going to stab her in the middle of the night and take hers. You think I'm kidding? I'll eat her tits. I'll fry up those big old boobs."

Politicos nervous about upcoming "tell-all" book from former gay London top cop Brian Paddick to be released one month before critical election. Paddick: "You will be very surprised by some of the things in it, I can assure you."

Lily Allen's brother Alfie steps into Daniel Radcliffe's role in Equus.

Inside photographer Slava Mogutin's New York City go-go diary (warning: NSFW).

Fred Thompson to be endorsed by right-to-life, same-sex marriage foes in Iowa: "He drew an enthusiastic response from his audience when he praised the U.S. health care system and said: 'Let's not let the federal government mess that up.' The crowd also applauded when he brought up gay marriage and said: 'Whether marriage is between a man and a woman -- I thought that was decided a few thousand years ago!'"

Hugh Jackman's back at his favorite activity: getting naked at the beach.

Australian football club supporter mocked after receiving "gay" tattoo. Perhaps he should commisserate with the Dumbledore daddy.

North Carolina "ex-gay" minister proclaiming his success: "To follow christ and to say no to my behavior of homosexuality, um I really felt like I could live life differently that that's what God wanted, he wanted me to pursue him, not pursue men. So people can say, you can't change and I say yes you can." See ya at the next public park sex sting!

Gender Issues Analyst Melissa Fryrear of Focus on the Family continues to claim that all gay people have been sexually violated. (via pam's house blend)

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Hugh Jackman Entertains at the Beach

Hugh Jackman, shooting the film Australia down under, spent some time showing off his pecs, just in case our memories have lapsed since the last time he showed them off, or the time before that, but who's counting?

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Jackman to Meet Marsden in Brokeback on Broadway?

There are rumors about that a stage production of Brokeback Mountain is in the final stages of development and atop the wishlist for the two leads are Hugh Jackman and James Marsden.

Not sure what we think of this (except to say we certainly wouldn't mind seeing these two in a pup tent together), but take it as completely unverified rumor at this point. And if anyone has further information, please email us.

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News: Hong Kong, Hugh Jackman, Wild Hog, Prince William

HIV surge among gay men in Hong Kong reflects increase in unsafe sex.

Massive wild hog shot in Alabama.

Is David Beckham getting cold feet about his move to L.A.?

Pet Shop Boys criticize Live Earth concerts, celebrity activists: "The Princess Diana concert is fair enough, but I feel more uneasy about the Al Gore thing. I've always been against the idea of rock stars lecturing people as if they know something the rest of us don't - it looks arrogant. It's not as if they have a private source of information. To state the obvious as if you are the only person that knows it is intellectually weak. Bono uses his celebrity but in doing so he increases his celebrity. I've never even totally convinced that the rest of U2 feel comfortable with that."

India's first gay arts festival opens with a whisper. More...

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