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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News: Al Franken, Basketball, Ralph Lauren, Big Macs, Maryland

Bush renews hunt to capture Bin Laden before November election.

Matt Damon: Sarah Palin pick is "like a really bad Disney movie."

Man claims to have eaten 23,000 Big Macs since 1972 — VIDEO.

Payoff: Alaska National Guard to Lieutenant General Craig Campbell receives promotion from Palin after going from critical to complimentary of her experience as governor. The Next Cheney?

Episcopal bishops of San Francisco and Los Angeles to oppose ban on same-sex marriage: "The Right Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, Episcopal bishop of California, and the Right Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Episcopal bishop of Los Angeles, are scheduled to join other faith leaders and gay couples Wednesday in speaking out against Proposition 8. The measure, which would amend the state constitution to limit marriage to unions between a man and woman, is also being opposed by individual churches and clergy through a group called California Faith for Equality. Their work is designed to counter the huge organizational and financial push the amendment is receiving from leaders of the Roman Catholic and Mormon faiths."

Drag queen dies during performance: "Chip Doran (a.k.a. Ilene Alloverya) was 55 years old - a retiree and former Dallasite who relocated to Austin and drove to Dallas for the Labor Day weekend fundraiser."

Ralph Lauren has put his name on a set of limited-edition balls: "Sales of the balls benefit the LeBron James Family Foundation (which, among other initiatives, supports fitness programs for kids). But unless your name is, say, Jay-Z, Andy Roddick, or Charlie Rose, you're not going to be able to buy it—the balls were produced for an invite-only shopping event at the Polo Mansion tonight."

South Africa sees first gay divorce.

Elbow wins Mercury Music Prize: "The five-piece group took the £20,000 award with their fourth album, The Seldom Seen Kid. The judges called it 'an epic rock record - triumphant, heartbreaking, unerringly melodic and life-affirming'. This year's 12-strong shortlist was dominated by glamorous young females, including R&B star Estelle and 19-year-old singer-songwriter Adele, and established acts such as Radiohead and Robert Plant."

Kylie Minogue says she'd have gone gay for Tallulah Bankhead.

Al Franken wins Democratic primary in Minnesota race for U.S. Senate.

Marijuana shows promise in fighting superbugs: "...researchers tested five major marijuana ingredients termed cannabinoids on different strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a "superbug" increasingly resistant to antibiotics. All five substances showed potent germ-killing activity against these drug-resistant strains, as did some synthetic non-natural cannabinoids, they say. The scientists also showed that these substances appear to kill bacteria by different mechanisms than conventional antibiotics, making them more likely to avoid bacterial resistance, the scientists note."

Chris Evans is the pits.

Maryland Court of Appeals strikes gender identity ballot referendum that would have repealed law forbidding discrimination.

Elton John scraps Lily Allen collaboration after onstage tiff: "The pair, who hosted the awards together, exchanged insults and slurs, culminating in Elton telling Lily he could 'snort her under the table'. Elton now says the spat has put him off collaborating with the 'Smile' singer. 'I was thinking about asking her to tour with me and maybe even do a duet. Obviously that won't be happening,' he told the Metro."

Choir in Fiji distraught at having to perform at a wedding demonstration where a female stood in for the groom, thus making it look like it was a gay wedding.

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News: John Amaechi, Clinton, Iowans, Kenny Chesney, India

Former pro basketball player John Amaechi is blogging from Beijing!

BrightSide: Restaurant/bar funded by Heath Ledger before his death to open in Brooklyn.

Murdered trans woman Angie Zapata mourned in Colorado.

The Atlantic publishes a whole bunch of Hillary Clinton's campaign memos. Here's some of the reaction...

Will Britney Spears attempt it again at the VMAs?

Will John Edwards come around now on gay marriage? "Asked about his position on same-sex marriage a year ago, John Edwards said that he 'personally [does] not' support gay marriage, citing his religious beliefs as basis for his opposition. Even without the hindsight we have recently acquired about Edwards' own marriage, this was the response of a bigot. We now know that as with most bigots, Edwards is a hypocrite. As he was spewing inane statements about being "on a journey" on the issue of gay marriage, he surely had to remember the journey that lead him just months earlier to break his civil obligations and spiritual vows in his union with his wife Elizabeth."

The Sioux City Journal profiles Chuck Swaggerty and Jason Morgan, a gay couple who are not only parents but plaintiffs in the same-sex marriage case making it through the state's court system: "Here we are, 10 years together, two kids together and yet somebody can be married for a month and they can have insurance at their jobs and we can't. But it's really more than that. ... Marriage, it is really more about love and family."

Provincetown business owners take sides over "family week": "Family Week, which just ended here, is causing a turf war between different local businesses: those who benefit from having several hundred children and their parents pushing strollers through town and those who most definitely do not."

The extent to which, unfortunately, some people, even law enforcement, associate gays with child molesters was illustrated in this incident which happened at a Fire Island resort town over the weekend (not one of the gay resort towns).

Wild Kingdom: Polar Bear remains found in shark's stomach: "...they are unable to say whether the shark attacked and ate the bear or whether it simply scavenged a bear's carcase."

Kenny Chesney is an athletic supporter: "Payton volunteered a story he heard about Chesney helping Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie undress for a shower last January while the two were in Birmingham, Ala., to rehabilitate from surgery."

Kylie Minogue is "The One".

Lady Gaga is always on.

With the recent boost from health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, challengers to India's law criminalizing homosexuality are hopeful the antiquated law can be done away with: "The Delhi High Court is set to address a petition filed in the court by the NAZ Foundation, a Delhi-based non-government organization for HIV and AIDS prevention. The group is challenging arrests under 377."

Shia LaBeouf may not lose his finger after all.

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News: Howard Dean, iPhone, Lance Armstrong, Reggae, Ryan Gosling

Russian gay activists to picket Iranian Embassy in Moscow. Nikolai Alexeyev: "We need to continuously remind the state authorities that the death penalty must be abolished."

Line forms a week early for 3G iPhone...

Ryan Gosling makes an excellent case for the white T-shirt.

Larry Craig's bathroom stall to return to spotlight: "Thousands of members of the international media will have to walk past it when they land at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul at the end of the summer. Many will feel obligated to stop and file a story. For the party that bills itself as stronger on family values than the Democrats, it likely will prove an unwelcome distraction."

UK Study: employees who are "out" at work perform better.

Half Blood Prince: First look at new Harry Potter film.

Lance Armstrong gets a beard.

Signorile on Arthur Finkelstein, the gay Republican behind Jesse Helms: "Conservative, then-closeted, Republican political operative Arthur Finkelstein helped engineer Helms' racist campaign against African-American Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt in 1990, as Helms was vilifying gay sexuality, blocking AIDS funding, stalling prevention and attacking queer artists. (See the ad below that was aired at the height of the campaign and which resulted in Gantt going from a a lead in the polls to defeat on Election Day). Had Jesse Helms not had the handiwork of Finkelstein, who worked for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and various right-wing senators, he might have lost that race. Instead, we had another decade of his antigay grip on the Republican Party, as he blocked HIV prevention measures and thousands more died."

SALON: Transgender man delivered a baby, but failed to deliver respect.

Nicole Kidman gives birth to a Sunday on a Monday.

Obama campaign plane makes emergency stop due to mechanical problems.

"No Homo" the latest catchphrase to sweep NFL locker rooms: "LenDale White says to Vince Young: 'Vince, you’ve got great nips. No homo.' Did you catch the subtle twist there? LenDale has said something that on any other day might be considered gay, but, and this is key, he’s inoculated his heterosexuality by appending, no homo at the end. No homo also works at the front of the phrase but then it’s much less enjoyable because the other party has been keyed into the homosexuality of the statement that’s to follow. Hence, 'No homo. Vince you’ve got great nips.' No dice there."

Reggae music label plans "Straight Pride Parade" in Brooklyn to protest ban of gay murder music artist Stapler.

Howard Dean holds holiday fundraiser in Provincetown: "From a small podium Dean spoke of the enormous progress that has been made in terms of civil rights — for instance, the number of states that have had referendums on gay marriage — despite eight years under 'one of most oppressive presidents' the country has ever known and a Supreme Court he characterized as 'a disgrace. It’s interesting,' he said. 'Sometimes you have to just sit back and look. The grassroots have changed dramatically.'"

NBC to buy The Weather Channel for $3.5 billion. Hurricane Bertha forms in the Atlantic...

Matt Damon checks into the Green Zone.

Michael Ausiello: Hit TV show planning big gay twist.

Getting away with it: Kylie Minogue breaks royal protocol as she is bestowed with the Order of the British Empire...

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News: Thomas Roberts, Penguins, Jason Castro, Kylie Minogue

New York high court refuses to strike down state's recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriage: "The Court of Appeals declined yesterday to review the mid-level appellate court's decision to recognize the couple's Canadian marriage, the first such ruling by an appellate court in New York State. For now, that lower court decision remains binding across the state."

Thomas Roberts talks to The Advocate about the news industry's glass ceiling for gays: "It’s funny that people think I got fired from CNN. I left CNN on my accord: I resigned from my contract because of personal reasons. I never dealt with anything but respect and kindness. There’s a great misconception. I’ve worked my ass off, I’ve been fortunate, and luck doesn’t hurt either. If people don’t like that I’m gay or that I talk about being gay, I’m sorry. Because that’s not my problem."

American Idol's resident stoner Jason Castro has his own hot doll, complete with dreads, and it can be yours.

A-Rod faints as daughter is born.

Have any questions for Chace Crawford?

Filipino Archbishop defends right of gays to participate in Santacruzans: "If they are devotees, they are religious and they look decent, I believe they have the right to join in. I think it would be better for us to see gays who act formally and decently in the Santacruzan rather than young and beautiful women who are not clean and [are] immoral."

Gay penguin book And Tango Makes Three is "most objected to" library book in America for second year straight: "Other books on the ALA's top 10 list include Maya Angelou's memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in which the author writes of being raped as a young girl; Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, long attacked for alleged racism; and Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, an anti-religious work in which a former nun says: 'The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake.'"

Three teenage girls admit to tagging school and vehicles with racial, vulgar and homophobic messages in Wisconsin.

Moldova hopes to hold its first Gay Pride ever: "Organisers of the Gay Pride in Moldova – 'Rainbow over the Dniester' – are hopeful of being able to stage a parade this year in the country’s capital, Chisinau. The Pride is the seventh to be organised, but in previous years the parade has been banned by the authorities. 'During three previous consecutive years, public authorities have banned the public manifestations on various pretexts,' said a spokesperson for GenderDoc-M, the Pride organisers. 'This year after we applied to the City Hall to inform the authorities about planned public manifestation within the Pride, we got the information, which gave us hope.'"

Kylie Minogue show hot out of the gates in Paris.

One benefit to having a fat ass.

Rhode Island lawmakers to debate bills that would allow same-sex couples married elsewhere to divorce in that state: "Lawmakers filed the divorce bill after Rhode Island's Supreme Court ruled in December that a lesbian couple married in Massachusetts cannot divorce in Rhode Island, where they live. Massachusetts is the only state to legalize gay marriage."

Looks like Dick Cheney's gone hunting again.

John Travolta is a subway terrorist.

White House admits it is missing email backups from start of Iraq war: "The White House acknowledged in a court filing last night that it no longer has backup tapes of email from between March 1 and May 22, 2003, a period that includes the beginning of the Iraq war. Yesterday's filing is the latest development in the ongoing White House emails lawsuit, in which two non-profits, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the National Security Archive (NSA), are suing to force the administration to recover any missing emails and institute a more effective email archiving system."

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News: Alan Tudyk, Pope Benedict, Provincetown, Christina Aguilera

Bush thanks Pope Benedict XVI for an "awesome" speech. Approval rating at 28%.

Armani Exchange holds London briefing.

Somebody is way too young to be flipping the bird. Did he learn it from his mother or his father?

Study: Same-sex marriage in Iowa would be a boont o the economy. "The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimates that same-sex weddings and related tourism would lead to $160 million in spending over the next three years. The total economic activity related to same-sex marriage would give the state an extra $5.3 million per year in tax revenue, the study says."

Earthquake rocks Illinois: "A 5.4 earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people awake up to 350 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor. The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati and Milwaukee, 350 miles north of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage."

Chace Crawford on his perfect companion: "I don’t have any real guidelines for any particular girl. If they ring your bell, they ring your bell."

Alan Tudyk tapped for gay role in new pilot from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan that centers around the partnership between two writers, based on them. One is straight, one is gay.

University of Massachusetts hosts Drag Ball: "Students were decked out in their drag finest, men in wigs and gaudy prom-inspired eveningwear and women suited up with matching fedoras and suspenders. The Drag Ball kicked off with an entertaining introduction from host Envy Chanel, winner of Miss New England International Plus 2008. The feisty bundle of joy donned an outfit nothing short of noticeable. 'I bought you disco ball arms, Asians on the body, and slippery black boots," she playfully cooed.'"

LOGO claims broadcast of first gay-targeted High-Definition TV show.

Matthew McConaughey channels Jesus.

Rich of FourFour honors the best vagarm in history.

New writers colony sprouts in Provincetown, in Norman Mailer's old house: "Joan Didion, William Kennedy, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gunter Grass have consented to be on the board. Four universities have expressed interest in partnering with the project. Mailer's third-floor studio, just as he left it, will be preserved as a museum. The home's four bedrooms will be used to house visiting distinguished writers and scholars. The first floor will be an area for lectures and conferences. Writers who are accepted will receive a stipend and be housed in other locations in town. There will be slots for writers of fiction and non-fiction, as well as those working on scripts for stage and film. Funds have already been pledged, and Schiller hopes the colony will be launched next year."

Domestic partners: Salt Lake City begins registration of gay couples.

The Gay Recluse honors the smokin' hot statuary of Washington Heights in NYC.

Florida same-sex marriage foes kick off ballot initiative in West Palm Beach. Sidney Lanier, a retired Florida Highway Patrol officer: "The world that we grew up in is very different than the world we live in. Some changes have been good. But some things are never meant to change, because they define us as human beings."

Kylie Minogue's new video for "All I See" has been released - watch it.

Gay sperm donor loses bid for guardianship of his blood child, being raised by two lesbians: "Rejecting his claim yesterday, Mr Justice John Hedigan said the child's welfare was best served by remaining with the couple, and by the man in his forties having no guardianship or access to the infant. There was nothing in Irish law to suggest that a family of two women and a child had 'any lesser right to be recognised as a de facto family than a family composed of a man and woman unmarried to each other and a child'. The judge added that the rights of a man who acted as a sperm donor were no greater than those of an unmarried father. He had the right to apply to be appointed as a guardian, but no automatic right to appointment."

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News: Water, Gay Porn Twins, Coffee, New Kids on the Block

Is China cracking down on gay establishments as the Olympics approach?

Mother of twin gay porn bandits arrested for serving as their getaway driver: "Towana Goffney, the mother of 25-year-old twins Taleon and Keyontyli Goffney, was arrested late Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Her sons, Taleon and Keyontyli were linked to nearly 40 break-ins. Cameras were rolling as the men were led away in handcuffs and it turned out, this was not the first time the pair was in the spotlight. According to internet gossip sites, the brothers are gay porn stars. Now the family has the arrest of the matriarch to add to their rap sheet and online profiles."

Kylie Minogue hits up the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

McCain won't be fighting party platform on gays: "McCain associates told The Washington Times that his operatives are not going to work behind the scenes to eliminate the party's calls for constitutional bans on abortion and homosexual marriage before the GOP convention in September."

Search for most eligible gay bachelor begins in San Francisco.

The premiere international prize in electronic media: A list of the 2007 Peabody Award winners.

Woof: Madison, Wisconsin gets new gay sports bar.

Northern Ireland town of Strabane prepares for opening of first gay bar. Proprietor: "All the feedback I've had about the bar has been positive, I was so surprised by everyone's reaction, I've received no negativity whatsoever. Even elderly residents of the town have voiced their support and have been wishing me all the best."

Famous tranny Dana International prevents Wentworth Miller from escaping!

Obama says he would hire Al Gore: "Not only will I, but I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem. He's somebody I talk to on a regular basis. I'm already consulting with him in terms of these issues, but climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now."

The New Kids on the Block are back together. Here's their first photo together in more than 15 years.

An update on gay Iranian teen Mehdi Kazemi: "Mehdi Kazemi is still in Rotterdam, awaiting deportation back to the UK under the Dublin Treaty, where Home Secretary Jacqui Smith still hasn’t granted him asylum. It appears that a Dutch MP has secured a parliamentary debate in the Netherlands to take place tomorrow, because he doesn’t believe Jacqui Smith can be trusted with his safety."

Iranian gays left out of Human Rights Watch annual reports.

Scientists: There is no benefit in drinking 8 glasses of water a day. And drinking coffee may protect you from dementia and other debilitating brain diseases.

British activist Tatchell to European Feminist Summit: "By challenging the cult of heterosexual masculinity, queer liberation is about much more than the limited agenda of equal rights. It offers a unique, revolutionary contribution to the emancipation of the whole of humanity from all forms of subjugation."

In case you were wondering, Chace Crawford is doing 'okay' after his break-up with Carrie Underwood.

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Music News: Matt Lauer Interviews Kylie Minogue, Plus Jesse McCartney, Fall Out Boy, George Michael

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

Between R.E.M., George Michael and Kylie Minogue, it's a gay ol' week as far as new music releases. Kylie's X finally officially drops in the U.S. today, after making a brief three-week appearance on iTunes back in February.

Australia's "singing budgie" is doing stateside promotion all week for X -- including performances of new single "All I See" tonight on Dancing With The Stars, tomorrow on the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson and then Thursday on Ellen -- and yesterday she sat down for an interview with the Today Show's Matt Lauer.

During their chat, Kylie responded to rumors that she'll soon marry French actor Olivier Martinez, tried to explain her elusive chart success in America and instructed Lauer on how he'll have to greet her once she's awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) this summer by the Queen of England.

The U.S. version of X contains an extra mix of "All I See," featuring rapper Mims.

SEEING DOUBLE: The pixelated cover of Jesse McCartney's new album Departure, due out May 20, might evoke some "rude" thoughts from Robbie Williams.

Amy Winehouse to appear alongside David Tennant on Dr. Who? April Fool's!

Following suit with Madonna, U2 have signed a 12-year deal with concert promoting firm Live Nation, though Universal will continue to distribute the Irish band's actual music. Says Bono of Live Nation, who has managed U2's tours for three decades: "We've been dating for over 20 years now. It's about time we tied the knot."

U.K. gossip site Digital Spy finds Beyoncé, Limp Bizkit, Sugababes, Steps, Fiona Apple, Blink 182 and Michael Jackson all have one thing in common: they've got the worst album titles of our times.

Think you've got what it takes to remix Radiohead? Five separate tracks from their new single "Nude" are up for purchase on iTunes, and buyers are encouraged to create and upload their own GarageBand creation to Radioheadremix.com. Net surfers have to May 1 to vote for their favorite mix on the site.

Fall Out Boy's plan to gig on every continent within two weeks falls apart. FOB frontman Pete Wentz: “It’s an utter disappointment… I read [on the MTV Newsroom blog] someone compared it to Geraldo opening Capone's vault, but it's worse than that, because, like, Capone's stuff is in there, you just can't get the light on. There's no spin for it; we got two hours away from Antarctica and we can't go.”

POP BLOG WATCH: Miss feeling like a clove-smoking, coffee-drinking teenage girl running rampant in the record store? Hit up Eurovision- and Swede-obsessed Poster Girl.

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

George Michael's Twenty Five, a two-disc collection of various hits -- including four from Wham! -- and six songs previously unreleased in the U.S. The deluxe edition contains Michael's music videos.

R.E.M.'s 14th album Accelerate, produced by Jacknife Lee.

Moby's Last Night, which finds him returning to his dance roots.

A Town And Two Cities, the debut from British alt rockers Your Vegas. They also have a line of fashion accessories coming to U.S. Bloomingdale's.

Van Morrison's Keep It Simple, his 33rd studio album, and first since 1999.

Attack & Release, from Akron, Ohio blues-rock duo The Black Keys.

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News: Sinead O'Connor, Chris Dodd, Kickboxing, William F. Buckley

American conservative standard-bearer William F. Buckley, Jr. is dead at 82.

Yesterday, Robbie showed us a snippet of Mariah Carey's new "Touch My Body" video. Here's the whole thing.

Madonna names new record Hard Candy: "She loves candy. It's about the juxtaposition of tough and sweetness, or as Madonna so eloquently expressed: 'I'm gonna kick your ass, but it's going to make you feel good.'"

UK hit by 5.2 earthquake, biggest since 1984: "Student David Bates, 19, suffered a suspected broken pelvis when he was hit by a falling piece of chimney in his attic bedroom in Wombwell, South Yorkshire, his father, Paul, said. Paul Bates said he was woken by a deep rumble which was followed by shouts from his son upstairs. He said David was hit by a piece of masonry about 2ft square, which had fallen from the chimney stack. 'This massive piece of stone had landed on his hip and he was just shouting that he thought it was broken and I called an ambulance,' he said. 'You just don't expect it. Of all the things that can happen - an earthquake.'"

Santa Clara, California Board of Supervisors votes to formally oppose FDA ban on gay blood donation.

Openly gay kickboxer Rod Llaneza discusses his champion status: "Llaneza is passionate when conversation turns to kickboxing, no doubt rekindling the desire that helped him defend the USA Amateur Champion belt from the Professional Karate Commission, a sanctioning body for kickboxing and karate, for four years until he retired in 2004 with a 19-2 record. When talk is of kickboxing, Llaneza displays a confident, passionate and even cocky side that served him well in the ring for kickboxing or boxing, where he captured a Golden Gloves title for Georgia. 'I love to perform and go out into the ring. I don’t really care about winning and losing. It’s all about the performing. I pride myself on being sharp. You’ll never be bored watching my fight,' he says."

Serve: Larry Craig looking for summer interns.

Senator Chris Dodd endorses Obama.

Sinead O'Connor unleashes on Kylie Minogue: "I know Australian fans might want to shoot me for saying this, but that would be a far better option than to listen to one of her albums."

Straight Australian Idol Guy Sebastian dogged by anti-gay taunts: "In September 2006, the original Australian Idol winner revealed he was on the verge of quitting the industry after his Palm Beach house was pelted with eggs and the word 'faggot' spray-painted on his car. But Sebastian, who recently became engaged to his long-term girlfriend Julie Egan, believes he has finally built up the necessary tolerance to handle the slander. 'I used to think it was just a part of being in the public eye, but really that kind of behaviour is just not on - that line shouldn't be crossed,' he said."

Gay grandson of Al Capone speaks.

British scientists explain how world will end: "The sun will slowly expand into a red giant, pushing the Earth farther out into space, but not far enough. Our home planet will be snagged by the sun's outer atmosphere, gradually plunging to its doom inside the fiery stellar furnace."

Christian foster parents in the UK denied application to parent because of their views on homosexuality: " The devastated couple withdrew an application to their council to continue as foster carers after being told they must condone homosexuality to adhere to gay rights laws. The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation), which came into force last April, makes it illegal for any business or organisation providing a public service to discriminate against anyone because of their sexuality. The council says its fostering panel felt it would not be following the regulations if it placed a child with a couple who could not comply with the Act."

Justin Timberlake begins work on Open Road movie.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #247: Brit Awards Edition

The Arctic Monkeys and Take That each won two awards last night at the Brit Awards: "The Sheffield band [Arctic Monkeys] won the coveted Best British Group award. They also walked away with the Best British Album award for Favourite Worst Nightmare. Take That won Best British Live Act and Best British Single for "Shine", voted for by commercial radio listeners and The Sun Bizarre column readers. Gary Barlow described it as 'unbelievable'."

Mika and Beth Ditto opened the show with a medley of "Love Today", "Standing in the Way of Control" and "Grace Kelly" (above). Below, Kylie Minogue performs "Wow", Leona Lewis performs "Bleeding Love", Amy Winehouse performs "Love is a Losing Game", and Rihanna trots out "Umbrella" another time with The Klaxons.

A full list of winners AFTER THE JUMP...

Brit Awards 2008

British live act: Take That. (chosen by BBC Radio 2 listeners).
Critics' Choice Award: Adele.
British breakthrough act: Mika. (chosen by BBC Radio 1 listeners).
International male solo artist: Kanye West.
British male solo artist: Mark Ronson.
International female solo artist: Kylie Minogue.
International group: Foo Fighters.
British female solo artist: Kate Nash.
International album: Foo Fighters, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace.”
British group: Arctic Monkeys.
British single: Take That, “Shine.” (Chosen by live public phone-in.)
British album: Arctic Monkeys, “Favourite Worst Nightmare.”
Outstanding contribution to music: Paul McCartney

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Music News: Kylie Hops Into Robyn's Box, Plus Leona Lewis, R.E.M., Yahoo Music, Cat Power, NKOTB, Shelby Lynne

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

Either these two pop dames are trying to give us déjà vu, or they're both just really into boxes. Kylie Minogue's new video for "In My Arms" (below, left) made its way online yesterday, and it bears more than a passing resemblance to Robyn's video for "Handle Me" (right) from last fall.

Of course, all these years later, it's worth revisiting what might be the silent inspiration for both clips.

While "In My Arms" is Minogue's second single off X throughout most of Europe, the U.K. and Australia will get "Wow" instead. Videos for both "In My Arms" and "Wow" were shot while Kylie was recently in Los Angeles by director Melina Matsoukas. The U.S. version of X is tentatively scheduled for a March release on Capitol Records.

Meanwhile, two EPs from Robyn were made available stateside yesterday -- the five-track Rakomonie EP and the single package for her U.K. chart-topper, "With Every Heartbeat." Robyn's full-length album from Cherrytree/Interscope will drop in April. The singer is doing three sold-out club performances next week in New York, San Francisco and L.A.

Along with Madonna, Mariah and Gnarls Barkley, successful U.K. belter Leona Lewis to throw her hat into the crowded ring of April album releases.

R.E.M. shoots their new video in New York at "the best sex shop [they've] ever been in."

Despite the company's current woes -- or perhaps in spite of them -- Yahoo Music to offer non-digital rights managed (DRM) songs by the end of the year.

Music sales are dismal all over, but Cat Power (pictured right) scores her best week ever with newly-released album Jukebox.

With an updated website boasting past achievements and playing a schmaltzy new ballad, is the latest musical reunion... New Kids On The Block? Group member Danny Wood initially denied it on his MySpace blog, but has since written: "Hi to all the New Kids On The Block fans, I wanted to clarify since my first post this morning regarding the NKOTB reunion. I loved being a part of the group, and have always thought 'maybe someday we'll get back together' – you just never know when your someday will come. I can guarantee all the fans that if this reunion were to happen, they would hear about it first on www.NKOTB.com."

"Glass-smashing garage punk and genre-mashing pop. Weed-infused hip-hop and Ivy League-schooled geek rock." Get to know Spin's Who's Next In '08. (In particular, Duffy and The Wombats already have huge buzz overseas, Santogold seems just crazy enough to crossover and Margot And The Nuclear So And So's really dig cello.)

Girls just wanna have fun: Cyndi Lauper, Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt and Bette Midler to be award presenters at the Feb. 10 Grammys.

... and baby makes four for Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale.

THIS WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

Grammy-winner Shelby Lynne's album of Dusty Springfield covers, Just A Little Lovin'.

Stage diva Sarah Brightman's first album in five years, Symphony, which features guest vocalists Fernando Lima, Paul Stanley of KISS (!!) and Andrea Bocelli.

Rent and Wicked star Idina Menzel's foray into pop, I Stand.

A remix EP of the Thom Yorke songs "Atoms For Peace" and "Black Swan."

New singles from Estelle (the slightly electro "American Boy"), Spin artist to watch Santogold ("Creator/L.E.S. Artists") and Making The Band vixens Danity Kane ("Damaged").

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Rhydian X-ed Out of X-Factor Win by Leon/Kylie Duet

Leon Jackson won Britain's X-Factor talent show over favorite Rhydian (who recently gave an interview in which he denied being gay but admitted being a virgin) after pulling out a secret gay weapon — a duet of Better the Devil You Know with Kylie Minogue. These are just two of a few songs they sang in the final.

Reuters reports: "The 18-year-old won a million pound recording contract after beating the runaway favourite, Rhydian Roberts, in the reality TV show final on Saturday. 'It's not real,' Jackson said, choking back tears after winning a public vote. 'It just means the world to pursue this because I love singing. I knew I could change my mum's life and I've just done it.' Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said it was a 'fantastic victory for Leon and Scotland'. Jackson, a jazzy crooner who used to work in a clothes shop, had been expected to lose to Roberts, from Wales. [Bookie] Ladbrokes said the upset had saved them from a huge payout. 'Leon's win is the biggest shock in the history of reality TV betting,' said spokesman Nick Weinberg. 'He will definitely be top of our Christmas card list.'"

The Daily Mail reports that Team Rhydian is pissed because they say the phone lines were blocked.

Meanwhile, Wales on Sunday reports that Simon Cowell and Andrew Lloyd Webber are battling over Rhydian's future:

"Sir Andrew was due to seal his support last night in a special pre-recorded message broadcast as part of the final, in which viewers saw the Welsh singing sensation sing Christmas ballad O Holy Night, West Side Story classic Somewhere and You Raise Me Up with Katherine Jenkins. But we can reveal how the theatre legend has been secretly texting Rhydian on his mobile phone as he prepares to cast a new Broadway version of The Phantom of the Opera, called The Phantom of Manhattan." Yikes, though given Rhydian's unusual look, it doesn't seem too far out of the ballpark.

And finally, "While the victor is virtually guaranteed the coveted Christmas number 1 with the release of their version of Mariah Carey's "When You Believe", the programme's real winner, is of course, Simon Cowell. The 48-year-old judge, who co-produces and owns the rights to the hit show, stands to earn an incredible £7.5million from the series."

You may have missed...
X-Factor's Rhydian: I'm Not Gay, But I am a Virgin [tr]
Towleroad Guide to the Tube #209 [tr]
Rhydian the Rugby Player [tr]

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News: Knut, Diana Ross, Blonde Map, Medical Marijuana

Asian woman becomes Australia's first gay cabinet minister: "South Australia Senator Penny Wong Ying Yen has been appointed minister for water and climate change by new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The 39-year-old lawyer is the first Asian-born person to become a Cabinet minister as well as the first gay person of either sex."

World's most famous Polar Bear celebrates first birthday.

Gay marriage bill to be reintroduced in Australian Capital Territory.

Homophobic vandals cause distress at Bard College at Simon's Rock : "Anyone wishing to see the poster and what was written on it can do so, said [residence director] Darcangelo, who keeps it in her office. 'Fags suck (cock)' was written on the poster in black pen, while 'homosexuals? Don't they belong in hell (being facetious)' was written in a nearby spot. Rich Vaden, a senior and president of QueerSA, learned the news from Graves' email. 'My head almost exploded,' he said."

Rainbow Tour: Miss Ross accepts Kennedy Center Honors.

Bill Clinton lashes out at press coverage of Hillary: "Sixty-seven percent of the coverage is pure politics. That stuff has a half-life of about 15 seconds. It won't matter tomorrow. It is very vulnerable to being slanted and rude. And it won't affect your life...I would pick her and be here if we weren't married. One percent of the press coverage was devoted to their record in public life. No wonder people think experience is irrelevant."

The Blonde Map of Europe. Do you really think they have more fun in central Scandinavia?

Kylie Minogue in look-alike strip club scandal.

Soulforce and COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) plan to target megachurches next year from Mother's Day in May until Father's Day in June: "Through our visibility we hope to peacefully challenge the false stereotypes about LGBT people and same-gender families, and educate the public through authentic and personal conversations - real parents sharing their stories and describing the hurtful effects of prejudice and religious condemnation."

Republican and Democratic candidates get grade on medical marijuana stance.

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Music News: The Killers' AIDS Charity Christmas Single, Plus Robbie Williams, Quiet Riot, Hawthorne Heights, Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis

Please welcome Robbie Daw, who will be penning weekly music posts for us here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own pop music site called Chart Rigger.

Today The Killers release their new Christmas-themed single