Joe Jervis

Jodie Foster Gives Big To Trevor Project

The Trevor Project, the nation’s only 24/7 suicide hotline for gay and questioning youth, has just received the largest donation in its history from actress Jodie Foster. The Trevor Project is in the middle of a fundraising campaign aimed to support the opening of two new call centers. Foster made the donation in the name of the late Oscar winner …

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Montreal Pride Back On

Montreal’s Pride parade is back on, rescued by a new community group called Celebrations LGBTA Montreal. (The “A” in their LGBTA stands for “amis”.) Montreal Pride is now scheduled for July 28th & 29th. In May, Divers/Cité (the group that has put on the parade in the past) backed out, citing wishes to focus on their gay cultural festival which …

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Beverly Sills Near Death

Legendary opera diva and gay icon Beverly Sills, 78, is reported to be near death from lung cancer. Sills is in a Manhattan hospital with her daughter at her side. While she retired from performing in 1980, Sills has continued to be a force on the NYC opera scene, becoming the chair of the Metropolitan Opera in 2002. Like many …

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Just Asking

From a blind item in today’s Page Six column: “Just asking: Which members of the State Assembly are in trouble with their gay children because they voted no on the same-sex marriage bill? A Queens member was chewed out by her lesbian daughter, and a Brooklyn member was tongue-lashed by his fashion designer son.” Does anybody know who these legislators …

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Dubya: More Pointless Hate

Our ignoble leader is threatening to veto the federal budget for Washington, DC unless a provision is reinserted to prevent DC from using any of the money for its domestic partners registry. Most of the money to operate the District of Columbia comes from local taxes but about 25% comes from a $120M federal appropriation. When the Democrats took over …

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Poll: 77% Of Republicans Support ENDA

The Log Cabin Republicans have released the results of a poll they consponsored which appears to show broad support for gay rights among Republicans, including a 77% support for ENDA. According to the poll, 48% support the repeal of DADT, 43% support gay marriage or civil unions, and 55% agree with the statement “the Republican Party has spent too much …

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HomoQuotable – Michael Bussee

“Some who heard our message were compelled to try to change an integral part of themselves, bringing harm to themselves and their families. Although we acted in good faith, we have since witnessed the isolation, shame, fear and loss of faith that this message creates.” – Former Exodus co-founder Michael Bussee, in a joint apology issued with two other former …

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Morning View – Waldorf-Astoria

Here’s the Lexington Avenue entrance of the Waldorf-Astoria at 50th Street. (The grander entrance is on Park Avenue.) The residence for the American ambassador to the UN is on the 42nd floor. The Waldorf was originally located on the site where the Empire State Building was built. The first three times I visited NYC as an adult, I stayed at …

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Open Thread Thursday

Who was your first gay crush? Did you act on it?.

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Out 100 Poll

Out Magazine is soliciting names for its annual year-end Out 100 list of LGBT folks that have “inspired, intrigued, entertained, or taught us or otherwise captured our collective imagination over the past year.” At the moment, I think I’m submitting Peter Tatchell, Daniel O’Donnell, and Sgt. Eric Alva. The final list will come out in the December 2007 issue.

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Prominent Queers Pile On
Clinton Bandwagon

Hillary Clinton’s campaign has announced an LGBT steering committee comprised of an impressive roster of 65 prominent queers who will help her reach out to gay voters, a list the likes of which we’ve likely never seen before. Among those on the committee: NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former HRC head Elizabeth Birch, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Eldie Acheson. …

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Lee Goes Legit

The NY Post has leaked the details of Spike Lee’s new Broadway venture and it’s a curious choice – a remake of the 1951 play Stalag 17, originally directed on Broadway by Jose Ferrer. It was made into a movie in 1954, winning multiple Oscars, including Best Actor for William Holden. Lee’s version is expected to open some time next …

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iPhonies

I passed by the midtown Apple Store yesterday where people were already lined up for Friday’s iPhone release. Some of them have been there since Monday. I’m trying to think of anything in the entire world worth waiting for five days in 90 degree weather. Maybe a winning lottery ticket. Suddenly I’m hoping for torrential thunderstorms. Maybe some hail. I …

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Towleroad: The “It” Blog

Andy Towle gets a nice mention in Newsweek this week, where Towleroad is named one of the five “It” blogs. Also mentioned: Perez Hilton, DailyKos, Deadspin, Cute Overload. Congrats, Andy!

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Grand Marshalls And Atheists

On Sunday I started my day at the Heritage of Pride press tent for the news conference with this year’s grand marshalls: Rev. Troy Perry and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. Facing an army of news cameras, they both spoke eloquently about gay rights and religious tolerance. At least, I presume they did, I couldn’t hear a dang thing, despite being less …

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HRC Launches Blog

The Human Rights Campaign has launched a blog called Back Story, where you can find up-to-the-minute information about their various projects. Chris Johnson, Back Story’s lead writer, has long been my primary contact at the HRC, tipping me off to the latest on what’s going on with their efforts on behalf of hate crimes legislation, marriage equality, etc. Good luck, …

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Pier Dance 2007

This year’s Pier Dance was a fantastic (if occasionally gruelling) exercise in trying to stay with your friends, as the crush of 5000 men continuously attempts to separate you. It was like being in that episode of Star Trek when they visit the planet where nobody ever dies. Definitely not for the claustrophobic. Still, I managed to hang onto the …

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John Edwards Tours LA’s Gay Center

(ABOVE: Curt Shepard, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Director of Government Relations; Lorri L. Jean, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer; Sen. John Edwards. PHOTO CREDIT: Gil Caan.) John Edwards toured LA’s gay community center today, interesting timing in light of his wife’s pro-gay marriage comments yesterday. Edwards visited the facility’s pharmacy, HIV clinic, and 24-bed shelter for …

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Broadway Roundup

Tickets for the upcoming musical version of Young Frankenstein will be $120, a new plateau for regular seats. Casting has been announced: Dr. Frankenstein: Roger Bart (played in the movie by Gene Wilder), Elizabeth: Megan Mullally (Madeline Kahn), Inga: Sutton Foster (Terri Garr), Frau Blucher: Andrea Martin (Cloris Leachman). Wicked leads last week’s grosses at $1.4M. Xanadu appears to be …

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Gay Marriage Splits Edwards Household

“I don’t know why somebody else’s marriage has anything to do with me. I’m completely comfortable with gay marriage. If he’s pleasant to me on the street, if his children don’t throw things in my yard, then I’m happy. It seems to me we’re making issues of things that honestly don’t matter.” – Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate …

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