Magazine publishers know exactly who to thank before digging into their turkey this Thursday. Just ask William Kapfer, who praises advertisers for investing in gay glossy Genre.

…In keeping with a theme of gratitude and thanksgiving, I would like to take a moment to thank both our loyal advertisers—those brands who have continued to support Genre through its early beginnings, and to applaud our new advertisers—those products, services and destinations that have chosen to partner with the industry’s fastest growing gay men’s magazine.
…
We poll our readers regularly about what they want from a gay-lifestyle magazine and their response has always comes back to a “strong emotional connection” with the products, services and destinations that affect their lives. As a result, Genre readers come back again and again because they know that only Genre can provide the integrity and inspiration to make that connection.

Kapfer must have forgotten to thank all the nameless, faceless, penniless bloggers who give Genre press. Sure, it's not always good press, but that's hardly important, right?

Media watchdog GLAAD has been making some intriguing business arrangements.

A source tells us that the DC-based non-profit either sold or gave Genre a list of their donors. Genre, in turn, used that list to send out free copies of the recently revamped gay glossy. Those unrequested issues are then tallied as part of the magazine's subscription data, thus boosting the monthly's standing with potential advertisers. Sneaky, huh?

At first we didn't believe this tale, but a Genre sales employee confirmed the rumors, but didn't seem to know whether GLAAD took money for the list or if they shared it out of the goodness of their homo hearts. Said this employee, whom we've decided to call Informative Irwin: "I don't know if they purchased it or if they just gave it to us." Right…

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We remember Neal Boulton excitedly exclaiming at an October Genre party,"I just put up my first blog post today!" Such a statement made us assume he intended on posting more musings on the gay glossy's website.

After weeks of semi-eager anticipation, Boulton finally slapped together another missive.

We know this because a "Soho House" source emailed it to us and tried to imply that Boulton's fooling around with his publisher, William Kapfer.

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Tired of looking like a glammed up kd lang in his editorial head shot, Genre chief Neal Boulton decided to butch it up a bit with a new "post-gay" picture. Post-gay apparently resembles post-apocalyptic - but, quite frankly, we prefer the new shot. We have a sinking feeling, however, that it won't be ink-grabbing Boulton's last touch-up.

Living up to his magazine's vapid reputation, Genre editor Neal Boulton reportedly wants a roll in a Michael Lucas skin flick:

Boulton, who now edits gay lifestyle magazine Genre, recently wined and dined male porn king Michael Lucas and asked him to be December's cover boy. "Neal also wanted to make a nonsexual cameo in one of my movies," Lucas, star and director of Fire Island Cruising 8, told us from Hungary, where he's filming two XXX flicks. Boulton didn't have the time, but Lucas hopes he can do one in the future.

We've received multiple emails regarding Boulton and Lucas meeting at the Soho House. We've also received a few suggestions that Boulton's doing anything and everything possible to keep his name in the press.

[Editor's Note: We stand by our original "roll" vs. "role". Think about it, genius!]

• We're total suckers for shameless self-promotion, so we readily agreed to Roger Kuhn's request to post this video: "What's Your Name?" The track's on Logo's Online Click List, but Kuhn's shooting for the televisual stars. If he gets enough votes, Logo will play the video on tv. Do you think Kuhn deserves it? If so, vote for him! If not, ignore this and move on.

• Stereohyped asks: "Are Nooses The New Black?" Let's hope not.

• Does Genre EIC Neal Boulton have an original thought in his head? Career history says "no".

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A recent issue of gay monthly Out pondered whether or not we live in a post-gay world. In that issue, which featured sexually ambiguous Mika on the cover, editor Aaron Hicklin lamented the gentrification of formerly gay ghettos like Fire Island's pines:

It would be a horrible irony if the communities and beach resorts that once subverted society's mores and pieties ended up feeling as privileged and alienating as the culture they were reacting against.

From there, the issue as a whole examined the relevance of sexuality in a fairly gay friendly popular culture. Do we need to be here and queer? The answered seemed to be no. In our discussion of that issue, we wrote, "Gay may not be the war cry it once was; in fact, there may be no war cry." Sexuality in America seems to be more malleable, hence a post-gay world.

New Genre EIC Neal Boulton unabashedly borrows Hicklin's idea in his editorial for the revamped glossy.

Labels aside, like any American, I like what Americans like. I like a hot car…I want to have a hot body… and I want a walk-in closet full of hot clothes… And sex. Can anyone really ever get enough? Sorta sounds like everyone else on the planet, doesn't it?

Boulton goes on to chide unnamed men's magazines that cater to gays, but refuse to acknowledge their queer readers. He concludes:

…A lot of these magazines just need to come out. Until then there is Genre, the new magazines for every man - proud of being gay. The magazine for the American - who isn't ashamed of anything - G, L, B, or T.

Gentlemen mark your calendars and join me in ringing in a post gay America.

Boulton's proclamation may come three months after Hicklin's, but the idea remains the same: American gays have entered a new era. The men and their magazines, however, have very different opinions on that era's landscape.

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Married man lover and new Genre editor Neal Boulton sums up his sexual self:

I have passed through every letter of our…acronym GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender]…The 'B' issued me two stunning children, but I stopped at 'T' because I gotta admit, operations scare me. As for the 'L' - as a Harley rider - I am still turned on by a tough chick on a hot bike.

Perhaps 'S' should be fit in there somewhere…

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There it is: the first Genre cover under lady-loving EIC Neal Boulton. From what we hear, Boulton and design director Willy Gutierrez have sliced the monthly fag rag into core sections, which will be dominated by sex, fashion, fitness and entertainment.

We spoke with Boulton recently to get his take on the mag's relaunch. That conversation - and our analysis of Genre's new direction - will be published next week. While you're waiting with bated breath, check out these shots from inside the forthcoming issue, which hits stands September 28th.

New Genre editor Neal Boulton may have asked David Unger for the fag rag gig, but he's not above a hot chick or two.

Remember One Park Avenue, the American Media reality series that never got off the ground? (Trust, it was for the best.) The above promo takes us back… There’s former Men’s Fitness and current Genre chief gay Neal Boulton talking about how much he loves his job — because he’s “around hot sexy women all the time, partying my ass off.”

What kind of ass action does the new gig entail?

New Genre EIC Neal Boulton headed to the studio to snap some shots for his editor's letter. As you can see, Boulton's absolutely thrilled about the new position. Absolutely, positively thrilled…

More HX-related drama. Genre's EIC Chris Ciompi got sacked today and will be replaced by former Men's Fitness editor Neal Boulton.

So, what's the HX connection? Window Media owns both fag rags and, from what we hear, plans on moving the monthly into the weekly's 17th street digs. From a reader - who, no, doesn't work at either Genre or HX, for whom our handsome editor once toiled:

Genre is declaring bankruptcy so they don't have to pay the back rent they owe for their offices and are moving into HX - perhaps the reason four HX staffers were fired.

Now we know what "restructuring" means.

The same source also had some less-than-kind words for Window honcho David Unger:

David Unger is next to impossible to work with. He squanders every bit of good will that has ever been put forth to Genre with his abrasive and condescending attitude. A very rich man who isn’t very smart or likable.

We'd comment on that, but we're afraid Unger will roll over us in his Rolls Royce.

While we're on the subject of Gay Pride, you may want to head on over to Genre. The monthly fag-rag's created a fabulous survey of pride etiquette, traditions and common social quandaries. Consider question number five:

The trannie queen handling the door list wants more than a tip. You:
A. Take off your bracelets and put up your dukes.
B. Ask, "Pre-op or post-op?"
C. Tell her to take the tip, ’cause she ain’t getting the shaft, honey.

The queer questionnaire also tackles the always perplexing place of motorcycle daddies - and how many count as a serving…

While we're on the subject of emotions, we'd like to turn the floor over to a loverly gentleman named James Withers. Don't know Mr. Withers (pictured, dressed as an elf…for some reason)?

Well, we don't really know him either, but he wrote to us saying he's contributed to Genre and wanted to know if we were interested in a little somethin' somethin'.

Now, those of you who know us know that we're always interested in a little somethin' somethin', so we told Withers to pitch us something for the then forthcoming The Emotions Issue. He did and this is it. (See how easy we are?)

After the jump, see what Withers has to say about losing his friend Michael to the ultimate baddie: AIDS.

(PS: If you're down with Withers' piece, you should check out his blog: What the world does not need.)

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We're not sure about you guys, but we definitely read your comments. Sure, we may gloss over a few of the less pertinent ramblings - for example, the schmuck who keeps plugging his Genre scandal-ridden MOTY candidacy, you know who you are - but we like to think we're pretty in touch with what's happening on the other side of the technological fence.

You can be sure, then, that we caught actress Cady Huffman's comments regarding our comments on her attendance at HRC's gala dinner (phew, that was exhausting). Under a picture of her, we wrote, "From winning a Tony for playing Ulla in The Producers to an HRC dinner. What a tragic fall for actress Cady Huffman".

Well, apparently Ms. Huffman didn't like that so much, because she left us this note:

Gotta say I'm a little hurt by your catty comment regarding my presence at the Gala. I was presenting an award to Creative Alternatives New York (CANY) for their community service. CANY is a terrific organization that helps individuals regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, education etc…Hope you're not really that jaded. Just trying to do what good I can. Peace.

Unfortunately we are that jaded, but not jaded enough to want to make it up to Ms. Huffman. So, we've pasted a very special video for her and anyone else we've ever offended or may offend in the future (preemptive ass covering…works every time).

Oh, and for those of you who doubt that Huffman actually commented - we checked it out and it's definitely her: she sent it from her basketball coach hubby's email address. (Okay, we're actually not sure…)

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