News: Steve-O Pees, Bad Secretary, Cheerleader Hate Crime

Report shows Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson awarded contracts based on political affiliation; blocked contracts to Democrats: "During the investigation, Secretary Jackson’s Chief of Staff, as well as the HUD Deputy Secretary testified that, in a senior staff meeting, Jackson had advised senior staff, to the effect, that when considering discretionary contracts, they should be considering supporters of the President." Rep. Waxman calls for Jackson's immediate resignation.

Steve-O behaves like a Jackass, wets red carpet at premiere.

CBS investigates sex at Equinox gym in New York.

30-year-old Chinese man sentenced to five years in prison for posting his nude photos to internet websites. (NSFW)

Gay man murdered in Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.

Cartoon show to debut on Comedy Central featuring a superhero who transforms himself from a Log Cabin Republican into a leather bear.

Male high school cheerleader assaulted in apparent hate crime after a football game: "Following the game, the Malden cheerleading squad exited through the crowd towards the team bus, according to Pat Ruggiero, Melrose director of health, physical education and athletics. According to police reports, a 17-year-old, male cheerleader from Malden alleged that an unidentified female teen from Melrose began harassing him with homosexual slurs. When the cheerleader ignored the taunts, a male teen accompanying the female, described as a 17-year-old, white male with a lip piercing and wearing a black hat, allegedly punched the cheerleader in the face and several times in the chest."

Pedro Almodovar's Volver the early favorite for New York Critics award.

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On the Shortbus: Gay Filmmakers at Cannes

John Cameron Mitchell's steamy exploration of character through sexual behavior, Shortbus, is long on buzz. Mitchell: "I actually like pornography, but I don't consider this film pornographic. I define — and most people do — pornography as devoid of artistic intent. The purpose of pornography is to arouse. I don't think anyone got [sexually aroused] watching this film. There is a certain provocation we had in mind with this film, but more important than that, we wanted to use sex as a metaphor for things that were, perhaps, universal, themes like connection and love and fear. We just thought the language of sex could be used the way the language of music could be used in a musical."

Dreamgirls cast glams it up on the terrace of the Martinez hotel...

As Elton John was presenting the Chopard Trophy to Transamerica's Kevin Zegers, a photographer interrupted and touched off Elton's short fuse: "If you saw 'Transamerica' ... I'm talking ... you fuckwit, fucking photographers you should be shot, you should be all shot. Thank you."

Ian McKellen says the Catholic church should welcome The Da Vinci Code: "I am only too happy to believe that Jesus was married. I know that the Catholic Church has problems with gay people and I thought this would be absolute proof that Jesus was not gay."

Pedro Almodóvar's Volver "has captured the hearts of everyone at Cannes": "I went into a light and very agreeable trance watching this movie, which Almodóvar unfolds with a master's confidence: its ingenuities and contrivances float out of the screen. The cinematography and art direction by José Luis Alcaine and Salvador Parra give everything a gorgeous intensity that has the look of a Douglas Sirk film - and Almodóvar has something of Sirk's passionate empathy with women, mixed with a playful, gay sensibility."

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