Kiss frontman Gene Simmons, in an interview with AOL, recently had this to say about American Idol's Adam Lambert: "If only the world was not homophobic, but it is. I would be the first one to vote for equal rights for gay women and men, and get the church and the state to stop telling everybody how to lead their lives, but do I think he's killed his career? Oh, in an instant. I hope I'm completely wrong. I hope he becomes the next Beatles and proves me wrong."
Simmons started his rounds of staying-in-the-closet promotion a few days earlier with the interview in the video above where he claimed Adam "should shut up about his sexual preferences." Lambert, who snagged the runner-up spot on the latest season of reality singing competition, stayed in the closet throughout the season, finally announcing his sexuality on the cover of Rolling Stone two weeks ago.
Clearly washed up rockers with reality shows on A&E are the authority on all matters of success, but we think Simmons may be a little misguided on this one. Most stars that have come out in recent years (at least the truly talented ones) have found little trouble continuing their careers -- does Ellen DeGeneres ring a bell? Welcome to 2009, Gene. They gays are here, and they're not about to "shut the f*** up."
In the words of draq queen extraordinaire Chandelier, "There is nothing that makes me want to commit a hate crime more than a million gays on the street. So thank god they are in here."
On Saturday June 27th, Nokia Theater in Times Square hosted the largest (and most gorgeous) freak show on earth, Love Ball (produced by The Saint At Large). From vogueing reality TV stars to porn legends who recently debuted in the music scene, the all-night affair was a feast for young twinks and elderly bears alike. Though the evening began with an empty dance floor and a full bar, by the midnight hour one could barely navigate the crowd. In one room: Michael Jackson. In the other: remixed Lady Gaga. No matter age, sexual fetishes (which were made known via free hankies handed out by Manhunt.net), or fashion aesthetic, Love Ball burst with positive energy.
However, the real star of the event were the drag queens. I am not talking about the glamour queens who leave events with smeared lipstick, a broken heel and a cracked voice. These drag queens were the creme de la creme of the ostentatious. When approached, the conversations became more about ice cream than Pride, as many were a little too tired and a little too hungry. Acid Betty swears by "Key Lime Pie by Ciao Bella," while another ranted about her obsession with "Daiquiri Ice" by Baskin Robbins.
Though many mics experienced technical difficulty and some of the men were surprised by the bald scene, Love Ball was an oddly placed event (whoever thought they'd head to Times Square to party? -- besides tourists) complimented by good booze, good jams, and good stories. As T-Rex swooned, "The back room is filled with preps, ladies, birds and queens and of course they all have dicks. Love Ball is nothing short of another queer magazine, but this is ours."
Unlike Anderson Cooper, whom everyone knows is gay but we're still dying to hear his hot, breathy confession trip off his gorgeous Vanderbilt lips, no one is waiting for Latin pop superstar of yore, Ricky Martin, to come out.
Not only has he dropped off any kind of radar of relevant pop culture personalities (adopting babies, while fun fodder for Access Hollywood, does not remake or sustain a celebrity career), I think we all just knew there was never really any question about him playing for our team and so his admission is kind of beside the point. Still, whether or not we want (or need) him to come out, he did so in recently interview with the magazine TV Aqui. Martin told the magazine, his heart "could belong to a woman or a man."
We love our bisexual compatriots, and maybe he really does swing both ways, but let's just say we won't be shocked if the slippery sexuality slope has him sliding into full on gay territory at some point in the future. Regardless, Ricky -- if you want to talk it over with someone (or just make out), I'm around.
"Wild Idol" Adam Lambert finally gets his cover outing and Rolling Stone remembers its roots: Rock 'n' roll, to be sure. But also, oh so prominently, sex and drugs (he credits a psychedelic experience at Burning Man with inspiring him to do American Idol).
It's reassuring, actually, that even the advance leaks from the article are so explicit about, well, everything:
DUH: "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear I'm gay. I've been living in Los Angeles for eight years as a gay man. I've been at clubs drunk making out with somebody in the corner."
ON MASS APPEAL: "I loved it this season when girls went crazy for me. As far as I'm concerned, it's all hot. Just because I'm not sticking it in there doesn't mean that I don't find it beautiful."
ON BEING SHACKED UP WITH WINNER KRIS ALLEN: "They put me with the cute guy. Distracting! He's the one guy I found attractive in the whole group on the show: nice, nonchalant, pretty and totally my type — except that he has a wife. I mean he's open-minded and liberal, but he's definitely 100% straight."
RANDOM OUT OF CONTEXT FABULOUSNESS: "I was like, ‘I’m going to glue rhinestones on my eyelids, bitch!’"
Popeater has all the extra details available so far that other outlets (we're looking at you, USA Today) shy away from, but Rolling Stone's got a video where Lambert shuns the stylist in favor of his own skills -- and gets even more up close and personal with that snake. And just in case anyone is still worried he won't have the full support of the Idol marketing machine behind him, an official release confirming he's been signed should clear that up. Idol creator Simon Fuller's ecstatic quote includes this superlative: “I am thrilled that American Idol was the platform for the world to discover this brilliant young man. He is unique and unforgettable and a certain star of tomorrow.”
We ran into an old friend of Adam's last night at Hollywood's Hotel Cafe. Ferras, an out singer-songwriter whose "Hollywood's Not America" was featured on last season of Idol, is writing a song for Adam's new album. "Hopefully he will open up some doors for others to follow," Ferras told Out. "I think we’re very fortunate to have somebody like Adam who the world has gravitated to because of his sheer talent. But it’s also time. It’s nothing new. It’s just finally happening because of the vehicle of 40 million people watching the show. I do think it says something that he’s getting all this press. And it’s because he’s great, but it’s also because he doesn’t give a fuck. He is who he is, and that’s something that’s very novel – and respectable." (We'll have more with Ferras later this week.)
Top Gun star (and L Word occasional) Kelly McGillis came out in an interview with SheWired.com, stating that her next partner would "definitely be a woman," and that she's "done with the man thing." The 51-year-old actress, who also starred in The Accused with Jodie Foster, said that the process of accepting her sexuality has been an "ongoing process" since she was 12. "Life is a freaking journey, and it's about growing and changing, and
coming to terms with who and what you are, and loving who and what you
are."
Now that you've put down that copy of Watchmen, and your appetite for comic books has been whetted, you think to yourself What to read next? Since your friends are too busy trolling the latest issues of Next and HX to make any coherent suggestions, you obviously turn to Popnography for all your gay comic queries. There is not a stitch of spandex in this next suggestion, in fact it is probably as far away from masculine superheroes as one could get. Fun Home written by Alison Bechdel, was Time Magazine's Book of the Year when it was released in 2006. This autobiographical graphic novel, by the woman who wrote the popular lesbian comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For is about Alison's life growing up in an old Victorian home in rural Pennsylvania with her eccentric family, including her closeted father.
The new NBC show, Kings, is an ambitious undertaking. Not only does it take place in alternate universe, but it's a modern rewriting of the biblical story of David. The setting is Gilboa, a country just recently united under King Silas (Ian McShane, an altogether menacing presence), fighting a stalemate war with their Northern neighbor, Gath. David Shepherd (Christopher Egan), a simple country boy, comes along, rescues the King's son, Jack (Gossip Girl's Sebastian Stan), blows up the tank, Goliath, and wins the adoration of the masses. Even the King is impressed. And when the King likes you, you get invited to be the centerpiece at swanky palace parties and offered cushy military liaison jobs upon receiving a great big promotion.
WORLD MAGAZINE: … how do you think the Christian community will respond to that interpretation of Jonathan?
MICHAEL GREEN: That depends on how you define Christian community. Most of them we have heard from so far have been extremely positive about it. But I know that there are some people who think that any representation of any gay character on any network or cable show is wrong. And anyone who thinks that a gay character is not welcome on television is perfectly welcome not to watch my show.
You tell them, Michael!
We can't help but be thankful that the show-runners went in an unpopular direction, because the following scene features an intense conversation between King Silas and his son, about his Jake's "best-hidden" proclivities:
Essentially, it's thoughtful, well-made, and employs a cast of great actors. Now let's all pray that it -- like all the other good shows -- doesn't get canceled prematurely.
Survivor's Spencer (above) got the spotlight shone on him for the first time on the March 13 episode -- and it was a bright spotlight. He came out to the audience at home but stated explicitly that he didn’t think there was anything to gain by being open with his tribemates. He seemed to fear both a perceived lack of masculinity and the emasculation that comes with being mocked for a perceived lack of masculinity.
It's surprising that when discussing how being openly gay could cause others to think he’s weak he namechecks J.T. as a possible homophobe based on his being a southern boy. For as much as he fears being stereotyped a sissy, Spencer ends up stereotype-ing J.T. (You just know Jeff's gonna ask J.T. if it’s true at the reunion show.)
Then, based upon how much he blows at the immunity challenge, you gotta wonder if Spencer set in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because J.T. is winning the challenge for their team, and then Spencer single-handedly loses it for them. J.T. goes all alpha male on his ass, as he would have if Joe or Stephen had been letting the team down. But for Spencer it appears to revert to that shameful feeling of not doing well in 7th grade gym class and having the school jock yell at you.
Recent Comments