Friends of Marc Jacobs Worried He's 'Pulling a Halston'

Page Six says friends of designer Marc Jacobs, pictured here outside this week's Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala with an unknown date, are concerned he's burning the candle at the wrong end: "He spends most of his time partying until morning in Paris. It's out of control. There's always a different boy and everyone is worried he's going to pull a Halston."

Gawker recently chronicled his romantic comings and goings...

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Marc Jacobs Glad He's No Longer 'Soft and Blubbery'

Marc Jacobs gives a long interview to GQ, revolving mostly around his transformation from "the soft, blubbery Marc Jacobs" into the Jacobs he is today, who, as we know, is not shy about showing off the fruit of his efforts.

On his pre-transformation days: "I didn’t care what I looked like, because I knew I’d be on the floor picking up pins or drawing all day. I thought, Who cares about my appearance? They only care about what I’m making."

On feeling 'different' as a kid: "When I went to sleepaway camp, I just kind of wanted to sit there and make an ashtray or do a lanyard necklace or paint my jeans. And then to stand there and not be chosen for a baseball team—it’s like, force me to do something and then don’t choose me to do it. Okay, what am I supposed to enjoy about that process? How am I supposed to feel good about myself with all that going on?"

On hitting the gym: "The thing I love about the gym is not having to make choices. My trainer says, ‘You’re gonna lift this; you’re gonna do that ten times.’ Okay, great—just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. It’s the same thing with my nutritionist. All I have to do is follow instructions. I love that. This is not about ‘Would it be better in red or blue?’ There isn’t a lot of abstract, circular thinking involved. And it’s great. Those times are really nice for me."

On cosmetic surgery: "I’ve learned at this point to never say never to anything. I look at Tom [Ford] and he looks great. Whatever he’s doing works for him. And I don’t know if he does anything, but I’m not opposed. Whatever makes me feel good, I want more of. If work is going well, I want to do more clothes. If the gym thing is working for me, I want to be bigger. If getting my hair cut makes me look younger, I want to play with the color. So I could see myself slipping down that road so quickly."

On how his nose swelled once when he ran into a glass door: "It got so swollen here (on the bridge), and I thought, This is so hot."

On people who judge him: "I don’t feel like I’m in crisis, and I don’t know that it’s the middle of my life. Why is there this division all of a sudden between people in support of me and people against me? How did this happen? I haven’t done anything to anybody! I look at Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano—everybody has their shtick. And just because this wasn’t my shtick two years ago, it’s a problem."

Marc Jacobs Doesn't Give a F--- [gq]

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News: Gayest Looks, Christian Siriano, Blackmail, Marc Jacobs

My Gayest Look: A site for Jay Leno. Submit yours!

A view of the jungle shot by an elephant who carries around a hidden camera in a log.

Britney Spears may soon have her own sitcom!

Straight cops at University of New Mexico claim discrimination by gay superiors: "The two complaining officers, with a combined 24 years of experience with the UNM police department, filed a complaint with the state Department of Workforce Solutions arguing that they are being treated unfairly because they are straight and their superiors are gay. Lieutenant Michael Young contends that his job as administrative lieutenant was taken from him by Police Chief Kathy Guimond, whom Young claims is gay, and given to Lieutenant Patrick Davis, who is also gay. Young also claims another gay superior, Commander Debbie Kuidis, with Davis were given higher evaluation ratings by Chief Guimond and greater pay raises."

Karl Lagerfeld bodyguard smacks down paparazzo: "A paparazzo lurked from out of the shadows and started snapping away at them, and out of nowhere, one of Lagerfeld's guys just threw him to the ground." I wonder if it was Sebastian?

Scott Heim talks to the SF Chronicle about his latest novel, We Disappear: "What's true and what isn't - that's such an obsession with so many readers. If you say it's totally fictional, or you don't fess up to things, they tend to feel like they've been cheated or something. But if you say, 'Oh yeah, it's from experience,' then they kind of have this idea that you don't have an imagination."

David Beckham earns his 100th cap in a pair of golden booties.

The booties so impressed Beckham's son Romeo, that he dug for some gold of his own.

Keith Richards discusses Mick Jagger's sexuality: "It was camp. Yeah. It was all… I really have no idea if anyone ever shoved it up the shitter."

Kids coming out earlier than ever: "We're working not for tolerance, but for acceptance. I don't care if it's race, gender or sexual orientation. We need to accept the uniqueness of each and every one."

Student ambassadors train against school violence: "The training session was dedicated to Lawrence King, the Oxnard junior high school boy who last month was shot and killed, allegedly by a classmate, purportedly for admitting he was gay. The Oak Park ambassadors, who maintain anonymity for safety reasons, wrote their comments on a poster in memory of the 15-year-old victim: 'Lawrence, what happened to you is extremely unfair. Everyone deserves a chance in life no matter what sex, religion, sexual preference, anything. Your story will teach many people to be better people.' And, 'You are told to forgive and forget but the reality is you don't do either.'"

Marc Jacobs hits L.A. with new man.

Melbourne, Australia teacher fined $3,000 for blackmailing former lover with a sex video: "Hicks became aware that the victim was a 'closet homosexual' who had a wife and daughter who were not aware of his activities, Judge Michael McInerney told the court. 'He was discreet, or discreet as one can be if you pick up someone in a public toilet,' he said. The court was told that during one of their liaisons, Hicks - who also was married, had a child and was bisexual - recorded them on his mobile phone participating in a sex act. Hicks later approached the victim and told him he had a video of them and that he wanted $3,000 or he would show it to the victim's wife and put it on YouTube, the court heard."

Project Runway winner Christian Siriano designed the dress that Kimberley Locke performed in on last night's American Idol.

Leona Lewis is the first UK female artist to top the U.S. charts in more than 20 years, since Kim Wilde's 1987 cover "You Keep Me Hangin On".

Anti-gay domestic partner bill dies in Kentucky senate: "The Kentucky Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee voted to defeat a bill yesterday that would have barred state universities and other public agencies from providing health coverage to employees’ domestic partners. Furthermore, committee member David Watkins (right) scolded the bill’s sponsor, Vernie McGaha, for introducing it, calling the legislation divisive and ignoring the state’s biggest health problems like smoking and obesity, according to The Courier Journal."

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News: John McCain, Madonna, Knut, Colombia, Ellen Page, Ireland

California state Supreme Court to hear same-sex marriage arguments this week: "The Supreme Court's intervention has been inevitable since February 2004, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ignited a national furor by giving same-sex couples the short-lived right to marry at City Hall. But now that the justices have the issue in their hands, the outcome is anything but predictable - and the stakes for all corners of the divisive social issue could not be higher."

Madonna/Timberlake single leaks.

PlanetOut posts loss of $51.2 million for 2007: " In 2006, the San Francisco company (NASDAQ: LGBT) lost $3.7 million. Sales fell to $53 million for 2007, down slightly from 2006 sales of $58.8 million. PlanetOut, which owns Gay.com, Advocate.com, Out.com and other web sites, as well as a book publisher, Alyson Publications, recorded a $25.9 million charge for impairment of goodwill and intangible assets in 2007, which contributed to its loss."

Venezuela and Ecuador on brink of war with Colombia? "Venezuela and Ecuador ordered troops to their borders with Colombia, sharply raising tensions after Colombia killed a top rebel leader on Ecuadorean soil. President Hugo Chavez on Sunday promised Venezuela would respond militarily if Colombia violates its border, where he ordered tanks as well as thousands of troops. He also ordered closed Venezuela's embassy in Bogota. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he deployed troops to the border while also withdrawing his government's ambassador from Bogota and expelling Colombia's top diplomat."

At New York's Bailey House Auction, Tim Gunn elaborates on his recent comments regarding Hillary Clinton's 'gender-confused' fashion sense: "Let me put it this way. I believe in the semiotics of fashion."

Ellen Page wants to "hug a woman with her legs in friendship."

Caged animal: Knut in captivity, one year later.

HIV/AIDS infections surge among gay men in Australia: "Based on current trends in condom use, testing for HIV and other epidemiological factors, the centre predicted new infections would increase from the 234 recorded among Victorian gay men in 2006 to 406 in 2015, an increase of 73.5%. For the same period, infections are predicted to decrease in NSW by 12% and increase in Queensland by 20%. If national trends continue, new infections among gay men in Australia overall would increase from 725 reported in 2006 to 786 in 2015, an 8.5% increase."

T.R. Knight and beau Mark Cornelsen appear at UCLA benefit to help crew members affected by the writer's strike. Previously...

John McCain asked to denounce the support of evangelical pastor John Hagee. Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Hagee said: "All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are—were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades."

Madonna and Guy Ritchie bought their neighborhood pub, The Punchbowl.

Olivia Newton-John basks in gay love at Sydney Mardi Gras...

San Francisco launches gay tourism campaign.

Weeklong documentary series on photographers begins tonight on The Sundance Channel: "The documentaries, made over the last decade by 10 independent filmmakers and assembled for the series, feature a broad range of photographers including William Eggleston, Tina Barney, Helmut Newton, and Robert Mapplethorpe and his mentor Sam Wagstaff, among other lesser-known artists."

Jason Preston engaged to Marc Jacobs?

After review of the case, cover-up of gay relationship remains at center of mystery over theft of the Irish crown jewels: "The mystery popped back into the news recently after the safe that held the jewels, known as the regalia of the Illustrious Order of St Patrick, was moved to the Irish police, or Garda, museum where it is now on public display. 'It is a never ending and continually fascinating mystery,' said Murphy. His study, which took a fresh look at all available evidence, backed up the notion that there was a whitewash over the theft to cover up a homosexual ring at the centre of the British colonial establishment in Dublin."

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News: Madonna, Cuba, John McCain, Guantanamo, Marc Jacobs

Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto supports same-sex marriage: "I think that marriage between lesbians, between homosexuals can be perfectly approved and that in Cuba that wouldn't cause an earthquake or anything like that."

Lourdes: Madonna in training? Scientology meets Kabbalah at Malawi charity event. Rosie O'Donnell blogs over Tom Cruise: "my tommy was there / handsome as ever / he makes me smile / i love that guy."

Concerned Women for America pleased as punch that they soon may be able to discriminate against gays in Florida.

Marc Jacobs fashion house embroiled in bribery probe: "The former superintendent of Manhattan's 69th Regiment Armory, James Jackson, has been indicted on charges of demanding more than $30,000 to allow the space to be used by the designer and for other events. Marc Jacobs International allegedly made payoffs to Jackson through the designer's public relations firm, KCD Public Relations, to reserve the national historic landmark on key dates, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Wednesday. Neither Marc Jacobs International nor KCD was accused in the indictment, which was unsealed Wednesday. Cuomo said the investigation was continuing to determine if payments to Jackson, who was a public employee, constituted a crime. While the designer is cooperating fully with the probe, it could face charges of its own. A spokesman for the attorney general's office told WWD, 'Marc Jacobs International is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the attorney general and we cannot comment further.'"

Art and architecture group calls for entries on redesign of the White House.

Politico: five reasons Clinton should be worried.

Top commander of detentions at Guantanamo Bay confirms existence of secret camp: "Somewhere amid the cactus-studded hills on this sprawling Navy base, separate from the cells where hundreds of men suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban have been locked up for years, is a place even more closely guarded — a jailhouse so protected that its very location is top secret...Guantanamo commanders said Camp 7 is for key alleged al-Qaida members, who must be kept apart from other prisoners to prevent them from retaliating against long-term detainees who have talked to interrogators. They also want the location kept secret for fear of terrorist attack."

Florent restaurant being forced out of New York's meatpacking district. FLASHBACK: Destination Florent.

Who let Britney Spears out of the psych ward? Parents statement: "As parents of an adult child in the throws of a mental health crisis, we were extremely disappointed this morning to learn that over the recommendation of her treating psychiatrist, our daughter Britney was released from the hospital that could best care for her and keep her safe. We are deeply concerned about our daughter's safety and vulnerability and we believe her life is presently at risk. There are conservatorship orders in place created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded. We ask only that the court's orders be enforced so that a tragedy may be averted." Spears hits Beverly Hills hotel as if nothing ever happened.

Two gay guys: Why are some gay men so mean?

Sex it up: Big Brother 9 producers to turn off A/C in order to get contestants to strip. "When this group of 16 singles enters the house, they will be told they are being matched up with their ‘soul mate,’ a stranger who may prove to be their true love or their worst nightmare. Whether there is a love connection or not, once paired up, the Houseguests’ life in the game depends on their partner. They must strategize, plot and scheme together as a couple for a chance at the prize. These ‘lovebirds’ will live together as a couple meaning they will sleep in the same bed, hold Head of Household as a couple, be nominated for eviction as a pair, and if the time comes, say their goodbyes together upon eviction."

Caving to far right: McCain skips promised vote on economic stimulus plan.

Wayne Besen: How are we paving the way for the first gay president? "In order for our Obama to fulfill his or her potential, it is essential that the GLBT movement runs serious presidential candidates in the next election cycle. That's right, "candidates" in the plural – meaning we run a Democrat and a Republican. The Democrat would play the role of Jesse Jackson – a trailblazer that will lose badly, but earn respect and lay the groundwork for the future. This sacrificial lamb will be known as "the gay candidate," so when our gay Obama is finally ready – he or she can transcend sexual orientation and win – or lose – on the merits. It is also crucial we run a credible Republican, in order to articulate the case for gay rights in front of conservative audiences. This not only would make the other candidates uncomfortable in their gay bashing, but this candidate could serve as a role model."

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Porn Actor Erik Rhodes Denies 'Tryst' with Marc Jacobs

Over the weekend, Page Six looked into Marc Jacobs' love life and reported that the fashion designer is currently occupied by the massive embrace of porn actor Erik Rhodes:

"The new fling is likely the reason things have cooled again between Jacobs and former male escort Jason Preston, whom he's dated on and off since 2005. Sources said Jacobs' affair with Rhodes — who describes himself as 'Addictive. Wild. Open' on his ManNet.com profile — began last year when the designer invited Rhodes to join him and Preston for a three-way. Jacobs allegedly continued the fling with Rhodes one on one after that. "Jason thought he and Marc were exclusive again," said our insider. 'But Marc is sleeping with this porn star behind his back, and sneaking him to Paris for hot sex.'"

Rhodes denies the claims on his blog: "Well page six, thanks for running the story without having any credable information. This is just one of those instances where you can't believe everything that you read. I do however like that fact that a silly story like this is the top gossip news of the day... i guess it was just a slow week. Where is crazy britney when you need her! I guess it will be an even better story when i show up for his show this Friday. Drama drama drama. Jason Preston and i will just have to get into a cat fight while Marc's Fall collection comes down the runway."

Designer Has Guy on the Side [page six]
Page 6 Gossip [slipping away]

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That's My Bag, Baby: Slava Mogutin Not Happy with Juergen Teller

Russian artist/photographer Slava Mogutin is not happy with the recent Marc Jacobs - Juergen Teller "Victoria Beckham in a bag" ad campaign concept.

A similar series of photos 'Ilya_Gucci' (2001) featured in Mogutin's book Lost Boys got a a lot of attention a few years back, and Mogutin says he'd like a check, please.

He writes: "Just for the record: the bag wasn't mine and I've never bought, owned or worn a single Gucci item. Ilya & I found that now famous shopping bag in the apartment in St. Petersburg where I was staying at in the winter of 2001. I could never imagine that this photo would be reproduced and exhibited endlessly over the past few years and end up in the private collection of Tom Ford. To me, it's an ANTI-FASHION image, 'a portrait of a body as merchandise,' as one critic put it."

More in the series can be seen on his site.

The other Teller photo, AFTER THE JUMP...

You may have missed...
Gay Clay Doll Created in Response to International Homophobes [tr]

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Marc Jacobs Makes Victoria Beckham a Bag Lady

Photographer Juergen Teller's new campaign for Marc Jacobs features Victoria Beckham wearing his new "backward heel" shoe.

Though I'm not sure which image is funnier, part one or part two, AFTER THE JUMP...

She does know how to laugh at herself.

Recently
Posh Spice tops Mr. Blackwell's list [tr]
Victoria Beckham on Ugly Betty: First Look [tr]
David Beckham Erection Marks Start of Fashion Week in Milan [tr]
Giorgio Armani and Posh Spice Boast About Beckham Bulge [tr]

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Marc Jacobs Dresses as Camel Toe for Holiday Party

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs apparently decided to stop taking off his clothes and don some gay apparel for his holiday party at the Rainbow Room in New York, showing up dressed as a camel toe.

Recently
Marc Jacobs Extends His Naked Moment [tr]
Marc Jacobs Doesn't Get The Hills [tr]
Marc Jacobs: Naked in Paris with a Poltergeist Tattoo [tr]
Marc Jacobs' Boyfriend Hits Town Wearing Dead Mouse [tr]

(via faded youth)

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Marc Jacobs Extends His Naked Moment

Marc Jacobs extends his moment of nudity in the latest issue of Visionaire, #52: Private, shot entirely by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, and published in a Louis Vuitton gold case. Jacobs served as guest editor for the special issue.

See the full shot after the jump...

Last week, Jacobs told the NYT: "In the most basic way I can say it, coming from a psychological place, what I love more than anything is attention. That is about as honest of a statement that I could possibly make. I want a reaction, because I want the attention."

Whatever your opinion of Jacobs or his want of attention, the image itself is pretty beautiful. And who wouldn't lie down naked on a giant stuffed doll for Mert and Marcus?

For the full image, click here.

Related
Visionaire [official site]
Loving and Hating Marc Jacobs [nyt]

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Marc Jacobs Doesn't Get The Hills

Marc Jacobs' made a recent appearance on the non-reality reality show The Hills last week, but doesn't understand the hubbub surrounding it. He talked to Metro's Daniel Holloway about it at the OUT 100 party on Friday night:

"I was downstairs in my office and they said, 'Do you want to come up and say hi to Lauren on ‘The Hills?'" Jacobs told us. “And I was like, 'Oh, OK.' So I ran upstairs and said hi. I mean, I didn’t realize what a huge deal that show was. And then everybody in the world started e-mailing me in the next couple of days. Everybody kept calling me and saying, 'You were on 'The Hills.' I saw you on 'The Hills.' What is it with everybody watching that show?"

I don't get it either, but somehow every time I'm channel-surfing and come across it, I'm sucked into its vacuous black hole from which no intelligent substance escapes.

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News: Marc Jacobs, Skeletons, FEMA, Kentucky, Tori Amos, Uganda

FEMA official resigns over fake press conference, lands "amazing" job to head public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Photographer Patrick Gries looks at the beauty of bones in Paris exhibit.

Daniel Craig returning for four more Bond films.

Brightening comet thrills astronomers.

Hundreds turn out for first gay pride festival in Galveson, Texas: "While some in the area had voiced concerns about lewd behavior at such an event, those booths offered only such things as crafts and information on civil rights and spirituality. Harbor Metropolitan Community Church had one of the booths, where church volunteers offered literature on acceptance and love for all. The Rev. Pat Farnin said her congregation on the island was growing, and she anticipated the festival would do likewise, should it become an annual tradition."

Celebs hit Wiltern Theater in L.A. for Matthew Shepard Honors.

back same-sex marriage. The Christian Democrats are the only holdouts.

Virginia State GOP and Republican State Senator James J. "Jay" O'Brien Jr. send out homophobic flyer warning of Democratic opponent's platform: "George Barker wants to take time away from core academic subjects like math, science, and reading to teach children to accept the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Lifestyle (GLBT)."

Marc Jacobs goes blueberry for Halloween.

40 minutes with Tori Amos.

Historic gay rights meeting held in Uganda. Pastor: "Never before has there been such a far reaching well organised and professional gay public debate in this country."

Introducing the new gay stereotype.

Kentucky court rules that high school student can "pursue nominal damages" from his school district over anti-harassment training given to students: "The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Boyd County school district's policy provided a 'chill' on student Timothy Allen Morrison's ability to profess his Christian beliefs and opposition to homosexuality. The ruling sends the case back to U.S. District Judge David Bunning for a hearing on damages. Judge Karen Nelson Moore, joined by Judge John R. Adams, wrote that the allegation of a policy stifling free speech is enough to allow Morrison to seek damages. To make his case, the judges said, Morrison must show that the policy would 'deter a person of ordinary firmness' from exercising free speech rights. Joel Oster, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, a Scottsdale, Ariz., Christian law group that represented Morrison, said the ruling has left him 'ecstatic.'...'It's everything we could have hoped for,' Oster said. 'This vindicates our client's constitutional rights.'"

Meet the recycled World Trade Center. (warning: site NSFW)

Journal of Urban Health STUDY: 1 in 3 gay men report being abused in a relationship. "The study is published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Urban Health. McKirnan and graduate student Eric Houston studied surveys filled out by 817 men through the Howard Brown Health Center, which primarily serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community from its North Side (Chicago) location. More than 32 percent of the men reported experiencing verbal, physical or sexual abuse in an intimate relationship. Just under 20 percent said they were physically or sexually abused. As with women, poorly educated and low-income men were more likely to be victims. However, minorities did not show higher rates of abuse."

More hearings held on New Jersey civil unions. Verdict: they're falling short.

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Marc Jacobs: Naked in Paris with a Poltergeist Tattoo

In the next installment of the naked fashion designer series, Marc Jacobs disrobes in his Paris apartment for W's "art issue" which features an interview with the designer and a collection of photos:

"As he sits in his Paris apartment on a midsummer afternoon, Jacobs is surrounded by eight John Currins, six Richard Princes and six Ruschas, plus an assortment of Elizabeth Peytons, Damien Hirsts, John Baldessaris, David Hockneys and Lisa Yuskavages, not to mention a small but growing collection of Fifties Scandinavian handblown glass birds. 'Typical addict behavior,' says Jacobs with a half smile. 'I just got this bug. I started going to galleries, and I kind of went mad.' Jacobs, whose struggles with drug and alcohol dependency are well known, sees his new passion for contemporary art as a (relatively) healthy habit, one he intends to indulge for the foreseeable future."

The interview also makes note of Jacobs' second collection:

"As Jacobs fills his walls with art, he is also using his own body as a canvas: His growing tattoo collection, which started with a little heart on his left shoulder, is itself almost exhibition-worthy. The newest additions are the French words OUI and LUI in bold graphics on each forearm, and, in the middle of his back, Carol Anne from Poltergeist, mesmerized by a glowing TV screen. ("Stay away from the light," Jacobs intones with mock solemnity.)"

Now that's a tattoo I'd like to see. Unfortunately, it's not among the photos.

Marc Jacobs [w]

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News: Marc Jacobs, Sweden, Lance Bass, Astroglide

Same-sex marriage in Sweden closer to reality? "Sweden’s three opposition parties, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party have put forward a motion in the Swedish Parliament to allow gay marriages. There is wide support in the parliament for the move, with the only party against the plans the Christian Democrats. They are also in a minority in the government, with three out of four of the ruling parties also in favour, but the Christian Democrat’s opposition means the government is unable to put forward a motion itself."

Marc Jacobs strips again for the cover of Arena Homme +

Astroglide: Barbara Walters reportedly gave sexual lubricant recommendations to Rosie O'Donnell.

Lance Bass in shouting match with companion outside NYC's Barracuda bar: "He was creating a commotion, and then he and Lance took it outside. They fought outside, screaming at the top of their lungs."

Memorial held in NYC for gay club icon Dean Johnson. Friend: "I never felt as comfortable as a straight guy in a world where I wasn’t supposed to be than with Dean. When I met Dean, I realized what being free is all about. He never judged anybody, and he never cared about being judged."

It's Britney's video, bitch!

Condoleezza Rice's female friend Randy Bean, with whom she owns a house in Palo Alto, California, responds to rumors that the two women are a couple: "Condi and I have been friends for 25 years. We co-own an investment property in Palo Alto. We do not share a home."

On the planning of an LGBT Wedding magazine.

Responding to GLAAD, the New York Post apologizes for calling a transgender person a She-Male.

SLOG's Dan Savage talks to Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report.

The Provincetown hate crimes have caught the attention of Boston's newsweekly The Phoenix.

Here's the Nan Goldin photograph, "Klara and Edda Belly Dancing", that was seized by police from a show of Elton John's collection. Elton shuttered the gallery exhibition due to the investigation, which alleges the photograph breaches child pornography laws.

Gay foster parent ban may hit the 2008 ballot in Arkansas: "Attorney General Dustin McDaniel approved an initiative Thursday, which will allow supporters of the ban to collect signatures in support of placing the issue on a ballot. Now that their initiative has been approved, the Family Council Action Committee must collect at least 78-thousand votes in order to get their proposal on the 2008 ballot. It was struck down by the state Supreme Court in 2006 and failed in the state legislature during the 2007 session, so proponents of a ban on gay and unmarried foster parents decided to take the issue to the voters. After one failed attempt in September, the Family Council Action Committee got their initiative approved on Thursday."

Recent paparazzi photos of Jennifer Aniston and Orlando Bloom in Mexico which sparked relationship rumors have a backstory: they were at the 'gay power wedding' of friends Luc Brinker and Todd Diener in Mexico.

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Marc Jacobs' Boyfriend Hits Town Wearing Dead Mouse

TMZ reports that the "deceased rodent brooch" worn by Jason Preston as he hit the fashion party circuit with boyfriend Marc Jacobs was a gift from Courtney Love. It may be the perfect complement to Jacobs' backward heel.
(via dlisted)

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Marc Jacobs Targets Right-Wing Hypocrites Haggard and Craig

Racked reports on the front window display of the Marc Jacobs menswear store on Bleecker Street in New York and reveals that deposed pastor Ted Haggard and Idaho Senator Larry Craig are both tops!

What we'd really like to see, however, is a pair of Larry Craig-branded tap shoes.

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Designer Marc Jacobs to "Wed" Boyfriend Jason Preston?

Ben Widdicombe reports in his New York Daily News Gatecrasher column:

"A tipster who was at the Chelsea gentlemen's bar Barracuda on Saturday night ran into the designer's on-again boyfriend, former hustler Jason Preston. He was 'flashing a Cartier ring to his friends, telling everyone he was engaged,' says the snitch. 'Then out of nowhere Marc popped up, and they were all over each other, kissing and saying 'I love you.'' Neither Preston nor Jacobs responded to inquiries yesterday about the Cartier band. Though I hear the pre-nup is from Tiffany."

The reunion would seem to contradict Jacobs' recent remarks to OUT magazine:

"I had a relationship with him, and it was crazy, and sometimes it was a lot of fun, and sometimes it was not a lot of fun, and the biggest frustration was that I wanted him to be something he wasn't, and I don't mean on a social level, and I don't mean about his past or anything like that - I just mean that I wanted to come home and have somebody be available and have conversations and just to be there. And Jason is a young guy who wanted to go out and party and do his thing, and it just wasn't there. I don't think there was any chemistry - it's just that we both do enjoy each other's company on occasion. We're better off as friends."

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Marc Jacobs Out of Clothes on OUT

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs, appearing undressed on the forthcoming September issue of OUT, tells the magazine:

"…I used to really hate seeing my own reflection in the mirror, and I’m not talking about in a drug- or alcohol-induced state—I mean in general. I just hid behind clothes, and I didn’t really care about what I wore, and I didn’t care about my skin or my hair—I just felt like, There’s nothing more I can do to look more attractive…what’s the point? and believing that, I just avoided having my picture taken."

The designer, who recently opened a boutique in Provincetown, reveals what's behind his recent weight loss:

"I’m very outspoken and honest. I’m the first to say that I’m gay, that I’m insecure, that I have certain hang-ups, that I’ve been dependent on drugs or alcohol, so I don’t really hide things with the fear that they’re going to be revealed on some blog. You’re going to get a bunch of blogs saying ‘He must be on meth in order to be that skinny compared to 10 months ago,’ but in fact I’m eating a totally organic diet, which has no flour, no sugar, no dairy, and no caffeine, and I lost weight because of that diet and because of a 2_-hour exercise regime seven days a week."

More shots of Marc Jacobs...

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News: Mitt Romney, Gordon Brown, Sweden, Big Brother, Morrissey

New British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appoints openly gay man, Spencer Livermore, director of political strategy at 10 Downing Street: "The 31-year-old has unrivalled access to the new Prime Minister and will play a key role in shaping the direction of the Brown government. Mr Livermore was ranked seven in this year's Independent Pink List, making him the most powerful gay person in UK politics."

They're not going: Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson are BFFs.

Al Gore takes lead over other Democratic candidates in hypothetical New Hampshire poll.

Sweden may soon adopt "gender neutral" marriage legislation, allowing same-sex couples to not only marry legally but to do so within a major church. Pastor Arne Wikstroem of the Oscars parish: "If today we are blessing homosexuals, I see no reason not to celebrate gay marriages. I think all people are equal before God. And no man is unholy or unblessed. We are all equal and all need God's blessings in our lives. If God has created people as homosexuals, we must accept them and we must bless them."

Still ill: Morrissey down with throat infection, cancels tour dates.

Britney Spears was expected to join the True Colors tour at its stop in Los Angeles but canceled when she found out a small but important detail — she would actually have to sing.

On 1983, vacation, Mitt Romney scared the shit out of his dog...literally: "The incident: dog excrement found on the roof and windows of the Romney station wagon. How it got there: Romney strapped a dog carrier — with the family dog Seamus, an Irish Setter, in it — to the roof of the family station wagon for a twelve hour drive from Boston to Ontario, which the family apparently completed, despite Seamus's rather visceral protest."

20-year-old receives a designer kiss.

Andre Jackson the East Side High School student at the center of the gay yearbook kiss controversy, graduates.

Elton John planning massive Las Vegas charity bash...in England: "Elton is hoping that his friends will enjoy tonight and remember it as their best invite of the year. He wants it to be an enjoyable night for all of his closest friends, so he thought came up with the idea of Las Vegas. He has invested in getting roulette wheels, croupiers, slot machines and generally re-enacting the atmosphere of Las Vegas, and he has got his entire celebrity guest list waiting to turn up."

Bangkok nightclub faces boycott after refusing entry to a transvestite. Management: "What happened on Saturday night was regrettable but was most definitely not part of the CM2 nightclub entry policy, nor was it supported by its management."

CBS announces Big Brother 8 cast, reveals photos of new house.

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News: Iceberg Skeleton, Marc Jacobs, Alabama Fistfight, Paris Hilton

Man arrested for 2005 gay rape in Santa Fe, New Mexico: "The victim told police he was drinking at the Swig nightclub in May 2005 and next remembers waking up in a car in a wooded area. He went to police and was then treated for injuries at a hospital where physical evidence including a DNA sample was collected. Nevada law forced Gonzales to give a DNA sample after he was arrested for attempted robbery in October which put him in the national database."

Melting iceberg off Newfoundland reveals mystery skeleton.

Not so fast: Paris Hilton called back before judge.

Analyst predicts Apple will sell $45 million iPhones by 2009: "While this may seem like a bold prediction, we believe a number in this area is not as far of a reach as some may think."

STUDY: More women experimenting with bisexuality. "The survey, released Thursday by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, found that 11.5 percent of women, ages 18 to 44, said they’ve had at least one sexual experience with another women in their lifetimes, compared with about 4 percent of women, ages 18 to 59, who said the same in a comparable survey a decade earlier."

Kentucky's creationist museum in sex scandal: "The man who plays Adam in a video aired at a Bible-based creationist museum has led a different life outside the Garden of Eden, flaunting his sexual exploits online and modeling for a clothing line that promotes free love. After learning about his activities Thursday, the Creation Museum in Kentucky pulled the 40-second video in which he appears."

Man in wheelchair gets hooked to grill of semi-truck, gets ride of his life.

Ricky Martin set for ride down Fifth Avenue in NYC as king of the Puerto Rican Day parade. Martin: "The opportunity to share with many Puerto Ricans, remembering our island, and waving a sea of Puerto Rican flags will be an incredible experience. There are Puerto Ricans in politics, in the Army, in art and business that have made a great contribution to the United States," he said. "We are a generous people, and we are strong in the face of adversity. We are a glad, enthusiastic town with a great sense of unity."

Partisan fistfight in Alabama Senate after Democrat calls Republican a "son of a bitch".

Marc Jacobs and Jason Preston: off again.

New documentary ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway follows Avenue Q, Wicked, Caroline, or Change, and Taboo from rehearsals through opening night: "We see Kushner and composer Jeanine Tesori hammer out lyrics and music for 'Caroline,' while 'Avenue Q' creators Jeff Marx and Bobby Lopez -- young, enthusiastic, seemingly doomed -- haul their puppet musical from a 1999 workshop video to the Great White Way. 'Taboo,' a costume extravaganza about the life of nightclub creature Leigh Bowery , attracts tabloid gawking for Boy George's outre make up and O'Donnell's PR pugilism (she's the real star of the show, and that's a problem)."

Jackie Chan gay mobster comedy to get Hollywood makeover. Director Tennenbaum: " "I love [the] movie for so many reasons, including the fact that it is a fresh new idea [flamboyant mobster running a tough heterosexual gang], and has universal themes of humanity, tolerance, and a great sense of humor."

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Marc Jacobs President Robert Duffy Speaks of Provincetown

Marc Jacobs President Robert Duffy is behind the recent opening of a Marc by Marc Jacobs boutique in Provincetown, Massachusetts, a town which has historically shunned chain stores, restaurant franchises, and brand name boutiques in favor of mom-and-mom t-shirt joints, salt water taffy shops, and art and antiques dealers.

The opening of the shop has, like most things in Ptown, divided opinion on whether it will be a good thing or a bad thing for the seasonal village. Some think it may be good for business while others worry about over-commercialization ruining the town's artistic vibe.

The normally under-the-radar Duffy, who recently donated $340,000 to Provincetown's Art Association and Museum, comments to the Provincetown Banner: “We are a brand. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do. If it opens up the floodgates for stores to be open year-round, it’s a good thing. I don’t come here to have a lot of attention focused on me. I’m used to having attention focused on me in New York and Paris. But you don’t like to see your name on a wall where you come to get away. This town has been my heart and soul. I have a cemetery plot here. I’m just so proud of the heritage this town has."

There's no doubt Provincetown is changing, but if it's the art-loving philanthropists that are coming its way, it's hard to see how anyone can really complain.

For more on Provincetown, click here!

Robert Duffy, couture company exec, steps from shadows [provincetown banner]

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News: Francis Bacon, Provincetown, Darren Hayes, Blue Whale

Italian bishops cause furor by ordering Catholic legislators to vote against gay rights legislation: "The long-awaited note, issued on Wednesday by the Italian Bishops Conference, was significant because it specifically targeted politicians as they consider a law to give homosexual and heterosexual unmarried couples more rights. While not specifying any punishment by the Church, it says Catholics could not hide behind "the principle of pluralism" or compromise on what it called the ethical needs of society. The note said Catholic politicians had 'the moral duty to clearly and publicly voice their disagreement and vote against any proposed law that would recognize homosexual couples'."

Francis Bacon painting "Study from Innocent X" could set auction record for a postwar artist.

The Cliks cover Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River". "The group is the brainchild of singer Lucas Silveira, a transgendered male, who started to write songs in 2005. After multiple personal crises, Silveira climbed back up and started to come to terms with his individuality. 'They say when it rains, it pours, and that essentially happened to me before the creation of this album.'"

Birmingham, Alabama City Council rejects resolution that would have made it part of the Partnership for Inclusive Communities, an initiative of the National League of Cities, because the resolution includes rejecting discrimination based on sexual orientation: "The resolution itself is a sanguine, feel-good political statement, supporting inclusiveness and condemning all kinds of bigotry and intolerance. The NLC’s website lists the numerous other cities that have already passed the resolution, including Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh. In addition, several cities in Alabama have already passed the resolution — Selma, Aliceville, Valley and Talladega."

Ever wanted to swim next to a blue whale? Here's your chance, sort of...

Darren Hayes gets back behind the microphone in New York City.

Marc Jacobs to open 730-sq-ft store in Provincetown: "[President Robert] Duffy is especially fond of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, and Jacobs stores nationwide are selling T-shirts to benefit it. The 730-square-foot Provincetown store will sell women’s and men’s collections and items tailored to the location. Those will include 10 specially designed T-shirts, flip-flops, sunglasses, bathing suits, tote bags, umbrellas, and even surfboards and motorcycle helmets for those who ride around the town on Vespa scooters. Children’s products also may be added. 'Everybody thinks it’s all gay men in Provincetown, but there’s a lot of families, there’s a lot of young single people, and there’s a lot of young families with children,' Duffy said. 'The town can handle it. I just know we have a customer there.'"

Just days after a decision by New York's Jewish Theological Seminary to admit gays and lesbians, Jerusalem's Schechter Rabbinical Seminary says they won't.

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