Joe.My.God. LGBT News

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 …

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

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.

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. …

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 …

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 …

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!

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 …

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, …

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 …