Call Montreal's 2006 Outgames the little Gay Games that couldn't. Literally. Born from a spat with the Federation of Gay Games - namely, when Montreal got the big gay snub as host city - the Outgames hoped to offer an alternate queer sporting event.

As we know, it didn't work out. Despite a budget of $15million, the organizers owe more money than we'll ever see in our lives, ringing up more than $2 million in debt. To keep pesky creditors off their backs, the organizers have filed for bankruptcy.

In light of these news, 365 Gay's published a short list of people short changed, including Martina Navratilova (approximately $40,000), OutMarketing ($6,000); Cirque du Soleil ($48,209.30), and those poor Canadian Taxpayers (approximately $3.2 million). Ouch.

To be fair, the Gay Games about $200,000. Hopefully the 2009 Outgames in Copenhagen and Cologne's 2010 Gay Games won't bomb in such an extraordinary way. To be fair, the Outgames faced competition from its aforementioned rival: The Gay Games. Organizers have vowed never to hold them on the same year again, which is good because we're not sure the world needs two different money burning "gay olympics", let alone two in one year.

World AIDS Day's December 1st. Thom Fitzgerald's cinematic excursion into the AIDS pandemic opens December 1st. Coincidence? Fuck no. It's a chronologically-coordinated publicity stunt, but unlike so many flack concoctions, this one's actually for a good cause.

While the film visits South Africa, China and Montreal in its effort to share the universal destruction of the disease, people everywhere can help the stars, director and producers fight AIDS in Africa.

It seems they've created a MySpace page to help fight AIDS in Africa. With support of stars Chloe Sevigny, Sandra Oh, Lucy Liu, Stockard Channing and Shawn Ashmore, they'll donate ten cents for every one of their MySpace friends to support AIDS prevention in Africa.

As it stands, the movie's got 803, way below their December 1st goal of 50,000. So, kiddies, why not head on over and add them? It's free, it's for a good cause and it's simple as pie.

(And if you're still not convinced, we've included the press release after the jump.)

[Read On ...]

In case you were wondering why there was both a Gay Games and an Outgames it's because the gays are typically feuding among themselves. The Federation of Gay Games wanted to centralize the finances following the debacle that was the 2002 Sydney Gay Games, thus taking away some financial freedom from individual organizers, and the group organizing the Gay Games in Montreal was none too pleased. Rather than reconcile, the group split off from the Federation of Gay Games and put together the Outgames.

Both events drew about the same number of participants, and both generated a good amount of revenue for the cities of Chicago and Montreal, but we think it would have been more productive, and competitive, had there only been one gay sports tournament this summer. We hope the queens in charge of both the Gay Games and Outgames will take a hard look at how dividing an already fringy tournament makes the competition seem like a joke.

No reconciliation for gay sports competitions [Washington Blade]

The Outgames opened in Montreal Saturday night, and while many famous people made appearances and performances (Martha Wash, Deborah Cox, k.d. lang), one very famous Canadian was conspicuously absent: Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

k.d. lang has been outspoken about the PM's intent to skip the games:

It's a sad statement that the national leader of one of the most progressive countries in the world chooses to support intolerance rather than all-inclusiveness. It's our job to see that as an unfortunate ignorance, rather than as a statement against us," she said. "It's just that he hasn't got there in his heart.

In his place, Federal Public Works Minister Michael Fortier (pictured above left) tried to make a speech, but was booed so loudly he had trouble finishing. No wonder Harper didn't want to attend. Or did he?

Fortier booed during opening ceremony [Globe and Mail]
PM 'supports intolerance' by not attending Outgames, singer says [CBC]

With the Gay Games just wrapping up last week in Chicago, we thought we could put our rainbow pennants away for the summer, but we were mistaken. In fact we hardly even had time to catch our breath before a whole new squad of sexy homo athletes is paraded out, this time in Montreal. The opening ceremonies for the Outgames are happening this weekend, and 12,000-13,000 participants are expected to invade Canada's second-gayest city.

Perhaps notoriously freezing Montreal will be a more temperate climate than Chicago was with its record-breaking heat, though that could potentially mean fewer naked gays running around in the street. One more reason to head up north is that the co-President of the Outgames is Canadian Olympic gold medalist and Queerty favorite Mark Tewksbury. We hang on his every word.

Thousands heading to Montreal for Outgames [CTV]
Outgames 2006 [Official Site]

• The Log Cabins Republicans get along better with the "Rev." Jerry Falwell better than with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. We agree that her face looks kind of weird, but really guys. Give us a break. Lots of little policy disagreements will never equal the one giant disagreement with Falwell: over your right to live as free citizens and not burn in hell afterwards. [The State]

• Canada's biggest gay bar, Club Unity in Montreal, burned down Friday night in what the police have deemed an "accidental" fire. However, we suspect that nothing is ever completely an accident when the Mafia and the Hell's Angels have a stake in the neighborhood. [365 Gay]

• Finally a gay rights march happened in Poland, but of course police had to intervene because of all the counter-protestors, who were mostly from an ultra-conservative youth group. We lament the phenomenon of political youth groups because they always end up being fascists or hippies. There is never a middle-ground nor any nuanced position, just "fags are unnatural so let's throw eggs at them." You're grounded, you little idiots. [Pink News]

• Former Republican Sen. John Danforth calls the Federal Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment "silly." We wish a few non-"former" Senators other than Russell Feingold were as outspoken. [Seattle PI]

We just finished watching the Winter Olympics and with Johnny Weir and the rest of those fit figure skaters, we can safely say the games were as gay as they always are. But this is a lucky year for us queers. Sure we had the flamboyant Olympics but this Summer will bring not only the return of the Gay Games, but the 1st Out Games which are to be played in one of our fav North American cities; Old Gay Montreal.

The last few Gay Games have ended in bankruptcy. So the gay person’s bible, The Advocate is showing its support (and giving both queer games some much-need advertising) by doing what it can to help from prevent the games from going the way of Ellen’s sit-com career; They’ve featured hot athlete on its cover. That alone has convinced us to make a trip to the Windy City this summer. That’s what we call a spectator sport.

Different games, familiar hurdles [The Advocate]

Montreal is one of those cities with a reputation for being both a cultural hotspot and a destination for a weekend of utter debauchery. Still, who says you can’t revel in both things at once?

The city has one of the largest and friendliest gay neighborhoods in the world. It’s primarily French, which makes me wonder when Fox News is going to start branding their citizens terrorists. The people are oh-so fashionable and the food is amazing. With vintage-looking checkerboard tiles and killer frites, the best restaurant by far is the not-so-cheap L’Express. A must see is the stunning world famous Notre-Dame Basilica, where Celine Dion married her dad – er – manager.

Montreal also has the best strip clubs on the planet. Unlike most places in the U.S., the hot French-Canadian dancers take off everything. Your first stop should be Stockbar(not a work safe click) on Saint Catherine Street. And, yes, they do serve booze.

Coming in October is the annual multimedia pride festival, Black and Blue. It’s essentially a week of partying that helps raises money for AIDS charities – the perfect excuse tear off your shirt and confess something on the dance floor.

A trip to Montreal also gives you an excuse to finally wear that cute French beret your ex-boyfriend hated so much. At least it did for me.