Adam Lambert 'Gay'... What A Surprise!

NOCLUE, USA - Adam Lambert is gay.
The American Idol Season 8 runner-up ends any speculation in the next issue of Rolling Stone, out Friday. "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear I'm gay." He explains: "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."
The Idol favorite, who finished in second place after Kris Allen, says, "Right after the finale, I almost started talking about it to the reporters, but I thought, 'I'm going to wait for Rolling Stone, that will be cooler.' " He adds, " I'm proud of my sexuality."
Still, Lambert, 27, says he doesn't mind attention from the opposite sex. "I loved it this season when the girls went crazy for me," he says. "As far as I'm concerned, it's all hot."
But exactly what is his type? When Idol producers put him in a room to share with Allen, Lambert says his first thought was, "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."
As for the scandal over photos of Lambert in drag that surfaced on the Internet in March, he says, he forgot to remove photos from his profile on a social network for the Burning Man festival in Nevada. "Wasn't ready for that," he tells RS of the photos of him in costume making out with his ex. He was worried that people would think the drag ensemble was typical of him. "I've only dressed in drag three or four times. ... I don't tuck and wear breasts, that's not me."
Though Lambert supports the gay-rights movement, he doesn't want to be its poster boy. "I'm trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader."
Stereotypes about gays do annoy Lambert. "Clay Aiken's gay, and I'm gay, and we couldn't be more different. The only thing that is the same about everyone in the gay community is that we're gay. ... Why can't we talk about a human community?"
In addition to his homosexuality, Lambert shares other personal details with RS.
At 21, he was in a European tour of Hair for six months. That was when he dyed his hair black. In Germany, he started smoking pot and tried Ecstasy. But he does have limits. Among his dislikes: cocaine.
"That drug is such a reflection of the lack of self-esteem and control people have over themselves and their lives," he says.
from USA Today

Merv Never Revealed The Man Behind The Curtain

Merv Griffin was gay.
Why should that be so uncomfortable to read? Why is it so difficult to write? Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood in 2007? We can refer to it casually in conversation, but the mainstream media somehow remains trapped in the Dark Ages when it comes to labeling a person as gay.
Maybe that helps explain why Griffin, who died of prostate cancer Sunday at 82, stayed in the closet throughout his life. Perhaps he figured it was preferable to remain the object of gossip rather than live openly as "one of them." But how tremendously sad it is that a man of Merv's renown, of his gregarious nature and social dexterity, would feel compelled to endure such a stealthy double life even as the gay community's clout, and its levels of acceptance and equality, rose steadily from the ashes of ignorance.
I'm not at all insinuating that Griffin had a responsibility to come out. That was up to him.
But what a powerful message Griffin might have sent had he squired his male companions around town rather than Eva Gabor, his longtime good friend and platonic public pal. Imagine the amount of good Merv could have done as a well-respected, hugely successful, beloved and uncloseted gay man in embodying a positive image.
As it was, I loved the guy, finding him charismatic and charming. And I had more than a passing acquaintance with him, having worked on "The Merv Griffin Show" as a talent coordinator/segment producer in 1985-86 as the show was winding down. Around the office, Merv's being gay was understood but rarely discussed. We knew nothing of his relationships because he guarded his privacy fiercely, and we didn't pry.
Merv's secret gay life was widely known throughout showbiz culture, if not the wider America. It gained traction in 1991 when he was targeted in a pair of lawsuits: by "Dance Fever" host Denny Terrio, alleging sexual harassment; and by assistant Brent Plott, seeking $200 million in palimony. Both ultimately were dismissed.
Over the past 16 years of his life, however, Griffin deflected the sexuality questions with a quip, determining that his private life remained nobody's business. He certainly didn't owe us an explanation, but maybe he owed it to himself to remove the suffocating veil he'd been forced to hide behind throughout his adult life. Then again, Merv carved his niche in the entertainment world at a time when being gay wasn't OK, when disclosure was unthinkable and the allegation alone could deep-six one's career.
If you're Griffin, why would you think a judgmental culture would be any more tolerant as you grew into middle and old age? Even in the capital of entertainment -- in a business where homosexuality isn't exactly a rare phenomenon -- it's still spoken of in hushed tones or, more often, not at all. And Merv's brush with tabloid scandal no doubt only drove him further into the closet.
While it would seem everything has changed today, little actually has. You can count on the fingers of one hand, or at most two, the number of high-powered stars and public figures who have come out. Those who don't can't really be faulted, as rarely do honesty and full disclosure prove a boon to one's showbiz livelihood.
Nonetheless, the elephant that was his sexual orientation never really stopped following Griffin from room to room. He could duck it for a while, but it would always find him. It's disheartening that Merv had to die to shake it for good.
from The Hollywood Reporter / Ray Richmond

Gay Mexican Pop Star Praises Fan Support

MEXICO CITY - Christian Chavez, a member of the wildly popular Mexican band RBD, says he's lived the life he always wanted since coming out of the closet three months ago.
Chavez told the Televisa network Wednesday the public revelation allowed him to "begin a healing process in which I left things behind and began many wonderful things."
The 23-year-old singer made the announcement in March after photos of him kissing and exchanging rings with another man showed up on the Internet.
Chavez said fan support helped him overcome nervousness about an appearance in McAllen, Texas, shortly after his announcement.
"I was afraid to go on stage, but people were really, really nice," he said. "I felt free and could sing like I've never sung before."
He said the support was a reflection of a more open Mexican society, but added that he still wants to fight for gays to be respected - not just tolerated.
RBD rose to fame as the musically inclined cast of "Rebelde," a high school drama that became a long-running soap opera. The band has performed around the world in English and Spanish.
Chavez and the band were scheduled to leave this weekend for concerts in Romania and Spain.
from The Associated Press

Mike Jones Talks About His New Book

On a sunny Sunday morning in Denver's Cheesman Park, Mike Jones thumbs through a freshly-printed copy of his book, "I Had to Say Something: The Art of Ted Haggard's Fall." He picks out an excerpt, one of many detailing his alleged relationship with former New Life Church pastor, Ted Haggard-- and reads it out loud.
"I figured out that he (Haggard) lived in Colorado Springs, and that he worked for a church there," read Jones. "I knew he really liked sex toys and methamphetamine. Other than that, he was a mystery."
Jones closes the book and squints into the sunlight, thoughtful about Haggard, the man he says he knew simply as "Art," until he saw him on a religious television show. He says for nearly 3 years, Haggard had been a regular client of his massage business. In 256 pages, Jones details the monthly hour-long sessions he says Haggard paid him for, sessions that he says included sex, drugs and denial.
"After we would finish, he (Haggard) would always have an expression on his face, almost like guilt," said Jones. "He acted like what he was doing was wrong, probably because he had a wife, a family, and worked for the church."
Before deciding to write the book, Jones says he agonized for months over whether or not to go public with his story at all. He says he felt bad for Haggard's family, but ultimately worse for people in his own family: the gay community.
"The book is about more than Ted Haggard," said Jones. "It's about the Evangelical Church, and how they deal with homosexual issues. The problem is, they don't deal with them because they don't want to talk about it."
Jones says Haggard's public condemnation of the homosexual lifestyle is not what drove him to write his book, but rather, what Haggard didn't say in public.
"If he would have come out with the truth right away, he could have worked with the gay community, maybe even kept his job at his church, but that didn't happen," said Jones. "Instead, he twisted it around and brought everything on himself."
Haggard was fired from New Life Church in November. Co-pastor Rob Brendle says the congregation-- which has dwindled about 25 percent since then-- is moving on.
"We've made quite a bit of progress as a family," said Brendle. "Obviously, some of us are in different places along the healing path."
Some New Life members see Jones' book as an unwelcome round 2 of the scandal that rocked their church. Jones sees things differently.
"You know what, I'm going on round 50. Be a gay man and hear all the stuff I've had to listen to all my life. It's more than just round 2 for me."
from KKTV

Ellen -- "She's Gay?!"

In a long video post on her blog, Rosie O'Donnell claims fellow out lesbian Ellen DeGeneres is not allowed to talk about anything "gay, gay gay!" on her daytime talk show. Mum's the L word?
In her video, Rosie claims Ellen signed a contract that forbids her to mention anything to do with gay issues, adding, "I talk about 'gay' because I like to and she doesn't talk about it because she doesn't want to or she can't."
TMZ contacted a rep for Telepictures, producers of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," who jokingly said "She's gay? Who knew?" The rep then added that this is completely untrue, and that they have no such contracts with any of their hosts, saying,"Ellen is free to talk about whatever she wants and we encourage her to do so."
On an episode this week, Ellen joked about being able to stand upright following her recent back injury, saying, "I'm not quite straight. Well, you know that."
In 1997, Ellen publicly came out of the closet in a groundbreaking episode of her ABC series, paving the way for hit gay-themed TV shows like "Will & Grace" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."
TMZ is a joint venture between AOL and Telepictures, which produces "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
from TMZ

Is Your Husband In The Closet?

If you are suspicious about your husband's sexuality, here is a list of tell-tale signs that are going to make you even more nervous. Because these could be indicators of his preference for his own kind...

SIGHTSEEING ON HONEYMOON
The honeymoon is meant for lots of frolicking indoors. However, if your hubby is obsessing about sight-seeing more than exploring you, it could either mean that he has a low libido or he's... gay. Ignore this if your hubby's into photography or film, though.
HE SPENDS MORE TIME IN THE BATHROOM GETTING READY
The metrosexual revolution might have already happened, but please remember that men and women traditionally have different methods to grooming. As in women take hours. So if he's taking too long, then he's taking too long... to come out as well.
INSTEAD OF THE USUAL WORLD CUP PARTY, YOUR HUSBAND THROWS AN ACADEMY AWARD PARTY
Men like sports. So if he's throwing a World Cup Party, you shouldn't be that concerned. But if it's going to be an Academy Award party that is driving him dizzy with excitement... then honey, you've got male. Male rivals, that is. Then again, he needn't be into sports to be straight. That's too literal.
HE PICKS OUT THE CLOTHES HE WANTS YOU TO WEAR SO YOU REMAIN IN STYLE
There are only two options for this. He's pulling off a James Steward from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo or else he's a queen. There are no in-betweens, if he's obsessing about what you're wearing. This though only applies to dainty pretty dresses he likes to see on you. Don't mistake this for the 'the dress is too revealing, so don't wear it'.
YOU ARE THE ONE BEGGING TO COSY UP ALL THE TIME
Once again, let's get back to traditions and norms. Men have testosterone, something that makes them yearn for sex more than women. If you've the one who's begging for sex, he's either having an affair with another woman, or he's having an affair with another man. Or he's just not into women, and he's married you.
HE HAS AN UNDERWEAR FETISH...
Only that it's not for you. If your husband is collecting a range of funky looking underwear, they better be for you. Or else, someone else is having a blast at your expense.
HE WANTS TO DO A THREESOME... BUT WITH ANOTHER GUY...
Men like porn flicks with lesbians in them. But they wouldn't trade this fetish for sex with another man. Unless, he's bisexual of course. And if it's him making the request, it's not just good old-fashioned experimenting. It's sexperimenting... for his hunger. More importantly, threesomes are a tell-tale sign that something is amiss in a relationship – period – whether he's straight or pink. Romping with mirrors for enjoyment is great fun. That way there's always more of you. But if he's looking into the mirror he's into himself... and his own kind. That's really not funny. Sex is passionate, and yes, the occasional laugh when bed bloopers occur is ok. But giggling at the act is not good.
from The Times Of India

Why Wives Like Dina McGreevey Don't Know Their Husbands Are Gay

In Dina McGreevey's newly released book, Silent Partner, and in her recent interview on the Oprah Winfrey Show, she flatly denies that she knew her husband was gay. Despite Jim McGreevey's claims to the contrary, an infidelity expert is inclined to believe Dina McGreevey is being truthful when she says she had no knowledge of her husband's same-sex affairs.
The Last to Know
"It's highly unlikely that Dina McGreevey knew her husband was gay." says infidelity expert Ruth Houston, founder of InfidelityAdvice.com and author of Is He Cheating on you - 829 Telltale Signs. "Most gay married men are very skilled when it comes to concealing their sexual orientation. Their wives and girlfriends are usually the last to know. Like most unsuspecting women who are in marriages or relationships with gay men, Dina McGreevey probably had no inkling that she was a victim of same-sex infidelity."
Gay Husbands Not Uncommon
Dina McGreevey's situation is by no means unique. Take a look at some of the facts:
* According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 3 million women are, or have been wives or girlfriends of men who secretly have sex with other men. The Straight Spouse Network cites similar statistics.
* According to the Family Pride Coalition, 20 % of America's gay men in are in heterosexual marriages.
* At least 50% of the gay men in America have fathered children.
Most Same-Sex Infidelty Goes Undetected
Houston, a New York-based infidelity expert who is also author of a 2-part tip sheet on how wives can spot the signs of same-sex infidelity says, "Most infidelity goes undetected - and that includes same-sex infidelity. Studies show that 2/3 of the women whose husbands are cheating in them have no idea these men are having an extramarital affair. So not only are these women unaware that they're married to gay or bisexual men, they're also oblivious to the fact that their husbands are even having an affair. Some of these unsuspecting wives never find out."
Why Women Miss the Telltale Signs
Houston continues, "Unfortunately, when women like Dina McGreevey finally learn the truth about their husbands, they often blame themselves for not having seen the signs. Yet they have no clue as to what kinds of signs they should have seen. However, unless a woman has reason to suspect that her husband might be gay, it's unlikely that she'd pick up any of the signs. Most of them are quite subtle and easy to overlook. Dina McGreevey admits that there were no obvious signs of her husband's secret life."
"Even if a woman begins to suspect that her husband may be gay, she usually has no idea of how to go about confirming or disproving what she suspects. Knowing what -- and what not --to look for is the key."
Myths About Identifying Gay Married Men
According to Houston, who has spent the past 14 years researching and writing about infidelity, there are two common myths about identifying gay or bisexual married men.
Myth Number 1 - A gay husband can be identified by his outward appearance or his mannerisms - the way he walks, talks, dresses, or acts.
Myth Number 2 - It's impossible for a woman to tell if her husband or boyfriend is gay.
As a result of this misinformation, most women have no idea how to tell if their husband or boyfriend s sexually involved with other men.
Finding the Signs of Same Sex Infidelity
Two years ago, Houston, who also does personal infidelity consultations by phone, began receiving an increasing number of requests from her readers and website visitors for information about same sex infidelity.
Says Houston, "Since very little has been written about the signs of same-sex infidelity and how to spot them, I compiled a 2-part tip sheet on this topic. It gives women a discreet, accurate 3-step procedure for finding out if their husbands or boyfriends are bisexual or gay. Requests for the Same Sex Infidelity tip sheet quadrupled after Brokeback Mountain made its debut."
from Press Release

McGreevey's Gay Divorce Just Gets Better Everyday

The estranged wife of former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey knew he was gay before they married, he claimed in court papers filed Monday.
McGreevey wrote that Dina Matos McGreevy "knew of my sexual orientation before our marriage, she chose to either ignore it or block it out of her mind, even when questioned by her friends."
The former governor doesn't detail how she knew he was gay, but objects to his wife's contention in recent court papers that he is bisexual.
"On the offhand chance she wasn't paying attention, I AM A GAY AMERICAN," he wrote, referencing the term he used to describe himself when he announced his resignation in August 2004. "She is in deep denial."
An after-hours telephone message left at Matos McGreevey's workplace was not immediately returned Monday. Her lawyer, John Post, did not immediately respond to an e-mail message seeking comment.
McGreevey resigned after saying he was gay and had an affair.
The former governor also defended his parenting skills in the filing. He said despite the demands of being governor he was never "indifferent" to their 5-year-old daughter, as his estranged wife claims.
Last week, Matos McGreevey claimed in court papers that he exposed their young daughter to erotic artwork at the home he now shares with partner Mark O'Donnell, an Australian money manager. She is seeking primary custody.
McGreevey, 49, countered in Monday's filing that his wife "HAS NEVER SEEN THE PHOTOGRAPH" of the nude male model.
Matos McGreevey's memoir is scheduled to reach bookstores May 1.
from The Associated Press

Jim McGreevey's Gay Poster Boy

This is the full-frontal nude photograph that hung in the bedroom of New Jersey's disgraced love gov, Jim McGreevey, when his 5-year-old daughter came for sleepovers - and the source of his estranged wife's claims that he's an unfit parent.
The 50-by-60-inch print in the master bedroom of the Plainfield, N.J., home of McGreevey and partner Mark O'Donnell is part of a series called "Naked Gay Friends" by Manhattan photographer Richard Renaldi, and was featured in Blue, a gay men's magazine.
According to Renaldi, 38, and the Yossi Milo Gallery, which sells his work, O'Donnell purchased the print for $3,000 in 2004.
The shot was taken in 2000, on the shores of Lake Michigan, where Renaldi was vacationing with his partner of nine years, Seth Boyd.
"[Seth] had just gotten out of the water. It's a lovely portrait," Renaldi told The Post.
Last week, McGreevey's estranged wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, filed a motion seeking full custody of their daughter, Jacqueline. Her argument took specific issue with the "life-size photograph of a nude model" hanging in the bedroom.
The suit questioned whether it "was appropriate for his 'little girl' - to use his description of our child - to be viewing the photograph in question."
She also asked that Jacqueline be forbidden to share a bed with her dad and his boyfriend during sleepovers.
"It is one thing for children to sleep with a parent or parents," she said in a written response to McGreevey's divorce filing. "It is quite another for children to sleep with a parent and a third party."
The former governor, who has filed for joint custody of Jacqueline, claims in court papers that his wife has "seemingly irrational fears" about his sexuality.
Matos McGreevey - whose tell-all book about being a gay man's wife, "Silent Partner," comes out on May 1 - has blasted back at McGreevey's "insinuations" that she's homophobic.
McGreevey said last week he has taken down the photograph and that his daughter does not sleep in bed with him and his partner.
Renaldi believes Mrs. McGreevey's stance "is an overreaction." "It's a very natural portrait of a young man who happens to be naked. It's a piece of art, no different than a sculpture you would see of a naked man," he said.
O'Donnell, an Australian money manager and millionaire art collector, owns two other Renaldi prints, both images of bull riders in a series on the West, the photographer said. Said Renaldi of the cowboys: "No, no they're not naked."
from The New York Post

Foley Paying Bills With Campaign Cash

FLORIDA - Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley is using leftover campaign cash to pay for the huge legal bills he's racking up defending himself in the congressional page scandal that led to his resignation.
Foley spent $206,000 in campaign cash on attorneys from November to January, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission. That left about $1.7 million in the Florida Republican's campaign account March 31, even after he returned more than $110,000 from donors.
"Many congressmen, when they resign, they keep the money and do good things with it. But paying for your legal bills? I don't think so," said Robert Starr, chairman of the Charlotte County Republican Party.
The FEC has ruled in other cases that such expenditures generally are lawful.
"I got my 500 bucks back. ... I gave him money because I believed in him. It's not that way anymore," Starr said.
Foley's criminal defense attorney, David Roth, declined comment Thursday. A telephone message left with the Washington-based law firm that got all the legal payments from Foley's campaign account was not immediately returned.
Foley resigned from Congress in September after being confronted with sexually explicit Internet communications to male pages who had worked on Capitol Hill. Soon after, he checked himself into an Arizona facility for what his attorneys said was for treatment of "alcoholism and other behavioral problems."
His attorneys at the time announced Foley was gay and alleged he had been molested by a priest as a teenage altar boy. They maintain Foley never had inappropriate sexual contact with minors.
State and federal authorities continue to investigate whether Foley broke any laws through some explicit communications with minors.
from The Associated Press

Neil Patrick Harris Sensed Gay Witch Hunt

Gay actor Neil Patrick Harris decided to come clean about his sexuality last year because he feared he would be 'outed' by a witch hunt. The How I Met Your Mother actor sensed members of the media were preparing to out him, and was determined to let his fans know the truth from him first.
The 33-year-old actor tells talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, "There was a little of media scrutiny heading my way. People were starting to ask for stories of other people that may have fooled around with me, and the last thing you want to do is talk about your private life based on scandal. I'm not a very scandalous person and so I didn't want to have to respond to some story, whether it was lie or truth - so I just made a statement and sort squashed the fires."
And since his announcement, Harris has been delighted with the public response, revealing, "For me that is the greatest ending to the story so far - that nothing really has changed at all. I'm doing nothing different and people aren't behaving differently towards me. ... People heard and they're like 'Yeah, and?' That attitude, I think, was great."
from Starpulse

At Least The Guy Saying Birkhead Is Gay Is Good Looking

A former male model has spoken out about his gay relationship with Larry Birkhead, who was recently revealed to be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter Dannielynn.
Kerrick Ross has given an interview to the National Enquirer in which he makes the claims.
"We were together for about two months and had sex eight to 10 times, always at my apartment. He often spent the whole night with me." says Kerrick.
Lawyers for Birkhead deny the allegations, though the 32-year old adds:
"I had been 'out' for a long time, but Larry was not out of the closet - and he was terrified about his family, who were devout Southern Baptists, finding out he was having a gay relationship" claims Ross.
Whether this has any bearing on the custody hearing scheduled for Friday remains to be seen...
from Entertainment Wise

Phoenix Is Haggard's New Home

The Rev. Ted Haggard moved Wednesday from his longtime home in Colorado Springs to Phoenix, where the disgraced minister will join the same church that helped fallen televangelist Jim Bakker.
Haggard, 50, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals last year, after a former male prostitute alleged a three-year cash-for-sex relationship. The man also said he saw Haggard use methamphetamine. Haggard confessed to undisclosed "sexual immorality" and said he bought meth but never used it.
As part of his severance package from New Life Church, a 14,000-member congregation he started in his basement, Haggard agreed to leave Colorado Springs, a city he helped make an evangelical center.
"When he moved out of town today, there was a kind of relief on the part of the church that life can get back to normal," said the Rev. H.B. London, one of three ministers overseeing what has been called Haggard's "restoration." "For the Haggards, it is the beginning of a huge new chapter. It's a brand new start for them, the beginning of a new beginning."
Before his fall, Haggard was an emerging voice in evangelical politics. He took part in White House conference calls and fought to broaden the movement's agenda to include environmental issues.
In Phoenix, Haggard plans to pursue a graduate degree in counseling at an area university, said London, who heads an outreach effort for pastors through Focus on the Family, the Colorado Springs-based conservative Christian group. London was not sure where Haggard would be studying. The Haggards and two of their children - another three are grown - are expected to live in a home made available by a supporter.
Ted and Gayle Haggard have ties to Phoenix. The couple spent three weeks at secular treatment center in the area after the scandal broke. And the Pentecostal church they will attend, Phoenix First Assembly of God, is led by the Rev. Tommy Barnett, another member of Haggard's restoration team.
Bakker, the televangelist, found refuge at Barnett's church after being released from federal prison for bilking supporters of $158 million. He volunteered at a Los Angeles church mission run by Barnett's son.
London said he believes Barnett told his congregation Sunday that Haggard would be joining them. Barnett and officials at his church did not return calls seeking comment.
Haggard faces a test in going from being on the pulpit to becoming just another face in the pews, London said.
"Once you were in charge of a megachurch and a mega-staff and making mega-decisions, now your main decision is where you're going to school, where to eat and what you're going to do on your day off," London said.
The Rev. Mike Ware, a member of a separate panel of pastors that investigated the claims against Haggard, said: "We've all been in agreement that Ted should have a fresh start, gain some fresh perspective, and it's very difficult for them to get the kind of healing they need staying in Colorado Springs."
Ware said Haggard is continuing to receive counseling, which officials said will include an exploration of his sexuality. Haggard has told his advisers he does not believe he's gay.
As part of a severance package that will pay Haggard through 2007, Haggard agreed not only to leave town but to refrain from discussing the scandal publicly. He did not return messages Wednesday. Haggard's most recent annual salary was about $138,000, benefits excluded.
His former congregation has felt the sting of the scandal. Since Haggard's fall, attendance has fallen 20 percent and giving has dropped 10 percent, said Rob Brendle, an associate pastor. As a result of the decline, the church laid off 44 employees, or 12 percent of its work force.
from The Associated Press

McGreevey Teaches Ethics Course At Kean University

Former Gov. James E. McGreevey is teaching ethics, law and leadership at Kean University.
The nation's first openly gay governor earns $17,500 and has been an executive in residence at the university since Nov. 1.
When he was in office, McGreevey was often criticized for the appearance of ethical lapses.
"It seems to me, Jim McGreevey teaching law and ethics is a little bit like Doctor
Kevorkian teaching health maintenance," state Republican chairman Tom Wilson told the newspaper.
The job requires McGreevey to work up to 15 hours a week and helps the 49-year-old accrue credits in the state pension system.
McGreevey said everyone is entitled to their own perspective and he didn't pick Kean because of the retirement benefits.
"For a university like us to have the ability of a former governor — for what we pay him — it's an opportunity for our students we shouldn't miss," Kean President Dawood Farahi said.
from The Asbury Park Press

McGreevey Custody Battle Heats Up

Gay former Gov. Jim McGreevey is ramping up an increasingly contentious divorce from his estranged wife, suggesting she's homophobic and asking a court to bar her from dragging their 5-year-old daughter on tours to promote a much-anticipated tell-all.
In the latest motions detailing his demands for joint custody of the girl, Jacqueline, the former New Jersey governor asks a judge to ensure he's not cut off from her as a result of Dina Matos McGreevey's "seemingly irrational fears" about his sexuality.
He also puts his foot down on Jacqueline tagging along with Matos McGreevey on tours for her memoir, "Silent Partner."
According to the motion, Jacqueline has already been to the set of "Good Morning America" and in Kelly Ripa's dressing room on the set of "Live with Regis and Kelly," and joined Matos McGreevey and Diane Sawyer at a meeting.
Mirroring McGreevey's own launch last year of his memoir, Matos McGreevey is set for an interview about her book with Oprah Winfrey on May 1.
The latest motions illustrate the ugly chasm widening between the one-time power couple.
When McGreevey filed for divorce in February, he said custody issues had been resolved.
When Matos McGreevey publicly denied any such agreement, McGreevey promptly filed a revised complaint seeking custody and child support.
The latest motions don't address the issue of support.
Matos McGreevey - who, appearing stunned, stood beside her husband as he announced to the world in August 2004 that he was gay and had had an adulterous affair with a man - last Wednesday asked Union County Superior Court to give her a one-month extension to respond to her husband's divorce filing.
"Dina and I both seek to serve the interests of our daughter," McGreevey said yesterday. "It is my hope the court would provide for an added measure of balance and nurturing of Jacqueline's interests."
McGreevey also claimed Matos McGreevey, who has primary custody, has kept him in the dark about the child's medical tests and absences from preschool.
He also groused about artwork in their home, demanding that one nude photograph be removed.
McGreevey seeks overnight parenting time with his daughter on some weekdays and weekends, and wants to share in parental decision-making.
In addition, he wants to take Jacqueline to Australia, where his partner Mark O'Donnell's parents live, and to continue to teach her to swim in the pool at the home he shares with O'Donnell.
A lawyer for Matos McGreevey didn't return phone or e-mail messages for comment.
from The New York Post

Do I Take My Gay Son Out Of The Closet?

Q I am sure my son is gay but I don't know how to tackle this with him.
My husband doesn't know and I am at my wit's end about where I go from here. Do I speak to my husband first or my son?
I don't know if he is ready to come out so will I make matters worse if I pressurise him to tell me? I am also very concerned about the way people will treat my son when they find out.
I want him to be happy and safe as well as to let him know we will always love him. I feel my head is going to explode with the worry.

A I wouldn't go dragging your son out of his closet. Some people are perfectly happy staying in one until they're good and ready to leave.
For a few that moment never comes. But it must be your son's decision. So hard though it may be, I'd not raise the subject of his sexuality unless he gives you an indication that he wants to.
What matters is that you love your son. I'm sure your husband does as well. So long as your son has got that message loud and clear, things will eventually work themselves out.
As for how other people will treat him, while there is still some prejudice against gays, it's nothing like as prevalent as it once was.
from The Daily Record

Ricky Martin Defends Gay Musicians

MEXICO CITY - Ricky Martin defended the right of pop stars to come out of the closet, saying he felt solidarity with Christian Chavez of Mexican band RBD, who recently said publicly that he is gay.
"Life is too short to live closed up, guarding what you say," said Martin - whose sexual orientation has been the subject of speculation - in an interview with The Associated Press. Christian "has to be free in many aspects. I wish him much strength."
Martin, who was named person of the year in 2006 by the Latin Recording Academy, has hits including "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "Shake Your Bon-Bon."
He said his nonprofit Ricky Martin Foundation inspires him in his songwriting. One of the foundation's programs, People for Children, works toward the elimination of human trafficking, especially trafficking of children.
"When you start to work with social problems, it gets the attention of the media and people think it's a farce," the 35-year-old singer said. "It's a spiritual search. The philanthropic work helps me write music and the music helps me in the philanthropic work."
Martin said it was great that more celebrities are working with charities.
"If this is a fashion, then I hope a lot more fashions like this come along."
He will tour the U.S. in April and May.
RBD, which spun off Mexico's wildly popular soap opera, "Rebelde," has achieved success throughout Latin America and among Spanish speakers in the United States.
from The Associated Press

McGreevey's Estranged Wife To Take Her Turn On Oprah

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY - Former Gov. James E. McGreevey's estranged wife will take her turn telling tales of life with the closeted gay politician on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Dina Matos McGreevey's appearance on May 1 will coincide with the release her memoir, "Silent Partner," published by Hyperion.
Hyperion spokeswoman Beth Gebhard confirmed Matos McGreevey's upcoming chat with Oprah, as well as two-part "Good Morning America" exclusive on May 2 and May 3. The scheduled Oprah appearance was first reported Wednesday in The Star-Ledger of Newark.
Matos McGreevey's book follows by less than a year the splashy confessional written by her husband. His tell-all detailed his rapid political rise as a closeted gay man and his spectacular fall after being threatened with blackmail by a former male lover.
He kicked off his national book tour with an appearance on Oprah last September.
On the program, he shocked the studio audience by telling of an affair with a male aid that he said began while his wife was in the hospital recovering from the difficult birth of their child, now 5.
McGreevey recently filed for divorce, and has asked the judge for custody of their daughter and accompanying child support.
Matos McGreevey has never spoken publicly about her role as the gay governor's wife. Neither she nor her lawyer returned calls or e-mail requests for comment on Wednesday.
McGreevey also did not return a message for comment.
Matos McGreevey is remembered for the dazed look on her face and pasted-on smile she wore while standing beside her husband as he told the world he was "a gay American" in August 2004.
McGreevey now lives in Plainfield with his partner, Australian money manager Mark O'Donnell. Matos McGreevey lives in nearby Springfield with their daughter, Jacqueline.
from Newsday

Mika Receives Death Threats Over Sexuality

Singer Mika has revealed that one fan has reacted particularly badly to his refusal to disclose his sexual orientation.
The 23-year-old's hit single Grace Kelly spent weeks at the top of the charts and his debut album Life In Cartoon Motion has sold half a million copies since it was released last month.
The Beirut-born pop singer has revealed that he gets hate messages and even a death threat.
"It was over whether I am gay or not. He wasn't happy that I won't talk about my personal life like that. Sometimes I think that I have made it, other times it is a bit worrying," he said.
Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Lebanese mother and an American father. He is the middle child of the five children born to his parents. When he was a child, his family was forced to leave war-torn Lebanon, and they moved to Paris. They moved to London when he was nine years old, where he attended the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, Westminster School and the Royal College of Music, from which he later dropped out to record his first album.
Some commentators have judged that his reticence about his sexuality is a smart move for any artist aspiring to a career in America.
Mika has been spotted by music industry giant Tommy Mottola and will be given a chance to break the US market, where so many Brit acts have failed before him.
The tousle-locked 23-year-old, whose family fled war-torn Lebanon when he was a child, has shot to fame in the last year.
His camp performances have sent gay pulses racing, but he refuses to be drawn.
"I never talk about anything to do with my sexuality. I just don't think I need to. People ask me all the time. But I just don't see the point," he said.
"In order to survive I've kind of shut up different parts of my life, and that's one of them, especially this early in my career.
"I don't really feel that it's necessary to know in terms of my music. Some people make records that are defined by their sexuality but mine really are not. It does play a lot with campness. It has a theatricality to it. Why not? It's pop music!"
However, he told the Daily Mirror earlier this month:
"People say, 'You don't talk about sexuality because you're worried about success in the US.' I say, 'Have you heard the fucking album? There's a song about a married man who has a homosexual affair. There's no enigma."
Mika, real name Mica Penniman, was educated at the exclusive Westminster School.
He was trained by a Russian opera professional and his public performances and jobs have varied from classical performances in the Royal Opera House, writing in-flight music for British Airways and creating an Orbit Chewing Gum jingle. He appeared on BBC Radio 1 in September 2006, and on The Friday Night Project on 19 January 2007.
In January 2007, he came top of BBC News's Sound of 2007 poll.
He was classically trained at the Royal College of Music and has been favorably compared to Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Scissor Sisters, Rufus Wainwright, and Sir Elton John.
from Ya Libnan

Mike Jones Still Stuck To Ted Haggard Massage Table

Just hours before online bidding was to close on the purple massage table Mike Jones calls “the table where it all happened” with Ted Haggard, eBay removed the listing.
The online auction site sent Jones an e-mail Sunday afternoon saying the listing violated its policy for charity, an action he believes was prompted by complaints from a Delaware-based ministry called Transforming Congregations.
The ministry, on its Web site, had urged people to fax eBay about the listing. “If you contacted eBay to express your concerns or register a complaint, please contact them again and thank them for doing the right thing,” read a message on the site Monday morning.
Haggard, founder of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and former head of the National Association of Evangelicals, is undergoing what the church calls “restoration therapy” after Jones revealed the two had a threeyear relationship. Haggard resigned from the NAE and was removed from his church post in early November after revelations of his visits with Jones, a former escort and masseur who claims Haggard paid him for sex.
Jones said he planned to give all money from the auction to Project Angel Heart, which provides services to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
Bidding on the table started at $400 and reached at least $1,275 before the item was taken off the site.
“It’s just sad,” Jones said Monday morning. “I wasn’t going to make any money off of it. It was for a good cause. Who it hurts is Angel Heart. It doesn’t hurt me.”
Hani Durzy, a spokesman for eBay, said the item was pulled solely because it violated the site’s fundraising policy.
Items being sold for charity belong at eBay’s online platform called “Giving Works,” he said, and it’s possible Jones could relist the table there. EBay works with a charitable organization called Mission-Fish, which makes sure auction funds raised for charity go directly to the charity and not to the seller.
Durzy said he did not know how the violation came to the auction house’s attention.
“That would have absolutely nothing to do with why that listing was pulled,” Durzy said of the Delaware ministry.
The Rev. Karen Booth, executive director of Transforming Congregations, said in an e-mail to The Gazette that she complained to eBay.
“I am a registered eBay buyer/seller and I thought the auction promoted sleazy business ethics,” Booth wrote. “I also believed that Jones’ listing was in violation of eBay’s charity regulations, so I personally filed a complaint about that through the eBay website.”
Booth said she became aware of the eBay listing while doing online research about a “Montel” show that aired last week featuring Jones and the president of Exodus International, a ministry that promotes “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.”
As for the table, Jones said it’s still in his Denver apartment.
from The Gazette