News: Nevada, Scholastic, Rihanna, Malta, Sean Hayes, GOP

Repeal of HIV travel ban in final stages.

Marriage equality campaigns push for early vote in Maine.

Scholastic bans gay-themed book from book fairs: "Luv Ya Bunches, about four elementary school girls who have little in common, but bond over the fact that they’re all named after flowers, is the first installment of a four-book series. But Scholastic says the book, released on October 1, failed to meet its vetting process because it contains offensive language and same-sex parents of one of the main characters, Milla."

The fleshjack for fangbangers.

New Yorkers plan calling party this Friday for Maine marriage equality.

GOP moderate who supports marriage equality in New York state in race seen as test for 2012 presidential elections.

Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth coming to Broadway in revival of Promises, Promises.

George W. Bush will never shut up about his rug.

Silhouette and initials of Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz shot at by Southeast Republican Club at gun range event: "Among the approximately 40 people at the event was Robert Lowry, a Republican seeking his party’s nomination to run against Wasserman Schultz next year. Lowry shot at a target bearing the letters 'DWS' next to the silhouette head. Lowry said he didn't know who wrote Wasserman Schultz' initials on his target, but said he knew they were there before he started shooting. He initially described it as a 'joke,' but after answering several questions he said it 'was a mistake' to use a target labeled 'DWS.'"

James Franco: Just don't ask him to pronounce Versace.

Rated R: Album cover drops for Rihanna's latest.

Billy Bell drops out of So You Think You Can Dance due to illness.

Scientists discover gene that makes rodent's cells "cancer-proof".

President of Malta condemns anti-gay discrimination: "He said he had LGBT people specifically in mind when referring to minorities and various families during his inaugural speech. President Abela stressed the important of anti-discrimination legislation in employment and agreed that Malta EU membership is a positive factor contributing towards greater debate on diversity and acceptance."

Daytime TV to see mass gay wedding of 22 couples on One Life to Live.

Ricky Gervais to host the Golden Globes.

Ang Lee has fond memories of the Brokeback kiss: "I was directing Heath kissing [Jake Gyllenhaal] and I told him that you would never kiss a woman that hard. He needed to do it in a heroic Western way, more passionately. I remember seeing Michelle watching while we filmed - at that point they were already 'friends' - and she had a look of concentration on her face because she also thought he should be stronger with Jake."

Madonna hits Malawi to break ground for her girls' school.

More than 1,000 couples have registered as domestic partners in Nevada: "he law took effect Oct. 1, and more than 700 couples pre-registered and picked up their certificates that day. Nevada's constitution bans gay marriage, but the partnership law extends certain rights previously enjoyed by only married couples to couples who live together. That includes community property and the right to seek financial support after a breakup."

News: Frank Kameny, Saturday Night Fever, Frog God, Wales

Re-hearing petition filed in Prop 8 challenge? UPDATE: See, AFTER THE JUMP...

AP: Pioneering activist Frank Kameny talks gays and government.

Simon Cowell to remake Saturday Night Fever with Zac Efron as Tony Manero?

Point Foundation announces 2009 scholars.

Jon Voight slams Obama: False prophet.

Hell's Kitchen host Gordon Ramsey calls Australian TV host Tracy Grimshaw a lesbian pig: "Later he said he was only joking.Grimshaw, though, failed to see the humor and retaliated on her program Monday night, calling Ramsay an 'arrogant narcissist' and a 'bully.'"

Malawian court has Mercy on Madonna: she'll be allowed to adopt.

Tom Brady rescued from overturned kayak in the Charles River in Boston: “He had to be rescued. The launch guy went out and got him and got him back in the kayak. He’s been bragging about it ever since. He’s telling everyone he rescued Tom Brady.”

Joan Garry: Obama lacking 'empathy' on gay rights.

Inside a NYC fundraiser for Gavin Newsom.

Multi-colored frog worshiped as a god in India?

KXRQ-FM Radio hosts who mocked transgender children to do special segment featuring transgender advocates: "Rashad Robinson of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said Monday that the general manager of station KXRQ-FM told him that talk show hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States also plan to apologize during Thursday's show. During their May 28 program, one of the men said he would hit his son with his shoe if he wanted to wear high heels. The other quipped that a boy who asked to wear a dress was 'a little idiot.'  Several companies threatened to pull advertising from the station after GLAAD launched a letter-writing campaign against the comments."

Welsh gay men targeted by rangers with cameras in park raids?

No biting: Adam Lambert licks Twilight director.

Mika debuts new songs in London.

Graffiti art's new respect: "Like a slow-burning fuse, graffiti has smoldered in the contemporary art world for decades: omnipresent in the streets yet not quite hot enough to catch fire in the market. But this year it exploded, with graffiti and “street art” shows in major museums and gallery spaces both sides of the Atlantic — and people have been lining up round the block to get in."

One Life to Live to out two existing male characters played by openly gay  Scott Evans (Chris Evans' brother) and Brett Claywell, and put them in a love affair.

Is Dominic Monaghan joining Grey's Anatomy?

Brooklyn Assemblyman wants all non-Jews out of Holocaust memorial: "Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind doesn't want gays, political prisoners, gypsies, the handicapped — or any other group of people persecuted and killed by the hundreds of thousands during the Holocaust — to be recognized at the city-owned Holocaust Memorial Park in Sheepshead Bay. Even though 5 million non-Jews were killed by the Nazis alongside the 6 million Jews, Hikind says that 'to include these other groups diminishes their memory.'"

UPDATE to first item, AFTER THE JUMP...

Madonna Denied Adoption by Malawian Court

Madonna has reportedly been denied a request to adopt a second child in Malawi. The orphan, 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James, is pictured above.

The AP reports: "A judge has rejected Madonna's request to adopt a second child from Malawi because of a requirement that prospective parents live in the southern African nation for at least 18 months, a judge and a lawyer said Friday. The judge who confirmed the decision did not make the ruling, but saw it. The lawyer was present when the ruling was made. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. The 50-year-old pop superstar can appeal the ruling to Malawi's Supreme Court. The residency rule was waived in 2006, when Madonna was allowed to take her adopted son, David, to London before his adoption was finalized in 2008. It was not clear why Judge Esme Chombo ruled differently Friday. Another judge had handled Madonna's previous adoption case. Madonna was not in court on Friday...Madonna had promised to make Mercy a permanent part of her family and spare her the 'hardship and emotional trauma' of life as an orphan."

The adoption had been endorsed by Malawi's child welfare minister.

ITN's news report, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sad Holiday Season for Men's Mags?

There will be no tears shed for the death of Men's Vogue, which yesterday Conde Nast reported would begin two "publish two issues a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The title will be folded into Vogue and Jay Fielden will stay on as editor."

The title was boring from its first issue and never took into account that there might possibly be a gay audience for it out there. In fact, actively seemed to shun it. Dull, uninspiring articles, and a migraine-worthy layout.

And after seeing the cover and contents of the new "Holiday" issue of Details, one wonders if there's reason to worry there too.

(image source)

Madonna Defends Turtle-Worshipers and Tom Cruise

In a new interview with New York magazine, Madge defends Tom Cruise's right to worship Scientology (though I think Jason Beghe would probably have a few things to say about that).

Says Madonna: "I don’t care if people worship turtles or frogs—if they’re good people, that’s all I care about, and he is a good person. I think he gets a raw deal, just as I think the orphans in Malawi get a raw deal, just as I think a lot of marginalized people get a raw deal."

She also touches on connections between her interest in Malawi and speaking out in the early days of the AIDS crisis:

"There are a lot. One is that I myself feel like a motherless child. I grew up that way. But also the idea that I felt so helpless by the AIDS epidemic that seemed to sweep through Manhattan and claim the lives of so many people that I loved. And I saw how stigmatized the gay community was, and that freaked me out."

Vanity Fair's 'Green Issue' Madonna Globe is Up for Auction

Anybody need the largest paperweight ever, or maybe that Atlas costume for next Halloween?

The globe, which took 10 days to complete, is made of plaster and marble dust with a recyclable polystyrene core, according to the magazine. It's going up for auction today with proceeds to benefit Madonna's Raising Malawi Charity. Madonna signed the globe as well and drew a heart over Africa.

And if you missed that video the other day, it's AFTER THE JUMP...