Kelly Clarkson's #1 Fan in a Towel Does Not Hook Up

This is Kelly Clarkson's new single - and its first official YouTube bathroom video.

Watch it (likely not appropriate for work), AFTER THE JUMP...

Related...
Move Over Shane Mercado [tr]

News: Ab Fab, John Lewis, Vermont, Stone-Throwing Chimp, Vampire

Openly gay singer Matt Alber to perform at gala dinner honoring Kevin Spacey.

Filming starts on U.S. remake of Ab Fab.

Congressman John Lewis on anti-gay discrimination: "It is unfortunate that a segment of our society fails to see that we all should be treated like human beings, that we all are citizens of the United States of America. I’ve taken the position and I’ve long held this position that I fought too long and too hard against discrimination base on race and color not to stand up and speak out against discrimination based on sexual orientation."

Sneak vote moves anti-gay adoption bill forward in Kentucky.

Great ad on parenting.

Philadelphia beauty school teacher wants fellow teacher fired for calling him a "faggot."

Vermont Psychological Association, the Vermont Psychiatric Association, the Vermont Association of Mental Health Counselors, and the Vermont chapter of the National Association of Social Workers show support for marriage equality, saying same-sex marriage helps children: "The group says allowing gay couples to marry validates their relationships, could reduce discrimination and increases benefits for the families."

Madonna and Jesus Luz dress up for Purim.

Rugby's Nick Youngquest on quest to be next gay sports undie icon.

"Vampire" discovered in mass grave in Venice, Italy.

Deported Ugandan gay asylum seeker back in the UK following judge's order to Home Office.

Pride & Joy: Well-known gay shop in Northampton, Massachusetts changes hands, will remain open.

SURVEY: NYU study explores link between pornography, drug and alcohol use, and the sexual practices of men who have sex with men.

Stone-throwing chimp proves that animals plan for future events: "Crucial to the current study is the fact that Santino, a chimpanzee at the zoo in the city north of Stockholm, collected the stones in a calm state, prior to the zoo opening in the morning. The launching of the stones occurred hours later - during dominance displays to zoo visitors - with Santino in an 'agitated' state. This suggests that Santino was anticipating a future mental state - an ability that has been difficult to definitively prove in animals, according to Mathias Osvath, a cognitive scientist from Lund University in Sweden and author of the new research."

Kelly Clarkson is hitting all the morning shows so your life won't suck without her.

Conflict erupts between gay activists and orchestra and security staff at the Greek National Opera over request to cut male kiss from production of the opera Rusalka.

Trial begins for woman who plowed into crowd last August following fight at gay bar, killing one: "In addition to second-degree murder, Arena is charged with two counts each of first- and third-degree assault."

Earth entering climate change danger zone faster than anticipated?

Gay camp branches out in Canada.

Music News: A Track-By-Track Review Of Pet Shop Boys 'Yes'

ROBBIE DAW 

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad. Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

In spring 1986, I was into my third year of writing, penciling and inking my own comic books. They were overly dramatic affairs about box-shaped robots (not unlike mini Toyota Scions!) in outer space shooting lasers at each other and falling in love. Often, I'd "borrow" characters from the DC universe, too, for a bit more zing. When each issue was done, I'd staple it together and pass it off to the readers: My parents. I was 12 years old.

In that time period, I'd listen to the radio while scribbling away with Crayola magic markers. And along came favorite hit song that spring—"West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys. It sounded so urban. Like New York City. Not Western Pennsylvania, where I grew up.

With the Pet Shop Boys, I've been there since the beginning. I've still got my 45s for "West End Girls" and "Opportunities," bought with saved-up allowance money, proudly on display in my CD cabinet. Please, Actually, Introspective, Behavio(u)r and Very all soundtracked my teenage years, at once both saving me from, and sometimes propelling me into, suburban depression.

Discography was the CD straight guys, queer boys and their gal sidekicks somehow all met eye-to-eye on in college. But I wasn't a blind follower. Bilingual had its merits, but was too lopsided. The Boys seemed to run out of steam with the grim Nightlife, and I was ready to give up after Release.

Maybe it was just me. Was I ready to abandon my childhood pals? Luckily Fundamental boasted a fair amount of saving grace, and was accompanied by a kick-ass world tour in 2006 (captured on the Cubism DVD).

And so that brings us to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe's tenth studio album, Yes. It's fittingly symbolic that EMI, the label that released the duo's first five LPs in the U.S., is distributing the album here (via the Astralwerks imprint). Because to this Pethead's ears, the pair have managed to capture their old sonic and lyrical brand of pop lightning in a bottle once more, and have me wanting to bust out the Crayola markers for the first time since Very.

Yes will be released March 23 in Europe and April 21 here in the States. The set's 11 tracks are produced by British hitmaking team Xenomania, who've worked with Cher, Girls Aloud, Saint Etienne, Sugababes and Dannii Minogue.

Read what to expect, track-by-track (with audio clips) and a list of today's new releases,
AFTER THE JUMP!

News: White Knots, Eclipse, Yves St. Laurent, Arkansas, James Franco

NYT Op-Ed: A compromise on same-sex marriage? "It would work like this: Congress would bestow the status of federal civil unions on same-sex marriages and civil unions granted at the state level, thereby conferring upon them most or all of the federal benefits and rights of marriage. But there would be a condition: Washington would recognize only those unions licensed in states with robust religious-conscience exceptions, which provide that religious organizations need not recognize same-sex unions against their will. The federal government would also enact religious-conscience protections of its own. All of these changes would be enacted in the same bill." Pam: Flawed...

Matthew McConaughey shows the Brazilians how to flex.

James Franco wins Independent Spirit Award for Milk.

Jaguars: First Mexico, now Arizona...

Who wore a White Knot last night at the Oscars?

Yves Saint Laurent art auction expected to bring in $250 million: "A large portion of the proceeds is to go to a foundation to support AIDS research." His longtime partner Pierre Berge talked about the collection last December: "I’m very happy to have made with Yves one of the greatest collections of the century. In a few years, I will be very pleased to see at an exhibition the label ‘Provenance Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.’ In time people will tell one another, ‘You really should know about these two guys, who lived in the 20th century in Paris.’ I don’t believe in God. I only believe in human beings, in memory. That’s all. The memory will persist."

Norwegian iTunes leaks Kelly Clarkson album to the internet one month early.

Possible self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci discovered in southern Italy: "The damaged oil-on-panel portrait was discovered by Nicola Barbatelli, a medieval historian, while he was researching the archive and picture collection of an aristocratic family at Acerenza (population 3,000), an ancient village perched on a rock above the river Bradano near Potenza in the southern Italian region of Basilicata. The family has asked to remain anonymous."

Michael Jackson planning "biggest comeback in history": "In one of the most lucrative music deals ever, the cash-strapped singer is reportedly on the verge of securing £1.5million-a-night to perform. Sources close to the negotiations have dismissed rumours of recent ill health and say a deal is weeks from being announced. The residency at the 20,000-seat arena will eclipse the longest run of 21 shows at the arena by U.S. singer Prince in 2007. Jackson is said to favour London over a U.S. venue because he still enjoys huge popularity across Europe."

Dallas Voice interviews U.S. Congressman Jared Polis.

Madonna pulls a Benjamin Buttons before heading to the Vanity Fair party.

Medical examiner details injuries of Ryan Keith Skipper, says slain man tried to fight back: "Deep cuts and slashes covered his back, neck and shoulders. He also had small bruises on the back of his head from falling or from someone hitting him, Volnikh said. It was the cut to the throat that killed the 5-foot, 10-inch man, Volnikh testified. The cut was 3.5 inches deep. A blade tore through his skin, tissue, muscles and, more fatally, an artery. Skipper quickly bled to death."

Japanese probe photographs penumbral lunar eclipse as it orbits the moon.

Relatives remember Harvey Milk: "The first time I ever met Harvey was at our wedding. He flew in from California to be our best man. He was already in the Navy, a deep-sea diver. I thought he was very stunning when I saw him. He came in his Navy uniform and seemed to be charming, very charming."

Arkansas Presbyterians approve gay ordination: "Arkansas Presbyterians voted overwhelmingly Saturday for a constitutional amendment to allow noncelibate homosexuals to serve as deacons, elders and ministers in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The lopsided 116-64 vote surprised leaders of the Presbytery of Arkansas, a collection of nearly 100 congregations spread across central and northern Arkansas.  'It tells me that there’s no predicting the Holy Spirit,' said Interim General Presbyter Sallie Watson, shortly after the vote. The presbytery, which has roughly 15,300 members, had narrowly rejected a similar proposal in 2001."

France not ready for a gay president.

Kelly Clarkson: I'm Not Gay

In a new interview with Popeater, Kelly Clarkson is asked about her former tourmate Clay Aiken and whether or not she's gay.

Says Clarkson: "I get that all the time. People are like, 'Are you secretly a lesbian? Because I’d really love it.' Lesbians tell it to me all the time. I’m like, 'I’m glad it works for you and I wish I liked women like that because oftentimes men are very hard for me, but I happen to like boys.' I could never be a lesbian. I would never want to date [someone like] myself, ever. I’m a crazy person. I need some kind of stable, quiet man. I don’t really care if you’re black, white, yellow, gay, straight, crazy, whatever. As long as you’re cool and you like the music, and you’re coming out to have a good time at the shows, I don’t really care. I have everything I just said in my family, so I’m just used to being surrounded by that. I just don’t know any different."

On Aiken's coming out, she says: "I was actually on vacation when I found out. He called and he just said, 'You’ll probably get a lot of calls about this, but I just wanted to give you a heads up.' I honestly don’t care if he is gay or isn’t gay, and I don’t care if he tells people or doesn’t tell people. I’m not friends with him for either of those reasons. If I’m a fan of an artist, I don’t really care if you’re gay or not gay, as long as you’re making cool music."

Watch her recent video for "My Life Would Suck Without You" AFTER THE JUMP...

Kelly Clarkson Gets What She Wants [popeater]

Music News: Coachella, Pet Shop Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Franz Ferdinand

ROBBIE DAW

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad. Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Billboard reports today that Paul McCartney, the Killers and the Cure will headline this April's 10th Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California. The trio of acts will join confirmed are My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, Morrissey, Leonard Cohen and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Said McCartney in a statement: "I have heard that Coachella is one of the greatest festivals in the world. I'm really excited to get out there and rock!"

The event takes place over the weekend of April 17 through April 19, with McCartney headling Friday night, the Killers Saturday and the Cure on Sunday. Tickets are on sale this morning via Ticketmaster.

The full lineup for this year's Coachella festival can be viewed AFTER THE JUMP...

Madonna's not quite ready to hang up her Sticky & Sweet tour just yet.

The Pet Shop Boys have unveiled the cover of their upcoming March album, Yes. Says the duo's official site: "The artwork for the new Pet Shop Boys' album, Yes, has been designed by long-standing PSB collaborators, Farrow. Eleven squares of colour—one square for each track—form an affirmative tick on the front cover."

Lady GaGa's next single "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" to be remixed by Pet Shop Boys and Frankmusik.

French act M83, currently opening for the Killers on tour, will perform a co-headlinging concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Saturday, March 7, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Julian Kuerti, Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducts.

This week Island released Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad—The Remixes. This is not to be confused with last year's Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, essentially a re-release of 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad with three extra songs tacked on. Don't good leftovers eventually go bad, as well?

David Archuleta is taking his show on the road.

The worst groups recognized by the NME Shockwave Awards 2009: "It's the battle of the shittest in the Worst Band category as the Jonas Brothers take on Tokio Hotel (eugh), Scouting For Girls (eek), Fall Out Boy (bleurgh) - and Oasis."

Robbie Williams doing one more major label album, working with Mark Ronson.

Below is the video for Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You," which made a record jump from #97 to #1 on this week's Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, subsequently ending the three-week reign of Lady GaGa's "Just Dance."

THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

Franz Ferdinand's third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, which finds the band moving in a more dance-oriented direction with producer Dan Carey (Kylie Minogue, Hot Chip, CSS).

Bruce Springsteen's 16th studio set, Working On A Dream. Bruce will perform at this Sunday's Super Bowl XLIII halftime show, as well as the upcoming Academy Awards.

Boombox, a collection of Kylie Minogue remixes from the past nine years' worth of singles.

Whisper House, Duncan Sheik's sixth studio album and first since winning a Tony for Broadway's Spring Awakening.

The Bird And The Bee's Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, featuring vocals by Inara George and production by Greg Kurstin (Kylie, Lily Allen).

Coachella line-up, AFTER THE JUMP...