Gay Budapest and Mr. Gay Europe
I think I was lived in Europe in a past life! All my life I have been drawn to the romance of Europe – something about Europe resonates in me. I have only been once, to Germany, but this year plan to go to London, Amersterdam and Prague! While doing my research though, there are so many places I want to see. So we’ll be covering some of the places I have been reading about and being told about!
BUDAPEST! I met a porn star last year who filmed a movie there and he said Budapest has the hottest men! And this summer, MR. GAY EUROPE finals will be held in Budapest in July.
The Mr. Gay Europe Pageant is much more than a beauty contest. The young man selected will be more than just a pretty face and a nice body. While physical beauty will be part of the judges’ considerations, it is a young man’s inner beauty that will make the difference in their selection.
Mr Gay Europe – celebrates the gay European man and pays tribute to the diversity as well as what we have in common as gay men in Europe. The theme for the competition is “brotherhood and uniting gay Europe” and there has already been some interesting conversations going on about the difference of being gay in for instance Bulgaria and Sweden. This is the second time, that this competition takes place.
With all the architectural style of Paris and Prague but without the accompanying expense, Budapest is fast becoming a holiday hot spot. Ever since Hungary’s entrance into the European Union in 2004, the city has been progressing at the rate of knots — but, thankfully, prices have remained low. Located in the city center, you can stay at the Best Western Grand Hungaria for $87 per night, or the equally central Buda Castle Apartment next to Chain Bridge for $48 per night, or the Marco Polo Youth Hostel for a mere $33 per night.
(If you’re going to Budapest or Prague, check out Prague Saints for gay travel packages and accommodations!)
Hungary offers easily affordable restaurants and bars, making this the perfect place to go for a bachelor party or wild weekend away. Expect to pay around $13 for a meal out with drinks and $3.50 or so for a pint of beer. Do look out for restaurants without prices on the menu, however — this is a known tourist trap and should be avoided at all costs. Budapest isn’t only great for night owls; as it also offers a great cultural scene — most of it cheap or free, such as the Danube River, Buda Castle and Fishermen’s Bastion. Before you leave, make sure you pay a visit to the Szechenyi Turkish Baths, which you can get for $4 if you take less than two hours.
According to BudapestGayGuide, “Budapest is the capital of Hungary with appr. 2 million people living here. Best time to visit is from early April to middle of November. During the past few years, an interesting and lively gay scene has emerged in Eastern Europe, especially in Hungary. Budapest (“Paris of the East”) has always been known as a gay metropolis in Eastern Europe. However, you will not find gay bars and dance clubs or cafés for a specific audience (like a leather bar, a rent boy bar, a bar for chubbies, etc.). Everyone goes to the same places (age or preference doesn’t matter). All of the bars (except some baths) are in the center of Budapest’s Pest side, in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th district. Buda is hilly and residential, Pest is flat and the lively part of the city.”
Grand, tree-lined boulevards and neoclassical buildings from the 19th century. Neighborhoods with winding, narrow, cobblestone streets from medieval times. Antique-filled flea markets, fascinating book stores, inviting cafés with strong coffee and sweet confections, museums and concerts to delight the eye and ear.
Budapest has had a significant gay and lesbian population all the time. Discrimination started to decrease after 1990. Gay and lesbian Budapest is still preserving its separatism even today. Their annual celebration is the LMBT Festival (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual Festival) which is traditionally held in early July. The Budapest Pride is the biggest and oldest festival of its type in central Europe. – I had hoped to go this year to Prague and then Budapest for their Pride, but there is a conflict with dates for me. So instead, my partner and I will be doing Prague and Amsterdam Pride!~
For more information on Budapest visit BUDAPEST INFO and BUDAPEST GAY VISITOR.
Michael Lucas is Cleaning House And Selling His Clothes
going going gone!
Michael Lucas has been liquidating his closets at his studio!
“After a week, we sold about forty percent of the old wardrobe which was used in our films like Dangerous Liaisons, The Intern, Michael Lucas’ La Dolce Vita, Gigolo, and others. Not only have we emptied half of the numerous racks piled in our studio, but so far we have made enough to finance an incredible wardrobe for our big, annual blockbuster set to be filmed this summer.
There was a wide variety of buyers, from label queens bidding only on Dolce & Gabana shoes and Hermes sweaters to fans bidding on heavily-used sneakers. And of course there was my favorite item that sold—my Calvin Klein underwear, which received 22 bids and went for $123.50!
The good news is that I was emptying my storage over the weekend and now I’m going to get rid of another couple hundred items which I no longer use because, you know, how much clothing can one person have? 🙂 So here’s the deal, folks: the eBay sale is going to go on! “
There’s still time to grab some good stuff –
while supplies last!
Visit Michael Lucas
Visit his EBAY sale
Thank God It’s Friday…Somewhere!
Our entertainment news has been well received, so we have decided to add a regular “gossip” column Friday feature which covers short newsbites from the entertainment world, on a bi-weekly basis.
Let us know what you think!
And if you hear anything good,
send it to me!
malephotog (at) gmail.com
I AM NOT ONE TO GOSSIP, BUT…..it’s Friday and superstar Justin Timberlake has been unveiled as the new spokesmodel for fragrance house Parfums Givenchy, because he is “modern elegance” personified, ALLEGEDLY!
The SexyBack hitmaker will front a new advertising campaign for an as-yet-unknown men’s fragrance this autumn. – Alain Lorenzo, Parfums Givenchy’s president, says, “Beyond his immense international notoriety, we chose Justin Timberlake because he’s a true trendsetter who has redefined modern elegance.” – yeah right, and both gay men and women happen to LOVE HIM!
In more designer news… we’ve got Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, a documentary about the out fashion designer, Marc Jacobs, who is the driving force behind the Louis Vuitton name. Think of it as Project Runway without anyone getting “auffed” by Heidi!
Ricky Martin – YIKES! Whats up with that bear cub look? Has Ricky ditched his rico-suave look for a bristly bear cub?? He won a couple awards last week at the Premio Lo Nuestro awards in Miami and sported a hairy look….and a few extra pounds.
Oscar mania this weekend!
Just in time for the Oscars – Hollywood sighed with relief when the Writer’s Strike ended.
The show will go on but the parties won’t. Vanity Fair’s big daddy of all Oscar parties pulled their plug a few weeks ago. The strike also resulted in other casualties: the People magazine party and the bash that ‘young’ Hollywood always looks forward to, the late night soiree of uber-manager Rick Yorn and super agent Patrick Whitesell were also cancelled.
Outside of the Governor’s Ball, the no-brainer first stop of the Oscar night party circuit, what’s a celeb to do? Where is Jeffrey Sanker when you need him?!
Well, her Madonna has stepped up to the plate and put together a ‘last minute’ party with the help of her manager, Guy Oseary, and pal Demi Moore.
The party will reportedly take place in the Westside hills (we’re guessing Brentwood?). A few hundred people have been invited. Someone who’s seen the guest list said, “Everybody’s on it. It gives the A-list Vanity Fair crowd someplace to go to. It will probably be pared down to where it’s 85% talent, not a lot of suits.”
It’s also been reported that Prince is hosting an Oscar’s bash at his new Benedict Canyon home. According to a source, the RSVP list supposedly includes, “Kate and Tom, Will Smith, Salma and Penelope.” – Hmmmm, mine must have gotten lost in the mail!
Taylor Dayne is back again. After talking about a comeback for 3 years, finally, her new album is out. It was 20 years ago this month that “Tell It to My Heart” hit the charts and transformed her into a late-’80s dance-pop star. Now 45 and the single mother of 5-year-old twins Astaria and Levi, which she had by surrogate, Dayne is plotting a comeback.
SATISFIED is getting some mixed reviews – Her First album in 10 years with 13 brand new tracks!
On Broadway – The first musical of the 2007-08 season already is in sight.
“Xanadu,” based on the campy 1980 film about a Greek muse who helps a young man build a disco roller rink, will open June 26 at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Preview performances begin May 23.
The musical will star Kerry Butler as Kira, the role played in the movie by Olivia Newton-John. The film also featured Michael Beck and the legendary Gene Kelly.- No other casting for the musical was announced but the show has a book by Douglas Carter Beane, author of this season’s “The Little Dog Laughed.” It will feature songs from the movie by John Farrar and Jeff Lynne.
In other Broadway news, hot hunk Mario Lopez will make his Broadway debut in the revival of “A Chorus Line.” He won’t be hoofing up his heels, as he did with “Dancing With The Stars” but instead will play Zach, the producer, mostly a voice really for most of the show. The ink is not dry yet on his contract and word has it “Chicago“, which is still running on Broadway, wants him for a 6 or 8 week run to boost their sales…..
GAY CARE BEARS NEWS –
$17,000 FOR a DAVID HYDE PIECE AND CLAY AIKEN autograph ?
Last week, out actor Bryan Batt (Mad Men) hosted Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS annual Broadway Bears fundraiser which raised $127,000 for the worthy organization.
The event raises money by auctioning off teddy bears dressed as famous Broadway character such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Elphaba from Wicked. (Alas, there was no Edna Turnblad from Hairspray, who is already halfway to teddy bear as it is!). Most are then autographed by the stars who (mostly) wore the same costumes for the shows.
So which bear snagged the most moola? It was Sir Robin Spamalot signed by David Hyde Pierce and Clay Aiken, and the winning bid was $17,000.
That’s all the dirt that’s fit to print this week! See you in 2 weeks! Toodles!
Did Obama Do Cocaine And Have Gay Sex????
Larry Sinclair, the man who claims to have done cocaine and fellated Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), will be paid $10,000 to take a lie detector test to substantiate it.
If the test indicates he is telling the truth, the amount will jump to $100,000. The payment and reward are being offered by political commentary website WhiteHouse.com (not affiliated with WhiteHouse.gov).
“My motivation for making this public is my desire for a presidential candidate to be honest,” Sinclair, of Duluth, Minnesota, tells right-wing publication WorldNetDaily. “I didn’t want the sex thing to come out. But I think it is important for the candidate to be honest about his drug use as late as 1999.”
In November of 1999, Sinclair charges, he snorted cocaine, while Senator Obama smoked crack, in the back of Sinclair’s limousine. Sinclair then says he performed oral sex on the Senator in a hotel room in Chicago, and later in nearby Gurnee.
After attempting to make contacts within mainstream media, Sinclair instead took his story to YouTube last month. The video, embedded below, has been viewed nearly 350,000 times.
Claiming harassment in an effort to supress his story, Sinclair has filed a federal lawsuit against Senator Obama, Obama campaign consultant David Axelrod and the Democratic National Committee. In the pages, available below, Sinclair claims slander, Internet harassment, including physical threats, and attempts to suppress his speech in violation of his First Amendment rights.
The polygraph is scheduled to be administered February 26 (?), in time for the results to be released before the TX and OH primaries. should be intertesting!
****SIDENOTE****
Larry took the test – and failed this week! Go back to your trailer Larry.
GAY TRAVEL SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE DEBUTS
Sensing an opening in the marketplace for a travel information website that allowed gays and lesbians to search for venues and events in a given location during specified dates, the Gaypedia.com team dove headfirst into building a social networking site where their team as well as members would add content, upload photos and videos, and produce travel diaries about events and vacations that could be shared with gaypedia friends around the globe. “The gay world changes so quickly that we were finding information in travel guides to be constantly out-of-date or inaccurate,” says Ryan Haynes, Gaypedia.com’s Marketing Manager. “With such a large international gay community and pride festivals getting bigger and bigger we designed a site where gays and lesbians can find everything in one place.” Simultaneously the site also hopes to keep the international GLBT community up to date on the gay friendly destinations where they can safely vacation without fear of discrimination or homophobia, as well as places within the boundaries of less gay friendly destinations that are gay and lesbian havens. “It was essential we included a section detailing legislation and equality for homosexuals in each destination, many countries still discriminate against us however there is often a strong underground gay scene. Gaypedia will give travelers the insider information,” Haynes said. Gaypedia.com expects to eventually branch out into all aspects of gay and lesbian lifestyles to provide an integrated interactive information portal, but will launch with over 45 destinations, 1,500 venues and nearly 100 events worldwide as well as its fully integrated Gaypedia mapping service which identifies where all venues and events are within a chosen city, courtesy of a gay Googling tool.
According to an article at GayWired this weekend, Gaypedia.com , a new online travel information and social networking portal that aims to become the largest database of destinations, venues and events specifically designed for the gay and lesbian community officially launched this week
Thank God It’s Friday….Somewhere!
Our entertainment news has been well received, so we have decided to add a regular “gossip” column Friday feature which covers short newsbites from the entertainment world, on a weekly basis.
Let us know what you think!
And if you hear anything good,
send it to me!
malephotog (at) gmail.com
I AM NOT ONE TO GOSSIP, BUT…..it’s Friday and
For comedienne Joan Rivers, almost everything is fair game: race, sex, death and, of course, her life. That’s the subject on her latest project, an autobiographical play, Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress, which premiered this week at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
“I’m truly working the best angle, and that’s age. Age has freed me — I don’t have to hold back on anything. I’ve never worked so strongly and so freely in my life. And that’s because I have nothing to lose. I’ve already been fired. I’ve already been bankrupt. I’ve already had the suicide. I’ve already had my daughter not talk to me for a while. I’ve already had all kinds of things taken from me. So I might as well say what I think,” River says.
Kathy Griffin will not be hosting the GAYVN’s this month in San Francisco, but instead drag diva Lady Bunny will play hostess for the porn awards show. LB is the hardest working performer I know! We have been trying to get her for an interview for this site since last fall and she is constantly busy, jet-setting around the country performing and working on projects. She recently shot the sequel for Another Gay Movie – Gays Gone Wild! Ru Paul will also make an appearance.
Gay-for-pay porn star bodybuilder Mark Dalton will remain in jail until at least January 2009. The Texas Dept. of Corrections Parole Board informed Dalton that his parole has been denied, with no appeal for one more year. He could serve until 2011! Can you just that hottie behind bars???
Hottie Channing Tatum has been cast as Duke in the upcoming film G.I.Joe which will be out in 2009. HIs career is on fire! He has 3 movies coming out this year including one called the Stanford Prision Experiment with Ryan Phillipe! Now that’s an experiment I want to see! – He will also be in Oliver Stone’s Pinkville, with Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelson. Want to see Channing nude??? Check out Billy Masters site!
The famous Times Square Naked Cowboy is suing Mars, Inc. for using his trademark tighty-whities and guitar on a dancing M&M, and he says that the company offered him $50,000 to shut up. But he sure as hell does not plan to. Robert Burck aka Naked Cowboy — wants around $6 million from Mars, according to papers filed in Federal Court in New York. And he intends to wear his minimalist getup in open court — and says he wants his lawyer to do the same, just for solidarity!
SIEGFRIED AND ROY ANNOUNCE ONE-NIGHT ONLY SPECIAL BENEFIT SHOW
siegfried and roy lou ruvo brain institute keep memory alive foundation Turbo Tagger
We have talked about the reunion here before, but this weekend magicians Siegfried and Roy made it official!
The former Las Vegas fixtures, whose decade-long residency at the Mirage abruptly ceased four and a half years ago when Roy Horn was mauled by one of their famed white tigers, will return to the stage next year for a one-night engagement benefiting the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute’s Keep Memory Alive foundation.
Roy Horn (63) and Siegfried Fischbacher (68) announced their comeback Saturday at the institute’s 12th annual Alzheimer’s benefit at the MGM Grand Garden. This year, tickets to the charity dinner cost $1,500; the event raised more than $12 million. They will perform NEXT February at a location yet to be confirmed.
Siegfried & Roy’s publicist, Dave Kirvin, said the German-born pair are currently working out the details and he would be “very surprised if animals were not part of the performance.”
Horn lost a lot of blood and eventually underwent surgery to relieve pressure in his brain. It was touch and go for some time before he embarked on the long road to recovery—physical therapy is still on the daily agenda—and, as it turned out, retirement.
“The stage is my life. It took some adjustment. I was really not ready for it,” Fischbacher told the Las Vegas Review Journal in December.
But Horn’s recovery “cheers me up,” he said. “All the doctors say what he’s doing now is impossible. I’ve always said, ‘I am the magician and Roy is the magic.’ And Roy shows me every day the magic—the magic of life.”
Horn, who said that he still hangs out with Montecore, his “lifesaver,” would only offer a teaser when asked about the possibility of a return to live performing.
The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, designed by architect Frank Gehry, is set to open in downtown Las Vegas next year.
BUMP! The Ultimate Gay Travel Companion Enters Third Season
Bump! is the world’s first gay and lesbian travel and lifestyle television series. It is unique and international in scope. In each episode Bump! presents a new gay-friendly destination in a stylish and upbeat format.
Bump! travels the globe in search of fascinating gay human-interest stories. From gay tourism hotspots like Miami and London, to urban centres such as Montreal and Los Angeles, Bump! focuses its lens on gay and lesbian communities around the globe.
Finding a gay and lesbian-friendly travel destination doesn’t mean having to focus on the well-known gay villages or tourism hotspots in urban centres anymore.
Charlie David, (from Dante’s Cove) Canadian co-host of the American TV series “Bump,” has found gay and lesbian-centric getaways in remote corners of the world as travel companies and governments cater to the culture.
“What I’m finding more and more and what we’re discovering through the series is gay and lesbian life around the world is becoming less and less ghetto-ized, which is fantastic,” David, who hails from Yorkton, Sask., said in a phone interview.
“I don’t mean ghetto in kind of a derogatory type of term, just, you know, a group of people living together. They were developed out of being kind of safe havens for people in many ways, and now it’s not as much needed.”
“Bump,” which kicks off its third season on Outtv in Canada this week, takes viewers to places and events that are of interest to the LGBT – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender/transsexual – traveller.
David has been with the show since Season 2 and has journeyed to dozens of cities, some of which are hidden-gem vacation spots for LGBT tourists. Examples include a little fishing village in Brazil called Paraty, a ski resort in Telluride, Colo., and Calgary – one of David’s favourites.
“Oh my gosh, I loved Calgary … OK, I like cowboys,” David, who is openly gay himself, laughed over the line from Los Angeles.
“But Calgary for me, I guess, being from Saskatchewan originally, it’s very similar. It feels like home. But they are so friendly there. It is such a friendly city and we showcased the gay rodeo while we were there and to see the sportsmanship of those guys and gals out there riding the bulls and doing all their rodeo contests, it was crazy.”
That’s not to say the series doesn’t highlight the more popular gay neighbourhoods and events like splashy pride parades. It’s just that while there, David and his camera crew also seek out spots that are relevant to LGBT culture but not heavily promoted.
“I think the best example is when we did Paris, I didn’t go and do a piece on the Eiffel Tower,” said David, whose co-host is lesbian playwright Shannon McDonough.
“So pieces that I did there were a tour of Musee d’Orsay from a homosexual perspective in terms of which artists might have been gay or had that influence or through the art . . . Or a tour of Le Marais, which is almost like Church Street in Toronto, that type of thing.”
With travel corporations creating gay and lesbian cruises, resorts and hotels, “it’s more difficult to, in some ways, find some of those extremely gay-centric or gay-only type of neighbourhoods and places,” said David.
“Buenos Aires was an amazing example of that, as well as throughout Scandinavia,” he said.
“There, it’s not like you’ll have a Church Street (in Toronto) or a Davie Village in Vancouver or that type of thing. There are establishments that are either gay or lesbian-friendly, or gay-owned or lesbian-owned, throughout the whole city and it’s not so much of, like, ‘Oh, this is the only place that’s safe for us,’ which I think is a huge statement because that would not have been the scenario 20 years ago.”
Government sponsorship is also helping, he said.
“There are places in Greenland that are really strongly advocating, you know, ‘Hey, gay and lesbian tourists, come visit here. We’re an open city, we’re an open place, you can come dog sledding, you can have a completely different experience,’ and that’s awesome,” said David.
HILLARY CLINTON WITH APPEAL TO GAY AMERICANS
Senator Hillary Clinton issued an open letter to LGBT Americans Monday, saying “America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before.”
By Senator Hillary Clinton
As I have traveled around the country these past twelve months, what I sensed in my heart has been confirmed – America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before. On the campaign trail, a father of a gay son will ask about ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A woman will ask why she can be discriminated against just because of who she is. Sometimes they wait furtively for the crowd to thin and then whisper their confidences in a soft voice and sometimes they stand up proudly at town meetings and want me to share my views on how I will help lead the change to assure that this country fulfills its promise to everyone.
Let me tell you what I have been telling voters across America. I am fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans. For seven long years, the Bush Administration has tried to divide us – only seeing people who matter to them. It’s been a government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And no community has been more invisible to this administration than the LGBT community.
I will change that. The best evidence of what I will do as President is what I have already done.
I am proud of my record as First Lady, as a U.S. Senator and as a candidate for President in working toward the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans.
· I am proud that as Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in 2006, I worked closely with LBGT community to develop a smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment. I am proud of fighting the FMA as divisive wedge politics at its worst.
· I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act which would grant the same benefits (including health insurance) to domestic partners of federal employees that are currently offered to employees’ legal spouses.
· I am proud to have authored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands access to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV, and fought to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act.
· I am proud that I hired a National Director of LGBT Outreach within a month of announcing my candidacy for President and to have openly gay and lesbian staffers serving at all levels of my campaign.
· I am proud to have a National LGBT Steering Committee of over 130 that includes openly LGBT elected officials, Board members and opinion leaders on issues ranging from transgender rights, to HIV/AIDS, to “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.
· I am proud to have marched in Gay Pride parades as both First Lady and as Senator and to have spoken in front of so many LGBT audiences ranging from the Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, the Hetrick Martin Institute, PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.
· I am proud to have fought Republican efforts to demonize and marginalize the LGBT community, and I will continue to do that as President.
We have so much work to do. When I am President, we will work together to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits and that nothing stands in the way of loving couples who want to adopt children in need. We’re going to expand our federal hate crimes legislation and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and assure that they are both fully inclusive of all people. And finally, we will put an end to the failed policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice – the traits that define our men and women in uniform – have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
My father was a conservative Republican, who held very traditional views for much of his life. Yet in his last years, it was a gay couple who lived next door who provided much of the compassion and comfort he and my mother needed as he grew ill. And it was that same neighbor who held his hand as he died. If my father can move, America can move.
To each and every LGBT American, I say this. You have done so much to help this country understand your lives by simply being open and honest about who you are and living your lives with dignity. Thank you for your courage. It is time that we recognize your hard work. I know that this country is ready for changes in the law that reflect the evolution in our hearts.
America deserves a President who appeals to the best in each of us, not the worst; a President who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love. I want to be that President. I want to be your President.
CHER AT CEASARS ! WITH BETTE AND ELTON JOHN
THE INK IS DRY AND IT’S A DONE DEAL…..THE FAREWELL TOUR CONTINUES!
Cher has signed a 3 year, 200 show $60 million deal with Ceasar’s Palace.
We reported here a couple months back, that Better Midler was in fact replacing Celine Dion at Ceasars. Allegedly Midler signed a 2 year contract, 200 show deal. Negotiations were also going on with Diana Ross but eventually fell apart. And Ceasars is said to have extended Elton Johns current contract out for another year. Cher will open her show in May and says it will be “Visually Unbelievable”!
Gay Marriage? Unrestricted Travel? Cubans Speak Out!
gay cuba gay marriage gay travel Turbo Tagger
A Cuban minister who accepts gay marriages and traveling permits for Cubans wishing to leave or travel to the island may finally be eliminated, seem to be evidence of a new tolerant environment in the continent’s longest lasting dictatorship.
Public statements were made during a debate sponsored by interim president Raúl Castro, brother of ailing Fidel, to bring to light shortcomings and disappointments with the system and thus help to “deepen communism”.
Culture Minister Abel Prieto, a member of the party’s powerful Politburo, said Tuesday night that he supports gay marriage, and Silvio Rodriguez, an ardent defender of Fidel Castro as well as a leading voice of the Cuban revolution, said he believes all Cubans should be free to travel abroad and stay in hotels currently reserved for foreign tourists.
“I think that marriage between lesbians, between homosexuals can be perfectly approved and that in Cuba that wouldn’t cause an earthquake or anything like that,” Prieto told a small group of reporters following the presentation of a documentary on Rodriguez’s career at Havana’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Cuban lawmakers have received a proposal to allow gay marriages, though its progress in the legislature, which usually only meets twice a year, remains unclear.
COMIN’ AT YA! 3-D Vintage Homoerotic Book By Denny Denfield
Vintage soft porn in 3-D!
This is a very kitschy collection of full-colour, sexually explicit 3-D photographs of men taken in the early 1950s by Denny Denfield (1918-1992), an amateur physique photographer in California who worked as an accountant for the US Army.
Denfield’s photographs, never distributed publicly given their illegality at the time, display a skill, wit, and daring rarely seen, and with their rich Kodachrome colours and mid-century decors, can now be appreciated for their rogueish, almost naïve charm.
The accompanying narrative by David L. Chapman, from whose own private collection these photographs appear, sheds fascinating light on Denfield’s secret life and work (stereography had been invented in 1850, but the advent of a compact, easy-to-use 3-D camera in 1947 allowed amateurs like Denfield to produce their own). And a narrative by acclaimed Montreal writer and scholar Thomas Waugh (Lust Unearthed, Out/Lines, Gay Art: A Historic Collection) places Denfield’s work in the historical context of homoerotic photography over the last century.
It was actually Robert Mizer, of the Athletic Model Guild, who suggested to Denfield in the 1950’s that he try to experiment with the 3-D technology. Denfield was the first photographer of the era to use 3-D to shoot naked and half-naked men! – The 3-D photographs are comprised of dual images which “come alive” when viewed through the 3-D glasses, supplied with the book. Equal parts kitschy, informed, and sexy, Comin’ at Ya! is a collection that is both fun and historically fascinating. – Glasses are included. This is not high-definition, mind you. It’s vintage 3-D using technology that is fifty years old. But still fun and entertaining nonetheless.
* The book was made ring bound, to ensure the pages lay flat
when trying to view with the 3-d glasses.
207 Pages, Arsenal Pulp Press, $27.95
denny denfield gay books vintage physique photography Turbo Tagger
Anti-gay minister Fred Phelps will protest at the funeral of actor Heath Ledger
Fred Phelps Heath Ledger Brokeback Mountain Turbo Tagger
Does this man have nothing better to do?!
Anti-gay minister Fred Phelps has vowed to protest at the funeral of actor Heath Ledger, who was tragically found dead on Tuesday. Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church is legendary for their hatred of gays and protests at the funerals of gay-bashing victims and soldiers in the U.S. military.
“God hates fag-enablers,” the Westboro Baptist Church proclaimed in a news release issued yesterday, concluding with: “Heath Ledger is now in Hell and has begun serving his eternal sentence—beside which, nothing else about Heath Ledger is relevant or consequential.”
Ledger was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for his role as a gay cowboy in the Ang Lee directed film Brokeback Mountain, based on a short story by E. Annie Proulx.
“Heath Ledger thought it was great fun defying God Almighty and his plain word,” the statement from Westboro read. “God hates the sordid tacky, bucket of slime seasoned with vomit known as Brokeback Mountain—and He hates all persons having anything whatsoever to do with it.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said: “Heath Ledger will forever be remembered for his groundbreaking role as Ennis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. His powerful portrayal changed hearts and minds in immeasurable ways. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
Shirley Phelps-Roper stated Westboro Baptist Church members will protest memorial services in the United States, not those held in his homeland of Australia, according to Fox News. The church also plans to protest at the Academy Awards this year.
To date, the Topeka-based church has participated in over 30,000 anti-gay protests across the U.S., according to their web site. The church hosts a variety of derogatory web sites, including GodHatesAmerica . com and GodHatesFags . com – Westboro Baptist Church was recently ordered to pay $11 million to the father of a slain U.S. soldier for picketing at his son’s funeral, according to bGay.com.
IF YOU LIVE IN AUSTRALIA IT’S TIME TO BAND TOGETHER AND SHOW SOME STRENGTH!
MAY HEATH LEDGER REST IN PEACE!
(For a complete listing of Fred Phelps followers around the country visit Kill Fred Phelps site. )
Brokeback Mountain Star Heath Ledger Dead at 28
heath ledger brokeback mountain batman Turbo Tagger
In breaking news from the United States this morning, police have confirmed that Academy Award nominated actor Heath Ledger has died of a suspected drug overdose in New York.
He was 28.
The actor was found naked and unconscious in his $26,000-a-month Manhattan apartment, surrounded by prescription anti-anxiety and sleeping pills.
The New York Times reported Ledger was discovered by a masseuse who arrived at his apartment for an appointment.
Three bottles of prescription pills found in Heath Ledger’s Manhattan apartment in SoHo contained antidepressants and Ambien, a police source told PageSix.com. It ws said recently Ledger had been battling drug addiction and depression.
Ledger reportedly spent several days at a drug rehabilitation clinic, battling an addiction to heroin, after his split from fiancee Michelle Williams in September.
Ledger had just finished playing The Joker in the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight — a role that looked certain to set him up financially for the rest of his life.
LAS VEGAS in the news again – PALAZZO and DIANA ROSS
diana ross las vegas Palazzo siegfried and roy frank marino bernie yuman Turbo Tagger
Was it real or was it Memerox? Motown icon Diana Ross, playing before her largest Las Vegas crowd in years, kept everyone guessing and wondering: was it live or a masterpiece of music technology?
The former Supremes star raised suspicions during her nine-song performance at Saturday’s concert capping the grand opening weekend of the $1.9 billion Palazzo. – it’s called “a world-class luxury hotel, casino and resort with a design reminiscent of high-end locales such as Beverly Hills, Bel-Air and Rodeo Drive”. – 3000 rooms – 400 suites – 6 villas!
Ross’ voice was spectacular, but there were questions because she not only performed with a sound track that included backup singers and a band, she also requested that she not appear on the jumbo screens on each side of the stage. – Ross’ diva reputation remains firmly intact. She also requested that no photographers be allowed to shoot her performance — which didn’t stop hundreds from using cell phones — and she declined to attend a pre-concert VIP meet-and-greet.
One of Ross’ biggest fans, female impersonator and Riviera headliner Frank Marino, insisted it was vintage Ross.
“I was right up front and everything coming out of the mic was 100 percent her,” said Marino, who has made a career of lip-synching Joan Rivers.
“She was using a click track; it’s what people use on a corporate gig,” he said. “The tracks are laid down for your music and your background vocals are on there.
Longtime Siegfried and Roy manager Bernie Yuman and Nicole Durr, who produced the short-lived “Havana Nights” at the Stardust, are reportedly working with Hollywood heavyweight publicist Ken Sunshine on an entertainment project for the Palazzo. Sunshine, who represents Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake and Leonardo DiCaprio, was spotted at the Palazzo concert on Saturday. …
ELSEWHERE around town, Michael Jackson and his children, were seen having lunch Sunday at Planet Hollywood restaurant (Forum Shops at Caesars) so he is still alive and well. … Chelsea Clinton was enjoying a victory dinner with friends at Koi ( Planet Hollywood Resort) on Saturday…. Drew Barrymore and actor Justin Long, catching dinner Saturday at Fix restaurant (Bellagio). … Music star Lenny Kravitz, checking into the Penthouse Suite at the Hard Rock Hotel. – SOOOO LA!
The Beat Goes On With Jackie Beat
jackie beat P-town drag queen wigstock female impersonator west hollywood Turbo Tagger
Ok – so this really does not have much to do with travel! But, I was in a bar yesterday and saw these 2 hilarious JACKIE BEAT videos! Came home and found them on YOU TUBE and wanted to share them with you.
BEAVER is set to FEVER and is about a sex change. BABY GOT FRONT is about junk in the front!
Hilarious! Drag superstar JACKIE BEAT has been entertaining audiences across the U.S. and in Europe for over ten years with her razor-sharp comedy and hysterical song parodies. Jackie not only warps hits by Britney Spears, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Cher and many others, but she flawlessly sings her twisted new versions LIVE — hitting every last note.
If you get to Los Angeles, Jackie is always performing somewhere! Including Mondays @ Here Lounge, 696 N. Robertson and Thursdays @ Hamburger Marys, 8288 Santa Monica Blvd. Check out her MySpace page and her Official Website for up to date news! In 2008, she’ll be visiting Alabama, Ohio, Indiana and she’ll spend the summer entertaining in P-Town!
Kylie Minogue X TOUR
kylie minogue kylieXtour kylie x tour Turbo Tagger
Kylie Minogue touring Europe with a brand new show in 2008! Inspired by her latest album ‘X’, Kylie and her creative team have devised a new show that she describes herself as “fresh, exhilarating and innovative”.
The new show will be a totally different concept to previous Minogue spectaculars, which have seen her fuse her remarkable creativity with groundbreaking technology to become one of the most respected live performers of our time.
Kylie’s 2008 tour opens in Paris on May 6 and progresses throughout Europe, reaching the UK on June 26 when she plays at Belfast’s Odyssey. The tour then continues with dates in Glasgow, Manchester and London, concluding at London’s 02 Arena.
May 6th Paris, Bercy
May 7th Antwerp, Sportpaleis
May 9th Stuttgart, Schleyerhalle
May 10th Frankfurt, Festhalle
May 12th Prague, Sazka
(For the PRAGUE show,
PRAGUE SAINTS has put together a special KYLIE PACKAGE!)
May 14th Vienna, Stadthalle
May 15th Budapest, Sports Arena
May 27th Cologne, Arena
May 29th Munich, Olympiahalle
June 7th Hamburg, Colorline Arena
June 8th Copenhagen, Forum
June 10th Oslo, Spektrum
June 11th Stockholm, Globe
June 13th Helsinki, Hartwall Arena
June 22nd Berlin, Velodrom
June 23rd Rotterdam, Ahoy
June 26/27 Belfast, Odyssey Arena
July 5/6 Glasgow, S.E.C.C. (0870 040 4000)
July 14/15 Manchester, M.E.N. Arena (0844 847 8000)
July 26/27 London, 02 Arena (0844 856 0202)
Tickets are from also available from www.kylie.com (0871 230 1087) and (0870 735 5000).
Kylie said today: “I am putting together a show that is going to be a new and exciting experience for both the audience and myself. The eclectic mix of sounds on ‘X’ is affording me an opportunity to explore and develop a new live show that will be fresh, exhilarating and innovative. After two celebratory tours, ‘X’ will be a look to the future but will definitely include favourites alongside the new. I can’t wait to share it with you next year! See you soon!”
Will The AMAZON KINDLE Change The Way We Read? Is it Hotter Than the iPhone?
 do the same? Perhaps, it’s currently SOLD-OUT and they are taking names for the waiting list!<BR></DIV><br />
<DIV><BR> Three years ago, AMAZON set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is the Kindle. Imagine, never carry paper! Built-in wireless connectivity is changing the world further. </DIV><br />
<DIV><br />
<P><EM>“We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time. </EM></P><br />
<P><EM>We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.”</EM></P><br />
<P>With <I>Whispernet</I>, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand. </P><br />
<P>And because you know you can’t judge a book by its cover, Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of books for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading. <FONT size=2>The Kindle enables you to download the first chapter of over 90,000 books for no cost. Read and decide if you want to buy the rest of the book. </FONT>Want to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper subscriptions start with a risk-free two-week trial. <BR><BR>Pretty amazing times we are living in! Remember when we thought Beta-max and VHS was cool?!</P></DIV><br />
<P><IFRAME style=)
Amazon Kindle paperless iPhone wireless Turbo TaggerGay Barcelona and the very gay Matinee Group
Coming soon – Once again, Matinée Group is pushing musical trends forward in presenting Matinée Group Compilation Winter 2008 Edition, a double CD mixed by two of the hottest DJs on the current house music scene: DJ J.Louis and DJ Iordee, nominated for the X National Music Awards for Dance Music in the category of best DJs of the year and best DJs in Ibiza.
10 Years strong! Barcelona’s MATINEE GROUP is bigger than ever overseas! The group now hosts some of the biggest parties in the world! Everywhere from Spain to London to Italy. They ended 2007 with a MATINEE DECADA TOUR And they have a sizzling 2008 calendar available!
If you don’t know who these guys are, check out their MySpace page and watch the video.
The double compilation, which includes new tunes like Tocadisco “Morumbi”, Deux “The time is now” and Mastiksoul “Pungo”, is without a doubt a force to be reckoned with in the chart of best songs around at the moment and which will be played everywhere in 2008.
Pssst….Beat The Rush – Top 10 Up-and-Coming Destinations for 2008
GAY.com’s GT McCallan has just unveiled his top 10 picks for up and coming gay hot spots in 2008!
Beat the hordes and discover the most exhilarating, up-and-coming cities on 2008’s travel map before everyone checks them out and checks them off.
“We chose some of these cities for their burgeoning gay goings-on or progressive LGBT rights policies; some for their spectacular artistic and architectural wonders; some for their thrilling joie de vivre that’s getting people in travel circles talking; some for just being damn sexy.”
1. Santiago, Chile
Sashay south to Santiago: poised to become the next hot destination in South America. A small-but-burgeoning gay scene in Barrio Bellavista is where the city’s gay happenings are concentrated. Men should check out the sizzling scene at packed, multistory dance club Bokhara or the dozen gay bars that fill to overflowing on weekends. Girls can join Santiago‘s slew of hot femmes at friendly Amor Del Bueno, local joint Sui Generis and hopping dance club and bar Mascara.
2. Valencia, Spain
Spain‘s third-largest city, Valencia basks contentedly on the sun-saturated coast south of Barcelona. Surrounded by dramatic mountains and glorious orange groves, the city boasts its own fantastic scenery — impressive architecture, a character-steeped old town and lively lesbian and gay bars.
3. Austin, Texas
Long known as one of the most livable, liberal and free-thinking spots in the country, the home of the University of Texas and the hip South by Southwest Music and Film Festival offers a rockin’ music and club scene on Sixth Street, and an integrated — and growing — gay and lesbian community.
4. Marseille, France
Provence‘s most exciting city, this sexy Southern gem basks on the Mediterranean coast. Dance clubs and gay and lesbian bars throb with life (www.gay-provence.org), markets bustle and a joyous, yet somehow gritty spirit pervades throughout France‘s second-largest city.
Marseille…..
5. Denver, Colorado
The “Queen City of the Plains,” as it was glamorously named in 1859, Denver is a clean, elegant city with 200 parks and 10 times as many restaurants. Undergoing an urban revival, the city’s vibrant cultural scene and all sorts of secret hideaways beckon. The population of educated, fit and active denizens certainly adds to its appeal.
6. Dublin, Ireland
Amply endowed with gay bars and clubs, and home to a smorgasbord of tempting gay-flavored restaurants, the Irish capital offers an irresistible mix of irreverent charm, exuberance and tradition. Ireland is set to be the scene of same-sex civil unions in 2008, yet another somewhat surprising Catholic country to introduce such progressive legislation.
White sands of Cape Town …. Hot exotic men in Istanbul…….
7. Cape Town, South Africa
Like Seattle, San Francisco and Sydney, Cape Town shares the magical combination of water, culture and geographical beauty that make for an extraordinary visit. The gay village teems with life; gay beaches, such as Sandy Bay, are perfect places to soak up the charms of South Africa‘s most enticing city.
8. Shanghai, China
If Beijing is like Washington, D.C. — a government-dominated and monumental city — Shanghai is an up-and-coming New York, with a brash commercial side, new skyscrapers surging up by the second, impatient drivers honking continuously and crowds clipping briskly along. Hot bar, restaurant and gay scenes are on the rise.
9. Istanbul, Turkey
There is something for everyone in Istanbul — the modern, the traditional, nightlife, good food, history, art and monumental architecture, and friendly people. Slightly mysterious and exotic, and yet often comfortably familiar, Istanbul is one of Europe’s largest cities — although it feels like a collection of contradictory cities all intermingled and overlapped.
10. Cardiff, Wales
A well-kept secret, the capital of Wales is an unexpected delight. Restaurants, bars and boutiques line Mermaid Quay in the docklands that line Cardiff Bay, and the city boasts eight LGBT bars and clubs. The annual gay Mardi Gras celebration, held underneath Cardiff Castle every September, attracts up to 40,000 to the biggest gay party in Wales.
– For me personally, I am heading to Prague this summer! I have heard it has become the hotbed of gay porn and sex clubs – not to mention a beautiful city. I am told the food is as amazing as are the men!
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