• It's that time of the month again. No, not that time - that shit usually starts flowing around the fourth week. We're talking about the new voting period for 247gay's ever-rotating cast of attractives. New additions: Pete Wentz, Eric Balfour and Ryan Diesel. We're still cheering for Days of Our Lives stud and alleged Lance Bass lover, Brandon Beemer. [247Gay]

• Does the internet hurt gays? [Fridae]

• It's certainly not doing anything to help the fag's get laid, that's for damn sure. [Pink News UK]

• The Power Issue subject, performance artist and photography Adrian L. Acosta just made a slide show of his most recent work. And guess what - he wants you to check it out. [YouTube]

• Anderson Cooper loves to eat Stephen Colbert's cream. Especially when it's iced. [Eat The Press]

• New Hampshire's homos can't seem to reach a consensus on gay marriage. But, really, who can? [Foster's]

• Mark you calendars: the hate crime trial against alleged homo-hater George Clinton Young starts next week. [Pegasus News]

• Davis Mallory, The Real World's resident homo, can't believe he helped break up Lance and Reichen by snogging Reichen. As you can see, Lance has (allegedly) done well for himself. [Gay Socialites]

• Because we love you more than anything in the world, we've posted Ciara's video for "Like A Boy". We're not sure how we feel about it...

CONTINUED »

This video comes via the demented boys over at Cartoon Network's Robot Chicken. We've given it a joint dedication. First, to Marty Meehan because of his vow to take down Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Also, in light of the Reichen Here's What We'll Say military sex "scandal", we think Reichen deserves a shout-out.

(Speaking of shout outs: we love you Seth Green, Doug Goldstein, Tom Root et al...)

You may have heard that Reichen - the former Amazing Racer turned "activist" turned Lance Bass' butt-buddy - has just released a book, Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the US Air Force.

As is requisite for any celebrity (however pseudo) memoir, there's a painful tale that Reichen's never before disclosed.

Reichen's comes in the form of a hazing-related sexual assault while at the Air Force academy. It seems that poor Reichen was snatched from his bed, blind folded and taken to a room where he was forced to do naked push-ups...into another cadets mouth! Speaking with ABC News, Reichen says, "I think it's the first time that I've said that that happened... I've been ashamed of it."

In preparation for our Totally Frightful Interview with Reichen (which will be posted later this week), we sat down to read said book and, yes, we read the scene in which he gets his wee-wee sucked. Reichen writes:

I was so sexually aroused, yet feeling so violated, that I didn't know what to do. I struggled to move away from them but they held me tighter. The motjon of getting away felt so good between my lefs that I kept moving up and down. It only took me about two minutes to come, and when I did, the guy in front of me had turned his body somewhat so that my face was on his chest. I must have given him a hickey on his chest as I sucked on his skin while I came.

Despite the sensual undertones in the book, we're sure the entire experience sucked...

Wasn't it just yesterday we noted how coming out was the best thing Lance Bass could've done for his career — if only he still had one? Turns out we were right, evidenced by last night's MTV VMA skit. Because when you've got Sarah Silverman poking fun at you on live TV, you know you've made it. Again.

Lost in Space [Brace-Face]

• Whoopi Goldberg goes on the record (again?) to deny she's a lesbian — and hints at why she and Oprah aren't close. [NYT]

• A 23-year-old man takes Australia to the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal for refusing to accept blood donations from gay men. [Australia Herald-Sun]

• Remember when flash mobs were all the rage? Now take that annoying "phenomenon" to gays taking over straight bars. [Guerilla Gay Bar]

• Stephen Dorff lets it swing. [Towleroad]

• Our morning report of Lance Bass and Reichen Lehmkuhl hitting East Hampton is matched today with photos of our favorite Gay Power Couple hitting the polo rounds. [Gossip Rocks]

• Forget the New York marathon. This year it's all about Men's Health's Urbanathlon. [Jossip]

• That JonBenét Ramsey's suspected killer was researching a transgender operation adds a whole new thickening to this murder plot. [Pink News]

• Tiger Woods cleans up at the PGA, taking home the win and leaving only Jack Nicklaus standing in the way of becoming the world's greatest golf champ. [NYT]

• In Australia, health officials are pleading for more blood donations as supplies have reached a critical "36 hour" mark. Blood banks remain steadfast, however, in refusing to accept blood from gays. [Pink News]

• In New Mexico, the four individuals being held on charges of gay bashing an 18-year-old Edgewood man – to "scare him" straight – have been indicted on hate crime charges. [New Mexican]

• In New York, a judge rules for a Westchester cook who was fired when his employers found out he used to be a woman. The court found transgender people like Eric Buffong are covered under the state's human rights law — and thus Buffong can proceed with his $3 million lawsuit. [AP]

• In backtracking over his comments about American Idol Taylor Hicks, Justin Timberlake puts his foot in his mouth again with speculation Hicks could be gay. [AP]

• Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe isn't fazed by all the gay rumors: "I don't care what people are saying in that regard because it doesn't mean when I get in my car I worry about what's going to happen today or am I being followed. It's not embarrassing." Meanwhile, in that same interview, Thorpe – an Armani ambassador – didn't deny he is gay. [Pink News]

• And finally, in East Hampton comes this Lance Bass and Reichen Lehmkuhl sighting:

Ran into Lance Bass and his boyfriend, Reichen Lehmkuhl, in East Hampton on Saturday, August 19th around 3:15 pm. They were coming out of the Scoop store on Newton Lane. Lance was carrying a bag from the store, where he must have purchased some items. They ran into some other friends 2 girls and a guy across the street who it was obvious they knew. They were giving them directions to a party/event that night, before the two groups went their own way. Reichen looked hot in shorts and a white shirt with Ray Ban aviator glasses, while Lance was wearing jeans and sandals. They looked very happy and relaxed.

On the heels of yesterday's Republican-led walkout during a California State Assembly ceremony honoring Reichen Lehmkuhl comes today's Page Six item, which claims the Amazing Race winner's cash is running dry. And his declining bank balance is the only thing that can explain his moving in with boyfriend Lance Bass, right?

LANCE Bass' friends were worried that his cash-strapped boyfriend, Reichen Lemkuhl, was moving in - and they were right. A rep for Bass said, "Reichen and Lance have been living together for several months now." The timing is convenient. Lemkuhl, a real estate broker, must have forgotten to pay the mortgage on his Culver City house he's trying to sell and which is listed as being in "pre-foreclosure" on defaultresearch.com. According to gossip blogger Billy Masters, "The default amount is roughly $642,400 - or slightly more than he won [in reality show 'The Amazing Race']." But Lemkuhl's lawyer said, "The house is in escrow, not foreclosure."

MOVIN' ON IN [Page Six]

• Local Orange County band Supernova, formed in '89, files suit against ABC's Rock Star: Supernova — to make sure the reality TV show doesn't create a new band with Supernova's namesake. [LAT]

• Just because their California State-sponsored celebrations ran into a little walkout trouble doesn't mean Lance Bass and Riechen Lehmkuhl don't have true happiness. [People]

• The hippest book store in the world is for kids only. [Internationalist]

• Blue Balls as a stage performance? With cops as the plot's centerpiece? We're in. [NYP]

• Andy Dick is a man who doesn't just lick hands — he'll lick-a-lotta-puss. [Jossip]

• The men are just smoother in Houston. Not so in Baltimore. [PR Newswire]

• What do you mean you haven't voted in our "Are You A Speedo Man?" poll? Don't you want to tell everyone you hit the sand with bits and pieces on display? Vote here!

As Lance Bass sat in the back of the California State Capitol's Assembly Floor in Sacramento yesterday, he expected to see boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl honored as one of six "high profile" gay Californians, which also included NFL tackle Esera Tuaolo, as part of the Assembly's first Pride Recognition Awards. Instead Lance looked on as republican Assembly members stormed out of the room, boycotting the Legislature's Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender Caucus's attempt to honor the achievements "of people who happen to be gay in their respective fields."

Rather than even sit back quietly with a modicum of respect for the ceremony, some conservatives in the Assembly instead chose to create an even bigger disruption than, supposedly, the event taking place was causing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I rise to point out the ridiculousness of the exercise. We're wasting a lot of time we have a lot of bills on the floor." [Assembly Republican Leader] George Plescia is quoted by KXTV-Sacramento.

He then led a walkout of Republican members. Despite their absence, the ceremony carried on.

Democrat Assembly member Mark Reno said the awards show “the strength of our diversity and the many accomplishments in a variety of disciplines.

"So it’s a great disappointment that they’re acting like such children."

Lawmakers Walk Out Over Gay Recognition [ABC News 10]
California lawmakers heckle N-Sync star’s boyfriend [Pink News]

• Jeff Gannon pays a visit to the Log Cabin Republicans — and wonders why we're interested in the sex lives of journalists. (Our answer? A.C.) [Towleroad]

• Just because Lance Bass visited a gay bar doesn't mean he's gay, right? [ABC News]

• Meanwhile, is the saga of Lance and Reichen Lehmkuhl already over? [Perez Hilton]

• In Provincetown, it's not the straights being accused of throwing around prejudice slurs. [Boston Globe]

• The AFA puffs its chest and declares its boycott of Ford – for the car company's continued ad spending in the gay market – has had a financial effect on the company. Or, you know, Americans aren't buying American cars as often these days anyhow. [Advocate]

• A freshman Texas congressman introduces a new gay marriage ban amendment bill, only this one wouldn't prohibit domestic partnerships and civil unions. [NY Blade]

• The rumors surrounding Lance Bass' sexuality are certain to never die down now that he's been taped leaving a club with reality hottie Reichen Lehmkuhl (see above video clip). And a car full of beards. Watch the clip. [X17]

• Just in time for Gay Pride in New York, Kevin Federline takes over the town to drum up publicity for .. well, we're not sure what, exactly. [MollyGood]

• X-Men's Ian McKellan takes Hollywood to task – once again – for its notion that gay actors should keep their sexuality to themselves. Because if who you slept with had anything to do with talent, how do you explain Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain? (Jake Gyllenhaal's rumors stand for themselves.) [PR Inside]

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]