The world's most stylish fashionistas, singers, actors and hangers-on made their way to The Metropolitan Museum of Art last night for the Costume Institute's Gala. This year the institute honored the late, great French designer Paul Poiret. Poiret's stunning designs drew on both Oriental and art deco aesthetic, but constantly revolved around his favorite flower: the rose.

Our invitation must have gotten lost in the mail, so we had to live vicariously through press images. Shame, because we would have loved to pick Tom Ford and French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld's respective brains. Oh well, there's always next year.

Take a look at some more shots, after the jump...

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Sanjaya Malakar may be one of the most puzzling cultural icons in recent memory. Why did so many people vote for someone everyone agreed blew? Where does a 17-year old kid get the gumption to sport a pony-hawk? What does his contradictory success mean for the "merit" of American Idol? (And, yes, the show does have merit, evidenced most readily by Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson.) In Gayville, our terrain, many have speculated about whether the young "singer" qualifies as queer. Such Idol speculation's nothing new - just look at Clay Aiken and lawsuit plagued Mario Vazquez.

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GLAAD - the "inclusive" gay media watchdog group - held their 18th annual media awards last night at New York City's Marriott Marquis. We weren't there, but GLAAD president Neil Guiliano sure as hell was. He's in almost every shot.

As for the actual winners, Patti LaBelle won for Excellence in Media Award, while Tom Ford took home the Vito Russo Award. Marc Jacobs' "bear" ad campaign won the advertising honor and, for some reason, GLAAD granted the "straight" men's magazine, Details, the Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage. Because, you know, their "Gay or X" column really helps the cause.

Find some pictures after the jump for your - um - enjoyment...

And, to read all about Jennifer Hudson and Patti LaBelle's duet, click here.

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• Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney says he supports General Peter Pace, insisting: "I think people are entitled to believe what they want to believe, but what they say in their official and secular roles should be an expression of tolerance and respect for people regardless of our differences". Wait, isn't this the same man who participated in FRC's "Liberty Sunday"? Just checking. The former Massachusetts governor went on to remark on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell': "When I first heard (of DADT), I thought it sounded silly and I just dismissed it and said, well, that can't possibly work. Well, I sure was wrong. It has worked". Did it? Or do we you just think it worked because you never saw what an openly gay person could do in the army? [San Francisco Chronicle]

• Garrison Keillor issued a response to the gag-a-rific uproar over his Salon article. [Public Radio]

• Indian trannie beauty queens! [DNA India]

• J-Hud's no diva. You better recognize, bitch. [TMZ]

• Counter-intuitive? A group of British gay activists are protesting anti-gay laws by going back in the closet. Yeah, that's right - they're going in the closet to show solidarity with people who can't be out of the closet. That's like going on a hunger strike to show solidarity with people who have solidarity or refusing to shower for people who don't have clean drinking water. [UK Gay News]

• HRC launches fresh campaign to fight hate crimes. [HRC]

• A Florida jail will now require HIV tests for all inmates. [Sun-Herald]

• Coke makes you pretty! Soft drink giant Coca-Cola and health drink company Lumaé have announced plans for a "beauty tea" for "active and image-conscious". [Telegraph]

• Mohamed al Fayed - the billionaire whose son, Dodi, died with Princess Diana on that infamous Paris night - has filed a lawsuit against British policing. He insists that Diana's claims of a hit on her life should have been included in their extensive, exhausting and excessively publicized report. This case will outlive us all. Especially Dodi and Diana.[HuffPo]

Watching the Oscar red carpet madness gives us such a headache. We can't keep track of who's who, what they're doing there and why we should care.

The kids over at E! were certainly no help - not only did they not seem to know the answers to those pressing questions, they didn't seem to give two shits. The complete and utter stupidity of Ryan Seacrest, Giuliana Depandi and homo extraordinaire Jay Manuel from America's Next Top Model was only eclipsed by former The View co-host Debbie Manopoulos. When asked how she stays so thin, she said "I don't eat". The duo over at ABC weren't any better and Joan and Melissa Rivers on TV Guide really couldn't hold our attention.

As hard as it may be to believe, the only person we could focus on in the celebrity cluster fuck was Sally Kirkland. Coincidentally enough, her reality defying, rabbi designed dress seems to be made from the rainbow flag. Thus, she's our Oscar patron saint.

So, round of applause for Ms. Kirkland. Crazy's never looked so good. Or so disturbing.

See some more red carpet shots, after the jump...

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Jennifer Hudson's getting a lot of press these days, but what about that other girl from American Idol? You know, the girl who actually won? In case you've forgotten, her name's Fantasia Barrino. She had that Lifetime movie - it was shitty. She had that album - not shitty, but certainly not sublime. And she now she may have a role in the Oprah-endorsed stage adaptation of Alice Walker's The Color Purple. E!'s homo extraordinaire Marc Malkin reports that "sources close to Barrino" tell him she's up for the role of the central character, Miss Celie.

Hmmm, we're not sure how we feel about this - we think we'd rather read the book. We know Oprah's done loads of good in this world, but there's seriously something wrong with the idea of Fantasia and her jaw singing about being beat down by Mr. -.

We know you guys totally love Jennifer Hudson, so we thought we'd pass along some Annie Leibovitz pictures of her from this month's Vogue. When we say "some", we mean three - we wish we could give you more, but they're totally being chintzy. We can, however, offer you this link, through which you can watch the video of Ms. Hudson chatting with Andre Leon Talley.

(In case you missed it, here's the link to our video of Ellen getting all glam and shit for W. It's like an Oscar siren explosion up in this piece!)

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• Janice Dickinson on Survivor contestant turned model JP Calderon's coming out: "I just wanted to tell you how fucking proud I am of you. Coming out yesterday must be really hard, and then being on the cover of a national magazine the next day?"

• Gavin Newsom on getting it on with former campaign manager, Alex Tourk's wife, Ruby: "I want to make it clear that everything you've read is true and I'm deeply sorry about that...I hurt someone I care deeply about, Alex Tourk and his family and friends, and that is something I'm deeply sad about and sorry for".

• Editor and Publisher on FBI agent Deborah Bond's testimony on Scooter Libby's knowledge on Valerie Plame: "[Bond] described the bureau's interview with I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on Oct. 14, 2003. Asked where he first learned of Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, he had told the FBI then -- from the vice president, on or about June 12 that year, in a telephone conversation".

• Morvin Crumlish on computer generated "recommendations": "I find the idea of my bodily functions and sexuality being obsessed about by marketing professionals disturbing, but perhaps my biggest concern is that they are right".

• The Jewish Theological Seminary's study's on conservative Jew's increasingly accepting feelings on gay rabbis: "the decisions clearly raise the possibility among many that the Conservative movement has taken a move to the theological Left, further parting company from the Orthodox, and further approaching the Reform movement".

• Jennifer Hudson on being on American Idol: "...You go through this mental thing... You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think...I knew I had to sing my way out of it".

Gayville's abuzz over a Dallas Voice interview with Dreamgirl Jennifer Hudson in which Hudson points out that the Bible says homosexuality's sinful. Raised a Baptist, Hudson's subscripes to many scriptural prescriptions, leading many to assume she's anti-gay. In light of these rumors, Hudson's posted a special blog message in which she maintains her homo-hating innocence.

I find it upsetting that some folks equate being a Christian with being intolerant of gay people. That may, unfortunately, be true for some, but it is not true for me. I have talked often of my love and support of the gay community.
...
Yes, I was taught that the Bible has certain views on homosexuality. The Bible also teaches us not to judge. It teaches us to love one another as God loves us all. I love my sister, my two best friends and my director dearly. They happen to be gay. So what? While some search for controversy, I hope that my friends and fans who know me, know where I stand.