The faggot furor over Out's controversial cover continues. Genre editor Chris Ciompi laid the smack down against the monthly fag-rag and competing editor Aaron Hicklin, telling married gossip mongers Rush and Malloy:

Your right to privacy is a constitutional right. Maybe Jodie and Anderson would prefer to be known for their work, not their sexuality. The climate of the United States today still would not allow that to occur. With Anderson, many people would perceive his credibility to be undermined.

I think [Out editor] Aaron Hicklin wants to use [Cooper and Foster] to sell magazines. It's politically reprehensible, when he has a list of 50 gay people, to choose two people who are not out.

Sounds like someone's a bit jealous, if you ask us. Sure, both Genre and Out have their draws, but we have to say Out's a bit more... Oh, we won't say it. We're sure you thinking men already know where we're going with that one.

Meanwhile, those curmudgeons over at GLAAD piped in, insisting they do not condone outing people, but Neil Giuliano made sure to add that Cooper and Foster's names have not been smeared, because that would imply that being gay's "a bad thing". And we all know GLAAD loves to support the gays.

For his part, Hicklin defends his placement of Cooper on the cover, telling R&M:

...If you live in New York City, and if you're gay, it's not too long before you spot Anderson Cooper at certain bars or concerts.

In the case of Anderson, we felt that was a bogus argument because he's talked about his life numerous times, he's been the cover subject on lifestyle magazines and men's magazines like Maxim. He's allowed his personal life to be scrutinized with one exception - his sexuality, his relationships.

Hicklin also said that the magazine's legal team advised against putting Clay Aiken on the cover - not because Aiken would sue, but because he looks too much like Jodie Foster. Can't have two lesbians on the cover, now can we?

Imagine the shit storm that would start.

Out-and-out debate over Jodie, Anderson [NYDN]

Less than a year after snatching EIC Aaron Hicklin from the cultured pages of BlackBook, Out publisher and senior vice-president Joe Landry has announced that he's leaving the fag-rag.

So, where's Landry sowing his publishing oats? BlackBook, of course. Don't you love the rat fuck known as magazine publishing?

We asked around for a bit of explanation, but have yet to turn up anything concrete. One thing's for sure, the formerly LA-centric Landry's going to spending a lot of time in New York, where Blackbook and Out both have offices. If any of you kids have more information, we'll gladly accept...

As for who will fill Landry's seat? Your guess is as good as Out's - they're apparently on the prowl.

Meanwhile, the Board of Directors got had a bit of a shake-up after Allen Morgan resigned yesterday. He'll be replaced by Phillip Kleweno, former president of Princess Cruises. How appropriate...

(Update: FYI, Landry published all of LPI's illustrious titles, including The Advocate, Out Traveler and HIV Plus.)

If there's one person we love, it's that adorable scamp Rupert Everett. Sure, he may have a reputation for being a bit of a diva, but that doesn't mean he hasn't got some valid points to make, so we're thrilled to itty-bits that Out Magazine's taken some time to sit down with the gay actor to chat about his new memoir, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins.

Sitting down with fellow Brit and Out EIC, Aaron Hicklin, Everett chats about his new book, growing up gay and the state of the gay celebrity nation. While he laments the dearth of out gay celebrities - a shortage that's particularly irksome when straight actors land the choice gay roles - Everett's not looking to be the go-to gay in the celebrity village.

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Another month, another Out. You may recall that last month they gave us the ritualistic end-of-the-year rejuvenatory spectacular (including Tom Donaghy's boffo essay on bridging the queer generational divide). Well, this month the boys take a trip down Rio way for a little skin tight swimsuit action.

Snapped by Matthias Vriens, the boys leave little to the imagination (you'll see what we mean, after the jump). Of course, there's more to the issue than just swimsuit clad beach bunnies, a species many may find terrifying. As EIC Aaron Hicklin points out in the editor's letter. Recalling in hilarious detail the horror of seeing his father in speedo, Hicklin muses:

The result is that I have always found men in skimpy swimsuits faintly embarrassing (often, let’s face it, for good reason). To which you might legitimately ask, “So what the hell is he doing editing this magazine?’ As one acquaintance put it, none too delicately, “Isn’t every issue of Out a swimsuit issue?” Well, no.

It's true. Sometimes they have men wearing underwear or, wonder of wonders, fully clothed!

Hicklin goes on to suggest the reader check out the Mark Simpson aka "Sporno's the new Metrosexuality" penned assessment of so-called "Speedophobia" in the United States. Sure, it's a well-trod topic, but as is his inimitable style, Simpson gives it a little extra kick. Delving into the surprisingly absorbing (absorbant?) history of bathing suits, Simpson offers this nugget:

Bathing and swimming are undoubtedly pagan passions. The ancients invented the seaside resort and spent a great deal of gold on, and time in, their blessed public baths, where the men bathed and swam naked. Not because they were indifferent to nakedness, but because they esteemed virility. Every night was wet jockstrap night (without the jockstrap) at the Roman baths, and especially well-endowed bathers were likely to be greeted with a round of applause; during the reign of notorious size queen Emperor Elagabalus, those who hung low at the baths were promoted to high office.

Ah, if only our political system were so transparent.

Also in this issue, a piece on virginal Christ-loving (he loves you, too) gays, a few notes on our favorite reality-television diva-bitch heart stopper, New York and a Valentine's Day-themed "musical mix" from everyone's favorite cupid, John Waters. Of course, Out wouldn't have it any other way.

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It's been over 48 hours since Out Magazine's annual Out 100 awards: the standard length of time needed to digest all the homo happenings. We must say, we haven't seen that many gay luminaries since...well, since last year's Out 100.

We must admit, it's all a bit of a blur. Good thing we brought along our crafty camera man, Ted, who chronicled all of editor Andrew Belonsky's misadventures. While some people were more than happy to talk to us, others were a little reluctant (that's an understatement). And, as you'll see, most people didn't even know who the fuck we were. Nice, huh?

Watch as Anne Hathaway says she could bench-press our fearless editor, designer Michael Kors brags about knowing everyone, Out EIC Aaron Hicklin lets us in on the secrets behind the selection process, Noah's Arc's Wilson Cruz gripes about not being admitted into the VIP area, Kelis hypothesizes on why the homos love her and Michael Lucas gives us shit for all the nasty comments (and, it seems, attempts to win Belonsky's ice cold heart).

We also managed a few words with Claire Danes. She really wasn't in the mood to be interviewed, but Cruz and Hathaway totally used peer pressure to make our dreams come true. Thanks, homies.

Oh, yeah, and we totally chickened out on flirting with Choire Sicha. We were so close, but he looked really busy (read: intimidating).

A friend just sent us the first public shots from Out Magazine's photo shoot with Jamie Dornan, the phenomenally beautiful Calvin Klein model who plays Kirsten Dunst's lover in Marie Antionette. Looking pretty fly there, Mr. Dornan...

As if drooling over Dornan isn't reason enough, the ever-improving fag rag turns its homo-gaze toward Bond (James Bond, that is) with a Mark Simpson feature on Bond's metrosexuality and a spy themed fashion editorial (we'd share those pics with you, but they're top secret - and already on the website) for the release of Casino Royale.

Also in this issue - which should hit stands by the end of the week - the Out boys unveil a new look. EIC Aaron Hicklin uses his editorial letter as explanation:

“If you don’t grow and change, you die,” explained long time James Bond producer Barbara Brocolli earlier this year, after dumping Pierce Brosnan in favor of Daniel Craig, a guy who actually has more than one facial expression. Brocolli’s axiom may be particularly relevant to Bond, who—post Austin Powers—is becoming a parody of a parody of a parody, but it also applies to magazines. As you will have noticed, we’ve been doing some growing and changing of our own of late, introducing new writers and photographers, and expanding the fashion coverage, culminating in the redesign you see here. We think it’s a handsome new look that better reflects the tone and style of the content, and think that you will, too.

We could wax philosophical on the mag's new direction and all that, but we'd rather try to imagine Dornan naked. You can, too. Where? After the jump, you crazy kids!

(Loyal readers may notice we've changed some text here - we apologize if we got you all excited by mentioning a Daniel Craig shoot and Kirsten Dunst's involvement in the issue. Our brains are all mush thanks to the Dornan shots. Not surprisingly, other parts of our anatomy aren't so soft...)

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Why yes, as one commenter pointed out, a good portion of Queerty's Morning Goods photo spreads feature heteros that cater to the homo eye. Those are there for your masturbatory enjoyment. But when it comes to a magazine like Out – which we showed you the first cover from new editor Aaron Hicklin yesterday – the cover is more than a photo spread: It's a statement.

Learning where Hicklin is taking the title, however, means we'll let his Footballer's Wives go by with a shrug.

While Hicklin won't be altering Out's sexual identity, he does plan to make it, like his own, a bit harder to pin down. "My buzzword has been, 'Let's be [David] Bowie gay rather than Cher gay,'" he said this week, at the end of his first month on the job.

Just as Bowie recorded concept albums, Out, said Hicklin, will publish more themed issues in hopes of stimulating the creativity of its writers and photographers. Hicklin's first full issue as editor, September, will have a back-to-school motif, complete with a fashion shoot inspired by "Lord of the Flies." "The fashion is where you can get all the pictures of cute, sexy boys you want, but shot in a way that's radical and thoughtful," he said.

But alongside the beefcake will be a beefed-up supply of serious reportage, with the goal to produce journalism that could just as easily be found in The New Yorker or Vanity Fair, said Hicklin. "The question I ask myself is, 'What would those magazines do if they were gay?'" he said. "I'd rather have mainstream magazines with an aesthetic I admire as the competition" than other gay titles, he added. "For an editor, you create the magazine you want to read. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that."

And while we'd love to read 12,000 words on the love life of some 1920s glamour girl a la Vanity Fair, we're sure Aaron will find a way to tie energy security in with choosing the best Wednesday night leather bar.

Memo Pad: Out Editor's Straight Talk [WWD]

With Out magazine under near leadership – out went Brendan Lemon, in comes BlackBook editor Aaron Hicklin – we expected change. Improvement. Progress. From the looks of the new (and first) cover from Hicklin, it's nice to see none of our hopes and dreams have come true.

Perhaps there's more white space and fewer coverlines, but it's the same straight guy worship all over again. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with longing over footballers.

Get Yer New ‘Out,’ Much Like the Old ‘Out’ [Gawker]