Elton John Talks Rush Limbaugh

In a lengthy interview with The Telegraph, Elton John discusses his new album. He also touches on the anger he provoked in June when he sang at Rush Limbaugh's wedding.

Earlier this year he caused outcry among the gay community when he performed, for a reported fee of $1 million, at the wedding of the splenetic right-wing American commentator Rush Limbaugh, a man who has been accused of being a homophobe, and who has described Aids as a 'hyped’ disease and claimed 'there was never any evidence’ that it could be transmitted heterosexually.

'When he asked me to play at his wedding, my agent said, “Well, of course you won’t be doing it,” ’ Elton says. 'But I said, “Well, let me think about that first.”’

Limbaugh, he says, is against gay marriage – 'But then so is President Obama. But Limbaugh’s not anti-civil partnerships, so maybe I can have a dialogue about that. I’ve put my foot in the water and so has he. I got on with him very well, got on very well with his wife. I don’t have the same politics, but that doesn’t really matter. And I think this year I can start to put things in motion by trying to get him on my side.’

The tide can change, he says.

Once again, Obama's same-sex marriage position used to legitimize the positions of those working against us.

Barney Frank Accuses Limbaugh Of 'Vicious, Homophobic' Attack, Helping Republican Opponent

Barney Frank has had enough of Rush Limbaugh. Though Limbaugh frequently takes shots at the openly gay Massachusetts representative, Frank insists Limbaugh's latest antics crossed the proverbial line.

It all began last week, when Limbaugh referred to Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, as the "banking queen" and played the song "My Boy Lollypop," with bonus slurping sounds, while discussing the incumbent Democrat, who's up for reelection.

Frank found the entire thing offensive, and told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell last night that the incident qualifies as a "vicious" and "homophobic" attack, one that's designed to help Frank's opponent:

[Limbaugh] just launched this very, even for him, vicious, homophobic attack.

My opponent, the Republican, Sean Bielat, who‘s running against me, told “The Wall Street Journal,” before they told me today, that he raised a lot of money from out of state.  He was very explicit earlier this year.  He said if I can‘t get help out of state I can‘t win this thing.  He‘s helped by the right wing media, by Hannity and Limbaugh, by FOX News.

Frank's campaign reiterated their collective displeasure today by calling Limbaugh's actions "disgusting" and "revolting."

Watch Frank's remarks, AFTER THE JUMP.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #712

WE GIVE A DAMN: The latest from Cyndi Lauper's True Colors campaign, featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Piper Perabo, and Brad Goreski.

CADET KATHARINE MILLER: NYCLU interviews the cadet who this week resigned from West Point over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

STEPH JONES: R&B singer on his support for the LGBT community.

RUSH LIMBAUGH: Judge Walker put 7 million voters on trial in kangaroo court where everything was stacked against them.

For Recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Rush Limbaugh's Wedding Photos are Out

Rush Limbaugh posted a bunch of wedding photos to his Facebook page. Elton John, his million-dollar performer, features almost as prominently as his wife. Also pictured, anti-gay pastor Ken Hutcherson, who married the radio host and his bride.

News: Rush Limbaugh, Berlin, Mitchell Gold, Astros, Kele Okereke

BP "pleased" with new cap on Gulf leak — verdict days away...

Berlin Fashion Week: the whiskered look for Fall?

Sloth orphanage filmmaker in talks to produce full-length documentary.

Mitchell Gold marries his partner Tim Scofield in Iowa: "The two held the ceremony in Des Moines because Iowa is one of the five states, along with Washington, D.C., that recognizes same-sex marriages. They also appreciated the symbolism of Iowa as part of the nation's heartland, as well as the ruling of district court judge Robert Hanson, which led the Iowa Supreme court to permit same-sex marriages. Judge Hanson performed the ceremony at the Des Moines Art Center on June 19."

A free remix of Kele Okereke's track "Tenderoni".

Will the 'Google App Inventor' be a boon for the Android platform, or just fill it with useless apps?

WATCH: Five minutes of the new film Inception.

Brit TAB: Women often 'go lesbo' at 40.

Facebook to add "panic button" for bullied teens in UK: "The button will actually connect the teens with resources hosted by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), an organization run in part by the UK government. Teens will be given advice and resources on dealing with potential threats on the Internet, and they may also report users who they believe are acting inappropriately toward them."

The Mona Lisa of our time?

Brandon Flowers drops cover artwork for Flamingo.

James Cameron picks up $350 million 'Avatar' paycheck.

Blindness-causing toxic weed spreads in Ontario, Canada: "The concern is it's a very poisonous plant, in the sense that if you get any of the sap from this plant on your skin, it can cause severe blistering and very bad burns."

More than 1,000 attend Houston Astros Pride Night at the Park.

Gay Dubai student sentenced to three years in prison asks court to segregate him from the general prison population if his sentence is upheld: "The 22-year-old M N was sentenced to three years in jail by Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance in March after he appeared in pornographic pictures that were distributed online. He was arrested at Dubai International Airport on July 20 last year with his male partner, who had been convicted of homosexuality and sentenced to one year in jail. Yaser al Naqbi, M N’s lawyer, said in today's closing argument that his client should be acquitted because of what he called improper arrest and search procedures. He also called the writ used when apprehending M N into question."

Jon Hamm dons a baseball uniform.

Gerard Butler is ready to mount his Hog.

Bombers target World Cup soccer fans in Uganda, kill more than 60: "The bombs exploded at 10:30 p.m. local time in the middle of the match between Spain and the Netherlands under way in South Africa, with at least three explosions hitting a popular Ethiopian garden restaurant and a large rugby field in a different Kampala neighborhood where hundreds of people had massed to watch the game. More than 70 people were injured."

Male model fix: Caleb Lane.

If Queen Latifah considers being a lesbian to be part of her "personal, personal life" then she will never come out.

Castleford Rugby Club bans three fans for anti-gay abuse of player Gareth Thomas.

Rush Limbaugh sells NYC penthouse for $11.5 million: "A year after railing about the high tax burden on wealthy New Yorkers, Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio talk-show host, is severing one more tie with New York, selling his lushly decorated Fifth Avenue penthouse to an undisclosed buyer. Mr. Limbaugh's 10-room condominium, which features a 30-foot-wide living room with fireplace and four terraces overlooking Central Park at East 86th Street, went into contract Thursday for a bit under the final $12.95 million asking price, brokers said."

News: A "No" To Marriage Equality For Argentina, Black Gay Pride, Barack's Revenge

 "Breakfast" is served; art break from Downeyes's Blog.

 Out publicist Howard Bragman and actress Meredith Baxter will join a panel of Hollywood "industry insiders" to tackle the topic "Coming Out in Hollywood" at Outfest in L.A. on July 17.

 Guapo Magazine celebrates its third issue. In magazine publishing, each issue is a special anniversary these days.

 DO CRY FOR ME: Another marriage setback, this time in Latin America. The Senate General Legislation Committee of Argentina has voted 9 to 6 to recommend that a marriage equality bill be rejected by the Senate. The Senate will continue debating it.

 Chicago's South Side holds black gay pride parade. Charlotte, North Carolina, is next.

 Republican Presidential hopeful Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has signed into law a bill that allows guns to be carried into churches. No, Hammer, that's why we pray.

Visionaire 58 is a(n expensive) tribute to the late Alexander McQueen.

 Three-year legal battle ends positively for Tennessee lesbian fighting for the right to have her own teenage children stay legally with her in the home she now shares with her partner.

 "Are y'all gay...we should whoop your ass for that!" Arrests made in gay couple's mugging in Atlanta; Atlanta Police Department Officer Patricia Powell, LGBT liaison, says, "I don't know if gay people are being targeted."

 Rush Limbaugh thinks President Obama created the recession on purpose as a payback for racism.

 Retiring Reform Jewish Rabbi Peter Knobel of Evanston, Ill., reflects on his change from being homophobic to officiating at gay weddings.

 Principal photography (with a tony cast including Abbie Cornish, James D'Arcy and James & Laurence Fox) began this week on W.E., Madonna's directorial feature debut, co-written with Truth or Dare director Alek Keshishian. The film is, in a nutshell, Julie & Julia except with Wallis Simpson instead of Julia Child.

 Tipper Gore doesn't believe masseuse's allegations that soon-to-be-ex Al groped and assaulted her.