There's some hiring, firing drama over at New York fag rag HX. And this time there's a tinge of nepotism.

A staffer informs us that mag founder Matthew Bank today sacked designer John Agnesini, the man who's suing Subway for that whole knife-in-sandwich scandal.

While it's not unusual for HX to off staffers, the Agnesini firing smells fishier than the rest. You see, rather than hiring a run of the mill designer, Bank instead chose his boyfriend, Peter Hemmel, who recently lost his design director gig over at Glamour.

Himmel, however, will allegedly only occupy the slot for a month.

Disclosure: our editor once worked for HX. And, no, he wasn't fired.

Sorry, Out, HX and Next, but British fag rag Attitude's playful swimsuit spread beats you all hands down. There's nothing more attractive than a sense of humor - and blow-up saxophones!

More sexy fun after the jump!

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New York-based bar rag HX celebrated the forthcoming summer with an absolutely eye-bulging swimsuit spectacular starring the cast of Broadway's Cry Baby.

We've decided Charlie Sutton should be the main image because he's got his suit bursting at the seams. And we think that's simply tops!

All shots by Wilson Models.

The surprisingly popular Ashlee Simpson recently released a new album. And, as such, has been making the press rounds, including a pop in with fag rag HX. Having survived his run-in with Jeffrey Kalinsky, Brandon Voss forced Simpson to confront a scary fact: gay men love her boyfriend, Pete Wentz. Why do they like him? We're not sure, maybe because he said he has no problems kissing men, which is apparently enough for some people.

BV: Do you mind those gay rumors or that so many gay guys wish Pete were gay?

AS: It doesn't bother me, because he doesn't act—I mean, I think I'd be more of the gay man in the relationship. He definitely wears the man-shoes in the relationship, which is great. I love that guys love him, too—that's wonderful. It's flattering.

She was totally going to say "act gay," wasn't she?

Professional slag Kim Kardashian opened up to HX's Brandon Voss this weekend and told him exactly why she loves the gays: we're so handy!

My hair and makeup guys are the best… Everyone in life needs a gay friend because your boyfriend’s never threatened by him, you can hang out with him all the time, and you can change clothes in front of him. All my guy friends are gay. Gay men give me the best fashion advice, and nothing is better in life than shopping with your gay friends.

And we gays think there's nothing better than propping up a broken girlfriend's self-esteem and ensuring sartorial survival. Nothing.

Oh no! There's a fag rag war brewing in New York!

You may recall this morning's post in which HX editor Brandon Voss celebrated his magazine's Black Party issue by trashing the competition, Next Magazine. Said Voss:

We really liked what Next Magazine did for their Black Party Fashion issue this year, but for ours—which is traditionally out the week directly before Black Party, so that it’s still available when out-of-town Black Party revelers begin streaming in—we chose to focus on the “youth” aspect of this year’s “Dangerous Black Party for Boys” theme.

Well, Brandon's bitchery may have been premature.

A Next staffer emailed us this afternoon, insisted he didn't want to start any trouble, but then offered an unsolicited jab: "Brandon's statement about our black party issue is so lame, because we do TWO issues on it, the first one is fashion and the one out today is on the party 'proper' with a young party-goer mindset." (They also did a special field guide with merit badges, which we can only imagine require feats of inhuman flexibility.)

So, to recap, HX and Next are mad at each other, but had the same idea: strapping down twinks. Why do we need two of these things again?

Perpetually troubled New York fag rag HX made some staff changes yesterday. And there are more in the works, according to a reader:

This week, HX Media Creative Director Matt Farris, who just returned to the company last year after a seven year absence, was laid off.

In addition, The New York Blade will be appearing only every other week, so editor in chief Trenton Straube was reduced to half time. The head bookkeeper's hours were also reduced and ad salespeople were recently told that there base salaries were being taken away, leaving them to exist on commissions.

Spin-off rag HX Phildelphia [sic] will be shuttered shortly. Rumors also have that some staff
members are not being paid consistently.

This tipster also took some time to bash Genre editor Neal Boulton, who's acting as editorial director for HX.

According to this person, Boulton's talk about trash talking HX staffers is really just a way for him to leak stories about himself and point the finger. Shocking.

Meanwhile, in other HX news, editor Brandon Voss sent us some pictures from this week's Black Party issue. Voss included a note, which we've included, explaining the issue's shoot and taking some shots at main competitor, Next Magazine.

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Genre's Neal Boulton gets more scandalous press today.

When we last saw the lady-loving fag-rag editor, he defended himself against rumors that he was spending time with a buxom Penthouse model. Boulton admitted chilling with the chick, but insists his heart lies with his recently reconciled wife, Claire, who bore him two children.

Today, however, some "sources" tell Page Six that Boulton's been carrying on with his children's nanny, who's shacked up in Boulton's former bachelor pad. Boulton denies he's diddling the help, and points the fingers at his coworkers at HX magazine, whose corporate owner, Window Media hopes Boulton can help save from certain doom.

I do think I have annoyed gay folks, even though I have been riskily honest about all of my proclivities, including women… And I was recently hired as a consultant to re-launch HX, a small free bar magazine, which shares Genre offices. I made major changes there and believe I may have p-ed off some HX people because their spies saw me out with her.

Boulton goes on to again reiterate that he's been honest about his "very David Bowie life" and reassures readers that if he were fucking his nanny, we'd know all about it: "…I never had a relationship with her of any kind. If I had, I'd have bragged about it."

Ain't that the truth!

HX Media continues to - um - evolve…

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• Out's February issue proves what we already knew: Richard Simmons is the queen of all queens.

• Lauren Williams hung out with Phylicia Rashad and the rest of the cast from the Debbie Allen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and all we got was this incredible post!

• Hummer inspired by NYC-based fag rag HX? Wouldn't be the first time…

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Legendary singer Annie Lennox sat down with HX's Trenton Straube for a little pre-album release heart-to-heart.

Before the girls ended their chat, Trent had one last, pressing question:

TS: One last subject: dance mixes. You music has always been a staple on the dance floor. And you have remixes already slated for the single "Sing." You said you collaborate with art directors. Do you also work with the DJs and producers on the remixes?

AL: I'm going to be brutally honest here. I find a lot of it totally vacuous. People say you've got to have taken a lot of drugs before you "get it." I'm pretty sure that you have to take a lot of drugs. What kind of drugs are you gay guys taking?

Would you like that list alphabetically or in order of appearance…

HX magazine may have some big financial trouble on their hands. A reader-supplied rumor suggests the weekly New York fag rag's having some trouble paying their bills:

HX has left a major creditor high and dry. Publisher Matthew Bank and his partner David Unger of Avalon Equity Group (which recently sold NY Press) stiffed it's printer on Varick Street to the tune of more than $480,000.

HX, which also publishes NY Blade, also abandoned another debt for nearly one million dollars to a printer in Long Island. The printer filed bankruptcy and HX was forced to settle their payment to them, but on for pennies on the dollar.

Staffers at HX Media (HX, NY Blade and Gay Life Expo) were also told they will have to wait for their paychecks.

Perhaps all the pub's dough's been sunk into that $1.25 million go-go lawsuit.

Gee whiz, readers! Another spectacular five days here at Queerty. Thanks for all your wonderful comments. We really appreciate it.

Queerty ReBUTTal's usually dedicated to our comments on your comments, but we're opening the floor to our editor this week.

If you're feeling brave, check out what he's been up to over the past five days as he jetted from New York to LA, met porn stars, politicians and prolific journalists.

CONTINUED »

More "restructuring" over at Window Media, the gay-owned media giant that publishes HX, Washington Blade and a slew of other fag rags.

NY Times reports that the company's sole "straight" publication, New York Press, will be sold to Manhattan Media.

Peter Palomino, president of Denver-based Avalon Equity Partners, which owns Window Media, tells The Times:

Manhattan Media is based here in the city, and they have a long history with community weeklies. It just seems like a natural fit for them to acquire The New York Press.

No word on whether there will be any staff changes, so "proud" gay columnist Ed Koch job seems to be safe.

For now.