Enough chatter about Levi and his hockey stick on the imaginary cover of Playgirl. Child's play! We all know the sexy grown-ups are on the cover of People -- at least once a year, when the magazine names its Sexiest Man Alive. Yesterday Johnny Depp reprised his 2003 victory, taking the title for 2009. So what's it take to win the distinction? Hint: Levi's gonna need a few more years under his belt and, um, at least a few blockbuster movies -- or some such career -- before he's eligible.
In an attempt to discern the magic sexy formula, Slate analyzed a sampling of quotes from People editors explaining how honorees from years past earned the distinction. ("He can wear gold teeth and still look good," was cited among the considerations for Depp's previous crowning.) Suffice it to say, you might be competitive if you've got a "a hard body with a soft center," a "down-to-earth Aussie vibe," an "elegant, but down to earth" air, "a twinkle in the eye," or are just "wonderfully ordinary." You're still gonna need decent bone structure though. And a really good publicist.
Once you've had your fill of campy terror, head over to the website for NIGHTMARE: VAMPIRES to learn about this year's special blood sucking incarnation of New York City's premier haunted house. A fully immersive adventure set in the fictional Museum of Vampyric Artifcats (MoVa), NIGHTMARE: VAMPIRES tells a story that unfolds around participants in real time as they make their way through the museum in the midst of a vampire attack.
Extra fun: Wednesday, October 14 from 6-10pm is gay night. For discounted tickets using code: GAYNIGHT1, head here.
In honor of the Bloody Mary's 75th birthday, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City has just declared October 5 Bloody Mary Day. We already celebrate this holiday weekly, on Sundays, but hey, what's a Monday thrown into the (worcestershire and horseradish) mix for good measure? According to The New York Times, arbiter of accurate information at important political moments like this one, the Bloody Mary's "alleged creator -- Fernand Petiot, known as Pete -- mixed the spicy, tomato-based cocktail in New York City in the fall of 1934." We suggest you take the rest of the day off to properly commemorate this important occasion in hangover history.
Actress Arlene Dahl models the drink of the day preemptively, at a 2006 Oscar party. Photo: Getty Images.
Bea Arthur’s smoky baritone voice was instantly recognizable. Her comedic timing unmatched. And her compassion for the LGBT community will never be forgotten.
To honor the life of Arthur, who died of cancer at the age of 86 last April, family, friends and fans gathered on Sept. 14 at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre in New York.
The two-hour memorial, hosted by longtime friend and co-star in Mame, Angela Lansbury, featured live musical performances, video retrospectives, and a slew of memories from many guests, including, Golden Girls co-star Rue McClanahan, Rosie O’ Donnell, writer Norman Lear, Broadway legend Chita Rivera, and Arthur’s sister and sons.
It all began with Lansbury taking center stage and singing "The Man in the Moon is a Lady" from Mame to a striking image of a grinning, barefoot Arthur projected on a screen.
Quick history lesson: 55 years ago a British mathematician and World War II code breaker committed suicide after the revelation that he was gay ruined his personal and professional life. Alan Turing, credited by some as the founder of computer science, was one of an estimated 100,000 gay men prosecuted by the British government under the same "gross indecency" law used to jail Oscar Wilde. He was chemically castrated after his 1952 conviction, but by many accounts he was most devastated by having his security privileges revoked, which ended his life's work at the UK Government Communications Headquarters.
To commemorate the anniversary of the loss of a wartime hero and brilliant intellectual, more than 20,000 people have signed a petition demanding that Prime Minister Gordon Brown issue an official posthumous apology, a plea that's been echoed by author Ian McEwan, scientist Richard Dawkins, and gay rights activist Peter Tatchell. The international version of the petition can be found here.
The appeal was started by computer scientist John Graham-Cumming, who says its aim is symbolic, since Turing has no known surviving family. "The most important thing to me is that people hear about
Alan Turing and realize his incredible impact on the modern world, and
how terrible the impact of prejudice was on him," he said.
YouTube is full of gems. It can turn a nobody into a somebody overnight. Or it can be a place for former reality stars to shamelessly whore themselves out in an attempt to extend their brief few moments of fame.
Scott Herrman of MTV's The Real World: Brooklyn has his own channel on YouTube. Why exactly? So he can provide us with really complicated tips, like in this video, where he explains to us the painstaking task of shaving his chest. No, not just explains, demonstrates, as in the shower.
And we're sure you're already aware, but you can get even more groundbreaking "fitness" tips (others include How to Pick Someone Up at the Gym and a Captain America impersonation) from Scott on his website, scotthermanfitness.com. It's almost as great as laurenconradthinksshecanwriteanovel.com.
Cobra Starship showed up a little late for their unofficial album release party at the Troubadour in West Hollywood last night, but for a good reason: the band wanted to watch themselves on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. It was their only indulgence on a day when the least-likely-to pop stars hit No. 1 on iTunes with their new CD, Hot Mess. (The top spot also means they've won a more tantalizing prize: their label boss Pete Wentz will have to get a tattoo of singer Gabe Saporta's choice.)
Once the show got underway, it was classic Cobra. It took Gabe less than 30 seconds into their first song, "Pete Wentz is the Only Reason We're Famous" to both name-check and dutifully grab his cock. The band stuck mostly to older material from their two earlier albums, kept the mood somewhere between dance party and total insanity -- I've never seen an artist get so many industry types up in VIP to actually shake their asses like that. Keytarist Victoria Asher filled in for Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester for their hit single, "Good Girls Go Bad" (with high-pitched backing vocals from guitarist Ryland Blackinton, who sat down with Gabe for Out.com above).
Here's my confession: I still can't write "hit single" and Cobra Starship in the same sentence without laughing hysterically. But this band, made up of ex-punks (Midtown) and a harmonic indie pop duo (Blackinton and bassist Alex Suarez also play as This is Ivy League), always seemed hell-bent on proving you could have fun, treat your fans like gold and still make it in the music industry. Gabe was wiping his own sweat and spilled water off the stage last night, alternately shoving away a hot roadie's efforts to help and giving him a good grope. They might be the most ridiculous group on the charts, but nobody deserves it more.
And if you were a fan of their Katy Perry semi-cover, "I Kissed a Boy," hang on for their next queerification: Gabe promises another collaboration with Jonny Makeup (his VIP Party Boys guested on ¡Viva!), this time a twist on their new single: "I make them good boys go gay."
Want to help gay up the lyrics? Gabe offered this as a starting point: "You were standing in the corner givin' five boys head." But he'd love to hear your dirtiest suggestions. Leave 'em in the comments and we'll make sure he and Jonny take a look when they get together in September.
For more on Cobra Starship, check out their new and improved website here.
New York City may be home to the biggest and most fabulous stage productions around but something even better is just around the corner. Coming August 14th through 30th, The New York International Fringe Festival brings together over 200 performance companies from around the world to put on more than 1300 performances in the approximate two week span. Visit the festival's website to get all the details, including information on the hundreds of performances headed to the big apple. Oh, did we mention each ticket to each show is a mere $15? Yay, recession prices!
Among the shows featured is none other than the San Francisco Players' Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party. The exciting and innovative piece has grabbed lots of press, thanks in part to its title (come on, how can you not read more when you see that name?), including a shout out in the August issue of Vogue.
The show's plot is simple, yet intriguing. In Abe Lincoln's hometown, a teacher is put on trial for asking the eternal question: "Was Lincoln gay?" The show features three acts in which the audience decides the order. That essentially sounds like a hot mess, but apparently it works, seeing as audiences keep coming back for more.
Check out the preview of the show above, then get your tickets (fast!) by visiting the show's site.
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