News: Ian McKellen, Cher, The Onion, Larry Sinclair, Gay Androids

Supreme Court rules in favor of right to bear arms.

Sir Ian McKellen made a Companion of Honour by the Queen.

Cher has a stalker who tried to grab her by the wrist in Nashville.

Obama-accuser Larry Sinclair, who was arrested last week when his criminal record caught up with him following an appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., is being defended by some as a "political prisoner".

Remember Britain's Got Talent's angelic bullied choirboy Andrew Johnston? He didn't win, but he did just get a £1 million deal with Simon Cowell's record label.

Houston-area homes and vehicles targeted by spray paint vandals using racial and homophobic slurs: "Fort Bend County Sheriff's detectives are investigating more than a dozen incidents of theft and vandalism involving racist and obscene words spray painted on homes and vehicles. The incidents were reported about 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the New Territory development, said sheriff's spokeswoman Terriann Carlson. 'It appears that white spray paint was used on all of the vehicles and the residences and racial and derogatory slurs such as the swastika symbol, and male body parts,' Carlson said. The slurs also targeted homosexuals, she said."

HRC President Joe Solmonese on the first congressional hearings to educate members about gender identity issues. More on the hearings from Pam.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: HIV/AIDS infection rates for drug users, prostitutes and gay men around the globe are on the rise. "'HIV is a long-term and complex disaster on many levels ... For marginalized groups across the world — injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men — rates are on the increase,' said the Geneva-based humanitarian agency. Those groups, living on the fringes of society in many countries and especially in the developing world, 'often face stigma, criminalization and little, if any, access to prevention and treatment services,' it added."

West Hollywood's historic 'Tara' mansion may get new life as a same-sex wedding location.

The Onion celebrates Gay Pride.

Lesbians in Vancouver claim comedian crossed homophobic line during routine: "Ms. Pardy alleges that she and her same-sex partner were subjected to a tirade of homophobic and sexist comments by Mr. Earle. Mr. Earle denies that he discriminated, while admitting that his interactions with Ms. Pardy and her partner were heated."

A Cristiano Ronaldo fix for you.

18-year-old gay Boston drop-out Alex Quince triumphs with perfect score on the GED reading test: "A quiet teenager making A's and B's, he ran away from home, dropped out of school, and tried everything from marijuana to heroin. He struggled with his sexual orientation. When his mother called his cellphone, sick with worry, he responded with a text message. 'I'm gay,' it said. 'I'm not coming home.'"

Hugh Jackman has left the beaches of Sydney and is now stunning onlookers in St. Tropez.

Does everyone in the world have a sex tape?

A police force of 2,000 guarded today's gay pride parade in Jerusalem. If numbers are correct, that's one officer for every person who took part.

Gays in Oregon question commitment of Senator Gordon Smith. HRC's David M. Smith: "Our view of Gordon Smith is, he has been a leader on a number of our issues. His record is strong and he is very clear about it, and we appreciate everything he's done and continues to do. [But] we will not be endorsing him."

With Wall-E on the verge of release, Radar posts a brief history of gay androids.

ABC: Barack and Michelle Obama putting mark on the fashion world.

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Oregon Senator Smith Apologies for Linking Polygamy to Gay Marriage

Last week I posted a video of Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon likening persecution of gays to the persecution of Mormons for their beliefs about polygamy. In an interview with The Oregonian, Smith, who has supported a hate-crimes bill that covers attacks against gays, as well as Oregon's civil union law and more rights for domestic partners, apologized.

Said Smith: "My remarks referenced a point in time when a few of my ancestors were persecuted for not adhering to that belief. It was an unfortunate reference, and I apologize for making it...If you'd grown up a Mormon, and spent your life trying to get out from the shadow of that legacy -- it's an emotional scar that you carry. I meant no offense by sharing that part of my history."

Smith said that he still believes marriage is between a man and a woman.

Watch the clip with Smith's remarks, AFTER THE JUMP...

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News: Peter Pace, Jellyfish, Oregon, Gilbert Baker, Moscow

Bush awards former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair and homophobe Peter Pace the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

Will Smith superhero movie re-branded by construction worker in London's Leicester Square.

Sick: Brutal trans-bashing by Memphis police officer caught on video. "The video, recorded February 12th, shows Duanna Johnson in the booking area at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center after an arrest for prostitution. The tape clearly shows a Memphis police officer walk over to Johnson - a transsexual - and hit her in the face several times. 'Actually he was trying to get me to come over to where he was, and I responded by telling him that wasn't my name - that my mother didn't name me a 'faggot' or a 'he-she,' so he got upset and approached me. And that's when it started.'"

Uh oh, there's a new Spears in town.

Gaytona.com: where gay and Nascar meet.

Experts: Mass proliferation of jellyfish a sure sign that environment is out of whack.

Oregon opponents of gay rights laws abandon efforts to repeal them: "Organizers conceded Monday that their initiatives to repeal two Oregon gay rights laws will not make the November ballot. The fact that the initiatives are stalled offers more evidence that opponents are losing support, say gay rights activists, who were also celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriages in California on Monday."

Provocation: Right-wing group asks Israeli Supreme Court to ban Gay Pride in Jerusalem: "In a petition to the court, the small National Jewish Front called the event 'a provocation,' while the municipality filed a brief saying it too objected to the parade, scheduled to be held on June 26. 'We are against this parade which harms social relations,' city spokesman Gidi Schemerling told AFP."

Members of the clergy in Albany today rallied to protest Governor David Paterson's decision to recognize same-sex marriages preformed out of state.

An interview with rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker: "I love going to cities around the world and seeing the rainbow flag, knowing that it's a safe place where I can be myself...In 1978, when I thought of creating a flag for the gay movement there was no other international symbol for us than the pink triangle, which the Nazis used to identify homosexuals in concentration camps. Even though the pink triangle was and still is a powerful symbol, it was very much forced upon us. I almost instantly thought of using the rainbow. To me, it was the only thing that could really express our diversity, beauty and our joy. I was astounded nobody had thought of making a rainbow flag before because it seemed like such an obvious symbol for us."

Mario Lopez is impressed with himself.

Recommend picks from the California Tourism Commission for places to have your wedding or honeymoon.

Mickey Rourke spent his Father's Day with a dude in a thong.

Hockey jock doesn't speak, but carries a big stick (warning: site NSFW)

District Court of Moscow dismisses complaint by activists that gay pride ban was unlawful: " During court hearing, Nikolai Alekseev, principle the organiser of Moscow Pride, said that the Russian legislation does not give the authorities the right to ban any public event if it does not contradict the Constitution. According to the law, he told the court, authorities are obliged to offer an alternative place or time for the conduct of such an event if it is not possible to stage it in the place where planned."

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #309

TIM RUSSERT: TPM remembers the Meet the Press host and NBC Washington Bureau Chief.

GOP SENATOR GORDON SMITH: Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon likens persecution of gays to persecution of Mormons for their views on marriage.

FATHER'S DAY: Barack Obama talks tough with dads at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago, IL. "Too many fathers are MIA."

FLOOD PREPARATION: Obama grabs a shovel, McCain prays...

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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News: Jodie Foster, Oregon, Chris Evans, Northern Ireland

Good riddance: South Carolina high school principal resigning because he doesn't agree with the school having a gay-straight alliance.

Was she the other woman who ended Jodie Foster's 14 year relationship? "Although she and Cydney remain under the same roof at the moment, the relationship has been shattered. They’ll continue to raise the boys together and try to keep a loving family unit despite their breakup. The love is gone."

Oregon Court of Appeals upholds ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in the state.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie glam it up in Cannes.

Redwood City, California man to stand trial for attacking his neighbors with a wrought iron table, fists: "Prosecutors say Santos-Coy had been drinking when he approached two neighbors of his apartment complex as they worked on their car in the building's carport. Yelling that the men — a couple in their 20s, according to prosecutors — were 'dirty nasty people' and other things not fit to print in this publication, Santos-Coy allegedly struck one of the men several times in the face. He then picked up a wrought-iron table and swung it at the victims, prosecutors said. The men managed to avoid getting hit by the heavy table, according to prosecutors...He faces up to eight years in prison for two felony counts of a hate crime and one count of assault with a hate crime purpose."

Cameron Diaz goes bald.

Scotland Yard arrests 198 across London for "domestic, homophobic and race hate crimes."

Owner of the first gay bar outside a major city in Ireland talks about the reaction from the community: "When someone comes up to one of my sons and mentions the gay bar, it's to tell them that their uncle or cousin is gay. The young people in Strabane seem to be very open-minded — there's been no hassle at all."

"Ex-Gay" Bar? UK former gay bar under inquiry for putting up banner announcing that it is "now straight". "A police inquiry is under way into a complaint that the sign, which has now been taken down, was offensive. The bar owners said it was never their intention to offend. Assistant manager Carl Lovett said: 'We admit it was not the best banner but there was never any intention to cause offence.' ... The bar, which opened as a seven-days-a-week gay venue in January, decided to switch to becoming a mainstream premises after failing to attract enough customers."

Chris Evans apparently has some lesbian fantasies.

California Republican justice Ronald George on newly-minted hero status: "Basically, it comes down to the question of when is a judge shirking his or her responsibility by not acting...The political repercussions of who I am going to please or who I am going to displease is not something I think about. I just put it out of my mind."

Canadian middle school students told they can't wear anti-homophobia t-shirts: "School principal Kim MacKenzie said the word "gay" was used inappropriately. He said the T-shirts weren't appropriate for a middle-school level and didn't comply with the school dress code. 'This is a middle school,' he said, adding no other disciplinary actions were taken. 'There were questions from Grade 5 students as to what homophobia was. That's something that many of our parents would have a concern with -- the notion of how that conversation (was started) in the school,' said MacKenzie."

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Portland, Oregon's New Gay Mayor Sam Adams: Victory Speech

Earlier this morning I posted about Sam Adams, Portland, Oregon's newly elected gay mayor.

His victory speech, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sam Adams victory speech

(via Portland Elects Openly Gay Mayor Sam Adams [tr]

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Obama Wins Oregon and Delegate Majority, Clinton Takes Kentucky

Barack Obama won the Oregon primary last night while Clinton won Kentucky's race, but the story of the night was Obama crossing the delegate threshold, amassing a majority of pledged delegates and moving him closer to the Democratic nomination:

"While Mrs. Clinton’s campaign continued to make a case that she could prevail, Mr. Obama seized on the results from Democratic contests in Kentucky and Oregon to move into a new phase of the campaign in which he will face different challenges. Those include bringing disaffected Clinton supporters into his camp; winning over elements of the Democratic coalition like working-class whites, Hispanics and Jews; and fending off attacks from Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, especially on national security. Mr. Obama won easily in Oregon. But his obstacles were underlined by a lopsided defeat in Kentucky, where just half of the Democratic voters said in exit polls that they would back him in the general election this fall."

Clinton has pledged to stay in the race though obstacles to the nomination now appear largely insurmountable, while the Obama campaign has remained cautious in declaring victory.

The speeches:

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Portland Elects Openly Gay Mayor Sam Adams

Sam Adams, an openly gay man whose family lived on "food stamps and public housing" as he grew up, has been elected Portland, Oregon's mayor. As such, he'll be the first openly gay mayor of a top-40 U.S. city.

The Oregonian reports: " The city commissioner soundly defeated 12 other candidates Tuesday to assume the top office in the city and one of the tallest bully pulpits in the Pacific Northwest. He captured 58 percent of the vote to avoid a November runoff against travel agency owner Sho Dozono. Adams, 44, won by stressing specifics: He promised to work with school leaders to cut the dropout rate, make Portland a leader in environmentally friendly businesses and use the Portland Streetcar and better planning to spur urban renewal."

You may recall I posted about Adams last September as he was being targeted by Bob Ball, a gay Portland real estate developer who also had an interest in the mayor's office, in an ugly, unsubstantiated smear campaign involving an underage intern. Adams, obviously, survived that attack.

Adams takes over for outgoing mayor Tom Potter in seven months.

A very brief clip from the local news, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Barack Obama Draws Massive Crowd in Portland, Oregon

Two days before tomorrow's Oregon primary, Barack Obama drew 75,000 people to a rally that the New York Daily News called his "wow" moment.

Although Tuesday's primary could give Obama a majority of pledged delegates, the campaign reportedly won't be declaring a victory in the nomination that night.

The Clinton campaign was also in Oregon over the weekend, the NY Times reports: "Bill and Chelsea Clinton also were in Oregon on Sunday, campaigning on behalf of Hillary Rodham Clinton in Salem. 'Don’t you let anyone tell you she can’t win,' Mr. Clinton said. 'You can still make your voices heard.' ... 'In wrapping up the case for his wife, Bill Clinton did not criticize Obama, who is heavily favored to win in Oregon on Tuesday,. writes The Oregonian. 'Instead, he directed his sharpest comments at the news media, citing what he said were recent studies that concluded that the Democratic primary campaign had been the subject of ‘the most biased, one-sided media coverage in the history of American politics.’'"

Check out a clip of Obama's massive rally, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Chelsea Clinton to Hit Lesbian Bar with Sophie B Hawkins?

Barring any unforeseen changes in the Clinton campaign schedule, it looks as if Chelsea will be continuing the gay bar crawl she began at Portland's Red Dress Party and extended to Center City in Philadelphia when she returns to Portland before Oregon's primary.

Williamette Week's Byron Beck reports: "Just got word there is a very strong possibility that my new friend Chelsea Clinton is heading back to Portland for a very special appearance on Tuesday, May 13. Chelsea will be collecting ballots alongside out and very proud recording artist Sophie B. Hawkins."

Previously
Chelsea Clinton's Ass Grabbed in Philadelphia Gay Bar Crawl [tr]
Chelsea Clinton Hobnobs with the Muscle Marys [tr]

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Chelsea Clinton Parties with 2,000 Gay Men at Drag Fundraiser

While in Portland, Chelsea Clinton made sure the gays got some attention, stopping in at the annual Red Dress Party, at which attendees must wear the required garment. It was probably, refreshingly, the first stop in recent weeks where she knew she wouldn't be asked about the blue dress.

Byron Beck writes: "Not to be confused with that other annual "Red Dress" fundraiser, this is the "Red Dress Party," a mondo-alcohol-fueled dance party where nearly 2,000 gay men in various states of red dress undress (and several nearly naked straight men as well as one very colorfully decorated naked woman) invade a warehouse in Northeast Portland and dance their collective asses off to pounding disco music and the incredible Storm Large and her Balls (they were beyond fabulous). Large, a bigtime Obama supporter even dedicated one of her more infamous songs, Ladylike, to Chelsea's mama. According to my sources Ms. Clinton moved heaven and earth (well, she just trimmed some of her other meetings in Oregon Saturday that included stops in Eugene and Portland State University) so that she could make the par-ty."

Adds Beck: "This small shindig was started years ago as a way for gay guys to wear girlie gowns and get stinkin’ drunk. But this much-loved party has evolved over the years. Now one of the most colorful fundraisers out there (last year the group gave away more than $25,000 to local nonprofits supporting queer youth or helping people with AIDS), it attracts over 1,500-plus attendees, including straight men and women, state legislators and anybody else who likes to rock on with their frock on."

Party Girl: Chelsea Clinton Cuts Loose With 2,000 Gay Men in Red Dresses
[williamette week]

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News: Gayle King, Hunky Jesus, Yale, Charlie Crist, Tibet

A dog's life: NYC penthouse purchased for Gayle King in name of Oprah's recently deceased cocker spaniel, Sophie.

San Franciscans battle it out to be Hunky Jesus in Easter competition: "Catholics have labelled the annual pageant blasphemous, considering that previous entrants have included 'old school Jesus', 'surfer Jesus' and 'zombie Jesus', an irreverent take on the Easter message of Christ rising from the dead."

Last night's How I Met Your Mother guest starring Britney Spears was the show's highest rated episode ever.

18-year-old charged with stabbing death of gay man appears in Brooklyn court: "The defendant, Omar Willock, is charged with a hate crimes offense...At Willock’s arraignment last spring, Hynes told reporters that Willock 'shouted anti-gay remarks' at Roberto Duncanson, taunting him even as he tried to get away from Willock. Willock allegedly followed Duncanson, who’d been trying to avoid the confrontation, which had its roots in an verbal exchange earlier that same night, when angry words were exchanged between the two men. Willock had claimed that Duncanson stared at him in an unwanted manner, though the incident did not become violent. When Duncanson returned along the same route later that evening, Willock is alleged to have renewed his taunts. Witnesses told police the two engaged in a brief fistfight, culminating in a chase that ended with Duncanson’s stabbing death."

Florida Governor Charlie Crist loves women.

Yale University appoints first openly gay residential-college master, tapping acclaimed singer Richard Lalli MUS ’86 to lead Jonathan Edwards College: "He will be joined by his partner, Michael Rigsby MED ’88, who will add the designation of associate master to his current title: medical director of Yale University Health Services. Lalli, an adjunct professor of music, has taught at Yale since 1982; both are already JE fellows and freshman advisers in the college. 'This is a great occasion. It’s probably the greatest occasion of my life,' Lalli said to JE students after University President Richard Levin announced his appointment over dinner Wednesday night in Commons." College master is one of Yale's highest recognitions.

Gay Syrian applies for asylum in Scotland: "After Mr Yakob's terrible ordeal in Syria, it is unacceptable that the Home Office would consider sending him back. There is a very real risk that he would suffer further ill treatment or even possibly death. He has sought asylum in Scotland and I will make an immediate representation to the Home Office in an effort to overturn their ruling before his final hearing in May."

OP/ED: Repeal of gay rights laws in Oregon would have chilling effect.

Chinese paramilitary police open fire on mass crowd of monks, nuns, and Tibetans: "Residents of Luhuo said that a monk and a farmer appeared to have been killed and about a dozen people wounded in the latest violence in Tibetan areas of China. Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, said that one officer was killed when police confronted a 'lawless mob' in Luhuo. The demonstration began at 4pm when about 200 nuns from Woge nunnery and a similar number of monks from Jueri monastery marched towards the Luhuo Third District government office. They were joined by several hundred farmers and nomads, witnesses said."

Ashton Kutcher plays douchebag in new film.

How does Priscilla Presley stay looking so young? Special facial injections of auto lubricant.

Gay sex expert Michael Alvear spent three months filming couples and analyzing the footage: "I don’t think that people are really that aware of their contributions to the breakdowns in a relationship, and the cameras are able to cut through all the false perceptions that they have about themselves. I’ve always believed this through writing and advising people about sex—the question, 'What are you unaware of that, if you became aware of it, you could change and make the situation better?' That’s what the cameras allowed people to do—become aware of the things they’re not aware of. It’s like a mirror that way."

Gay Wisconsin man settles lawsuit alleging two men attacked him in a deli because he was gay: "Brett Timmerman's lawsuit claims that he walked into a sandwich shop in Platteville in July 2005 when Oden Waite and Enove Urias made anti-gay remarks to him, put him in a headlock and took him to the ground. Timmerman claims that Waite spit on him twice. Timmerman's attorney, Jim Madigan, said that he reached the deal with Waite's attorneys last week. He said that the settlement calls for terms to remain undisclosed."

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Barack Obama Criticizes Use of Gay Marriage as a Wedge Issue

Speaking to a crowd in Medford, Oregon last week, Barack Obama criticized the use of gay marriage as a wedge issue that distracts from the more important issues at hand.

Said Obama: "The reason that we have to talk about and deal with these divisions is because we get distracted every political season and election cycle by these divisions. And then we end up ignoring these big problems. Think about what these last few election cycles have been about. We argue about immigration, but we don't try to solve the immigration problem. It's an argument that is all about people's passions instead of trying to figure it out. We argue about gay marriage. In the meantime the planet is...potentially being destroyed. We've got a war that is bankrupting us. And we're going to argue about gay marriage? (applause) I mean, that...doesn't make any sense."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Oregon Lawmaker Calls Gays Perverts, Seeks Repeal of Bias Law

Two Republican Oregon legislators are spearheading an effort to repeal portions of the state's law which ban discimination based on sexual orientation:

"State Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, and Rep. Kim Thatcher, R-Newberg, have submitted a ballot title to state elections officials, who announced this week they will accept public comments through March 25. The draft title on the proposed statutory amendment by George and Thatcher reads: 'Removes sexual orientation from statutes listing impermissible discrimination grounds; deletes other sexual orientation-related provisions.' Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, said the proposed initiative was expected. But she criticized the two Republican lawmakers for their role. 'While I'm not surprised that initiatives to repeal the laws have been filed, I'm shocked that this effort has been spearheaded by legislators whose duty is to protect Oregonians,' Frazzini said."

George recently gave an interview to Oregon gay newspaper Just Out regarding the anti-discrimination laws. Said George: "As an employer, I don’t wanna hear about it. This workplace is for work purposes. My advice to the gay community is SHUT UP, just don’t talk about it. If you walk around talking about what you do in the bedroom, you should be on the pervert channel."

George also described the anti-discrimination measure as like Nazi Germany. Said George in part of an hourlong interview to the Constitution Party of Oregon (audio):

"'Do they [the legislature] have the ability to write a bill dealing with special rights for homosexuals? To say that if I should stand at a pulpit and reach back here and grab a bible and tell you that homosexuality is an abomination to God, and if you're a homosexual you need to stop doing that, okay. You need to stop that. If I were to do that, under this bill, and we had the right people in the room, I could be brought up on charges - sound a little bit like Canada? Sound a little bit like Europe?' Then a voice from the crowd yells out 'Nazi Germany! Sieg Heil!' Nazi Germany, yeah that's right. And so, what happens is, what happens was, is they were able to get passed, and right now there's an effort out there by Marylin Shannon and a bunch of us that are actually going to challenge that. We're gonna say 'No, I'm sorry, you cannot provide special rights, you know, for homosexuals...' with the ability to sue you, and with the requirement that your children and your grandchildren be taught affirmatively that homosexuality is a great idea. So that's the kind of thing that we're battling down there.'"

State Senator Gary George [oregon state legislature]
Oregon lawmakers seek repeal of gay rights law [the oregonian]
Interview with State Senator Gary George [just out]
George speech to Constitution Party [audio]

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News: Annie Lennox, Penguins, Judy Shepard, Spitzer's Promise

Maxim Thorne, a member of Obama's LGBT leadership council, resigns after angry posts to listserv reviving Clinton sex scandals.

Dave Navarro's piercings take no prisoners.

Annie Lennox launches "Sing" campaign to fight HIV/AIDS.

Teacher survey: homophobic abuse "endemic" in UK schools: "Homophobic abuse is endemic in schools, with 'gay' now the most common put-down by pupils in the classroom, teachers say. A 'conspiracy of silence' in schools and colleges means homophobia is now seen as so normal that some teachers believe they risk disrupting classes - and making themselves a target of abuse - if they challenge students' behaviour. More than 70% of teachers have heard put-downs in their school or college that refer to sexuality, according to a survey of 268 teachers by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. In particular, teachers report that pupils routinely use the term 'gay' in a pejorative manner."

Concerned Women for America's Matt Barber calls Angels in America "racist gay porn."

John Turner, gay physician who treated early AIDS patients, dies at 63. Jane Shull, executive director of Philadelphia FIGHT: "In the 1980s, when AIDS was new and there were no drugs, or drugs that were virtually useless, when people were dying every single day, and there seemed to be no end in sight - every patient who came to see John left his office less afraid than when he went in."

USA Today profiles Judy Shepard and her mission to end hate crimes: "Shepard also points out what has and what hasn't changed in the 10 years since her son was murdered. What hasn't is that hate crimes continue. She mentions the recent murder of Lawrence King, a gay 15-year-old junior high student in Oxnard, Calif., who was shot to death by a fellow student. 'This terrible incident underscores the fact that we cannot let hate go unchecked in our schools and communities,' Shepard says. 'Our young people need our direction and guidance to prevent this type of crime from happening.' What has changed, she says, is that when she was growing up in Wyoming, 'no one talked about it' — 'it' being homosexuality. At 55, Shepard says the past 10 years have been exhausting. Only recently has she begun to dream about Matt, which she looks upon as a good sign."

Bring some passion back to Albany: Spitzer fulfills promise.

How Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell, will help complete Heath Ledger's last film, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: "Since the format of the story allows for the preservation of his entire performance, at no point will Heath’s work be modified or altered through the use of digital technology. “Each of the parts played by Johnny, Colin and Jude is representative of the many aspects of the character that Heath was playing."

Penguin fan? Here's a whole lotta them.

More juice on Britney's guest star turn on How I Met Your Mother.

British government sends Iranian gays to their executions: "An Iranian lesbian who fled to Britain after her girlfriend was arrested and sentenced to death faces being forcibly returned after losing the latest round in her battle to be granted asylum. The case of Pegah Emambakhsh, 40, comes a day after The Independent reported on the growing public outcry over the plight of a gay Iranian teenager who fears he will be executed if he is deported to Iran….In turning down Ms Emambakhsh and Mr Kazemi’s asylum applications, the Home Office has said that, provided Iranians are discreet about their homosexuality, they will not be persecuted."

Police confront hundreds of angry, naked cyclists in Eugene, Oregon. Cyclists win.

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Oregon Lawmakers File Initiative to Overturn Domestic Partner Law

Sen. Fred Girod (R-Stayton) and state Rep. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford) have filed paperwork that says they intend to overturn the state's new domestic partner law, Williamette Week reports.

They'll need to collect nearly 83,000 signatures by July 3 to make that happen.

Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Jeana Frazzini doesn't think it'll happen: "I don't expect that they will find the support to overturn this important law ... Basic Rights Oregon will have to fight this with every resource we have. That means, in the next four to six weeks we will be working with our attorney, through the ballot title process, to ensure that the impact of this initiative is fully understood by voters. In the past their efforts were [to] deny access to rights. This time they are trying to take away the rights of fellow Oregonians."

Oregon's domestic partner law went into effect at the beginning of February, following a temporary suspension during which requests by 'pro-family' groups to look into the signature count on a failed referendum drive were considered.

Proposed Repeal of Oregon's Domestic Partnership Is Filed [williamette week]

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News: Virgin Galactic, MRSA, Mary Oliver, Israel, Chace Crawford

Opponents of anti-gay marriage amendment in Florida declare war: "Jon Kislak, a prominent South Florida businessman and chairman of Florida Red and Blue, a statewide bipartisan committee, said they will form a 'truth squad' to tell how much damage the proposal could have on Floridians."

Jason Chambers, host of The History Channel's Human Weapon, wants to know if anyone is up for a little tea-bagging?

The Uk's Guardian looks at the MRSA scare.

Genre editor Neal Boulton back with a woman? Source: "I have been living off and on in New York unbenownst [sic] to Neal for one year. Let it be known that I am not homophobic because I, like his wife Claire, and his entire secret troupe of girls, were never in the dark that he was blatently [sic] bisexual. However, what annoys me is that he is the Editor In Chief of a gay men’s magazine and blatently [sic] goes around like he did the other night at The View (a gay bar in Chelsea) making out with women (a red headed one this time) who come on to him without a care in the world (to the suprise [sic] of the bartender), yet stands up and writes in his editor’s letter that he is gay!"

Milo Ventimiglia grows (or tries to grow) a strike beard.

New website launches for religious gay community in Israel: "Itay, one of the founders of the site, explained to Ynet that this new website is innovative in its approach to homosexuality and religion. 'Up to now the only website catering to the religious gay community was atzat-nefesh (www.atzat-nefesh.org), which was basically run by straight people that publicly stated that a religious person cannot be gay. They tried to ‘turn’ gay religious people straight, which is something that we know cannot be done. We try to help people reconcile their religious beliefs and their sexual orientation,' he explained. The founders of the HOD site, young religious individuals themselves, founded the site as part of an overall larger agenda to not only remain part of the religious community, but to reach out to the religious world and attempt to garner its acceptance."

Does Daniel Day-Lewis' milkshake bring all the boys to the yard? Defamer thinks so...

Seattle poetry fans go wild for Mary Oliver: "Poet Mary Oliver's appearance Monday at Benaroya Hall is the fastest sellout in the 20-year history of Seattle Arts & Lectures. It is sparking ticket action on the local Craigslist, where tickets to rock concerts and sports playoffs are regularly bought and sold, but rarely to poetry readings...The Northwest may just be the epicenter of popularity for Oliver, a reclusive, 71-year-old poet from Provincetown, Mass., who is known for her direct, positive verse set in the natural world. She has won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, but her work is not the dense verse favored by academia."

Anti-gay conservative Alan Keyes blames Massachusetts' same-sex marriage 'fiasco' squarely on Mitt Romney.

Bishop of Liverpool issues apology for opposing gay cleric.

Ryan Phillippe: Just call him arms.

Civil partnerships slow in the UK: "The honeymoon appears to be over for gay weddings after the number of homosexual couples getting "married" plummeted by more than half last year. Figures from the Local Government Association show the number of single-sex civil partnership ceremonies fell by around 55 per cent during 2007, the second full year such unions were permitted. Gay community leaders, however, dismissed the dramatic fall as a 'normalising process'. They said the introduction of civil partnerships in late 2005 prompted a flurry of marriages involving longstanding homosexual couples keen to make their relationships official. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall said: 'There was a big pent up demand from couples in long-term relationships to form civil partnerships, which is why so many did it early on after the law changed. A tailing-off would be logical.'"

Virgin Galactic mogul Richard Branson thinks 'space tourism' will quickly morph into practical continent-hopping: "Virgin boss far from starry-eyed about his pending trip into the fringes of space...insists he did not have a lifelong dream to become an astronaut. Instead, he is keen on understanding a technological advance he predicts will produce important spin-offs. He believes there's no reason technology similar to that used by Galactic will not eventually be used for sub-orbital flights between continents. Instead of cruising back down to the same place, passengers will be able to go to another spaceport on another continent."

Chace Crawford and Pete Wentz and a whole lotta ironed hair.

Gay and lesbian couples line up for domestic partnership registrations in Oregon: "Couples exchanged rings, toasted each other and broke into cheers Monday as other same-sex pairs emerged from the red-brick Multnomah County Building waving certificates declaring them newly registered domestic partners. It was the first day of registration in Oregon after U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman lifted a temporary injunction imposed pending resolution of an argument over petition signatures. The ruling on Friday made Oregon the ninth state to approve spousal rights in some form for gay couples."

BBC radio presenter Nigel Wrench charged with drugging, raping another man.

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Same-Sex Unions: Victories in Oregon, NY, Setback in Florida

Oregon U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman swept aside an order he made in the last days of 2007 which halted the state's domestic partner law from going into effect on behalf of "pro-family" groups who claimed that county elections clerks had improperly disqualified signatures.

The AP reports: "The referendum drive fell 96 signatures short of the 55,179 needed to refer a law passed by the legislature to the ballot. Alliance Defense Fund lawyer Austin Nimocks had argued that a signature on a petition should be given the same weight as a signature on a ballot, and that elections officials should have made more of an effort to contact voters whose signatures were disqualified. But Mosman, who was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush, said signatures on a petition amounted to, 'a call for an election, not a substitution for an election.'

This means that Oregon's broad domestic partner law, which gives same-sex couples who register as domestic partners a huge number of benefits available to married couples including joint filing of income taxes, inheritance and medical rights, and other state benefits.

Said Jeanne Frazzini of Basic Rights Oregon (pictured): "We won this case on the merits. But the real winners today are the thousands of caring, committed couples who will have access to the rights and responsibilities of domestic partnership."

Same-sex couples were expected to be in line on Monday morning in order to register as domestic partners and applications were quickly made available online.

In NEW YORK, an appellate court ruled that the state must recognize legally valid same-sex partnerships and civil unions from out-of-state and abroad.

The NYT reports: "Even though gay couples may not legally marry in New York, the appellate court in Rochester held that a gay couple’s 2004 marriage in Canada must be respected under the state’s longstanding 'marriage recognition rule,' and that an employer’s denial of health benefits had discriminated against the couple on the basis of their sexual orientation. 'The Legislature may decide to prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriages solemnized abroad,' a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court ruled unanimously in rejecting a 2006 lower court decision. 'Until it does so, however, such marriages are entitled to recognition in New York.'"

The ruling makes it mandatory statewide for employers to recognize out-of-state legal same-sex unions.

In FLORIDA, the group pushing for a ballot initiative on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the state managed to turn in the required amount of signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Last month, news broke that the group had fallen just short of the required signatures, but in a last-minute push the group got more than 92,000 signatures over the past two weeks.

This means, come November, that Florida voters will be able to decide whether or not to amend the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Judge upholds gay rights law [ap]
State Court Recognizes Gay Marriages From Elsewhere [tr]
Florida to vote on gay marriage ban amendment [orlando sentinel]

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News: Alfie Allen, Huckabee, Alabama, Justin Chambers, Spiral Jetty

Theory that mass grave found in Fort Myers, Florida could be the remains of a serial killer's gay victims gains traction...

Woo! New shrew!

Singer Lily Allen's brother Alfie has taken over Daniel Radcliffe's role in London's Equus. Unlike, Radcliffe, full monty shots of Allen have quickly made it to the internet.

Memorial to gay Holocaust victims in Berlin should be ready within months: "The $890,000 memorial to gay victims will be located in Berlin's Tiergarten Park, across from the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Culture Minister Bernd Neumann said."

Iowa's Quad-City Times celebrates the gay American Idol contestant I posted about earlier in the week, Leo Marlowe: "Gwen Costello, librarian and drama director at Northeast High School in Goose Lake, Marlowe’s alma mater, remembers the young thespian playing the jester in 'Once Upon a Mattress' and receiving awards on the speech team. In his high school yearbook, Marlowe, who was voted 'Most Likely to be Famous' from the Class of 2002, was asked to pontificate on what he would do if he could not sing. 'I don’t know what I’d do,' he responded. 'I guess I’d be lost.'...'He’s just so down to earth and can make anybody laugh,” Costello said. “We noticed that right away last night, how he made everybody laugh and made everybody comfortable. That’s what he does best besides singing.' Costello said Marlowe comes from 'a wonderful family. We’re thrilled, we’re just thrilled. I thoroughly expect him to be schmoozing with the big guys soon. He’ll probably be Simon’s best friend someday.'"

Paula: dancing like there's no tomorrow.

Grey's Anatomy's Justin Chambers admitted to same psych ward as Britney Spears — for sleep disorder.

Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty threatened by oil drilling.

Gay populations booming in Alabama and Utah: "In the past 17 years, Utah's gay population has shot from the 38th largest in the country to 14th. Birmingham, Ala., meanwhile, is now home to all-night gay bars and pride parades; the South's gay tally has outpaced any other region. 'What many of the bigger cities like New York were experiencing during the late '60s and '70s is happening here now, but quietly,' says Danny Upton, the head of Equality Alabama."

Pro-gay bills advance in Virginia legislature.

Jesse Metcalfe: Single, hating it.

Oregon fans target UCLA basketball player with homophobic chants: "The target was Kevin Love, the gifted freshman who grew up near Portland but left his home state last year for Westwood. Some Ducks fans, lost in their immaturity, view Love as a traitor. From the warm-ups to the final seconds, they heaped scorn on the Bruins' No. 42 and his family. There's cheering and booing that is within the bounds of civility. But sometimes it goes out of bounds, into a realm society should not condone. You know it when you see it, know it when you hear it. This was out of bounds. There were stabs at Love's looks, at his mother, father and the history of mental illness in his family. This was disgusting. What drew my ire the most were reports of long, loud, homophobic chants directed at UCLA's young center."

Straight teen sues high school, claiming she was prevented from peacefully supporting gay rights: "Heather Gillman, who is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed suit in federal court against the School Board and Ponce de Leon High School Principal David Davis. According to the complaint, Davis suspended several students for 'expressing their support for the fair treatment of gays and lesbians.'...'I think everybody should be able to support what they believe in and not be punished for it,' Gillman said Thursday during a conference call with reporters."

Mike Huckabee on what's beautiful about America: “The beauty of America is that a person can come and even make a disruption, and you know what, that person is not going to be taken out and shot.”

The power of persuasion: reality show supermodels sittin' in a tree...

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Vigils Across Oregon Replace Domestic Partner Celebrations

Instead of holding celebrations across the state of Oregon timed with the introduction of a new domestic partner law, gay and lesbians held vigils protesting a last-minute decision by Judge Michael W. Mosman to intercede on behalf of anti-gay groups and halt the law from going into effect.

According to Basic Rights Oregon, over 500 people turned out in Portland, nearly 400 in Eugene, 150 in Ashland, 120 in Bend, and nearly 100 in Salem.

Said BRO’s Executive Director Jeana Frazzini: "We are not going to be knocked down. Basic Rights Oregon will do everything in our power to win this case."

Mosman halted the domestic partner law, which would have given same-sex couples in the state all the rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples (aside from the "marriage" label), pending a February 1st hearing that would challenge the verification process.

The Mail Tribune in Ashland reported: "Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, a longtime champion of the law, announced, 'I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore — and many people here have reached that point long ago.' However, Buckley said if the law doesn't survive the signature validation challenge and future appeals, 'I know without a shadow of a doubt it's going to pass' by surviving the ballot measure in November. 'Oregonians believe in equal rights for all, not in any second-class citizens,' Buckley said. 'We believe families should not have to wait any longer. This is our home, our community and we're not going to let any out-of-state groups stop us. We're going to fight hard and organize, organize, organize.'...Buckley brought the audience to its feet by telling the story of the bill's hearings, how after opponents finished testifying, he would say, 'Homosexuality is not immoral; hate and bigotry are immoral.'"

A Vigil for Equality [mail tribune]
Delay in gay rights law prompts Bend vigil [ktvz]