We’ve made it!
A new weekend means another episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a spiritual cleanse from work, and the ritual promise to ourselves that we will do better next week. (Sure, Jan!)
Regardless of how your February is winding down, we’ve been blessed with a bevy of chaotic LGBTQ+ news to distract ourselves.
How about we take this to the next level?
Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
ICYMI: John Cena joined OnlyFans, Ricky Martin talked about his foot fetish, and Jake Gyllenhaal stripped down for another muscly thirst trap.
Plus, Antoni Porowski spilled on his recent breakup, Boy George copied Kylie Minogue, and this twink revealed his bottoming regimen involves taking no less than 10 Imodiums. Oof!
On top of that, the algorithm continues feeding us luxurious liquors, tacky tchotchkes, undeniable bops, and yes, some very horny-looking drawings of our Disney crushes.
Here are the 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…
1. Seventy One Gin
As any self-respecting gin and tonic aficionado knows, it’s not about the glass, bubbles, or lime wedge. The real make-or-break of your cocktail is the brand of choice.
If you’re tired of skimping out (or plugging your nose to chug), look no further than the masterful and meticulous taste of Seventy One Gin. The luxury liquor brand was co-created by famed gay photographer Mert Alas, who’s lensed the likes of Madonna, Jeremy Allen White, and Jung Kook.
As he told The Telegraph, his goal with the gin –– which runs $75 – $213 for assorted sizes –– was to “make a sexy drink” and help imbibers become a little less “well behaved.”
2. DOIY Rodeo Boot Vase
Can I get a yee-haw? Beyoncé just made Herstory™️ as the first Black woman to top Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart with irresistible, boot-stomping bop “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Even Dolly Parton shared her praise.
And while I’m not quite ready to embrace cowboy chic in my own boots, I am prepared to place a DOIY Rodeo Boot Vase in every room. This daisy-covered, ceramic vase (available in pink and yellow for $40 at Urban Outfitters) adds a slice of Southern charm –– and it’s the perfect excuse to buy yourself flowers.
3. Jackie Cox’s steamy new condom ad
Jackie Cox is not only a talented drag queen (and the current lead of Off-Broadway show Make Me Gorgeous), he’s also a bonafide hottie.
In fact, his latest paid Instagram partnership with Trojan was enough to stop me from endlessly scrolling and read the caption for more on, uh, *checks notes* BareSkin Raw condoms.
4. Trulstorp Coffee Table at IKEA
Have you ever shopped for a coffee table? It’s a surprisingly tedious and torturous task, considering it’s a furniture piece whose sole purpose is to hold my favorite (iced) beverage. And all those artsy photography books I’ll never read.
Still, I found my solution courtesy of Sweden with the Trulstorp at –– where else? –– IKEA. Not only does this coffee table ($169.99 online) have storage space for coasters, blankets, and the occasionally misplaced sex toy, but one half lifts up to meet where you’re sitting on the couch. I may never sit at a desk again.
5. The hetero mess of Love is Blind Season 6
If there’s one thing I learned from the first five seasons of Netflix‘s “dating experiment” reality show, it’s that love isn’t blind. The series is unabashed heterosexual mess, following singles as they date “sight unseen” via pods and get engaged before meeting IRL. They get a few weeks to figure out if their relationship is built to last, before, of course, making their final decision in an uber theatrical wedding ceremony.
Somehow, the Season 6 contestants are even more unhinged than their predecessors. There’s noncommittal men, love triangles, bean-dip drama, and a woman convinced she looks like Megan Fox. Suffice to say, I’m hooked –– and begging for a gay spinoff.
6. Disney Prince Prints, but make it gay
OK, so we’re yet to get an actual gay Disney prince. But there’s no denying the impact that the studio’s strapping and straight animated gentlemen had on our sexual development.
The Werkroom, a New York art studio helmed by two gay Latino creators, reimagines these pivotal dudes from a queer male gaze in a series of prints, selling for $18.99 – $29.99 on Etsy. There’s an iron-pumping Prince Naveen! Kristoff from Frozen has become a bulging bear. And Tarzan gets Grindr-ready taking a naked selfie. This is why representation matters! 👏
7. Physical media, full stop
In the age of instantaneous downloads and countless streaming services, it’s understandable why physical media like DVDs have taken a serious hit. That being said, you will have to pry my Blu-Ray collection from my cold, dead hands.
And for good reason! As streamers shutter and studios cut costs, some movies and TV shows are disappearing amidst licensing and royalty disputes. That’s why I will always preach the importance of physically buying flicks that change your life.
Some of my securely shelved faves include The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary Edition ($18), the impossible-to-stream Drop Dead Gorgeous ($18), and the oft-forgotten raunch fest that is The To Do List ($21).
8. “Lonely Dancers” by Conan Gray
Conan Gray is growing up –– and going back to the ’80s. The 25-year-old indie-pop singer has been teasing tracks from his upcoming third album Found Heaven and his latest offering may be my absolute fave.
Under the watchful eye of producers Max Martin, ILYA, and Oscar Holter, Gray laments about heartbreak amidst synths, inviting us to “dance with me so we don’t cry.” It’s infectious, nostalgic, and most importantly, totally danceable.
9. Mean Girls-inspired recipes from Aaron Samuels himself
No Kälteen bars here! Mean Girls has somehow become even more ubiquitous with the release of this year’s musical movie. We could talk in circles about casting, comparisons, and why everyone is hiding that their movie is a musical nowadays. Regardless, there’s a reason why the 2004 original remains the most quotable movie ever.
If you’re looking to channel your inner Plastic, check out The Burn Cookbook: An Unofficial Unauthorized Cookbook for Mean Girls Fans ($12.48 on Amazon). The 2018 cookbook was written by celebrity chef Nikki Martin and Jonathan Bennett, the O.G. Aaron Samuels and one of our favorite gay Insta-follows. The recipes range from healthy (“Just Stab Caesar Salad”) to hearty, like “Aaron Samuels’s Actual Mom’s Chicken Stuffed Shells.” It’s undoubtably fetch! Forgive me for that one.
10. This almost obscene new KFC creation
So, WTF are we looking at?
Kentucky Fried Chicken is targeting the niche community of fast food goers who can’t decide between fried chicken or pizza with this new culinary creation: The Chizza. (Chicken + pizza = chizza. Don’t ask how you pronounce that.)
The menu item –– which is already a longtime staple in international markets –– features two chicken filets covered in marinara, mozzarella, and pepperoni. It’s pretty self-explanatory… I just need someone to explain why we needed this in our lives. Still, don’t judge if you see me in line when it hits U.S. stores on Feb. 26.
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abfab
Huckkabee Colonel Sanders must be in fast food heaven again. Now she has a place to take the POS whn he visits the south. Gross/
bachy
I watched Love is Blind S1 – set in Atlanta – and it totally blew my mind. Contestants are able to chat for hours, but have no idea what each other looks like. They only come face-to-face upon agreeing to be engaged to be married. The idea is to find love with someone for what’s on the inside, not the outside. The show really poses a lot of interesting – and difficult – questions about romance…
bachy
I hope those gay Disney princes are significantly different from the originals, because Disney can be pretty litigious!
Kangol2
The “chizza” sounds like the very type of fast food menu item that’ll have the manufacturers of Ozempic, Wegovy and Manjouro, along with the makers of diabetes drugs, cheering for years to come!