Who's Crazy Now?

Dennis Kucinich told the Philadelphia Inquirer that it's time to seriously question President Bush's mental health. "There's something wrong. He does not seem to understand his words have real impact."

Finally, a candidate who speaks the truth.

Robert Goulet, 1933-2007

Robert Goulet has died at the too-young age of 73. He was pronounced dead this morning after battling pulmonary fibrosis, according to his website. He was awaiting a lung transplant.

Goulet shot to Broadway stardom as the original Sir Lancelot in Camelot. He won a grammy in 1964 and an overdue Tony in 1968 for his role in the musical The Happy Time. Among his many starring roles was his memorable turn opposite Gary Beach in La Cage Aux Folles in 2005.

Robert Goulet was incredibly handsome and had a soaring voice. They don't make stars like that anymore. The lights of Broadway will be dimmed in his honor at 8:00 PM Eastern, tonight.

More GOP Man Love

Honestly, are there any straight Republicans left? Yet another "pro-family" Republican has been caught chasing man meat. Washington State Representative Richard Curtis has admitted to picking up a guy at an adult bookstore, taking him to a hotel and having sex with him. The trick, in turn, stole the Republican's wallet and tried to extort money from him, allegedly.

Apparently Curtis did not bring the wife and kids along for this little outing. Naturally, Curtis is an anti-gay Republican who voted against domestic partnerships in Washington because gosh, if the gays are all legit and stuff, the trick pool at the adult bookstore will dry up.

Oh yeah, Curtis says he's not gay. Of course.

I really should develop a template for all these Republican closet stories.

Max Blumenthal at the Value Voters Conference

You have to watch this video of Max Blumenthal at the Value Voters Conference. He just lets them speak for themselves. These people are seriously unhinged.

Then go to Huffingtonpost and read his comments. Scary/brilliant.

Crazy Huckabee

Just when I was getting down on Obama, the right wing reminded me why it's important to vote for a Democrat, any democrat, in the next presidential election. Mike Huckabee, the Baptist preacher and former governor of Arkansas spoke at the "Values Voters Summit" sponsored by the Great Satan, Focus on the Family. Huckabee told the assembled sheep that banning abortion would solve the immigration problem. That's right folks, the reason we have so many undocumented immigrants swarming across the border is because we have "liberalized abortion."

Huckabee's brilliant thesis is that if all those aborted babies had been allowed to live, we would have plenty of workers in the US and there would be no jobs for the Mexicans, who would, in turn, stay home. Let's apply a little intellectual scrutiny to this, shall we? All those aborted Caitlins and Justins would now be happily picking lettuce for a fraction of minimum wage, doing our yardwork, cleaning our homes, and waiting by underpasses for guys in pick-ups to take them to God knows where for manual labor for a pittance. Of course they would. That Pastor Huckabee sure has his finger on the pulse of the immigration issue, doesn't he? Of course, don't think that any of the "values voters" in the audience doubted him for a minute. No, no, they gave him a big round of applause for solving immigration and abortion with one brilliant idea.

Huckabee is surging in the polls in South Carolina. The wingnuts may be down but they're not out.

Obama's Happy Homosexuals

When you're in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging. Somebody needs to take away Obama's shovel. Or fire his South Carolina staff. In an apparent effort to further fuck things up and drum up votes for Hillary, Obama issued a statement that actually said (in all caps) that Donnie McClurkin doesn't want to cure happy homosexuals, only unhappy homosexuals. I'm serious, it really said that. Therefore, we should all love Donnie and Obama and get over our queer selves. Well, THAT certainly clears everything up. Why didn't you say so in the first place? I'm usually a happy homosexual, therefore I'm not "cursed" and I don't need to be "cured" by Donnie! But, if I have a bad day it's good to know that Donnie's there to straighten me out. I crack myself up.

As Dan Savage said, who's going to cure the unhappy heterosexuals?

Obama's infantile point falls apart after a moment's intellectual inspection. It reveals a disorganized campaign that is grasping at straws and has no idea how it got into this mess, much less how to get out of it. I thought this gay-baiting bullshit was reserved for the Republicans.

Obama's No Mo Homo Spokesman

So, Obama has stood by Donnie McClurkin, keeping him front and center of his South Carolina campaign strategy. Obama issued a pretty statement full of pretty words about African Americans and gay people working together for equality, blah, blah, blah.

Talk is cheap. Saturday night, a packed house showed up in Columbia, SC for Obama's gospel tour. Obama, via videotape, called Donnie one of his and Michelle's favorites and said they were introduced to him by Oprah Winfrey, thereby giving him the royal stamp of approval. Donnie returned the favor by ending his set with an ugly little speech declaring his love for homosexuals because he "suffered the same feelings." He declared that God "delivered him from homosexuality!" The crowd roared. People like Donnie always cloak their hate in fake "love." What a fraud.

Donnie, I'm very sorry you were unable to reconcile your true sexuality with your ignorant superstitions based on a 12-year old's reading of the Bible, but I surely wish you would keep your fear and self-loathing to yourself. You are headed for a fall just as sure as Ted Haggard, and it will be ugly to see.

Not voting for Obama.

Porter Wagner, 1927-2007

Country music legend Porter Wagner has died at the age of 80. His music was pure, uncompromising country and his many hits included The Green Green Grass of Home. In 1967, Wagner promoted a fresh new talent on his weekly TV show and helped launch her career. Her name? Miss Dolly Parton. The two of them recorded a string of hit duets that provided the basis for Dolly's meteoric rise.

When I was a kid, I thought the Porter Wagner Show was hopelessly cornpone, but something about the spectacle drew me in. His hair was almost as big as Dolly's and he wore white suits covered in sequins. Porter Wagner was a true showman who gave his audience their money's worth.

Porter and Dolly also did a series of unforgettable TV commercials for Duz laundry detergent, featuring a free towel in every box. "Lookie here, Porter, free candy striipe taals from Duuzz." Good times.

McClurkin Not So Ex-Gay

In further sexual hypocrite news, a man has stepped forward to claim that he had a sexual relationship with Donnie McClurkin from 2001 - 2004. Like the Larry Craig story below, it was inevitable that people would come forward to tell of sexual liasons with self-styled "ex-gay" activist and gospel singer Donnie McClurkin. McClurkin, as you may recall, is currently headlining Obama's campaign tour in South Carolina and his "war" on homosexuality has been giving Barak headaches. Clay Cane has an interview with the anonymous source who claims to have been Donnie's lover and, while I cannot know if his claims are accurate, it makes interesting reading.

This is really a sad, pathetic story. When are people going to realize that "ex-gays" are nothing more than delusional frauds? They are victims of an oppressive religion that seeks to legitimize bigotry, fear, and ignorance by cloaking it in the mantle of Christ. It is a corruption of everything Jesus taught. When people try to repress their true sexuality, it always finds a way out, always. If you are not honest with yourself and those around you, it will find a way out that is ugly and destructive. Donnie McClurkin, Larry Craig and Ted Haggard are finding that out right now.

Hot Bear Had Cold Sex With Wide Stance

Wonkette has the best scoop on Senator Larry Wide Stance Craig, and you really should go there and read it. It turns out that sexy bear David Phillips had messy, humiliating sex with Wide Stance 20 years ago, and lived to tell the tale. It was inevitable that people would come forward to tell of sinful homosex with Larry Craig, who is not gay and has never been gay, and this first one is amazing. You will have to read Wonkette to get all the nasty/delicious details, but it seems that in 1987, when Phillips was but a cute pup and Wide Stance was fresh off his own page scandal, Craig picked up Phillips in a DC bar and took him home. After telling him over and over "you were never here" and "I could buy and sell your ass" The Senator who is not gay and has never been gay fucked the kid in the guest room and freaked out over santorum on the sheets. Larry then hustled the kid out without even giving him a chance to clean himself up, and to seal the projected humiliation, stuffed a $20 in Phillips' pants.

Larry, sweetie, why fret over a little santorum on the sheets? Oh yeah, he had to explain it to the missus. Eating hot fudge sundaes in the guestroom again, Larry? What a cut-up.

Today, David Phillips is a strapping hot man and Larry Craig is...well...karma's a bitch, Wide Stance.

Update: It seems that David Phillips is not crazy about seeing his face and early sexual history all over the internets. I can sympathize, David, but I have to say that exposing the hypocrites is the Lord's work! I'm glad you told your story.

Obama's True Colors

Barack Obama stepped in it in South Carolina. He's campaigning hard for African-American votes in the Palmetto State with his "Embrace the Change Gospel Concert Series" featuring none other than Donnie McClurkin, a so-called "ex-gay" (or more accurately, re-closeted homosexual), who preaches that Christians should go to "battle against homosexuality" and that gay people should learn to "hate the homosexual within," that gays are created when they are molested by men as children, and that gays are "cursed" and can be "cured." McClurkin is pretty much the whole ugly package.

Pam of Pam's House Blend has all the details. Yesterday, Barack's campaign issued a statement saying that McClurkin would stay with the campaign even though the Senator disagrees with his views. The statement said that "African Americans and the LGBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights."

Obviously, Obama doesn't really believe this. Having a disgusting bigot who promotes the ugliest myths and lies about gays clearly demonstrates that he is perfectly willing to practice Bush/Rove style politics of division.

I understand Obama's need to rally all kinds of voters to his side, but there are other ways to do it. He could choose to appeal to conservative black voters in SC by promoting his plans for economic equality and universal health care, while standing firm on his support for gay equality. But no, he has chosen to exploit fear and ignorance for political gain.

I thought that parading "ex-gays" around and legitimizing their false choices was the exclusive domain of the GOP. I was obviously wrong.

Tapestry

This is one of my favorite songs. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Catholic Homo Hit List

A priest who was suspended for allegedly hitting on young men reportedly has a "detailed dossier" of (gasp) homosexuals in the Vatican. Who would have guessed? When Father Tommaso Stenico was caught chasing hot young guys who were totally out of his league he actually claimed that he was just pretending to be a homosexual in order to "unmask" the real fags. Which, of course, makes perfect sense and isn't at all a great big sinful lie. Now that he may be defrocked, this bitch is ratting on all the girls to save his sorry ass. Miss Thang ain't going down alone. So to speak. What fun.

The Catholic Church is like the Republican Party, only with more Prada.

Deborah Kerr Dies

Six time Oscar nominee Deborah Kerr has died at the age of 86 in Suffolk, England. She had been suffering from Parkinson's for years. Despite all her nominations and numerous fine performances, she never won the elusive Oscar, though she was awarded an honorary statuette in 1994 for her body of work.

She may be best known for her incredibly sexy scene kissing Burt Lancaster in the surf in From Here to Eternity. However, my favorite Deborah Kerr moment is Shall We Dance in The King and I. She was so beautiful and graceful as Yul Brenner swung her around the stage with her voluminous silk skirts.

She was unfailingly poised, graceful and lovely. She was a classic.

Carson's New Crown

This is so up my alley. Carson Kressley, currently in the last season of Queer Eye, is moving to his own reality show on the CW. Crowned, The Mother of All Pageants pits mother-daughter teams against each other as they "brand a style" for their teams through evening gown and swimwear, develop a point of view on current issues, and, best of all, prepare for the big pageant dance number! Carson will be joined as host by former Miss USA Shanna Moakler (best known for punching Paris Hilton in the face, so I love her), and "Television personality and public image expert Cynthia Garrett."

Mom? Have I got an idea for you and me!

Counterpoint to Arnold

Read this column. There is hope for the future, Arnold notwithstanding.

Ahnold Vetoes Equality

Arnold Schwarzenegger made good on his promise to veto the marriage equality bill passed by the California legislature. As transparent cover, he said this issue should be decided by the citizens of California or the state supreme court. I guess a bill passed by the elected representatives of the citizens somehow isn't democratic enough for the body-builder-in- chief. Maybe democracy works differently in Austria. Or maybe he's just another asshole republican looking for an excuse to screw over tax paying citizens for political gain.

Sen. Wide Stance Whines, Blames Others

Larry Craig gave an interview to the hottest guy he could find, Matt Lauer, and whined and moaned about Mitt Romney dropping him from his campaign. Craig blathered that Mitt "not only threw me under the campaign bus, he backed up and ran over me again."

What a sissy, and not in a good way. God knows I'm no fan of Mitt-don't-know-shit, but what on earth did Wide Stance expect him to do? Is he so utterly lacking in self-awareness that he doesn't realize what a joke he has made of himself? Does he not realize he's a liability to the Republican Party? Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's time for Larry to quit crying and be a man.

Burning, Yearning Deep in the Heart of Me

It's Friday afternoon! I'll send us off into the weekend with the handsome John Barrowman singing classic Cole Porter.

Al Gore Wins Peace Prize

Al Gore has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Nobel Committee was obviously sending a message that climate change can have a negative impact on world peace.

In other news, Coulter looses 25 pounds through forced vomiting and Limbaugh sends the help out to score more oxy.

My Coming Out

National Coming Out Day has me thinking about my own coming out. It was a process of several years involving coming out to myself, then other gay people, then straight friends, then selective family members. The penultimate coming out moment - the moment that marked the finale of my coming out process - had to be telling Mom and Dad. I had gone through a 12 week workshop called The Coming Out Workshop offered at the Cathedral of Hope, the Dallas gay mega-church (the same workshop is still offered, and is now at Northaven UMC in Dallas). It was a wonderful experience and I realized I needed to come out completely and totally. I kind of went on an orgy of coming out. I told everybody in my family, I came out at work, I told all kinds of friends, including lots of people who clearly didn't care. Most were not surprised and had been waiting for me to catch up to what they had figured out years ago. But still, I had not told my parents. One evening, I was on the stationary bike at the gym and it was on my mind. The more I thought about it, the faster I pedaled. I pedaled and pedaled and sweated and sweated until I couldn't stand it any longer and I lept off the bike and literally ran home, which was luckily only 2 blocks. I picked up the phone (the parents live 900 miles away), got them both on the phone and said the following life-changing words: "You know how you're always asking me when I'm going to start dating some cute Texas girl? Well, I'm not. Ever. Understand?"

That was it. My big moment. They did understand what I meant and there have been conversations and letters since. It's been pretty bumpy and I'm sure they would be overjoyed if I changed course and took up with a Texas girl after all, but they're OK with it. Much more importantly, coming out enabled me to have an adult relationship with my parents and stop editing my life to suit them. Coming out equals growing up. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Happy National Coming Out Day.

It's National Coming Out Day!

October 11 is National Coming Out Day, a day to kick open those closet doors, throw off the chains of repression, and start living life openly and honestly. Go over to You Tube and view all the coming out stories posted by HRC. Then, go over to Wayne Besen's excellent site, Truth Wins Out, and read about his tireless efforts to expose the lies of the so-called "ex-gay movement." While you're at it, take a look at this video Wayne produced exposing the real damage those liars and hate mongers cause when they convince people that gay can become straight:


The best thing any gay person can do for himself/herself is to come out and live out. It is the most powerful thing any gay person can do for the cause of gay equality. We have made tremendous strides over the past few years, with new victories just this week. The key reason for this progress is waves of people are coming out and demonstrating to their friends, neighbors, and co-workers that we are a normal part of the human experience. We prove that Dobson and is ilk are liars every day just by living our lives openly. For me, that's the real definition of gay pride.

Equality in Alabama

I know, that sounds like a contradiction in terms, but read on. For the first time, an openly gay man has been elected to public office in Alabama. His name is Howard Bayless and he was elected to a seat on the Birmingham Board of Education. Let me repeat: an openly gay man has been elected to the Board of Education which governs schools full of children. In Alabama.

Gays...schools...children...Alabama. How often do you see those words together in a positive way?

Bayless follows on the heels of out lesbian Patricia Todd who was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives last year.

Folks, if two queers can get elected to public office in Alabama, the war is over and we've won.

Equality in Oregon

Small minded bigots who need to get lives have failed to block implementation of a new domestic partnership law in Oregon. The law, passed by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor, will now take effect in January 2008. Oregon will join Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, California, Washington and Hawaii as states that provide legal recognition of gay relationships. Massachusetts, of course, recognizes full marriage equality. Texas remains in the 19th century.

A group naturally calling themselves "In Defense of Marriage and Families" (these people really need some new material) led the petition drive and the poor dears fell 116 votes short, even with Jesus on their side. Their leader, former state senator Marilyn Shannon, actually said with no apparent sense of irony, "just like prohibition, we had prohibition and it was repealed, and that's what we'll do." Umm, Marilyn? Hon? Prohibition restricted rights and was a failed attempt to legislate a narrow view of morality. The new Oregon law expands rights. You are the one who wants to legislate your own narrow view of morality. Do I really need to explain this to a grown-up? Like I said, these people need new material.

Marilyn plans to retain her profound ignorance and continue the "fight."

Wide Stance over Denver

I just love Larry Craig. I really do. He is the best thing to happen to the Democratic party in years. He has flip flopped on his promise to resign from the Senate, thereby reminding Americans each and every day that "family values" Republicans are a bunch of twisted hypocrites. I know it cuts both ways for the gays with all the creepy talk of bathroom cruising which some straights falsely attribute to all of us, but on balance, I think it's a win for us because it will help the Dems make bigger gains in 2008. Now, for a little icing on the cake, it turns out that none other than Mike Jones, the gay escort who serviced Totally Heterosexual Ted Haggard, was also visited by Senator Wide Stance Craig!

Mike Rogers at Blog Active doesn't believe him, and I admire Rogers, but I do believe Jones and here's why. Jones told Joe of Joe.My.God about Craig months ago, when Joe interviewed him about Pastor Ted. Jones asked Joe to keep it quiet and he did. Why would Jones make up a lie months before Craig became a story, and before anyone knew that Craig would even become a story? If Jones had come up with this out of the blue, I might be skeptical, but a lie under these circumstances doesn't make sense to me.

Besides, Denver is a major hub for flights out of Boise and toe tappin' Larry loves his layovers.

Hey, maybe Pastor Ted spread the word to his fellow Republican shitheads that Jones was a great lay!

This is all on the heels of news that Louisiana Family Values Republican, Joey DiFatta, was detained for allegedly trolling for blow jobs at Dillards and Macy's not once, but twice! (never arrested). DeFatta was running for the Louisiana State Senate on a platform of protecting our families. Of course he was.

Then there's that Florida fat ass, GOP State Rep. Bob Allen, who was arrested for allegedly drooling over some black man meat in a park bathroom. He claimed he offered to blow the cop because the cop was big and black and scary and Allen thought he would be mugged if he didn't pucker up. Allen is such a pathetic asshole that he would rather be thought of as racist than gay.

Next summer's GOP convention (in Minneapolis!) is going to be a regular kick-line of fudgepackers! Who's next?

It's Toe Tappin' Good!

Larry Craig is the gift that keeps on giving. According to Wonkette, the favorite recipe of the Senator who is NOT GAY AND HAS NEVER BEN GAY is a "Super Tuber." This fabulous creation, submitted to Congress Cooks! consists of a great big hot dog wiennie rammed into an Idaho potato and baked. Seriously. This recipe is gayer than a K-fueled house party in P-town, which is probably where it was invented. It goes something like this: Step 1, select a big, firm wiennie. Step 2, lube up a great big Idaho potato. Step 3, ram it in. Step 4, bake it till it's hot. Step 5, dredge it in sour cream. It's true, go see for yourself. With this guy, the posts just write themselves.

BearForce 1

It's Friday and I've got a busy day to get to the weekend. For those of you goofing off until the 5:00 whistle, enjoy a little BearForce 1, the hot new Dutch band that's making me feel mighty real.

Connie Stevens Gets Me

I have a confession to make. When I was a little boy I played with dolls. That is, I played with dolls until my parents realized it wasn't just a phase and I wasn't going to naturally reach for that catcher's mitt and they took my dolls away. I'll never forget walking into my room and discovering that all my Barbies were gone. I was about 5, and somehow I immediately figured out that there was something shameful about a boy playing with dolls and I shouldn't let people know how much I loved my bendable Skipper and how boring baseball seemed to me.

I know, I know, this sounds like something I should send in a fan letter to Christina Crawford, but at least I never had to hack down the rose bushes at 3:00AM.

A few years later, I was helping my mother in the kitchen prepare for Thanksgiving. I always helped my mother in the kitchen, that's why I'm a good cook today. In any case, she had the TV tuned to The Hollywood Squares. Peter Marshall asked Connie Stevens the following: "According to Psychologists, is there anything wrong with boys playing with dolls?" I froze. I couldn't look at my mother. Oh my God, they know I'm watching! Connie Stevens knows my secret! Connie smiled sweetly and indulgently and said "no, it's the most natural thing in the world." A wave of relief washed over me. It's natural? It's all right for boys to play with dolls? Really? Connie Stevens is an angel! Then Peter Marshall said: "Right, Connie, according to psychologists, there's nothing wrong with little boys playing with dolls. It's just a phase and they will grow out of it. Circle gets the square." Great. A phase. They'll grow out of it. The Man, in the form of Peter Marshall, ruined everything. I was not growing out of it and I still hated baseball, therefore there must be something wrong with me. My mother gave me a Connie Stevens smile, which somehow didn't seem so sweet.

My therapist thinks I should go out and buy a Barbie.

All My Queer Eyes

Queer Eye is Back, tonight, on Bravo. I thought it had been canceled, but apparently reports of its death have been greatly exagerated because the final season premieres tonight with a guy pageant hosted by none other than Erica Kane herself, Susan Lucci! I don't know if I can stand it! I'll have to remind myself to breathe. With Susan Lucci and Carson on the screen at once, my TV may just explode into a fireball of glitter and nail polish.

I've always liked Queer Eye and I'm glad it's back. I know it's gotten more than it's share of criticism for fostering stereotypes, aren't a lot of us hairdressers, interior designers, and great cooks? Don't we all know a few (dozen) high queens like Carson? Carson is my favorite on the show because he's nellie and proud. He doesn't try to tone it down for anyone. There's too much sissyphobia in our community and I think it's high time to celebrate the sissies.

When we worry about fem stereotypes, we're really dealing (or not) with our own internal issues, of course. We spend too much time worrying that the straights will think we're different from them, not butch enough and not as worthy. But we ARE different from the straights and that certainly does not make us less than. I get so tired of boys who grew up playing with Barbies adopting fake butch personae and shunning anyone who doesn't meet some impossible Tom of Finland image.

Not that there's anything wrong with Tom of Finland images.