They may not know who will be their nominee, but the Democratic National Committee has already started compiling their press for this summer's convention.
As part of their effort to include homo-journos, the DNC accredited two explicitly gay blogs: Pam's House Blend, which is penned by a black lesbian from North Carolina, and a New York-based blog: Towleroad, which is run by a white man.
And the latter has Bil Browning over at fellow applicant Bilerico not only a bit bitter, but downright confused:
Towleroad is not known for racial diversity, trans inclusion, or its lesbian audience. It is a site for wealthy gay white men - the HRC demographic.
…
When was the last time you saw serious in-depth political coverage on Towleroad or committed coverage of an issue from multiple angles or guest posts from members of Congress and Presidential candidates?
…
Towleroad has a niche - upperclass white gay men; it's not that diverse. Maybe there are too many letters for the DNC to spell LGBT. When we first launched, Alex would often use the line, "Not everything queer is marriage, martinis and Madonna." Maybe we should have stuck with the big 3 Ms after all.
Ouch!
In a follow-up to Does Michael Lucas Have A Job?, we'd like to pass along a note the porn mogul penned to blogger Andy Towle. Lucas takes issue with Towle's coverage of two MK's legislative push against gay pride. Russian-born Lucas chides Towle for his apparently inflammatory conclusion. Writes Lucas, "You chose at the end of this post to point out more negative points about Israel, like demonstrations of a few hundred Hassidic Jews against Pride in Jerusalem, and the alleged bomber." While those news stories are negative, they're also handy references for Towle's readers. Anyway, we've included the entire email after the jump. Note that he begins by saying he knows Towle doesn't hate Jews. He doesn't give everyone that benefit. Queer.
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The evidence continues to build against Genre and its editor, Neal Boulton.
This morning we told you about how the gay glossy used straight models to portray queer domestic bliss. Now former Genre editor Andy Towle informs us that publisher William Kapfer approached him for press last month and included this note from Boulton:
Everyone wants—someone. But when you get them, how do you keep it going. Genre's new service journalism and -how to- editorial direction made it easy for us to provide our readers with the **50 top ways to stay together forever.** This is not your typical list.We delve into the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects that if addressed can actually enhance the way people relate to each other. We acknowledge that not every is monogamous, but some are—and we even address how to manage life in either scenario.
On the cover this month, Genre bravely put forth a reality couple, and not the typical models who hold perfection over our heads.
Yeah fucking right. We haven't heard such a pile of horse shit since Pat Buchanan called Keith Kerr a coward.
We don't want to call Matt Sanchez a liar, but we've just been reading over Joe.My.God's short interview with the gay porn star-turned-conservative soldier and we can't help but feeling that something's rotten in the state of Douchemark.
As we mentioned yesterday, our friend Andy Towle claims to have dated the icon formerly known as Rod Majors. Sanchez, however, insists he's straight as an arrow:
JMG: Do you consider yourself gay?SANCHEZ: Boyfriends: 0 Fiance: 2 Wife: 1. I'd say I'm pretty bad at being gay.
Hmm, either Towle's confused (which we doubt) or Sanchez is a total phony. Oh, wait, we knew that already. Of course, there's always the possibility that Sanchez didn't consider poor Towle a "boyfriend", but just a fuck buddy. Sorry, Towle, but something tells us you'll survive.
Sanchez may not be a cocksucker (except when he's getting paid…and filmed), but he does support Ann Coulter's recent faggot flinging:
I personally wouldn't have used the word faggot in public like that. That said, Ann made a joke and that's just what she does. I wouldn't want her right to speak breached in any way. The complaints from all these pissed off people is hilarious. I know Ann gets a kick out of being a provocateur, and these hissyfits will probably figure in her next article.
That is if there is a next article…
Oh - and, yes, Sanchez has a book in the works. No, he doesn't want to talk about it.
Related: Conservative Hero Totally Gay For Pay
Matt Sanchez Speaks Out!
• Heather Reznor, pr whiz for Michael Lucas, interviews Kara Janx. We love both of these girls. [Heather Fink]
• Mental note: We too want a Santino Rice birthday cake. [Santino Rice]
• Surfers have always been gayer than cowboys. [Towleroad]
• Let’s all collectively pray for an Amanda Lepore television show. [Brace-Face]
• A legend returns to blogging. She’s old school, bitches. [Jihky]
We know that we’re not perfect. As much as we love all things gay, there are some things that some of our fellow homos do that make us cringe: frosted hair, mesh shirts, rainbow ringed necklaces, Miatas. We know we usually have more taste and style than the straights, but sometimes good taste turns to tackiness, kitsch, garishness. Like Elton John.
And we’re cool with tacky things, but only when they’re done in that smart, ironic way. Think Todd Oldham. Sometimes The Gays go a bit overboard. Leave it to a bunch of fags to get so inspired by Brokeback Mountain to create art. Really bad art, but art nonetheless.
Defamer recently found that eBay has become the hot spot for your original artwork inspired by Brokeback Mountain. It will look great next to your Judy Garland photograph or your Tom of Finland poster, honey. Psyche.
They’re so bad, they’re almost good. At least we found something to get Andy Towle for his birthday this year.
Brokeback Mania Inspires Art [Defamer]
Brokeback Gay Paintings [eBay]
• He may have been a winner on Survivor, but Richard Hatch comes out a big 'ol loser in court. [Boston Globe]
• Brokeback Mountain is doing great business all on its own, but an Oprah episode will guarantee even bigger box office. [Towleroad]
• Gay activist Betty Berzon has lost her battle to cancer. RIP. [SF Gate]
• We all saw this one coming: Michael Jackson in women's clothes. [ABC News]
• Reeking of irony from all ends, the cop from the Village People is in trouble with the law. This will make for a juicy moment in the sure to follow Behind the Music special. [ABC News]
We’re really honored to be one of the nominees for Best GLBT Weblog over at The Bloggies. The other nominees, Joe My God, Towleroad, Good As You, and Little Yellow Different are all frequent reads of ours. Our editor has performed alongside Joe, made brunch for Ernie, and put a few back with Andy. We don’t know that little fellow over at Good As You, but we’re sure we’d love him too.
So vote for us or for them. It’s just nice being acknowledged for the work we’ve been doing and we promise to keep up the news, the attitude, and the nonsense.
Bloggie Finalists [2006 Bloggies]
Trent Vanegas has taken blogging to the next level over at Pink Is The New Blog. We're addicted to it like we are to crack. Trent took time from his fabulous life to catch up with Bradford Shellhammer, one of the first people to link to Pink back in the day, and dish on Britney, Madonna, and the differences between gay men and 15 year old girls.
What got you into blogging?
I started blogging because I wanted to get into the habit of writing something creative everyday. I figured if I did it online I would feel a sort of obligation to keep going. It became a daily ritual for me and I still look forward to writing every day.
How did you first come up with the idea of captioning pictures?
I worked on a creative writing piece for a Master's program where I cut out pictures from magazines and pasted them into a blank book and then wrote all around and over the pictures. That was sort of where the whole thing got started. I played around with different fonts and settled on the stencil font — it became my way of putting my stamp on the pictures.
What is the craziest blog-stalking story can you tell us?
Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it a blog-stalking story but it's the "craziest" story I've got. Last May I received an email from a friend of a Pink reader who received a Trent birthday cake. He sent me a link that lead to a picture of the cake. I never imagined that I would ever see my face on a birthday cake. I felt like Batman for a brief moment. It was at that moment that I realized that I had become something different to readers of my blog. I became the face of Pink is the new Blog. While I am very flattered that someone would do this, I still do not feel that I am anything special at all. I'm just a guy with a blog.
Trent on Madge and Brit after the jump.
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You know we don’t cruise the Internet for hook-ups. We have boyfriends and don’t do that kind of thing (anymore). We’ve laughed at Manhunt profile screen names in the past. They usually read something like “HotNYCTop69” or “Rawpozbottom” or other things like that. So we were a little shocked when we happened upon Brenner’s discovery of a new, very familiar Manhunt screen name: “Towlerload.” Yes, it's not "Towleroad" exactly, but it's pretty freaking close.
Now Brenner has found out that this indeed is not Andy Towle peddling his ass on the Internet. This is just one of his many fans. We know Andy Towle and we think he is sexy. But we don’t think this is the kind of brand exposure Andy needs. Look on the bright side, at least Towlerload on Manhunt is “completely vers!”
What we really want to know is what is Brenner's screen name? He was obviously on Manhunt looking for something.
Blowing a "towlerload" [Not Only But Also]
You’ve read Andy Towle’s site religiously. You’ve seen Brokeback, what, three or four times? You’ve started wearing cowboy hats. Yes, you queens are bit obsessed with this film and rightfully so.
You’ve been excited to hear of all the award nominations. And we know you’ve read the reviews. They all glow and heap praise on this wonderful little film. But none have been written like this:
Beautiful. Sexy. Masterful performances on both sides of the camera. Grand tragedy. A little slow is my only gripe. But this movie actually says something and says it very powerfully. It's like Gone With The Wind for faggots–unfortunately without the gowns! Couldn't Heath at least gotten Jake to fashion a cute rope-belted mini out of a burlap sack and a wig made of reeds to priss around and tantalize him? It worked for me that time I was hitch-hiking on acid
Forget Gen Shalit and his hate. Lady Bunny has reviewed Brokeback Mountain.
Gene Shalit Offers Defamatory Brokeback Review on NBC's Today [GLAAD]
THE TOWLEROAD GUIDE TO BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN [Towleroad]
Movie Reviews [Lady Bunny]
• Brokeback Mountain leads the Screen Actor's Guild awards with four nominations. Oscars, here we come. [ABC News]
• Killing two birds with one stone, Andy Towle manages to create clever advertising for Brokeback Mountain and the perfect anti-smoking poster for homos at the same time. [Towleroad]
• Cherokee lesbians have been granted a marriage certificate, making them the first American Indian gays to get hitched in Cherokee Nation. [Reuters]
• An article we linked to last week incorrectly reported that the U.S. does not offer asylum based on sexual orientation. Turns out our country is not that backward after all. [Immigration Equality]
• Four gay men have been arrested in India for "perpetrating homosexual activities." So wrong and so Middle Ages. [News From Russia]
• There is a God. And he is a fag. Need proof? Janice Dickinson has been given her own show. All of our prayers have been answered. [Yahoo News]
• Andy Towle won the Gridskipper award for best gay blog and rightfully so. We’re just delighted we weren’t last place. Woo Hoo! [Gridskipper]
• The Malcontent has compiled a list of bloggers and their New Year’s resolutions. Bradford and David are in the group. [The Malcontent]
• A warning to out LA readership: The LAPD is cracking down on gay cruising in West Hollywood. So next time you’re thinking of blowing that guy in a parking lot, ask if he’s a cop first. [LA Independent]
• Michael Stabile, friend of Queerty, wishes "more people involved in porn were clever.” He obviously has not seen Cirque Noir! [Village Voice]
We refuse to utter that horrible "B" word around here. You know, "blogosphere." But we were compelled to list some of the gayest things in the world of blogs from 2005. There were many, but these take the big, pink, wedding cake.
5. Towleroad Does Brokeback. We don’t care if anyone tires of Andy Towle’s Brokeback Mountain coverage. We think it is just the reason why blogs kick butt. He has been meticulous in his coverage and we are certain more than one person in the “real” media has used his site as a resource.
4. Logo Does Blogs. Logo, the MTV gay network, actually made television personalities out of gay bloggers this year. Bloggers on TV? We know, a scary thought. But Andy, Perez, the Malcontent, and even our very own Bradford all snagged a spot. Now if we only knew who had the highest ratings.
3. Jossip Does Queerty. We know we already said we were the Coming Out story of the year, but this is our list and we’ll do what we want with it. Yes, we deserve to be on the So Gay! 2005 list of Blogs because, well, because we say so. The Internet got a little gayer this year. We take full responsibility.
2. Yahoo Does Gawker. Yahoo made it clear that it believes in the importance of blogs when it struck a deal this year with Nick Denton’s Gawker Media. The deal sees Gawker content on Yahoo News. A bit short of the Weblogs Inc./AOL merger, it still makes us smile Cheshire smiles. The thought of Gawker’s content appearing on mainstream news channels is hilarious.
And now the #1 gay blog event of the year after the jump.
CONTINUED »
• The strike enters day three and we’re cool with that. We have some, um, shopping to keep ourselves busy. No, really. [Gawker]
• One of The Gays’ favorites, Christina Ricci, is heading to television. This is a good thing. She is guest starring on the boring Grey’s Anatomy. This is a bad thing. [Yahoo News]
• We got an email claiming that French rugby players are wimps compared to the Aussies and that the Aussies too have a nude calendar available. The boys from Down Under got naked to raise money for indigenous and non-indigenous kids from rural areas. We just love the website: Naked guys next to children. Because they so go together. [Koori Kids]
• Dolce & Gabbana have created the gayest phone ever. It is a gold Razr and only 1,000 were made. We want one. [Gizmodo]
• Pulling an Andy Towle, Out and the Advocate created a special website dedicated to Brokeback Mountain. It features interviews, articles, reviews, and multimedia for all you BM obsessives. [Advocate]
