• If nothing else, Britain's Masturbate-a-thon will raise cash for a HIV charity. And cause chaffing. [Reuters]

• Was the best thing in gay TV the one show you'll never see? ABC's neglected Elton John project might have shown much promise, but Americans will never find out. [After Elton]

• Hezbollah rockets can't keep a group of gays down. [TCV News]

• Britain will host the world's first gay auto show — and, smartly, high-end automakers are lining up to take part. [Pocket Lint]

• The Boy From Oz arrives in Australia, sans the gay kiss Hugh Jackman enjoyed during every performance. [Towleroad]

• The rainbow flag that caused an uproar in a small Kansas town will remain waving at the B&B, where it doesn't so much stand for "gay pride" as it does "we liked the gift from our 12-year-old son." [Advocate]

• Reichen Lehmkuhl wasn't Lance Bass first boyfriend (and he certainly won't be the last). [Just Jared]

Months of touring isn't tiring Madonna. Rather than take a break to let the paparazzi trail her as she plays in the park with Lourdes, she's already on to a new project: Malawi. In an interview with Time, the reigning queen of pop says she's making the African nation a priority, donating her time, cash, and, certainly, her celebrity presence. Because Angelina Jolie ain't the only lass in town who can make every third grader and 77-year-old suddenly know where to find an African country on a map.

And being Madonna, she's not arriving in Malawi by halves. She has already committed to raising at least $3 million to fund programs particularly aimed at orphans there. Of Malawi's population of 12 million, about a million are orphans. Ground has just been broken on an orphan care center, which aims to feed and educate as many as 1,000 children a day. She has also formed a partnership with developing-world economic guru Jeffrey Sachs on programs to improve the health, agriculture and economy of a village nearby. She's financing—to the tune of about $1 million—a documentary about the plight of children there. And she has met with Bill Clinton to see if they can work together to bring low-cost medicinesto the area, as well as partnering with several aid organizations. This, mind you, is all before Madonna has ever even set foot in Africa. (She plans to go in October.)

Exclusive: Madonna Speaks About Her "Big, Big Project" [Time]

Earlier this week we told you about Boy George striking a deal with prosecutors over cocaine possession charges. Rather than serve jail time, he'd serve the community. (He's picking up trash, we've since learned.) But George's string of bad luck doesn't end there. Now he's on the receiving end of a lawsuit from South Florida AIDS organization Care Resource, who claim the tired pop star canceled on a November 2005 White Party appearance and never returned the $8,400 deposit.

Care Resource, the South Florida AIDS group, signed a contract June 6, 2005, with Red Parrot, Boy George's booking company, for him to serve as celebrity guest D.J. at the annual White Party, the AIDS agency's largest fundraiser, said Terry DeCarlo, a spokesperson for the agency. The total cost for the appearance was $12,000, DeCarlo said.

On Aug. 4, 2005, Care Resource wired $8,400 to Red Parrot as a deposit for George's DJ services, DeCarlo said.

Boy George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, was arrested in New York City on Oct. 7, 2005, and charged with suspicion of drug possession and filing a false police report. He canceled the White Party engagement three weeks before the event was held in November 2005, DeCarlo said. But the $8,400 deposit money still has not been returned, DeCarlo said.

But isn't the real crime that Boy George's quote is only $12,000?

AIDS group to sue Boy George [NY Blade]
Earlier: Boy George Forced To Serve The Community

Who would have thought that things like the jacket pictured above could raise $700,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation? Well it happened last week in New York, as Sir Elton and hubby David Furnish cleaned all the tacky Italian couture out of their closets for the good of people living with AIDS.

We can't wait to see which New Yorkers show up to parties wearing the get-ups pictured after the jump. Please send us a tip if you see anyone out and about in these costumes.

[Read On ...]

Mardi Gras is coming to NYC next Tuesday at the Roxy and we’re wetting our pants with excitement. Our pals over at Spin Cycle with help from LIFEbeat are producing a show that will feature over 75 go-go boys. 75? Um, we’re there.

If that’s not enough Michael Lucas, Robin Byrd, and Reichen Lehmkuhl will all be on hand. The party is benefiting the NO/AIDS Task Force, which was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina.

Oh and get this. MC Hammer is performing live. Yes, the MC Hammer performing live at the Roxy! This is going to be one surreal evening. We just downloaded “You Can’t Touch This” in anticipation.

Break out your Mardi Gras beads and your MC Hammer pants. We’re partying like it’s the early 1990s again!

Manhattan Mardi Gras [Spin Cycle]
Manhattan Mardi Gras Tickets [Smart Tix]

We received an email today from the bartender who was working at Puzzles Lounge the night of the attack. It seems he is putting together a fund for the victims. He asked us to share his email with our readers:

Hello. My name is Phillip Daggett and I am the bartender that was working at Puzzles the night Jacob began his rampage. I was hoping that you could help me by posting something on your site. I have set up a fund for the victim's of Jacobs attack and I was hoping that you could mention it on your site and for anybody wishing to contact me in regard to a donation can email me at puzzleslounge@yahoo.com It would be with much appreciation if you could do this for me and contact me with any questions. Thank you! -Phillip Daggett

Feel free to contact Phillip directly. We’ll post later on anything specific the victims might need.

• Warner Bros. wants to reduce the size of new Superman Brandon Routh's oversized package, giving gays everywhere a little less reason to see the film next summer. [The Sun]

• We would never have guessed it but Bill Gates and his wife make time to hang out with Indian trannies. [The Washington Post]

• The so-called "king of (hetero) strip clubs" is gay. Queerty's two degrees of separation to the man now makes complete sense. [St. Petersburg Times]

• You can now walk for a good cause and never have to get out of bed. [The Advocate]

• The World Wide Web turns 15, which was about the age we were when we first accessed gay porn online. [CNN]

Everyone knows how much we love drag queens. We also love raising money for charity and doing good deeds, especially this time of the year. When photographer Matthew Baker and graphic designer Matthew Powell conceived the idea for Bedside Companions they must have had us in mind.

Bedside Companions is a sexy twelve-month wall calendar in the classic pin-up style...However, these women are portrayed by a new modern girl, the drag queen. The theme is inspired by the work of 1940’s pin up artists, though instead of pin up girls, we’ve updated the style using fourteen drag queens (some professional, some regular guys donning a dress for a good cause). Each month features a clean and modern design, pairing a hand-tinted photograph, including a condom hand-studded in Sworovski crystals, with a message promoting safer sex. The result is a fun and pleasurable romp through 2006.

The calendar is available now and is only $12.99. That’s nothing, queens. And the money raised benefits God’s Love We Deliver and GMHC.

We have an extra copy to give to a lucky reader. First person to email us their drag name wins!

Sometimes, the only cure for the me, me, me blues is to stop thinking about yourself and start giving to others. We know you sent that check for Katrina Relief, but how about getting your hands dirty for a change?

If you are in New York, you can volunteer to help the Harvey Milk High School, the nation's first high school for the LGBTQ community.

The school is most interested in matching the skills of the volunteers with the needs of the school. So, if you can whip up some mean graphic design in no time, you can help with designing flyers or mailing. If you're an expert rock climber (lesbians, you know who you are) why not volunteer to take the kids on a field trip?

These kids need your help, so snap to it, ladies!