News: Maine, Gray Hair, Snow Leopard, Lady Gaga, Mercy, Apple

LIARS: Maine anti-gay marriage petitioners using duplicitous tactics.

Lady Gaga has a tit explosion in Toronto.

Sacha Baron Cohen plagiarized his pink nude Berlin bodysuits.

New York Bar Association stands behind marriage equality.

Provincetown film festival kicks off.

Hate crime outside Casey's Bar and Lounge in Portland under investigation: "No arrests have been made, but the case has been sent to a detective with the Biased Crimes Unit, which is examining whether the alleged victim was targeted because she was gay. Customers of the bar said they have experienced homophobic slurs from people in nearby apartments. They said some have tossed water balloons and spit at them."

T.R. Knight to star in Parade at the Mark Taper Forum.

Madonna's Mercy arrives in London.

Recently-out 86-year-old World War II vet served as grand marshal for this weekend's Gay Pride parade in Columbus, Ohio.

NYT: Why the gay rights movement has no national leader.

Apple sells more than a million iPhone 3GS in first three days.

More reason that clowns are evil.

Residents of Napa, California rally for Pride: "About 100 people walked Saturday in downtown Napa for Napa Valley Pride 2009, an event in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people."

AfterElton covers Broadway Bares 19.0.

Mulberry, Florida mayor and drag queen roommate in domestic dust-up.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon now wear matching outfits.

Is gray hair protecting us from cancer?

Gay rights group in Indiana plans July 2 protest in Bloomington against constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Canadian and U.S. researchers' new approach to fighting AIDS: "Treating HIV/AIDS with a combination of antiviral drugs and chemotherapy seems to destroy both the circulating virus and immune cells in which the virus hides, a team of Canadian and U.S. researchers has found. In Sunday's online issue of the journal Nature Medicine, Dr. Rafick-Pierre Sékaly of the University of Montreal and his colleagues report finding cells where HIV hides from existing treatments. Anti-AIDS therapies known as highly active anti-retroviral treatments, or HAART, target the virus's replication process but have been hampered by these reservoirs of immune system cells hiding the virus."

Male model fix: Jamie Dornan.

Cell phone leads police to gay man's killer. Likely an internet hook-up gone wrong: "Officials said they believe the stabbing occurred after Fermaintt visited Pecora's apartment and then hailed a cab to go to the Bronx, according to city police. But once in the cab, police said, Fermaintt explained to the driver that he did not have cash and offered a watch and a cell phone to pay for the ride. When Fermaintt left the cab, he left the phone on the backseat, where the driver later found it and saw a worried text message that was from Pecora's sister." NY1 report.

Quest for the snow leopard.

Google Street View provides some useful evidence after a weekend building collapse in Brooklyn in which three were injured.

Youth Radio to cover 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Major spelling error at Pat Buchanan conference to promote "English-only" initiatives.

Washington Post under fire for publishing 7,000 word piece on the murder of gay D.C. lawyer Robert Wone online only and not in print edition.

Sit-In Planned Tonight at Ohio Bar, Site of Anti-Gay Gang Attack

A sit-in is planned tonight (originally scheduled for last Saturday but canceled due to inclement weather) in reaction to the hate attack against a gay man that took place last week at Tabby's Bar and Grille in Maineville, Ohio.

Jamie Royce of Stuff Queer People Need To Know  who arrived at last week's action before knowing it was canceled, explains the sign above: "The owner of Tabby’s explained to us that this attack does not reflect his establishment and apologized to the victim’s mother; he was wearing white in solidarity with the planned sit-in. Signs like this one were posted throughout the bar."

Here's the Facebook page for the demo.

As far as I know, police are still looking for the two men primarily responsible for the attack. If anyone knows otherwise, please let us know.

Gay Man Beaten by Gang of People at Ohio Bar Over His Sexuality

After a night of provocation and taunting, a 31-year-old Maineville, Ohio man was brutally attacked by at least four people during a night out at Tabby's American Bar and Grill, Local 12 reports:

"Ronnie Robertson's nose is broken, he has deep cuts and scratches around his eyes and cheeks. The 31 year old Mainville man is openly gay, his friends saying he's regretting not going to a gay bar Tuesday night...A criminal investigation is underway, looking for everyone involved in the attack. Two women were arrested on the spot: Sarah Goldsberry, and Tammy Lingle. They are charged with felony assault, and disrupting police business...Kelly Coffey says her friends, a mix of gay and straight people chose Tabby's to play sand volleyball - but were harassed by a man who continued to ask who in the group was gay and who wasn't & her brother finally answered. 'When he admitted that he was, they lost it, went crazy and started attacking my brother and pushing him out of the bar.'"

Police are looking for at least two men involved in the attack, and Local 12 has not been able to reach the bar's owner.

Watch their report, AFTER THE JUMP...

Paul Cadmus: Vintage Beefcake in Toledo

Tyler Green at ArtsJournal's MAN takes note of this new acquisition by the Toledo Art Museum. It was painted in 1931 by Paul Cadmus. "Jerry" is a painting of his lover Jerry French and has been in the French family until just recently.

Cadmus was 26 at the time, writes Green: "French was a frequent subject and model for both Cadmus' paintings and photographs. They met at the Art Students League in New York and Cadmus later credited French with encouraging him to pursue fine art subjects rather than commercial work...French and Cadmus were lovers when this picture was painted and remained lovers even after French's marriage...in 1937...Given the resemblance between French and the men in scores of Tom of Finland drawings, it's worth noting that Cadmus' work was indeed a particular point of departure for Touko Laaksonen, who is better known as Tom of Finland."

More on the painting at MAN...

Cleveland, Ohio Domestic Partner Registry Begins Today

Today is the first day that unmarried couples can register as domestic partners in Cleveland, Ohio:

"Supporters of the registry plan to celebrate with a rally from noon to 2 p.m. on the steps of City Hall. Inside, ministers who oppose the registry will kick off the National Day of Prayer with breakfast, music and prayers in City Council chambers. Councilman Zack Reed, who voted against the registry in December, invited the ministers. The Rev. C. Jay Matthews, the most vocal opponent of the registry, will lead the ministers in prayer before the group marches to Public Square for a nationwide prayer at noon."

The Cleveland Plain Dealer profiles some of the couples who will be registering today. Supporters are hoping for 300.

News: Amazing Race, Aaron Schock, DOMA, Twitter, Muffins, UVA

Pelosi to Bay Area Reporter: Repeal of DOMA not a top priority.

Jared Polis considering introducing omnibus LGBT rights bill in the House.

Zac Efron's nut-tingling leftovers.

The current Amazing Race, which has at least two additional contestants who are gay but not identified as such, closets contestants because producers want them to play to their types. Mel White: "After Luke 'found out that Mike and I were being billed as gay, he wanted to be billed as gay,' but a producer said—and this is Mel paraphrasing a conversation he had with an unnamed producer—‘No, we’re establishing you as what we want you to be established. He’s established as deaf. You’re established as gay, so don’t be interrupting what we're trying to do here.’”

Mel White talks to AfterElton...

Elton John to perform at Andy Roddick's wedding this weekend.

1,000,000: Ashton Kutcher beats CNN in weeklong Twitter war.

Defense Secretary Gates remains cautious on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal: “Everybody in this room knows that this is a complex and difficult problem. [Then he noted that President Harry S. Truman had signed an executive order integrating the armed services in 1948] and that it was five years before the process was completed. I’m not saying that’s a model for this, but I’m saying that I believe that this is something that needs to be done very, very carefully.’’

Eli Manning: I'm better looking than Peyton.

Sarah Palin's anti-gay attorney general nominee REJECTED.

Ohio teacher resigns after taking high school students to gay bar: "Lori Epperson submitted a letter of resignation Thursday. She also sent an email to her supervisor and the school principal in which she admits to taking four female students to a club called Masque."

Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council has the lie-spewing turned up full throttle.

Britney Spears stalked by former American Idol contesant peeping Tomasina.

Stephen Colbert talks to the Brody Jenner of Congress, Rep. Aaron Schock.

Gay muffin tops!

Long Island gay and lesbian groups to honor Harvey Milk this weekend: "Milk's nephew, Stuart Milk, will accept an award on Saturday from the Long Island Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Services Network. Milk grew up on Long Island and graduated from high school there in the late 1940s — keeping his sexuality a well-guarded secret."

UVA students hold a rally against anti-gay hate: "Several hundred people gathered at UVA’s amphitheater last night for the Stand Against Hatred. The vigil and public forum was in response to the April 4 attack on a UVA student that was apparently motivated by anti-gay bias."

Maryland to protect the homeless under hate crimes statute: "The groundbreaking measure, championed by one of the legislature's most conservative Republicans, was approved in the House of Delegates four minutes before the General Assembly adjourned at midnight Monday. O'Malley (D) is reviewing the bill, which also adds penalties for violent crimes against people targeted because of their gender or disability."