News: Nixon, Carnivorous Plant, LaToya Jackson, Utah, Mona Lisa

30 short LGBT films nominated for £25,000 Iris Prize.

Giant meat-eating plant discovered: "The plant is among the largest of all carnivorous plant species and produces spectacular traps as large as other species which catch not only insects, but also rodents as large as rats."

LaToya Jackson may be on primetime this fall.

Gays in Utah lose an ally as Utah Governor Jon Huntsman resigns to become Ambassador to China.

TAPES: Richard Nixon thought Leonard Bernstein's man-on-man kisses with Alvin Ailey were "absolutely sickening."

Twisted UK Roman Catholic priest David "devil in the dog collar" Pearce faces jail for sexual assault on schoolboys for 36 years.

Washington anti-gay marriage foes want donor names kept secret: "Sponsors of a campaign to overturn Washington state's domestic partnership law have asked the state's Public Disclosure Commission to keep the names of their donors secret because they say the supporters have received threats."

First listen: Ryan Gosling's band Dead Man's Bones track "My Body's a Zombie for You".

Just to clear everything up: Jaime Pressley did not pee on the sidewalk outside the Abbey in West Hollywood.

Teabagger tears up Rosa Parks poster at Claire McCaskill town hall.

Well-known homophobe and right-wing windbag Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council has already penned a piece for Wingnut Daily criticizing Obama's award of the medal to Milk, calling it "the first time in history that the nation's highest civilian award has been granted primarily on the basis of someone's sex life."

Tom Cruise's son Connor likely to take role in remake of Red Dawn.

Beckham stretches his legs.

The Amateur Gourmet and his boyfriend eat at El Bulli, the world's #1 restaurant.

Advertiser boycott of Glenn Beck pushed.

Woman attempts to scald the Mona Lisa with cup of English breakfast tea: "Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece was completely unscathed, as the ceramic mug smashed on bullet-proof glass surrounding the painting. Paris police said the woman was taken to a psychiatric ward afterwards. 'It looks like it was done by someone who was unhinged and wanted to draw attention to herself,' a Louvre spokesman was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency."

Bradley Cooper beams at Hangover premiere in Barcelona without Renee Zellweger. Ted Casablanca on the new relationship: "We seriously think his publicist has more to do with these A-list couplings than his heart. He knows he's unavailable—in more ways than one, trust—but he's trying to convince these women otherwise."

Pee Wee Herman returning to the stage. Reubens: “It’s time. My Pee-wee suit and red bow tie are at the ready - and this is proof that white shoes are cool past Labor Day.”

Minnesota Senator Paul Koering doesn't find enough support to run for governor: "But Koering, a gay legislator, also believes the fact he’s gay is something Republican Party delegates find hard to accept. 'I didn’t really want to say that,' he said. 'That’s a hurdle some delegates can’t get over,' said Koering. They’re just closed to him, he explained."

News: Gay Exorcism, Father Cutie, Rosie O'Donnell, Neda, Nixon

Karger: Is the Mormon Church hiding its funding for the National Organization for Marriage?

Exorcism in Connecticut: Getting the gay demon out.

Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on hate crimes bill.

Body of pilot Marc Dubois and flight attendant among those recovered from Air France crash site. Black boxes not found. Will ping for only a few more days.

Transgender in a virtual world.

Rosie O'Donnell to host Sirius XM radio show.

Iran: Neda's family forced from home. "The Iranian authorities have ordered the family of Neda Agha Soltan out of their Tehran home after shocking images of her death were circulated around the world. Neighbours said that her family no longer lives in the four-floor apartment building on Meshkini Street, in eastern Tehran, having been forced to move since she was killed. The police did not hand the body back to her family, her funeral was cancelled, she was buried without letting her family know and the government banned mourning ceremonies at mosques, the neighbours said."

Is Father Cutie gay?

Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Carolien Gehrels flies to New York City in support of marriage equality: "Mrs. Gehrels brings a personal perspective to the issue: she is married to a woman. She said that while the approval of gay marriage in the Netherlands that took effect in 2001 was 'a milestone in equal rights,' even eight years later 'equality and freedom are never self-evident.' Same-sex partnerships were legalized in 1998."

Douchebag warns that straight men will give up women once they try the gay.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was pushed into confessing affair: "As the newspaper disclosed on CNN tonight, it has since December had emails between Sanford and his Argentine mistress, it's just been trying to authenticate them. Then this morning the paper busted Sanford returning on an airplane from South America when he was supposed to be on the Appalachian Trial. The paper then informed Sanford it would finally be publishing the emails, exposing his adultery, according to The State writer John O'Connor."

Whitney Houston announces title of new album.

Seattle's The Stranger publishes Queer Issue 2009. NY's Village Voice goes Queer too.

Delaware General Assembly passes bill protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination after ten-year battle.

City investigation of Canterbury UK finds that, yes, the city is gay enough.

Adam Lambert collaborating with Sam Sparro on new album.

Violence not expected at this year's Jerusalam Gay Pride: "Amit Lev, a spokesman for the gay rights group behind the parade, said organisers had been negotiating with ultra-Orthodox leaders in Jerusalem after "long years of silence" between the two communities. 'We've agreed that violence doesn't serve any of us or any of our goals,' he said."

And even more skin from men's fashion week in Milan.

New batch of Nixon tapes reveal more homophobia: "Discussing Nixon's political opposition, Colson says it included 'the blacks and the poor.' Nixon adds: 'And the intellectuals.' Colson goes on to say that it also included 'the lavender shirt mob . . . the homos and the queers.'" Previously: Nixon understood homosexuality but didn't want it on TV.

Tape: Nixon 'Understood' Homosexuality But Didn't Want It on TV

 

Here's a fascinating excerpt of a Richard Nixon tape (via Daily Dish) in which Nixon discusses homosexuality with his Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman and Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman. What spurred the conversation was Nixon's discussion of an episode of the then new TV show All in the Family which dealt with gay subject matter.

In the tape, Nixon tells the aides, "But the point is, I do not mind the homosexuality. I understand it." There is then a 14-second beep. A commenter on the YouTube site says that during the 14-second beep Nixon was discussing J. Edgar Hoover and his "live-in companion." Nixon goes on to say: "But nevertheless, the point that I make is that Goddamn it, I do not think that you glorify on public television homosexuality."

Listen, AFTER THE JUMP...