The art market's a-poppin'!

CONTINUED »

• Rosie O'Donnell didn't have much to say about Britney Spears' baby drama. A confused looking Roseanne Barr, meanwhile, plans to give the pop tart a call, "I think she needs a mother. She needs help".

• GLAAD takes on NY Post, again:

The Post's Oct. 4 edition contained a Page Six item about an upcoming dating show on Fox Reality Channel (also a News Corporation property) called There’s Something About Miriam. The item referred to Miriam, a transgender woman from Mexico, using the slur “she-male.”
…
GLAAD contacted Page Six editor Richard Johnson this morning to discuss the description of Miriam. His e-mailed response read, “You're kidding me, aren't you? I would have used ‘chick with a dick’ but we're as [sic] family newspaper.”

Yeah, right.

CONTINUED »

Art fags can stop wishing on stars, eyelashes and dandelions: British singer Elton John has decided to share his art collection with the masses. Or so say married gossip mongers Rush & Molloy:

Elton John will spend millions to build a gallery at his British estate showcasing some of his more than 2,500 photos, including works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Andy Warhol and Herb Ritts, says a source. The musician also will build a house for a curator…

No word on where interested parties can apply - don't worry, you're probably not qualified.

(Thanks PBR Chicken for the spot on image!)

Blasphemy of blasphemies! Rather than using this almost anniversary of Stonewall to celebrate the West Village, QueerSighted set its peepers on New York's other village, The East Village!

Long the nabe of the gays, EV's more than just The Cock. As QS points out, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Basquiat all cut their teeth in the grimy 'hood. Meanwhile,The St. Marks Baths hosted many a bacherous night - and helped homo-journo Richard Rothstein face his faggotry:

Perhaps none of the East Village gay landmarks holds more personal meaning for me than the Club Baths. Closed by the city along with all the other gay bath houses during the 1980s AIDS panic, the Club Baths was converted into a trendy restaurant, Cave Canem. My ex-wife surprised me with a 40th Birthday party at this restaurant and it was on this night, in the former bath house, that I resolved to come out–which I did just a few months later. Gay porn star Arpad Miklos, wearing nothing but a Turkish towel, longs for the bad old days.

And we're long-ing for Miklos. Hubba-hubba!

• Love him or hate him, you can't piss on Michael Lucas' new mission:

In the past few months I have run into about four acquaintances who have been brutally beaten recently in Chelsea, either during a mugging or for being gay. Interestingly, all of those attacks have occurred on the east side of 8th Avenue, around 22nd street, but I've also heard of other similar attacks in Chelsea and in Hell's Kitchen.

I am going to be writing a story about this in the New York Blade and interviewing people for it, including members of the New York Police Department, which has been almost completely unresponsive despite the fact that all four of the people I spoke to had filed reports.

If you or anyone you know has experienced such an attack in or around these areas in Manhattan please contact me directly at michael@lucasentertainment.com.

• Susan Stanton - the pre-op trannie formerly known as Largo, Florida, city manager, Steve Stanton - has lost her bid for Sarasota's city manager position.

• Andy Warhol's Interview for sale.

• Iowan Governor Chet Culver signed the state's anti-discrimination bill, thus ensuring that gays will be treated with the respect, dignity and nonchalance they deserve. Starting on July 1st, that is - until then, it's totally open season.

CONTINUED »

• Crazy comedy duo Joey and David drum up some laughs with this Gap-spoof. Also, QueerSighted's Kenneth Hill thinks that David's "hot". Pass it on.

• Hyatt Hotel ain't down with gay romance. A Houston branch of the hotel chain removed gay romance novelist Lauren Baumbach's very homo promotional materials. When she tried to reason with a customer service representative, he cut her off, "I’m not discussing this with you.” Must not be much of a reader.

• Boy George allegedly has a history of hiring whipping boys. From pop bitch: If George's New York neighbours are to be believed, [Auden] Carlsen is not the first escort he's picked up for this purpose. One tells us that George often brought young chaps back to his apartment for a session with whips and chains. The neighbour regularly resorted to banging on the walls and shouting, "Can you just finish him off quietly, for Christ's sake!"

• White House tells Press, "Only you can or cannot support Tony Snow."

• The World of Coca-Cola Museum will host an Andy Warhol exhibit. Because how else will the World of Coca-Cola Museum be taken seriously/get visitors/get press?

• Iron Man's movie suit revealed! (PS: Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man? Our nerd side says, "no", but our inner art fag says, "yes".)

• Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill to abolish the written consent law for HIV test. If passed, doctors will be able to test patient's blood without their approval and/or knowledge. While this may help curb infection rates, it also blurs the line between a person's rights and public health. Should doctors try to stem HIV, even if it means violating a person's right to privacy?

• Madonna got a haircut. No word on an amount, but we bet it costs a fucking fortune to look so - um…well, to have such nice looking hair. The face? Not looking so hot…

• Ellen injured! Lesbian talk show host and all around lesbian Ellen Degeneres will be performing her chat fest from bed after injuring her back. Perhaps Portia got a little rough?

• Kenya is getting lax on the fags. Gay activist Angus Parkinson says:of Liverpool VCT, a support centre in Nairobi, "Kenya is heading in a different direction from its neighbours." Well, we should hope so, because neighboring Uganda doesn't have the best record…

• Today's fag rags have less fag and more rag, according to journo Sam McManis: "Now, these niche newspapers and magazines seem more about the "active lifestyle," as the media cliche goes. Home improvement. Fashion. Celebrity culture. All the fun, frivolous stuff." Yeah, but it also brings in the ever-important dollar. Gotta get that dollar, homie…

• Candy Spelling's plan to save America's international image? More reruns of Charlie's Angels, Dynasty and, if we're in a bind, Falcon's Crest.

• On Friday, we informed you that an Arkansas man's suing his local library because his son suffered "many sleepless nights" after finding The Whole Lesbian Sex Book. Um, duh he had sleepless nights (assuming, of course, he's straight). Speaking on the brouhaha, the book's author, Felice Newman, asks, "If librarians pull such books from the shelves, where will kids find out about sex?" You're looking at it…

• Andy Warhol's the number two highest-selling artist in the world. Picasso's number one.

• Pete Wentz ain't just a make-up wearing rock star, he's a linguistic mastermind. For example, he doesn't wear eyeliner. He wears "guy-liner". Total difference. Total genius.

• How long before beating a dead horse gets boring? AfterElton takes a swing at the dearth of TV-Gays to find out. [AfterElton]

• When does My Chemical Romance's next album arrive? Tomorrow! And New Now Next's totally psyched. [New Now Next]

• Which MTA bathrooms can trannies use? Whichever with which they most identify. [365 Gay]

• Another gay politician? Yes, didn't you hear? This must be the "Year of the Outing." [Sun Sentinel]

• If TR Knight and Luke MacFarlane are dating, does anybody care? Apparently. [Towleroad]

• Who's that talking to Andy Warhol? Brigid Berlin, of course! [BlackBook]

We had no idea, but September's Andy Warhol month. (According to a commercial we saw recently, it's also Menopause month. Coincidence? We think not.) Anyway, to celebrate New York Press has a dreadfully yet refreshingly piece by Viola Salzedo-Gramm chatting about Ric Burns’ new documentary, Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film, Warhol's undying influence, pop history, and some other stuff. If we were better people, we'd have read the entire thing. Again, it's sort of long. So, why don't you read it and give us a recap?

"I'll Be Your Mirror" [New York Press]
Also in this exciting issue: an excerpt from POPism: The Warhol Sixties by Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett!

Before there was Pink is the New Blog, Perez Hilton, or Jossip there was Andy Warhol. Most people know Mr. Warhol for his art, his films, and his wigs, but what many don’t know is that Andy was a first class gossip.

The Andy Warhol Diaries were written by Pat Hackett and pulled from phone conversations the artist had almost daily from the 1970s up until his death in 1987. When the rather large book was released posthumously in 1990, it acted as a social account of the 70s and 80s, a large bound edition chronicling the lives of Hollywood stars, New York society, and the glitterati of the art world.

The book is a fascinating read. Taking an insider view in the celebrity world, Andy dishes with the best of them, calling Liza, Liz, and Sophia Loren names. He talks smack about Jackie O and tells who was at Studio 54 and what they were doing.

In an age before celebrity rags and the Internet it seems perfect that Andy was first at this too. Those gossip mags and sites owe a lot to him. He was blogging before blogs even existed.

Andy Warhol superstar, drag queen, and actress Holly Woodlawn recently chatted with Bradford Shellhammer about her performance tonight in Chelsea, why she hates Los Angeles, and how Auntie Mame saved her life.

Hi Holly, How are you?

Your name is Brad?

Yes, Bradford Shellhammer. I go by Bradford.

Use that name! We were both born with great names. It means we come from good breeding. You are German? I am German too. I was born in Puerto Rico but from Germanic decent. My mother is Italian and French. I am a white woman.

How did your parents meet?

My mother’s family moved to Puerto Rico during World War II. My dad was in the military and was stationed there and that is where he met my mother. I still call my father “Darling.”

How old are your parents?

They are 80 and 85 and they still think I am out of my mind. I have no siblings so when they are gone it will just be me. I am going to be 60 in two weeks. I have lived so many lives.

Which of those lives has been your favorite?

My favorite life? You are making me think here, Bradford. Luckily, my brain is all that works these days. I still have a fabulous face, but the other bones don’t work like they used to. My favorite life is the one I am living now because I have forgotten all the others.

How did you become Holly?

I was born Harold Ajzenberg. I left Miami because I would have been tarred and feathered there. I hitchhiked and the song lyrics are true. I met Candy Darling and Jackie Curtis and they introduced me to Max’s Kansas City and then to Andy. Andy treated us like movie stars. We were on welfare and we were so poor, but at night we went to the most amazing parties. Diana Vreeland parties. I lived a double life, I did not know who I was: fabulous at night and queen of the cockroaches by day.

After the jump Holly discusses her love for Babs, why Paris Hilton needs to eat something, and Joan Rivers' penis.

CONTINUED »

Andy Warhol once said "I am a deeply superficial person." It makes perfect sense then that he is our favorite artist. We are deeply superficial too. Especially when it comes to clothes.

Warhol loved fashion. And he would have loved Paul Frank. Everybody's favorite monkey man has recently launched the line Paul Frank for Andy Warhol and we are loving it. Much like the Warhol inspired Philip Treacy high-end hat line and the soon to launch Levi's Warhol collection, Paul Frank has delivered a knock-out mix of affordable clothing that are 100% pop. Anyone can afford a Warhol now. We recommend the $58 cow hoodie (that Bradford was rocking in the Heatherette pictures) or the black and white striped polo featuring Warhol himself. The line is available at Paul Frank boutiques and Urban Outfitters and is selling out quickly. Seems like everyone wants their 15 minutes wearing a Warhol. Thanks Donald.

According to Joe Dallesandro's website he is "one of the 10 most beautiful men Scavullo said he ever photographed. The 'Little Joe' of Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side.' The Valentino of the Underground. The crotch on the Sticky Fingers album cover. The only guy at the party willing to return a punch from Norman Mailer. The naked guy in those Andy Warhol movies. More pics of Joe Dallesandro, including a full frontal so be careful, after the jump.

CONTINUED »