"New York Times" Interview Raises Issue of Zachary Quinto's Sexual Orientation

In a sign that the traditional media is continuing to move away from the idea that asking celebrities about their sexual orientation is somehow offlimits, the New York Times published an interview today with Zachary Quinto that broached the topic. About Quinto, who is starring in the upcoming revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America, the Times notes that ..."the blogosphere is rife with speculation about his sexuality, no doubt fueled by his support for gay rights and organizations like the Trevor Project. He prefers not to feed that rumor mill with either substantiation or dismissal. He speaks passionately about gay marriage, about “don’t ask, don’t tell” and about the recent wave of gay bullying and suicides.

Quinto addresses the topic with the Times by saying only:

The fact that these things are such hot-button issues right now, socially and politically, I would much rather talk about that than talk about who I sleep with. I would love to be a voice in this maelstrom of chaos and obsessive celebrity infatuation that says, ‘Let’s talk about something that matters."

The article ends by noting of Quinto:

That sense of social accountability is a quality Mr. Quinto shares with Louis, who rails against the hatred lurking beneath the surface of so-called tolerance. “To return to the theater is one thing,” he said. “But to return to the theater doing a play of this import and resonance — it’s beyond thrilling.”

Here is Quinto's "It Gets Better" video which has helped fuel speculation about his sexual orientation.

Greek gays rally against discrimination

AFP - Three thousand Greeks gays and lesbians marched through the centre of Athens on Saturday to demonstrate gay pride and protest against discrimination.

"We're everywhere" declared the banner at the head of the parade.

In a city that has recently seen more protests against the Greek government's austerity measures, another banner proclaimed: "Fighting discrimination and the economic crisis is the same battle!"

The country approved a form of civil unions in 2008 especially for homosexuals, but the gay community has been seeking the approval of full gay marriages.

Why Is White Collar's Matthew Bomer's Sexuality Such a Secret?

White Collar's Matt Bomer Is a Proud Out Gay Man Who Doesn't 'Care' About the Rumors He's a Gay

The USA Network has a certain prescription for its shows: Psych, Monk, Royal Pains, and Burn Notice all are drama-comedies with romance mixed in. They're com-rom-drams? Rom-dramedies? And for the most part, they all have a gay-ish element: On Psych, the completely hetero friendship between Gus and Sean is mixed in with bromance jokes; Burn Notice's Jeffrey Donovan is like a cable network James Bond (and we all know how gay that makes him). And new this season is White Collar, a show that follows the same USA composite: Cute lead character involved solving problems (crimes, as most of USA's shows do). And White Collar also has the gay-ish element: The leading man, Matthew Bomer's Neal Caffrey, is cute and savvy and sexually confident. But we didn't know just how much White Collar went gay. Just two episodes into the series, and we learn its headlining actor is a 'mo.

Earlier this week, the gossip blogger known for making that "faggot" remark claimed Bomer is openly gay, and in a relationship with Simon Halls (pictured, on right), the chief executive of public relations firm PMK/HBH, one of the largest and most powerful PR firms in all the land. (You might have heard their name back when PMK's then-CEO Pat Kingsley, Tom Cruise's one-time publicist, made a sport out of shooting down gay rumors.) The item was picked up by the blog Boy Culture and the kids on gossip forum Data Lounge.

Bomer, whose past credits include standard soap opera stints and a regular gig on Tru Calling, is not being outed by his own camp; the website AfterElton asked Bomer's publicist about the situation, and she replied, "No comment," and "We don't comment on any of our client's personal lives." (That's a lie. PMK regularly shoots down rumors about client Jennifer Aniston's pregnancy, as just one example.)

But then there's the evidence. Namely, photos of Bomer and another gent (not Halls) in major make-out mode. (That's him in the red.)

For his part, Halls is openly gay. He and PMK co-chief Stephen Huvane, who is also gay (and a looker), exercise a level of power that, it would not be an exaggeration to say, can literally make or break someone's Hollywood career. They represent clients like Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Neil Patrick Harris. Stephen's brother, Kevin Huvane, is also in the business: He's the manager agent of folks like — yup! — Jennifer Aniston. There are plentiful stories about Halls and Huvane treating Hollywood as their own fiefdom; more often than not, they are true.

So while it's pretty exciting to see a couple of gay men wielding so much influence in an industry where being gay is still a scarlet letter for actors, it's also a little frightening to see what happens when they try to use that power to shut down reports that impact them personally. Halls's camp wasn't successful in getting the gay celeb blogger to remove the item, but Boy Culture did take down the photos by "kind request." The blog Greg In Hollywood removed the photos, because "the photo is several years old and since the actor is out and in a committed relationship, I’ve decided to take it down. The request was made very politely by Bomer through friends."

But the Internet never deletes anything. The photos of Bomer kissing another fella are regularly available to anyone with a few minutes and interest to find it. And it's ridiculous to think that getting them yanked from a couple gay blogs will delete it from anyone's memory.

We can understand the position Bomer is in: He's been openly gay for much of his career, at least inside the industry, but now he's headlining a nearly-guaranteed-to-be-blockbuster series on USA, in a role that requires (female) viewers to lust after him. We won't jump to conclusions, but if history is any indicator, USA's executives (and those at parent NBC Universal) won't be too thrilled with Bomer's sexuality making headlines.

To which we say: Too late.

Or maybe Halls is just unhappy seeing the Internet flooded with pics of his current beau getting randy with another man?

UPDATE: Sean Akers, Web designer to the gay stars (read: Zachary Quinto), who says he is a friend of Bomer, writes Queerty: "Matt Bomer is an out actor. He is dating Simon Halls. They have kids. And these pics are 9 years old. It is drudging up his past to reveal something that isn't a secret. Posting these pics only serves to hurt Matt's family. He is not hiding, but this kind of post is exactly why so many gay actors do hide. In a world where this shouldn't matter, it still does. As his friend, I am thinking of his kids and his relationship. I am thinking about how people in a community that should respect Matt for being open about his sexuality are being turned against him. He didn't ask you people to take down the pics. Simon Halls and PMK had nothing to do with it. It was me who asked. As Matt's friend. Matt is the kindest person I know. He is genuine and he works very hard on his career and on his relationships. His family is his priority. And the post and the pics sadden me."

It's a nice sentiment, but here's the rub: As a high-profile television actor, Bomer sells his personal life as much as his acting skills. This is the arrangement celebrities agree to when they join the Hollywood elite. Ask George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, and even Jon Gosselin. Or Rosie, Ellen, and Neil. Substantial paydays and the perks of celebrity are joined by prying eyes who want to know about your intimate lives. And especially because Bomer is an out actor, as Akers notes, he should understand his private life carries an asterisk. Our coverage is not the reason actors stay in the closet; they stay in the closet to avoid being labeled gay by the mainstream entertainment press. Us? We want to celebrate famous gay folks (who aren't assholes)! We report on the romances and break-ups of TR Knight and Adam Lambert and Rosie O'Donnell. Welcome to the fold, Bomer. We're happy to add you to the list of out and proud gay men with mainstream acting gigs. Surely you'll be accepting a GLAAD award this time next year then?

Mr Gay China Beauty Pageant Closed

The press releases sounded promising: “The Mr Gay China competition is much more than a beauty contest. While physical beauty will be part of the judges’ considerations, it is a young man’s character and personality that will make a difference in the selection."

The winner will be chosen by the audience at the event, whom they believe will be the best representative of gay China, among the final three candidates who are selected by the judges

Although homosexuality was officially considered a mental illness until as recently as 2001, gay events in China have been neutrally, if not positively, covered by local media in recent years.

Co-organiser and Managing Director Ben Zhang was recently quoted in media reports as saying that mainstream media will not be invited to the pageant as he is concerned that overexposure might result in “unnecessary difficulties.

And then:

BEIJING -- Police shut down what would have been China's first-ever gay pageant on Friday an hour before it was set to begin, highlighting the enduring sensitivity surrounding homosexuality and the struggle by gays to find mainstream acceptance.

Organizers said they were not surprised when eight police officers turned up at the upscale club in central Beijing where the pageant, featuring a fashion show and a host in drag, was set to take place.

"They said the content, meaning homosexuality, there's nothing wrong with that, but you did not do things according to procedures," Ben Zhang said. Police told him he needed official approval for events that included performances, in this case a stage show.

"I kind of saw that coming," Zhang said.

Chinese police frequently cite procedural reasons for closing down gatherings that are deemed to be politically sensitive. Though the pageant did not have any overt political agenda, similar events in the past - such as a parade during the Shanghai Pride Festival last year - have been blocked by authorities.

http://planethomo.com

Which Bi-ish Actor Has an Escort for a Boyfriend?

BLIND ITEMS — "We have heard from a friend of this gay male escort that the escort is claiming to be involved in a romantic relationship with this Television and Film actor (whose sexuality remains ambiguous). The escort has been snapped with the star before, and even gone to events with him, but is claiming to have been in a relationship, one that is on and off. Not Chace Crawford." [BuzzFoto]

(Note: Accompanying photos do not indicate any relationship to the report.)

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“Eating Out 3” Makes for a Mostly Unsatisfying Meal

by

Brent Hartinger

A movie franchise is like a shark. For it to stay alive, it has to move forward. It’s a lesson that the Eating Out franchise would do well to learn.

I liked 2004’s Eating Out a lot. The campy gay sex farce was downright revolutionary coming after decades of earnest, angsty coming out dramas (and two years before Another Gay Movie).

2006’s Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds wasn’t as successful, but it wasn’t a disaster.

But Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat, now playing in limited release, is the weakest entry in the series so far. It’s not that parts of it aren’t funny. It’s just that the movie takes absolutely no chances, choosing instead to change a few details and repeat what came before in the first two movies.

Q. Allan Brocka, the creator of Logo’s Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in all the World and writer and director of Eating Out and the producer of Eating Out 2, doesn’t appear to have been involved at all this time around, and it shows.

The movie quickly kills off the main character from the first two movies, Kyle (American Idol’s Jim Verraros), replacing him with Casey (Daniel Skelton), a wide-eyed gay innocent who takes one look at the slutty things going on during the opening credits and says, “I’m gonna love this town!”

Rebekah Kochan is back as the foul-mouthed Tiffani – “the slut with the mouth of shit.”

Casey and Rebekah team up and soon meet the sizzling hot Zack (Chris Salvatore), smarting over having just been dumped by his boyfriend, Lionel (The Janice Dickinson’s Modeling Agency’s John Stallings).

John Stallings (center)

Casey thinks Zack is out of his league, but Rebekah talks him into inventing a fake online profile, using photos of her hot ex, Ryan, under the (accurate) assumption that people are often more honest with strangers than they are with people they know.

Naturally, Zack falls in love with the non-existent guy who has Casey’s personality but who looks like Ryan. Then the real Ryan turns up back in town and, well, complications ensue.

It’s a clever premise, and there are some nice moments along the way. Daniel Skelton has a goofy, appealing charm, and Leslie Jordan has a nice cameo where he warns that “having sex with someone else to get over a break-up never works. Never.”

Leslie Jordan (left) and Mink Stole

There’re plenty of funny, and well-deserved, pokes at the gay community, as when a character logs online and is instantly bombarded with dozens of people wanting to “PNP!” Indeed, the film’s satire of the gay community’s online hook-up culture is the best part of the film.

And when clueless, self-centered Rebekah doesn’t know what “LGBT” means or how to pronounce “Matthew Shepard,” it’s hard not to laugh.

Still, too many jokes fall flat. Rebekah singing “Cum-baya” at a funeral instead of “Kumbaya” (“someone’s horny my Lord, cum-baya…”) was just sort of embarrassing. And the line “Blow job for your thoughts?” probably read funnier on the page.

Basically, the film suffers from Bad Gay Film-itis: uneven pacing, sometimes wooden acting even in the lead roles, and waaaaay too much talking.

In fact, the movie makes a big mistake by wrapping its “mistaken identity” storyline up too quickly. This results in a long middle section where the characters … talk.

And talk and talk and talk.

Then after another pivotal plot point, there’s still more talking. Not even two scenes of full-frontal male nudity can make all this talk not seem boring.

Chris Salvatore (left) and Daniel Skelton

But the biggest problem may be that we’ve seen this movie before, in the first two entries. There’s even one scene where Rebekah tries to get straight-guy Ryan turned on enough to have sex with guys that’s virtually the same as happened in Eating Out. This might have been intended as an homage, but it comes across as a repeat.

There is a fresh and funny sex comedy to be made in 2009. This isn’t it.

Watch the teaser trailer for Eating Out 3:

Eating Out 3 - The Film HD
by MovieWorlds

http://www.afterelton.com

Soap star: 'Coronation Street needs more gay characters'..

A Coronation Street actor has said the soap needs more gay characters.

Antony Cotton, who is openly gay, plays the camp Sean Tully in the ITV soap.

According to Holy Soap, the former Queer As Folk star said: "The story goes that one in person in ten is gay. We've got 70 people in ours [Coronation Street] so there should be seven gay characters at least.

"Especially as Weatherfield is the gayest place on the planet as far as female characters are concerned! It's the campest show on TV at times."

On portrayals of gay characters on TV, he said: "The more there are, the more people are not going to seek representation.

"You can associate with one type and say that's who I'm similar to, and not that person, but it's not a problem because there are two different portrayals."

Stonewall estimates that between six and nine per cent of the population is gay.

Coronation Street did not have any gay activity until 2003, despite its massive gay fanbase.

Obama-Hope and History

As a candidate Obama promised us a lot; as president he’s delivered very little -- and many gay people are getting impatient. Does the outcry unmask this president’s indifference, or reveal our own impotence as a movement?

Click the byline to view more stories by this author.

By Michael Joseph Gross

From The Advocate September 2009

Illustration by Gluekit

He looked like a hero, and that was the problem. Barack Obama seemed almost reckless with the truth, implausibly idealistic -- and (though we might not have said this out loud) we worried that America wasn’t “ready for a black president.”

After eight years of George W. Bush, we were sick of being excluded, sick of being hated. Hillary Clinton seemed the safer choice. We knew that she knew how power worked, and we wanted someone who could win. Moreover, many gay leaders -- the men and women with money and influence, whose success was built on cunning -- looked at her and saw themselves: making her way by wile, unafraid to sacrifice integrity when the game demands it.

But truth will out, and many placed their bets on Barack Obama, and when he took the lead in the primaries, he won over most of the rest. He talked to us -- and about us -- more, and more explicitly, than any nominee before him. And not just when he had to. Not just at Human Rights Campaign dinners. At black churches, in his stump speech, on the night he was elected: He said the word that every major candidate before him had found every excuse not to say. He named us. He said gay.

After his election Obama named someone else. The world’s most influential Protestant minister, Rick Warren, who campaigned against gay marriage, was asked to give the inauguration’s invocation. Obama tried to quell outrage and concern by restating his commitment to be “a fierce advocate of equality for gay and lesbian Americans.” And during his first months in office, while he worked with Congress on the economic stimulus package and the wars, and laid groundwork for legislation to protect the environment and reform health care, we were on our best behavior, waiting for him to reveal his plans to keep his promises to us.

Momentum for gay equality kept building -- in the courts, in legislatures, and in culture. Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine legalized gay marriage -- which was, significantly, also endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Dick Cheney too announced his support for marriage equality, as did top Republican strategist Steve Schmidt, who managed John McCain’s presidential campaign. Polls showed clear majorities supporting repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” even among conservatives and churchgoers -- constituencies that had long been in favor of the antigay military policy. Still, through all of this, one word was conspicuously absent from the president’s vocabulary.

The hero was a player after all.

Stars and Their Gay Brothers!

Christopher Ciccone (Brother of Madonna)

They seemed so close! Madonna’s gay brother Christopher, one of her five siblings, didn’t just decorate her homes and her concert stages; he also acted as her back-up dancer, assistant, and personal stylist. He’s prominently featured in the 1991 documentary Truth or Dare.

Photo credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

These days? Not so close, not since Christopher published last year’s negative tell-all, Life With My Sister Madonna. Christopher claimed that he and his sis are estranged because of then-hubby Guy Ritchie’s “homophobic” views and wrote a book — about her — to "define myself and separate from my sister at last." But frankly, the very existence of this book makes the explanation from the Madonna camp sound far more plausible: that Christopher is a drug-addicted leech who his famous sis finally decided to stop supporting.

http://www.afterelton.com

Hot 100: Men of Color

1. Taye Diggs

For many gay men, 38-old Taye Diggs made his biggest impression on them playing James on NBC's Will & Grace for five episodes in 2006. As James, Will's love interest, Diggs provided the perfect counterpart to Will's fussiness, and gay men especially appreciated the kiss James and Will shared.

But if that's all you know about Diggs, then you're missing out on how truly exceptional this multi-talented performer truly is. Digg's big break came in 1996 when he originated the role of Benny in Rent. That was followed by roles in Chicago and Wicked and it should be noted, Diggs sings so well, he's featured on the cast recordings for Rent, Carousel and The Wild Party.

Diggs' film roles include a memorable performance as Angela Bassett's very sexy love interest in How Stella Got Her Groove Back, as well as parts in The Wood and The Best Man.

Television success has proven a little more difficult for Diggs as the two shows built around him — Kevin Hill and Day Break — both failed to make it to a second season. But as one of the stars of ABC's Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice, Digg's appears to have finally found the right vehicle to show off his wide-ranging —and hot —talent.

2. Darryl Stephens

If gay men love guys who play gay roles, we really love out gay men who play gay roles. But even in 2009, the number of roles for men of color are shockingly few as are the number of out actors of color. Therefore, it really is no surprise that the 35-year old Stephens claims the #2 spot on this list. After all, as Noah, the title character on Noah's Arc, Stephens proved week after week that hot not only comes in every color, but doesn't have to mean especially butch or super macho. Noah dressed with great panache and was a gentle soul who nonetheless exuded sexiness.

While Stephens himself doesn't usually dress with Noah's flair, he's every bit as sexy as the character he plays. He's also just as out, having discussed the issue in 2008 with Instinct Magazine saying, "I'm still private about my personal life, but my being gay certainly does not have to be any big mystery or secret." Nor is it a secret that gay and bisexual guys are very fond of Darryl.

3. Jensen Atwood

As Wade, Noah's love interest on Noah's Arc, Jensen Atwood gave viewers a front row seat to his character's sexual awakening as he found himself falling in love with another man for the first time. Meanwhile, as bisexual warlock Griffen on Dante's Cove, viewers saw a much more erotic, sensual character who slept his way through half of the island.

But whatever the role, this 32-year-old actor commands attention with his mellifluous voice and mesmerizing eyes. And gay men don't just love this straight guy for playing gay roles (frequently shirtless). This NAACP Image Award nominee has also appeared at numerous GLBT events where he has spoken out against homophobia. Our only complaint? We don't get to see him frequently enough.

Belgrade conference venue staff should be sacked for refusing gays says minister

The directors of a conference hall who cancelled a press conference by a gay organisation for "security reasons" should resign.

Marko Karadžić, minister for human rights in the Serbian government, said the behaviour of the Sava Centre was unacceptable.

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) news conference was due to take place at the New Belgrade premises.

The cancellation caused a protest of Alliance activists.

"What surprised me is that is that such discriminatory opinions, which made the news conference impossible, were explained in that way—that means neither the place, nor the hall were a problem, but only the organiser and the theme which was to be discussed at the press conference," said Mr Karadžić.

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Loving Lyon

by Dan Allen, TripOut

Depending on who you ask, lovely Lyon is either France’s third biggest city (Marseille packs more people into its city boundaries) or its second (Lyon’s got the larger metro area). But what's beyond dispute (save maybe for among disgruntled Parisians) is that Lyon is the capital of gastronomy – not just in France, but perhaps even on the whole planet.

Home to the world-renowned and Michelin-star-accoladed foodie empire of local son Paul Bocuse, Lyon is also the birthplace of the bouchon, the friendly and fatty commoner-style cooking borne of the silk trade that flourished here from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Lying at the juncture of two major rivers (the Rhône and the Saône), the Lyon area has been a strategic city-spot since Celtic times, when the Gauls donned it Lugdunon in a nod to their sun god. The conquering Romans came in 43 BCE, Latinizing things to Lugdunum and turning the growing city into an important empire outpost (the emperor Claudius was actually born here, the first to be birthed outside Italy). In medieval times the city grew downward from the Fourvière hillside to form what’s now known as Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), a beautifully preserved district on the Saône’s west bank. Lyon’s growth eastward rather than atop itself over the last two millennia means it offers the unique chance to glimpse several distinct periods of history in one place, which in 1998 led UNESCO to designate much of the city as a World Heritage site.

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New gay section in PEI tourist guide disappoints

Prince Edward Island inn operators say the addition of a gay section to the province's official tourist guide is too small and long overdue.

On page 50 of the Visitor's Guide for 2008, under the heading GBLT Travellers, a brief paragraph states that "a number of Prince Edward Island accommodations are GBLT friendly." The reader is then directed to visit Purpleroofs.com for the listing of these properties. At the bottom of the page is a small picture of two men having lunch on a restaurant patio.

Tourism PEI says the addition shows a recognition of the power of the pink dollar.

"Marketers understand the impact of the gay and lesbian market and that it is very lucrative," says Julie Whitlock, the communications officer with Tourism PEI.

While the small addition seems like progress in welcoming queer tourists to the "Gentle Island", some Islanders are lukewarm in their response to the news.

Jim Culbert, the owner of the Rainbow Lodge and the operator of www.gaypei.com, says he has been lobbying the government for years to indicate gay-owned and gay-friendly accommodations in the guide. He views the inclusion as a step forward, but a very timid one. And why, he wonders, list "an American website [Purple Roofs] when we have arba.ca" — the Atlantic Rainbow Business Association.

Bill and Mary Kendrick, owners of Briarcliff Inn in Bedeque and members of PFLAG Canada-PEI, attribute the new gay section in the guide to the change from a Conservative to a Liberal government.

"[We're] disappointed that a tiny reference buried in the Visitor's Guide is the extent to which the current government is prepared to go, however, it's a start," they say.

Other innkeepers welcome the gay travellers section as being a sound business move for the Island and overdue recognition of the importance of the queer tourist and consumer.

"We believe that PEI has a huge amount to offer the [gay] market and up until now has been a well-kept secret," say Judy and Trevor Pye of Shipwright Inn. "However, the Island appears to be registering on the radar for gay travellers — helped by positive messages in magazines such as Out in Canada and also OUTtv, who recently covered stories on the Island."

The case eight years ago of a gay couple from Quebec who were refused accommodation tarnished PEI's reputation for hospitality and perhaps demonstrated the need to reach out to the queer community. One inn, Dalvay By The Sea, now has a wedding page that lists same-sex weddings as "legal and welcome in Canada and at Dalvay."

"This is a small place; friendly and welcoming," says the inn's events coordinator, Michelle Thompson.

Let's make that gay-friendliness a little more obvious, says Culbert — owner of the Rainbow Lodge. He hopes that future editions of the guide will use symbols for gay-friendly businesses and that they will be encouraged to advertise in the guide.
Ralph Higgins / Xtra.ca