Gay porn star Lexus claims he chose his moniker for the Greek god. Japan-based car company Toyota thinks otherwise - and they want sweet, litigious revenge:

The U.S. branch of the Japanese automaker recently sent a communiqué to Daniel Grangier, president and CEO of Switzerland-based Eboys Studios, regarding one of his stars, who goes by the screen name “Lexus.” (Lexus has appeared in such fine films as CumEater and SpunkLand.)
…
[Says] M. Eric T. Fingerhut, the Washington, D.C., attorney representing Toyota: "If Eboys Studio does not comply, "Toyota may have no choice but to take legal action in order to protect its trademark rights."

Eboys president Daniel Grangier also promised to fight a legal battle, A judge would have to decide if such [a] trademark can prohibit us [from using] the name of a Greek god in our movies."

Now, it's been a while since we studied Greek mythology, but we don't recall a "Lexus". Nor can we find any example of said god online. Anyone out there got a clue, because it sounds like Lexus may need one…

Quite the queer turnaround for Japanese player Kazuhito Tadano. Just five years after booting baseball player Tadano for his gay porn past, Japan's baseball powers that be called him back from the States to play for a home team, the Nippon Ham Fighters.

Tadano was a star pitcher at Rikkyo University and was expected to be a welcome addition to the Japanese leagues in 2002 when it was discovered that the athlete had appeared in a gay porn film while attending college.

He was banned from the Japanese leagues and came to play in America where the Indians drafted him as a free agent.

Tadano's man-on-man action eventually came to light, spurring the jock to declare his heterosexuality and released this explanation:

I did participate in a video and I regret it very much. It was a one-time incident that showed bad judgment and will never be repeated. I was young, playing baseball, and going to college and my teammates and I needed money.

Hello Kitty offered a similar story.

• Japanese scientists have made a "humanoid robot" called Simroid, which can feel "pain".

• It's that time of the year again: Bid 2 Beat AIDS offers 1000s of collectibles on eBay. The eBay charity auction officially begins tomorrow, but they've already posted tickets for Mary J Blige's Tuesday show honoring BET's Stephen Hill.

• Popnography's Shana Naomi Krochmal and NPR "consider" bands who play queer.

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• MTV apparently wouldn't play Faithless' "Bombs" because it's too controversial.

• Gianni Versace's lover, Antonio D'Amico, remembers his fallen lover and the assassination that stole a fashion visionary:

It was not a day, just a moment, like lightening. I heard the shot, and I ran outside the house. I saw Gianni in a pool of blood. It was like somebody cut me in two parts with an ax. Complete darkness — and this pain in my stomach! Can you imagine? The day before we were in the swimming pool hugging, and he said to me: “You know, Tato, after all these years our relationship is still so solid and beautiful.”

• TMZ's way meaner to Rosie O'Donnell than we'd ever imagine. Okay, okay, we'd imagine being so mean, but we'd never make fun of her wet suit. Oh, that's a t-shirt. (Oops.)

• Alvaro Orozco, the gay Nicaraguan refugee Canada wants out, has gone into hiding.

• Tegan and Sara sing about gay marriage and its discontents.

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Kanako Otsuji's battle to become Japan's first openly gay politico came to an end last night in a close national election.

Despite the electoral loss, Otsuji, 32, kept her head high and praised her countrymen - and women - for their surprisingly high levels of support.

I feel we were finally able to express our feelings and turn them into votes. I really didn't hear any sort of critical voices when I was campaigning. I was welcomed warmly at my campaign stops.

Of course, Otsuji ain't one to slink off to a corner and cry. The 32-year old sappho-politico, who married her girlfriend last month, vowed to keep fighting for Japan's oppressed masses.

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Christina Aguilera's Back to Basic's Tour took her to Tokyo last night, where the blond bombshell wowed a packed crowd.
Page Six wonders, however, if Aguilera's womb's packed, too:

Rumors that Christina Aguilera is expecting a baby "are definitely true," according to a well-placed Page Six source. "She's been telling friends," said one snitch, who revealed, "she has to be three months now, because she's announcing it." This would be the first for Aguilera and her husband, Jordan Bratman.

We're all about Ms. Aguilera reproducing, just as long as the little urchins don't derail her career.

Via demonbaby:

The Plasma Sperm is a home microscope kit designed especially for men to view their little testicular tadpoles up close and personal. That's right boys - next time you blow a load all over your stomach looking at celebrity nip slip galleries, don't reach for that dirty gym sock - reach for the Plasma Sperm, and see how your little swimmers are holding up.

We know things are different in Japan, but is there really a market for men who want to check out their spermatozoa?

Also, do Japanese women have strings coming out of their vaginas? See what we mean, after the jump.

(Do inhuman female reproductions count as NSFW?)

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• Just in case you haven't noticed, we're having a little shindig this Thursday, June 14th at New York City's Star Lounge (under the Chelsea Hotel). Not only will there be free booze, the entire Queerty/Jossip crew (yes, even Cord Jefferson), and Nicholas Weist-provided hits, but Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel's totally the guest of honor. Be there are be the biggest square in history. Ya heard?

• Armistead Maupin's beloved Michael Tolliver lives.

• Israel made Richard Rothstein cry. Also, forgot the meaning of never - as in, "Never Again!"

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Kanako Otsuji, Japan's first homo-politico, tied the knot with long-time lover, Maki Kimura, this weekend. Otsuji's wedding comes hot on the heels of her announcement that she'll run for one of Osaka's cabinet seats.

Though Japan doesn't recognize same-sex marriage Otsuji said she hopes her symbolic ceremony will help Japan's closeted queers come into their own:

Gays and lesbians are hiding themselves in society to protect themselves.

I want people to know that gays and lesbians exist in society by looking at us.

We're pretty sure almost every adult knows gays exist.

Whether or not they approve - well, that's a different story. Hopefully the sight of these lovely ladies will change a few minds.

Kanako Otsuji has changed the face of Japanese politics. In 2003, at the tender age of 28, Otsuji became the candidate to win a seat on Osaka's assembly. In that seat, the politician pushed for social change, successfully passing a law allowing gay couples to rent housing together. Then, in 2005, Otsuji came out as a lesbian, thus becoming the first openly gay politician in Japanese history. Though the public embraced her, Otsuji found some opposition among her political peers, including, according to the Guardian, one anti-queer "comrade" who asked her if she planned on becoming a man.

Despite this ignorance - and her aides' advice to keep a lid on it - Otsuji hasn't given up her political dreams and has just joined forces with the Democratic party to launch a campaign for Japan's upper parliament. Not surprisingly, Otsuji's efforts rest on highlighting Japan's diverse nature, a stark departure from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's chimerical political conformity.

In a message on her website, Otsuji wrote:

I think there is a tendency to put forward one set of values and make it seem as though that is the only beautiful or right way. But the reality is becoming more diverse. Japanese society is not engaging with the wide range of people living in diverse ways, in terms of nationality, race, sex, age and disabilities.

Hopefully Otsuji's countrymen will feel the same way.

While we're on the subject of televisuals, some of you may have heard of Azumi: the Japanese movie about a young (and decidedly hot) female assassin of the same name played by Aya Ueto. Based on the popular manga, the story follows Azumi from being orphaned through and beyond her training as one of the best assassins in medieval Japan.

If you're into some bad-ass swordplay and a bit of camp (the perfect combination, no?), this is definitely the movie for you. The best part of the movie, however, comes from the arch-villain, Bijomaru Mogami, played deliciously by Jo Odagiri (pictured, in character).
Dressed in pristine white robe, a long-haired wig, and the perfect amount of pink eye shadow, Bijomaru Mogami may be one of the best ambiguoulsy gay villains in history. GLAAD most definitely disapproves, but we love him.

The film's currently on view in New York City, but if you can't make it there, poke around the internet and find the DVD. It's worth owning.

Our friends over at AfterElton have an illuminating article on gay love in manga, Japanese illustrated serials. (We called them "comics" once and our friend nearly shat. We replied, "Why get bogged down by semantics?" our favorite post-modern linguistic dismissal.) In the article, written by Hikaru Freeman, one learns all about a series called Gravitation.

Set in modern day Japan, the story revolves around up-and-coming rock star, Shuichi Shindo, and his burgeoning love affair with writer, Eiri Yuki. What struck us most about the piece is that there's an entire genre of boy love manga Freeman refers to as shonen-ai, "which literally translates to 'young-boy love.'"

We did a little research on the everyman's encyclopedic website, Wikipedia, and apparently shonen-ai is dated term, and typically refers to actual pedophilia. But, again, semantics… Originally, the genre was marketed to women, who adored the stories of fagling love, but has drawn new audiences as more young Japanese men and women find the strength to come out. If only we had a similar genre when we were young…

"Gay Love in Japanese Manga" [AfterElton]
Shonen-ai [Wikipedia]

• That pesky Vatican won't be allowing gays into the Priesthood and might even band them entirely. We have a feeling massive layoffs will be in order.

•Apparently the past few years have seen a rapid increase in the "feminization of Japanese men." They're much more into beauty products and aren't afraid to dance with other guys. Over here we call that progress.

•The right to marry is important, but everyone knows the right to divorce (and get half) is more important. Gays in Washington State may be getting just that.

•Click here to download the 30-second TV spot asking veto-happy Arnie to reconsider his decision that would prevent leather daddies from marrying in California.

•Whoever said prison toughens you up was dead wrong. Darling, Martha, couldn't you come up with a snappier catchphrase than "you just don't fit in?" How about "you're my bitch now?"