• From Chris Rico's new anti-gay basher site Try Love, Not Hate:

I was choking on blood face down on the ground before I even realized what was happening to me. As I struggled to crawl to my feet, I was greeted by thunderous kicks to my ribs and my temple and the venomous and inconceivable cry, “die fucking faggot.”

Sound familiar? Hopefully not, but probably so. Thousands of homos get bashed every year. Lend your voice (and face) to Rico's fight to fight anti-gay fighters. Maybe if we yell loud enough, President Bush will actually listen...

• Sotheby's has already raked in $280 million since January. Starving artist indeed.

• The "Get a Divorce" billboard got dumped.

• Gay meanie Steven Green remains in critical condition after getting hit by a car while walking to his Rolls Royce. Poor thing.

• Never, ever forget that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger used to pose naked for Robert Mapplethorpe.

• Al Sharpton versus Mitt Romney: may the biggest dickwad win, ride off into the sunset, take the loser and never be seen again. What a wonderful world that would be...

• Lance Bass got a job! As an intern! (That's what he gets for believing in Joey Fatone.)

Gay gossip monger Perez Hilton has been called out for calling gay celebs out of the closet - most notably Lance Bass and Neil Patrick Harris - but now he's being called out for not calling someone out: Mika.

Hilton recently introduced the sexually mum British pop star at a Time Warner Center in-store show and the boys at AfterElton wonder why he's become some chummy with someone that should, ideologically speaking, be his enemy:

Those of us who have been following Mika's Stateside invasion have noticed that Perez has been oddly prominent at the early appearances of this particular musician. Odd, in that Hilton isn't a music critic and doesn't run a music site - he's a gossip writer who has made his politics crystal clear when it comes to celebrities whose sexualities fall under public scrutiny... How interesting, then, that Hilton is now an honorary member of the PR posse of a man who flat-out refuses to discuss his sexuality publicly. Isn't Mika exactly the kind of celeb that Perez would usually attack for his coyness? Could it be that Hilton has compromised his well-documented principles for the chance to be part of an album launch and for a place in the pocket of a pop star?

Is there something rotten in the state of Gayville?

We have to say, however, that picture of Mika and Hilton's kind of cute. Mostly Mika, of course. Speaking of photos, Mika apparently showed up late to the TW gig - he got tied up at an Out shoot. Something to look forward to...

We know you've just been dying to know what former N'SYNCer and current homosexual Lance Bass has to say about queer peer Ellen's Oscar hosting gig. Well, wait no more, faithful reader, for NYDN delivers the stunning revelation:

I'm thrilled that an openly gay person [hosted] the Oscars. It gives a face to a gay person - to make it more acceptable and okay to be gay.

Wait, we thought we already had a face. All this time we've been walking around all skeletal and shit? Fuck, that really explains a lot...

So, the world's buzzing over Tim Hardaway's homophobic remarks concerning John Amaechi and the rest of Gayville. While most people, including Amaechi himself, can agree that his words will help launch a much needed discussion, others are ready to forget.

Take, for example, ESPN journalist, Gene Wojciechowski. He doesn't seem to understand the gravity of Hardaway's blatant bigotry, nor does he appreciate the magnitude of Amaechi's coming out. Wojciechowski starts by stating the fact that there are gays in every profession, but this declaration then becomes the crux of a seriously misguided argument. While he concedes Hardaway's words pack a punch, Wojciechowski doesn't seem to think they're newsworthy. He writes:

The news isn't that Amaechi is gay and wrote a book about it. The news isn't that Tim Hardaway is a self-confessed homophobic and told a radio sports talk-show host about it. The news is that it won't be news a week from now. And that's a good thing.

Is it? Because we tend to agree with Amaechi when he says Hardaway's comments should open the way for a more honest, progressive dialogue. But, Wojciechowski doesn't seem to know the meaning of the p-word. Or maybe he just doesn't want it. From the sound of his argument, he'd prefer a little stagnant balance.

CONTINUED »

Oy vey, we can hardly keep track of all the feckless ups and downs of Lance Bass and (just) Reichen's fascinating relationship. Seriously, they're like a couple of high schoolers.

Just one day after taking a trip down the slopes with Justin Timberlake, looking like the picture of homo-bliss, it seems the boys are on the outs. Page Six reports:

Lance Bass is coping badly with Internet rumors of his on-again-off-again boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl's cheating ways. The boy-bander showed up to Heineken's party at Sundance Monday night "with a bunch of friends" said a spy, but "Rei chen was nowhere in sight." Another partygoer wit nessed "a very upset" Bass knocking down a stanchion outside the club. Bass was evidently too upset to join the celebs stampeding for swag.

Too distraught for free goodies? Damn, we've never felt more sorry for Bass than we do at this very moment. Although, we've never really felt sorry for Bass, so we're not breaking any precedent. We do have to say, however, that we think he could do better. Sure, he's not the most stunning man in the world, but neither are you. Hey, you guys have something in common. Maybe you should call him and provide an absorbent shoulder?

America had a gaggle of celebrity outings in 2006. Now, it seems, British stars are hopping on the homo-train as former Steps performer Ian "H" Watkins reveals he's a total fag.

You're probably thinking, "What the fuck is Steps?" Don't worry, we were, too. Apparently Steps was a five-person line dancing pop troupe formed way back in 1997. Founded on a whim, they became a sensation of sensationalism and Watkins and his cohorts were launched into the lower stratosphere known as teeny-bopper celebrity. How famous is Watkins? Well, not famous enough to have launched a successful solo-career, but famous enough to land on Celebrity Big Brother. His gay admission came just hours before he entered the Orwellian abode.

In his statement, he said:

I come from a small valley in Wales and it just wasn't the thing to do to be gay. It's a bit of a cliché - but I was the only gay in the village... I could never have done this [come out] years ago, never ... But I'm comfortable with who I am now and I want everyone to know.

Considering Watkins made his career flitting about in a line-dancing troupe and performing in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, we're sure no one's surprised. In fact, UK's Gay.com had this to say:

To nobody’s surprise and with nothing to lose, ‘H’ from pop band Steps has finally shuffled from the closet... Of course, to anybody with a brain and functioning eyeballs, it’s always been glaringly obvious that ‘H’ was unlikely to be an abbreviation of ‘Heterosexual’.

We think he should change it to "D" for douche. Gay.com goes on to describe Steps as "the musical equivalent of Sunny Delight mixed with watery Ribena, topped with a turd flavoured froth."

Ouch. So, basically, Watkins is the British version of Lance Bass?

Perez Hilton's everywhere. Whether in GQ, on Good Morning America or on the web, there's no escape from the so-called "Queen of Media". It should come as no surprise, then, that Salon has scraped together a three-page piece on a man who's had a role in outing both Lance Bass and Neil Patrick Harris.

While the article revolves around the standards - whether or not Hilton's a true journalist, his right to out people and his undying quest for recognition - we're more intrigued by Bruce Vilanch's comment:

It's the same thing I said when Michelangelo Signorile was doing it: What purpose does it serve? These are professional homosexuals. They are gay people for a living. They have to respect the rights of homosexuals who aren't professional.

If somebody isn't going to willingly announce that they are a positive individual, with a positive outlook on life...why would we want to include them among us?

Because outing others gives you the means (and feckless reason) to be everywhere, of course. Of all the attention, Queerty's papa David Hauslaib says,

...He's in Details, or GQ or the L.A. Times, or now on Salon makes sense from a journalistic point of view because he is a story. Whether people are celebrating him is another question entirely.

What's your take, readers? Do you think Perez deserves to be praised for his actions or should he be sent out to the pasture, never to be seen or heard from again? Is he an actual story or just another gay troll who desperately wanted to make a name for himself?

Only twenty more days until the debut of WGAY-TV - "America's first free gay television station based out of Key West, Florida". Exciting, no?

Well, The Miami Herald's certainly about it: they have published an article profiling the station's mission. While one would expect the piece to highlight the necessity for another gay-themed media outlet, it seems there are more important fish to fry. The station's straight manager and co-owner Jason Sherwood says:

We started from scratch...We do have some investors behind us. Most of them are private investors..You can't build a television station for less than a half-million dollars. And we are below that.

...We're just trying to make some money.

That's good. We wouldn't want any sort of magnanimity in the gay media. In fact, we love that straight Sherwood and his straight former disc jockey father Burt want nothing more than to make a buck on the gays.

But just becuase Sherwood and his pops are straight, that doesn't mean their station can't endorse a Queer of The Year contest with such illustrious nominees as Neil Patrick Harris, Rosie O'Donnell, Mary Cheney, good old Lance Bass and -um - Carmen Electra...

Since when's Carmen Electra queer? Sure, she may snog a girl here and there, but we smell a bit of Sherwood fantasy.

Previously: Gay TV Taking Over TV, Gays
Is There Hope for WGAY-TV?

CONTINUED »

• Does Lance want Reichen back? Does Reichen want Lance back? Do you want to know? [San Francisco Gate]

• Conservative Italian politicians want to deny gay people the same rights as straights/uphold Catholic morals. [International Herald Tribune]

• New HX EIC Brandon Voss wants you to read his review of Gwen Stefani's new album. [HX]

• The NCAA wants to fight homophobia in the sporting world. [Out Sports]

• Pinkhome wants to become Shanghai's premiere gay bar/lounge/hotel/club. [Shanghaiist]

• We want to see you at the BUTT Book party tomorrow night. Be there or be somewhere else (and square, too). [Taschen]

Lance Bass may (maybe) single, but that doesn't mean he's moping around. We hear that he's considering recording a holiday cd. Celebrity Week reports:

“I’m actually toying with maybe doing a Christmas album next year, like a throw back to Sinatra,” he explained on his way into VH1's Big in '06 Awards over the weekend. “[It will include] some new stuff, but mainly covers.”

The former ‘NSYNC singer says the holiday project is just “for fun” and he’s too busy to record a full length album.

If there's one thing the world doesn't need, it's another Christmas album. We saw a commercial for Sarah McLachlan's new holiday offering nearly puked. Seriously, isn't Barbara's enough?

That aside, we're happy for Lance. Not only is he picking up the pieces of his presumptively broken heart and shooting for the totally superfluous stars. Also, he's got enough sense to know that there's no need for a completely original album.

(PS: "Too busy" = "Cruising for cock.")

We've just read what may be the most heart-breaking news that may not actually be news: Reichen Lehmkuhl and Lance Bass may be over. Yes, we know, it's terrible, but we'll get through this together.

While there have been no publicist-endorsed statement, Perez Hitlon reports that the boys couldn't reconcile their differences and have agreed to go their separate ways. If true, we're not sure for whom we feel worse...or, really, if we care...

In other gay gossip, designer Marc Jacobs and rentboy boyfriend Jason Preston may be on the outs. While Preston insists they're still together, New York Daily News has this to say:

[A]t the Paper magazine nightlife awards Wednesday, the former rent boy was telling everyone that they've split and making out very publicly with ... Perez Hilton.

All those years as a whore really must have done wonders for his gag reflex.

While we're on the subject of coming out and all that, we'd like to direct you guys to this article. In it, a reporter ruminates on the way the blogosphere has changed the shape of outing.

Referencing the homo-three: Lance Bass, TR Knight and Neil Patrick Harris (not the mention their lezzie sister, Michelle Rodriguez, Jocelyn Noveck compares the olden days of water-cooler speculation to the rapid spread of internet speculation. She writes:

Where anti-gay sentiment used to fuel these revelations, these days they are more likely to be merely a byproduct of a voracious Web-based gossip culture where no part of a celebrity's life is off limits - or, in the case of politicians, an attempt by one side or the other to score political points.

Noveck goes on to weigh the differences between outing politicians who push for anti-gay legislation and speculating on closeted entertainers, such as the three gents mentioned above. On celebrity outings, GLAAD's entertainment director Damon Romine describes them as "very problematic". He goes on to say:

While this kind of gossip and speculation about a celebrity's orientation might lead some people to come out of the closet, it may drive others even further in.

Sure, he's got a point, but it seems to us that the recent series of outing haven't hurt these entertainers' career. On the contrary, Lance Bass is more popular than ever. But that's just our opinion.

Of course, our opinion's worth about a cup of coffee and maybe some toast. You're opinion's worth its weight in gold. So, readers: do celebrities have more of a right to privacy than politicians or is all fair in gay and gayer?

Sure, it's an old debate, but with fresh material. Lay it on us, readers.