News: West Side Story, Matt Dillon, Bush Golf, Ryan O'Meara

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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Daughter of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick: I'm Gay

Katherine Patrick, the 18-year-old daughter of Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, has come out publicly in an interview with New England gay paper Bay Windows.

Said Katherine: "As private of an issue as it is, we’ve sort of had to come to terms with the fact that we are a public family and there you give a part of yourself away...And we also ... wanted people to know that it’s not only something that we accept, but it’s something that we’re very proud of. It’s a great aspect of our lives and there’s nothing about it that is shameful or that we would want to hide. ... And I’ll always remember the first thing my dad did was, [he] wrapped me in a bear hug and said, ’Well, we love you no matter what.’""

Bay Windows reports: "Patrick is the first elected official in the country to win statewide office after having campaigned on support for marriage equality. He spent a significant amount of political capital on the defeat of the marriage amendment, meeting privately with more than a dozen wavering legislators, strategizing with legislative leaders and publicly discussing why he supported marriage equality and why he thought the amendment should be defeated. But he says that the notion that one of his daughters could be gay didn’t factor into his advocacy on the issue. 'I don’t think we thought about who they loved - more that they knew what love was and that they would have love in their lives,' he explains. 'You know, it’s interesting even just thinking about having this interview. Katherine and Diane and I and her aunt and Sarah were all talking about, you know, would we give an interview to announce one of our kids was straight? It’s just not about the public ... it’s just about making sure that they had the fullness of their personality and their humanity...Fault me for not getting it,' the governor adds. Then he reveals when he got the first inkling that his daughter might be gay: 'I think when Katherine started to memorize all the episodes of The L Word, there was some hint that maybe she was sending us.'"

Watch a clip of Patrick speaking to the crowd on July 14, 2007, following the failure of the proposed amendment banning gay marriage, AFTER THE JUMP...

With love and pride [bay windows]

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Did Bravo Exec Out Sam Champion or Just Champion's Manners?

A post at Gawker alleges that Bravo exec Andy Cohen outed ABC weatherman Sam Champion in a blog post about his weekend in the Hamptons.

Cohen wrote: "The lunch went until cocktail time and on my way home I stopped by a store opening in East Hampton. Kelly Ripa and Marc Consuelos were the 'hosts' of the party, but the store is owned by Sam Champion's boyfriend. Neither of the Champions seemed to be around for the first 90 minutes of their own party, and so the topic of conversation inside the party became: If you are the host of a party (and not the 'host') and your name is not 'Madonna', is it appropriate to make an 'entrance' or be there from the start? People seemed to be split on the etiquette."

Back in 2005, an article in the Advocate described Champion as openly gay, and though Gawker describes Champion as keeping his sexuality "hushed" somehow I doubt the revelation would spawn even a cloudburst of controversy.

related
A Very Gay New Year's Eve Preview [tr]

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Australian Olympic Diver Matthew Mitcham: I'm Gay

Australian Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham came out to the media for the first time on Saturday, in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. He'll be the first openly gay athlete from Australia to compete in the Olympics:

"The gold medal hopeful's journey has not been easy. Those close to him have seen Mitcham, 20, battle depression, retire in his teenage years after physical and emotional burn-out, then nine months later resume his sport and build himself into the champion he is today. One person who has been by his side for the entire tumultuous journey is his partner, Lachlan. 'We can't afford for Lachlan to go at the moment,' Mitcham said. 'But Johnson & Johnson offer grants to go to Beijing and I've nominated Lachlan as the support person I want to go.' It's not only Lachlan who has helped Mitcham to Beijing. His coach, Chava Sobrino, had faith in him when no one else did and resurrected his career. Former athlete Sarina Bratton cares for him like a son and fellow diver Alex Croak is a constant sounding board and his best friend. 'That little support network has made my dream possible,' Mitcham said. 'It would have been impossible and I probably wouldn't have made it without their help.'"

AFTER THE JUMP, Mitcham at the 2008 FINA Diving Grand Prix in Beijing...

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Sam Sparro On Being Gay: 'This is Me, I'm Happy with Myself'

Freshly-minted UK music sensation Sam Sparro talks to the Guardian today about being out and proud.

Says Sparro: "I've always thought, 'This is me, I'm happy with myself,' and so that's what I'm here to project. So that gay teenagers don't have to get the shit kicked out of them in school and think that they're a horrible person. It's easier to be an 'out' pop star today. Morrissey never came out, and Neil Tennant left it very, very late, whereas Jake Shears was open from the start."

On coming out to his parents: "I thought it was going to be the worst thing in the world and they were never going to talk to me again. I really worried that they were going to disown me. But I should have trusted them a bit more and known that they're better than that. I'm really close to both of my parents, and they're really supportive and they love my boyfriend. I've been with him for two years."

Sparro also looks back on what he describes as a miserable adolescence, documented via tattoos and weird body piercings, as a good thing: "I think all that time being unhappy was a good thing because I learned to rely on myself. I think to love yourself is really important because if you can't love yourself you can't love anybody else."

Watch Sam Sparro's video for his single "Black and Gold", AFTER THE JUMP...

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Gossip Girl Guy: I'm Gay

So last night's Gossip Girl episode featured the big coming out for one of the boys, who was caught making out with newbie Asher Hornsby (above). As a courtesy to those of you who haven't engaged your DVRs yet, the key reveals are AFTER THE JUMP...

Eric's coming out, and his mother's acceptance.

Flashback
Penn Badgley and His Great Gay Hope for Gossip Girl [tr]
Gossip Girl About to Get a Gay? [tr]
Gossip Girl Guys Engage in Well-Dressed Three-way for Out [tr]

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News: Raymond Burr, Flowers, Mychal Judge, Ross Bleckner

Vigil held for Father Mychal Judge on eve of Pope's Ground Zero visit: "He had a heart as big as New York. There was room for everybody. We wish that our church had room for everybody, and that was one of our prayers tonight, that our church would be welcoming, especially those who feel excluded, especially gays and lesbians."

Jesse Metcalfe shows off new tuff n hairy shots.

Enrique Iglesias says people are pleasantly surprised when they pull down his pants.

David Zippel (lyricist and co-librettist), Joe Leonardo (co-librettist) and Jonathan Sheffer (composer) team up for musical version of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's 1930 Broadway comedy, Once in a Lifetime to star Christine Ebersole. The show, which is having a reading next month, is to be directed by Jerry Mitchell.

Singapore restricts videogames with gay themes: "People Like Us considers this new rule unjustifiably strict. Children should not have to be kept ignorant about the presence of gay people in society anymore than they should be shielded from people of other faiths and ethnicities. The path to acceptance of gay people is through teaching children about diversity from a young age. It is pejorative to lump gay sexual orientation with crime and drug use as the MDA’s new guidelines do, as if gay orientation is some kind of social threat."

Hillary Clinton slams MoveOn.org at private fundraiser. Clinton strategist Geoff Garin responds...

Gay men being "liberated from a narrow place" at New York Jewish seminary.

Dead or Alive's Pete Burns has reportedly leaked his own sex tape.

BOOK: Perry Mason's Raymond Burr led a secret gay life.

Britney Spears to return to How I Met your Mother because "she had so much fun the first time around."

Gay bookstore in Vancouver that challenged Canadian Customs is up for sale: "Only two years after the store opened in 1983, the owners took on a fight that bolstered and exhausted them, lasting until just last year and challenging Canada's censorship laws. After 23 years of fighting Canada Customs' seizures of books bound for the gay and lesbian bookshop, the partners have put Little Sister's up for sale. It's time to do something else, Deva says as he plans to get a choir booked for the store's 25th anniversary celebrations. 'It's probably time to pass on the torch hopefully to some younger, energetic people who are willing to work with our store,' he says. 'I'm not in a rush. We're going to take our time.' The fight against Customs put the store at the forefront of the battle against censorship in Canada. Among books seized were Jean Genet's Querelle, Quentin Crisp's The Naked Civil Servant, Joe Orton's Prick Up Your Ears, The Joy of Gay Sex and The Joy of Lesbian Sex."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the tarot cards!

You're Going to be Gay: New book looks at childhood pictures that foretell a gay future.

Gay UK airport security guard could be awarded up to £30,000 in sexual harassment claim over female co-worker who came on to him.

Artist Ross Bleckner penning a memoir: "'It's based on the journals he has kept for years,' says a pal. 'And he is writing it as if he is giving advice to his younger self.' The New York painter is expected to include recollections about famous friends including Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg and former Mrs. Ron Perelman, Claudia Cohen."

Flowers appear to be losing their scent and experts are worried: "The potentially hugely significant research – funded by the blue-chip US National Science Foundation – has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects' ability to repel enemies and attract mates may also be impeded."

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Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Does Not Hang out at the Gay Starbucks

Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Prince Frederic Von Anhalt gets in an argument with a photographer in West Hollywood about his thoughts on gay marriage ("it's not normal") and why he allegedly hangs out reading gay magazines at the WeHo Starbucks.

No word on what caused the altercation, but TMZ responds to his "not normal" remarks: "Right, because the guy who married Zsa Zsa, got handcuffed in his car naked and wore lederhosen in public should set the standard for 'normal.'"

Watch the altercation, AFTER THE JUMP...

Von A-hole Picks the Gayest Fight Ever [tmz]

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Brothers & Sisters Actor Luke MacFarlane: I'm Gay

Though his rumored relationship with T.R. Knight was well documented and other relationships speculated about, Luke MacFarlane was never out publicly until today, in an interview with Canada's Globe & Mail:

"Though no secret to his family and close friends, Macfarlane has, until now, been guarded about his personal life as a gay man. Over lunch in Los Angeles, where he lives, he initially insists that he has no concerns about his public revelation - but a few seconds later he is shifting nervously in his chair, and concedes that he is 'terrified.' ... 'I don't know what will happen professionally ... that is the fear, but I guess I can't really be concerned about what will happen, because it's my truth. There is this desire in L.A. to wonder who you are and what's been blaring for me for the last three years is how can I be most authentic to myself - so this is the first time I am speaking about it in this way.'"

Macfarlane also talks about the big upcoming event [Possible SPOILER] on Brothers & Sisters:

"From a standing outside perspective, and also as someone who is gay, I think that it's a very exciting time. How exciting that we're saying, 'This can be part of the cultural fabric, now,' because it is two series regulars, two people that you invite into your home and you see every week. It's telling of the beginning of more waves and I'm very proud of that...Most importantly, in portraying gay people, the more we realize it's just like portraying anybody else and, gay marriage, it's not about two people being gay, it's about two people who love each other and who have decided to commit to each other for the exact same reasons any other couple would get married. Hopefully, the more that becomes part of the cultural awareness it won't be...(he pauses and says, employing a mock, exaggerated voice of a television announcer)...a spectacular Sunday episode."

Luke MacFarlane of "Brothers & Sisters" comes out publicly as gay [after elton]
A commitment to himself [globe and mail]

Previously
T.R. Knight and Luke MacFarlane: TV's Hottest New Gay Couple? [tr]
Wentworth Miller and Luke MacFarlane Take it to the Streets [tr]
Itemized: Wentworth Miller and Luke McFarlane? [tr]
Luke MacFarlane and Matthew Rhys Heat Up Brothers & Sisters [tr]

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10-Year Australian News Veteran Peter Hitchener: I'm Gay

Peter Hitchener, a top news anchor in Melbourne, Australia on National Nine News for the past 10 years, came out of the closet this weekend.

Said Hitchener: "I am a single person and given that we are on private issues of private life, I am choosing to share with you today that part of my life that I have not spoken about before: that I am gay. That is part of who I am and with that disclosure, or acknowledgment, I just also need to say I am still the person I was yesterday. I am still the same person and I remain committed to my job and my family and my service and so on. It is not something that has ever come up before. I have never been asked about it before. There is never a right time, or an easy time, to talk about these personal issues, but this is the right time to say it and to move on."

Hitchener is Nine's prime fighter [news.com.au]

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Real World: Seattle's Stephen: I'm Gay

Stephen from The Real World: Seattle accepted an award for his castmate Irene at The Real World Awards Bash: Roast 'Em and Toast 'Em (yes, the show has been on so long they have awards for it now). Stephen also announced that he's gay and he's getting married.

Said Stephen: "I am engaged. I'm engaged now. I'm getting ready to hitch it and it's actually with my partner (Sheldon, below) and he's a really great guy and I'm very much in love and very proud of his achievements and looking forward to achieving a lot together."

You may remember the controversial moment when Stephen opened a car door and slapped Irene during that season. Apparently there's still a lot of lingering anger. At the awards, Stephen and Seattle's Nathan got into it as Nathan accused Stephen of lying about having made up with Irene while accepting the award on stage.

Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

Real World: Seattle's Stephen Finally Comes OUT At Real World Awards Bash... & Fights Again [guytv blog]

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Former Baywatch Lifeguard Jaason Simmons: I'm Gay

Former Baywatch actor and Playgirl cover model Jaason Simmons (bottom row, center) has come out of the closet in Australia's New Idea magazine.

SameSame reports: "The Tasmanian-born actor, who played Australian lifeguard Logan Fowler on Baywatch for three years in the mid 1990s, has ended years of speculation in the hope of raising awareness of African adoption. Simmons has appeared in Australian New Idea magazine with his boyfriend of eight months, Irish actor John O’Callaghan, and his adopted six year-old Ugandon son saying that they want to get married. The couple plan to wed in Canada as same-sex unions are not legally recognized in California where they both live."

Said Simmons: "We’re doing it for our family and for my soon-to-be son. Although you don’t want to typecast yourself, you have to take responsibility and ownership and move humanity forward, out of bigotry. Our son needs to see we can stand in front of family and loved ones who are going to support our union through the good times and bad."

Good for him. Setting a better example for marriage than Pamela Anderson shouldn't be difficult.

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Connecticut State Rep Jason Bartlett: I'm Gay

Jason Bartlett, a Connecticut Democrat who represents consitutents in Bethel, Redding and Danbury, came out of the closet today in an interview with the News-Times.

Said Bartlett: "For me the decision came down to why not now. To me this is about having a conversation with my larger family - the people of Greater Danbury who voted for me. I've always considered my life private. But at the same time we are also living in a digital age and I'm in the public eye. People are always interested in you and your family."

The paper adds: "The lawmaker added that while he's always tried to keep his personal life private, there have been rumors from time to time about his sexual orientation on web sites and innuendoes during prior political campaigns. Bartlett, a self-employed businessman who grew up in Redding, was first elected into office two years ago."

The Victory Fund notes that Bartlett's declaration now makes him the nation's first and only openly gay African American state legislator.

Bartlett announces publicly he's gay [news-times]

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Survivor: Krazy Kathy Meets Her First Homosexual

So, last night was the premiere of yet another season of Survivor, this time in Micronesia. They've brought back a selection of favorite contestants from the past (including hotties James and Ozzy) who are set up to compete against a group of Survivor fans. One of those fans is a woman I'm calling Krazy Kathy.

In the first ten minutes of the show, she meets both her first gay person and her first set of breast implants.

Kathy: "So, like, okay, you're a homosexual. I don't even know the right word to use. Is gay okay? It doesn't mean, you wanna be a girl? (Aside) Well, I knew Chet was a homosexual — you know, you can just tell he is. I don't have a problem with it, but I've never been friends with a homosexual. I think I worked with somebody in the 1980's, bartending, that was gay, but that's been about it. (To Chet) You can be my first gay man friend. Because I've never had a gay man friend."

Here's the clip — sorry for the poor quality.

Previously
Ozzy from Survivor: Cook Islands has a porn (straight porn, that is...) past. [tr]
Survivor: China Shows Off its Skin [tr]

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Faker Lead Singer Nathan Hudson No Longer a Faker: I'm Gay

Unlike Silverchair's Daniel Johns, Nathan Hudson (center), lead singer of the Australian alt pop band Faker, did tell the world he's gay over the weekend.

Said Hudson: "My association with being gay was that it was bad and dark and not good for you. I had trouble finding people to look up to. I’m happy to talk about being gay for that kid in the suburbs who’s 15 and scared."

Congrats to Hudson on coming out into the light.

Here's Faker's video for their single "This Heart Attack".

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John Barrowman Tells His Coming Out Story

In an excerpt from his forthcoming memoirs, Torchwood star John Barrowman says that he came out to his parents in 1992 because he was afraid he had been infected with HIV and needed to get tested.

Said Barrowman: "I realised for sure I was gay when I was 13. Although I'd really known in my gut since the age of nine, when I'd seen my first girl magazine and been more interested in the male bits than the female bobs. When the time came to tell people, I flew home to see my family. It was 1992 and I was playing Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera in London. I was ill and had a low grade fever and stomach cramps. I'd been sexually active and I feared the worst. My parents and I sat at the table and I said: 'I'm gay and I need an HIV test.' That night we went out to dinner and they both admitted that my news hadn't been a revelation. The next day, I had an HIV test. While I waited for the news, I travelled to Milwaukee to visit Carole and her husband Kevin. I explained I was home because I was sick. I told them I was having some tests. I also phoned my brother, and his response was: 'It doesn't change anything.' Ultimately, the test came back negative. I did, however, have a gastric infection and a chest infection. I called Carole and told her what the test had really been for and she just said: 'Ho hum, and what else is new?' It seemed my family knew I was gay - so much for my bombshell news."

John Barrowman: My Story [daily record]

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DeGrassi: The Next Generation's Adamo Ruggiero: I'm Gay

Adamo Ruggiero, who plays gay teen Marco Del Rossi in Degrassi: The Next Generation (which broadcasts in the U.S. on The N network), came out publicly in an interview with Canada's CTV web show eTalk.

Said Ruggiero: "I think with what I've done on the show for the last six years, and you know, my place in the show I feel like is coming to an end and there is sort of a conclusion with Marco and I thought it was the perfect time to now speak up. The thing with DeGrassi is it's not just like the role that we're kind of playing, it's not just like this 'we're on TV and celebrity' thing but it really is — we've kind of become these role models and spokespeople for these issues and I thought, you know, I was learning and I learned and what better way to kind of share my knowledge than right now."

Ruggiero said it was difficult at times because his personal life mirrored his character's self-discovery on the show: "I was growing up at the exact same time that my character was growing up. He was questioning things that I was questioning and I was just a kid and I'm completely petrified and you don't really understand or know where you fit in or who you are, and my character's asking these exact same questions, but he moved along a little faster than I did - for TV time's sake. I think it really scared me. I think I suddenly had this kind of third life. There was the composed life and the TV life, and then there was my personal life in a way. So it was a little overwhelming in the sense that everything that I was feeling and all the questions I was having was kind of being broadcast to the world and it kind of in a way made me revert even more back almost because I didn't know how to confront it myself. Or the reaction...It's just time to talk."

Check out Adamo's entire interview here.

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ValleyWag Opens Up About PayPal Co-Founder Peter Thiel: He's Gay

Silicon Valley gossip blog Valleywag wants to put the notion that Venture Capital is scarce of gay people to rest, letting the world know that PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel is gay. They say that his sexuality is part and parcel of his success:

"His disdain for convention, his quest to overturn established rules. Like the immigrant Jews who created Hollywood a century ago, a gay investor has no way to fit into the old establishment. That frees him or her to build a different, hopefully better system for identifying and rewarding talented individuals, and unleashing their work on the world."

Valleywag also discusses a widespread unspoken homophobia in Silicon Valley venture capital: "The clubby ranks of VCs are mostly straight, white and male. They instinctively prefer entrepreneurs who remind them of themselves...VCs fund so few of the companies they talk to that it's hard to prove a case of discrimination; there are a hundred reasons why they might pass on any given startup. But gay and lesbian entrepreneurs I've spoken to agree it's real. PlanetOut, the gay and lesbian portal, had to buy out Sequoia Capital, which had come to regret its investment in the company, before it found braver VCs and eventually went public. And really: How many out gay VCs do you know?"

Valleywag feels the coverage on Thiel has been unfair: "There's been a crush of coverage on his $220 million Founders Fund, which may well change the way entrepreneurs get paid in the Valley. We know about his mansion (he rents it -- clever!), his butler, his early-morning jogs." So they say "what no one ever says out loud." Whether he likes it or not.

Peter Thiel is totally gay, people [valleywag]

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Harry Connick Jr.: I'm Probably Gay and Don't Know It

Harry Connick Jr. jokes that he's probably gay because he's a virtual chick magnet:

"I have so many women in my life, I wouldn't know what to do with a guy. In fact I'm probably gay and I don't even know it! My life is chick power. My manager is a woman, who has been with me since I'm 18, and my wife is a strong and intelligent woman. I have three daughters. My dogs are all females. Even my sister Suzanna... she just got a double medical degree; she's now a psychiatrist and an internal medicine doctor and she speaks about 10 languages. She's so impressive. I'm surrounded by strong, intelligent women."

Well then, silly Harry, of course you're not gay.

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Australian Actor Tim Campbell: I'm Gay

Australian actor Tim Campbell, who formerly starred in the long-running soap opera Home and Away, has come out of the closet following reports that he is dating newly-single Australian Idol contestant Anthony Callea. The two have been spotted together around Melbourne. Campbell denies he and Callea are involved.

Said Campbell to The Advertiser: "(Anthony and I) are mates - he's had his rough trot, I'm going through a rough trot and I'm really concerned for my (ex) partner. Part of me will probably always love him because 11 years is a lot to share with each other."

Callea and Campbell performed together in the musical Rent.

Campbell told The Advertiser he doesn't want the announcement to affect his career: "There's nothing in the way of being ashamed about this (but) the label thing worries me a bit because I don't want my work to be affected. If every time I'm written about now it's as 'the gay actor' it would bore the hell out of me. Coming out at 20 changed me a bit, but at 32, I'm pretty comfortable with who I am and what I'm doing."

Actor Tim Campbell opens up about his sexuality [the advertiser]
Crooner Anthony Callea speaks about being single [herald sun]
(via defamer)

Recently
Will Young and Anthony Callea's New Singles: Themselves [tr]

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Jodie Foster Thanks Her "Beautiful Cydney" in Award Speech

At the 16th annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast, which I mentioned earlier today referencing Travolta's quippy one-liner, Jodie Foster received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, and in her acceptance speech thanked "my beautiful Cydney who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss."

While leadership certainly hasn't been her forte in this area, we'll accept it as her coming out.

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News: Missy Higgins, Global Warming, Tom Cruise, Eric Winter

New report from IPCC a terrifying forecast of the years to come: "Drawn up by more than 2,500 of the world's top scientists and their governments, and agreed last week by representatives of all its national governments, the report also predicts that nearly a third of the world's species could be driven to extinction as the world warms up, and that harvests will be cut dramatically across the world."

Tom Cruise's sexy beast makeover.

Australian singer Missy Higgins comes out of the closet: "I think sexuality is a fluid thing and it's becoming increasingly more acceptable to admit that you're that way.''

Four people stabbed at Greenville, South Carolina bar where Sean William Kennedy was fatally beaten in a hate crime assault last May.

Australian attorney general urges supporters of man thought by many to be wrongfully convicted for gay man's murder to make a petition for mercy to the Governor of Victoria. The convicted man, Jamie Koeleman, has served 19 years in prison for the stabbing murder, which many claim was improperly investigated.

Woman and accomplice in drag sought in New York real estate open house burglaries: "According to the police, the pair conducted a two-hour crime spree on Oct. 28 during three open houses, beginning at noon at 14 East 96th Street, where a Tiffany clock and designer handbags were stolen. An hour later, a dress, earrings, a bottle of Champagne and diamond jewelry were stolen at 4 East 82nd Street from an apartment listed at $2.195 million. The third theft occurred about 2 p.m. at 188 East 78th Street, where a fur coat, a wallet and a Coach shoulder bag were taken, according to the police. On Sunday, the police said, the same couple turned to the Upper West Side, at a duplex at 2373 Broadway that is on the market for $1.9 million."

A photo wrap-up of the American Music Awards.

Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken discuss their musical collaboration on live/action animation hybrid musical Enchanted.

Arrests made in gay bashing of Top Chef contestant Josie Smith-Malave after victim's lawyer publicly criticizes police for not taking the attack seriously: "Melissa Trimarchi, 21, was arrested Saturday night on a misdemeanor assault charge, police said. She was released on an appearance ticket until a Nov. 30 court date. No working telephone number could be found for Trimarchi at the Sea Cliff address police gave, and they didn't know whether she had an attorney. Police also said Saturday that Elizabeth Borroughs, 20, had been arrested Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge of aggravated harassment. She also was released on an appearance ticket and is due in court Friday."

Eric Winter to return to Brothers and Sisters.

Adrien Brody, others, take fantasy trip under the knife.

Family and friends of U.S. soldier Ciara Durkin, who was slain in Afghanistan under mysterious circumstances, still don't know why she was killed, but they don't think it was because of her sexuality: "Those close to her do not believe that Durkin was targeted because of her sexual orientation. Durkin had talked with her friends, before she enlisted, about the Army's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, which allows gays and lesbians to serve as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation or act upon it. She was, they recall, not particularly concerned about being found out. Durkin apparently did not reveal that she was a lesbian while in the service and, according to one soldier who knew her, her unit members were as shocked by her death as the discovery that she was a lesbian."

Hundreds gather to watch 15 same-sex couples hold mass commitment ceremony in Adelaide, Australia.

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Democrats Called "Shameful" in Handling of Jim Neal's NC Candidacy

The Democratic Party establishment's behavior is being called called "shameful" in the handling of North Carolina Senate candidate Jim Neal's recent disclosure that he is gay.

The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Independent Weekly reports: "'Shameful' is how Pam Spaulding, a Durham activist, puts it. Spaulding's blog, Pam's House Blend, is one of the most read gay-advocacy Web sites in the country. 'The complete lack of institutional respect for Jim Neal's candidacy based on his orientation,' she says, 'shows the two-faced nature of the Democratic party.' They want gay votes, she says. But they don't want gay candidates. Spaulding points specifically to the national Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and its chair, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, who for unknown reasons wouldn't return Neal's phone calls. 'The cause,' Neal said, 'is that I'm not Washington's choice. I'm not Chuck Schumer's choice.'"

Jim Neal's Senate bid stirs Dems [independent weekly]
Jim Neal coverage [ pam's house blend]

Recently
Jim Neal, Challenger to Elizabeth Dole in NC, Says He is Gay [tr]

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Daniel Radcliffe: Dumbledore "Camping it Up" on Harry Potter Set

Daniel Radcliffe talked to British TV host Michael Parkinson on his talk show Parkinson over the weekend about his film My Boy Jack. Towards the end of the conversation, Parkinson brought up J.K. Rowling's recent revelation that wizard Dumbledore is gay, and asked how it has affected the recently-begun shooting of the sixth installment of the Potter series. Here's what Radcliffe had to say:

Parkinson: And the revelation of course, that old Dumbledore is gay!

Radcliffe: Yeah, I know! That was hilarious!

Parkinson: I know. Does it make a difference on the set?

Radcliffe: [Michael Gambon has] been camping it up around the set like nobody's business. Not in the film. Although we actually did film a scene the other day, and I'd like to emphasize this point that the script was written before this revelation - I don't think [screenwriter] Steve Kloves had any prior knowledge. But there was a scene the other day where Michael had to come in and say to another character and tell him how much he loved knitting patterns..he just adored saying that.

Clips below:

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Noah's Arc Star Darryl Stephens Comes Out Quietly

Honored as one of "The Serialists" in this year's OUT 100, Noah's Arc star Darryl Stephens is still apparently not talking about his sexuality, but as OUT reports, in this case actions speak louder than words:

"And, in a year of revolving closet doors for TV actors, we can also offer one long-anticipated quiet confirmation: Noah's Arc star Darryl Stephens, who has declined to discuss his sexuality while playing a series of nuanced gay roles. He doesn't exactly talk about it, but he proudly joins the other queer honorees in our pages."

And he also gets gorgeous portrait treatment from photographer Francois Rousseau.

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O'Reilly Bothered That Dumbledore Outing Teaches Tolerance

Bill O'Reilly spoke with Dennis Miller last night about the J.K. Rowling outing of Albus Dumbledore, the day after he labeled her a "provocateur" and criticized her for "indoctrinating" children, Think Progress reports:

O’REILLY: Here’s — you can talk about this on your radio show tomorrow. There are millions of Americans who feel that the media and the educational system is trying to indoctrinate their children to a certain way of life, and that includes parity for homosexuals with heterosexuals. And that’s what this Rowling thing is all about, because she sells so many books. So many kids read it, that she comes out and says, “Oh, Dumbledore is gay, and that’s great.” And this — it’s another in the indoctrination thing. That’s what the belief system is among some Americans.

MILLER: I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think you can indoctrinate a kid into being gay. You might indoctrinate him into trying it once and him going, “I guess I’m not gay.”

O’REILLY: No, but tolerance. It’s — you know, he’s not going to be gay, but it’s tolerance of it.

Media Matters has the full transcript. Video clip: Media Matters via Good as You.

Mark Harris, writing in Entertainment Weekly, talks about the importance of Rowling's announcement, and directs sharp criticism at those who say it's wrong to have unveiled the news in front of children: "In addition to the braying of hatemongers, there's already been some umbrage taken at the appropriateness of Rowling's decision to uncork this news in front of children, a brand of sanctimony for which I have no patience. At least one out of 25 of those children will eventually self-identify as homosexual. The other 24, having made their way through an epic series that includes multiple murders, demonic possession, and the psychic toll of having mentally ill parents, will, I imagine, be able to handle the bulletin that some people are gay, and will likely benefit from the richer understanding of the world that such knowledge provides."

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Former Big Ten Basketball Player Zach Puchtel Discusses Sexuality

Former Minnesota Gophers basketball player Zach Puchtel (above, center) interrupted a fashion show last May and told an audience of 3,000 people that he was gay. A fairly big announcement which seems to have led to a much more complex analysis from the athlete himself. Yesterday, in an interview with the GopherHole website he says he's neither gay nor straight.

The GopherHole asks how his former girlfriend reacted to the news:

GH: How did she react when you told her? Was she surprised?
ZP: I had shared some feelings with her, but yeah, she was shocked. She was very understanding. For the record, I’m not gay, I am who I am.

GH: Does that mean that you are interested in dating men or women?
ZP: Women.

GH: I'm a little confused, how is that coming out if you still want to date women?
ZP: I had to find out exactly where I stood with my own sexuality, and so I did.

GH: So...you experimented and realized you did want to be with women?
ZP: I’m at a point that if I met someone and loved them, I wouldn't let their gender get in the way, and I don’t think anyone should.

...

GH: What sort of backlash have you experienced, if any?
ZP: Not much, most people have thanked me for speaking out once again. It feels as though I’m helping people by being myself, and I’ll do that anytime I can.

GH: What do you want people to learn from your coming out?
ZP: I guess the take home message would be that being yourself is ok, regardless of stereotypes and other people's opinions. I believe it was Socrates who said, "Know thyself."

Confused, or simply evolved and fluid with his sexuality? Whatever the case, I appreciate his message. Puchtel, who graduated last spring, hopes to go into the NFL.

He also has a blog, called The Search. In a recent entry, he writes: "I want to play football in the NFL. I believe that I was put on this earth to play football. This is my next goal, and I don't see anything that can stop me. Narcissism and ego aside, the one problem that may arise is the issue of being gay. I am not gay. I am not straight. I am who I am. I am sexually attracted to men and women, and I enjoy being with women in intimate relationships. I think human beings are beautiful, and I try not to differentiate due to sex, race or any other minute detail. We are all humans, we are more than 99.9% similar in every way, and we all share this life together."

Former Golden Gopher comes out [outsports]
“Go Big or Go Home” Zach Puchtel’s Philosophy on Life, Sports, and Coming Out [gopherhole]
The Search [blog]

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Jim Neal, Challenger to Elizabeth Dole in NC, Says He is Gay

In an online question and answer session over the weekend, Jim Neal, the Democratic challenger for Elizabeth Dole's Senate seat, acknowledged that he is gay.

In response to a one participant's statement, "I've heard you are gay," Neal answered, "I am indeed. No secret and no big deal to me-- I wouldn't be running if I didn't think otherwise."

When asked the follow-up question, "Do you really think a gay man can be elected in North Carolina?" Neal replied:

"I'm not running this race to lose. I'm not running to make some social statement. I'm running to lead in the Senate for the voters in NC-- something Senator Dole has not done. When people meet me, they'll see beyond the labels and into my character."

That line of questioning led into an inquiry about his position on gay marriage. Said Neal: "It's okay if churches want to unite same-sex couples; it's okay if they don't. That's their Constitutional right which I support 100%. But when it comes to the Government, I'm not in favor of any laws that discriminate against anyone for any reason."

In response to one participant's warning that the right wing would be after him, Neal replied, "I'm a big boy. I can take it and I can dish it."

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J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore is a Gay Wizard Daddy

You've probably heard by now that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling outed her character Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore during a question-and-answer session at Carnegie Hall Friday night in response to a question from a 19-year-old fan. He asked, "Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?"