Gays In The News: Mid-Air Scare

A buff barber from Hell’s Kitchen went berserk while high on drugs during a flight from JFK to Seattle and had to be restrained when he tried to open an emergency exit, officials said.

Jordan Fragiacomo, 28, tried to open a rear exit door on an Alaska Airlines flight Monday after babbling incoherently and attempting to kiss two flight attendants, according to a police report.

“If you continue to restrain me, there’s going to be problems,” Fragiacomo said at one point.

During the flight, Fragiacomo began grabbing passengers’ headphones and drinks, the ­report said.

A witness said that it was ­“obvious he was under the influence of something” and that he was speaking nonsensically.

Fragiacomo then tried to smooch a flight attendant before deciding he wanted to “get off the flight” and bolted toward the back door...

New York Post.

Legend!

Owen Smith: Pink News Q&A!

Pink News.

Couldn't be arsed to watch this cunt waffle on but trust Pink News asked my not very gay relevant question about him being a CIA/MI5 stooge.

Jeremy Corbyn: Pink News Q&A!

Politely answering some ever more baffling questions from the gay Tories who read Pink News.

Note how Ben Cohen - dressed up like a member of The Four Seasons - doesn't let his esteemed journalists conduct the interview. *

Good to hear Ben defend male rapists in Iran, though.

I love Jezza so much.

* The wonderfully thick Joe Williams does take some questions from the floor.

Africa: Questions To Which The Answer Is Yes

You astound me.

It's like imperial attitudes never existed!

Gay Star News: Their Immense Gay Fuckwittery Goes On

No, I don't remember it, cause it never happened, you colossal fuckwit.

Maurice Oldfield: Who Knew?

A sharp little mystery has been partially solved. Why had my predecessor as MP for West Derbyshire, the late Sir James Scott-Hopkins, so evidently disapproved of me? Why did he try to stop my secretary from taking the job? It had seemed out of character for this mellow and clubbable Old Etonian.

I’ve been reading the manuscript of Martin Pearce’s Spymaster, a gripping and candid new biography of the late Sir Maurice Oldfield, my former constituent and one-time head of MI6. Sir Maurice had to resign as Margaret Thatcher’s Northern Ireland security
co-ordinator when stories of his homosexuality surfaced. Pearce (Sir Maurice was his great-uncle) reveals that Mrs Thatcher visited him on his deathbed and — alone with her former appointee — asked him point-blank if he was gay. He confessed. His family found the dying man weeping after she had gone.

Two years earlier in 1979 Scott-Hopkins’s Westminster secretary was taken aside conspiratorially by the retiring MP and warned that for reasons he knew but could not reveal, she should have nothing to do with his successor — me. Dear Eileen, who now has dementia, confided in me decades later. She had ignored him, bless her, to become my secretary.

Now, in Spymaster, I learn that Scott-Hopkins had been an MI6 officer too.

Matthew Parris, The Times.

In next week's news, Danny LaRue was a drag act.

Gay Dads: Awkward

This has not gone down well.

Barrie's shouting about their childrens' wonderful heterosexuality jars somewhat.

PS Channel 4 thing.

Britain's First Gay Dads: Picture

Mirror.

Cliff Richard: When Will This Madness End?

Sake.

Vice: Almost Certainly The Most Pointless Article Ever Written By Man Or Bear

Sake.

Chris Bryant: Death Threats

Published without comment.

Tom Daley: Ding Dong Wedding Bells Are Going To Chime

Something tells me this may not happen.

The Archers: All My Trials

Mail Online.

If only there was another less old-fashioned word for 'gay woman', perhaps beginning with L.

Oh, Lynda's clearly les, btw.

PS Helen's guilty as hell and should be put away for life.

Reading: Kenny Everett

Quite baffled as to the Daily Star's choice of Kenny Everett as a photo here.

Anyone?

EastEnders: Farewell

Haven't the foggiest what's going on here, tbh.

Willy Wonka: 1933-2016

'We are the music-makers, and we are the dreamers of the dream'.
x

Brits: I Got Five On It

 'We each know five gay men, and three lesbians'.

From a record-breakingly bizarre 'social survey' into "Brits" in the Express - no source given.

Also liked; "Married couples have sex nine times a year."

Van: Man

Telegraph.

A man who sparked a huge police search after reporting seeing a child being bundled into the back of a van, has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

He was detained and questioned after detectives were unable to find any evidence to corroborate his claims of a child abduction...

Message: People lie, journalists believe them.

Robert Rauschenberg: I'm An Artist, Honey

There's a thing about Robert Rauschenberg: "the leader of American art's great ménage à trois."

Unfortunately it's by their gormless art critic Jonathan Jones.

PS This Guardian piece on the media's closeting of Robert is very good, I think.

Mrs Brown's Boys: Reveal

Mirror.

Mrs Brown's Boys is shit.

Tube Fuck: Fuck Off

Juan Gabriel: 1950-2016

 Mexican superstar.

He never married.

Church Of England: Good News

Telegraph.

Bye then.

Imagine being so dull you'd get your knickers in a twist over this.

Sake.

Are You Being Served?: Comedy Gold

Despite what you may have heard.

Top retro comedy gay by Jason Watkins.

Watch it.

Frank Ocean: Not Waving, Drowning

Even by the standards of the pop world, Frank Ocean is full of surprises. In 2012, the hip-hop star marked the release of his debut album, Channel Orange, by posting a letter on Tumblr in which he came out as gay — a rare and brave move given the homophobia rife within the genre.

Sunday Times.

He's not gay - get over it. 

And coming out is not 'brave', it's pretty prosaic.

You racist shitbag.

Gay Dads: K

Sun.

I literally have no comment to make.

 Mirror.

Headline Of The Day: Acid

Sydney Morning Herald.

I think this is technically impossible, but there you go.

Update: This story has become inexplicably popular. I know not why.

Attitude: G Is For...

Gullible!

Prince Charming: Why I'm Joining ISIS

LGBT Media: A Critique

CBS News.

Love it that this happened in Salem.

London Lesbian And Gay Centre: The £1 Million Gay Folly

It all started so well. "In a hundred years' time, when I'm forgotten, the charter will still be seen as one of the most significant documents of its time", said Ken Livingstone in 1986, as he launched the Greater London Council's Charter for Lesbian and Gay Rights at the London Lesbian and Gay Centre. The five-storey building cost more than £1 million to open and was the biggest single project any public body had financed for the lesbian and gay community.

The centre was seen as one of the jewels in the crown of the Labour administration's policy of funding minority groups. At a time when lesbians and gay men reported suffering from workplace discrimination, street harassment and frequent arrests, the centre acted as an oasis for people to gather, socialise and express themselves. The centre also provided office space for gay organisations – bookshops, coffee shops, theatre groups – enabling them to grow and prosper. But six years after its launch, it closed in a torrent of political infighting and mounting financial losses, the clues of which are still found today in the Hall-Carpenter Archives at the London School of Economics.

Differences between queer people came to the fore within the microcosm of the centre, as debates over the inclusion of open bisexuals and S&M groups made headlines. Hit by the Conservative government's withdrawal of grant funding, spiralling debts and arguments over representation, the LLGC's vision for a harmonious community began to fall apart by the early 90s. On the 30th anniversary of its opening, we spoke to former management staff, volunteers and members about the centre's legacy and why so few people today know it ever existed... 

Vice.

'Let's open a lesbian and gay centre!'

''Why?'

'Erm...'

'You haven't thought this through, have you?'

'No. Sorry.' 

There were a million better, more useful, ways, to spend that money.

The Labour Party: An Idiot From A Crap Band Speaks Out

Yeah, he's the go-to guy whenever I have any questions about politics.

Shrinking Violets Joe Moran

This is a wonderful book.

PS Omnibus of book of the week on Radio 4.

Hollywood: We Built This City

It could seem puzzling that a business that depends so heavily on the talents and gifts of gay people would be obsessed with obscuring the true sexual orientation of it’s leading players and public faces. Usually this boils down to some variation of “the audience won’t believe so-and-so is playing a straight man if they really know he’s gay”. Its an amusing ploy on the film industry’s part, feigning concern over our belief in a hero’s sexual desires while he or she is surrounded by flying dragons and belligerent aliens.

Who, exactly, is this mystery audience confounded by movie leads acting straight? Gay men would believe it. Hell, we’re experts on that grift. I can’t imagine women really care. The ultimate concern of course is that precious young male heterosexual demographic, the one whose buying powers are legend. Just knowing your screen hero is gay could call into question what it means to be masculine, what it means to be yourself, what it really is to be a man who is honest about who he loves. Perish the thought. What would ever happen then? 

Hugh Elliott, Guardian Cif.

Burkini Ban: Pah!

Peter Brookes, The Times.

France, je vous aime, mais maintenant je te déteste. L'Etat n'a pas le droit de dire aux gens quoi porter. Liberté? Égalité? Fraternité? Je crache sur vous. Je sors. Au revoir!

Colm Tóibín: De Profundis

Pretty thin gruel in today's papers, but here's Colm Tóibín on De Profundis, 'one of the greatest love letters ever written'.

A beautiful essay.

Vagina: Priceless

Mail Online.

He almost certainly would have seen a vagina when he was born.

Fuck, these 'shock reaction' gay videos are so hackneyed, so tired, so juvenile, so jaw-breakingly unfunny.

No wonder the gay media love them.

Cher: My People

Metro.

'My people'!

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!

God, she's mad.

Or, thank god she's mad.

Cereal Killers: Froot Loop

I was watching a film with my boyfriend a few weeks ago, and in it, there was a story line that featured a gay guy. In one scene he had met and fell for another guy, and like the start of all love stories there was the inevitable kiss, when it happened my boyfriend and I simultaneously let out a screech “eeeeeeuuuuggghhhh – two men kissing? Gross!”

GT online.

I haven't the time to go through this line-by-line, cause every sentence screams self-loathing.

This is one fucked-up queen.

I seriously suggest he seeks help.

Or conversion therapy.

Seriously, you're not right in the head, mate.

PS Opening line; 'When people find out I am gay, I often get asked the same question, ‘How long have you been gay for?’'

I've never been asked this in all my days - be interested to hear if anyone has. 

Gays In The News: Take It Easy

A passenger who witnessed Easyjet staff being removed from a plane after an argument has said those on board were "totally aghast".

The flight from London Gatwick to Belfast was delayed by 90 minutes while the two staff involved were replaced.

Easyjet have apologised for the delay and said: "The safety and welfare of our passengers and crew is Easyjet's highest priority.

"In order to deliver this cabin crew need to be able to work as a team."

TV presenter Dan Lobb, who was travelling on flight EZY835 on Wednesday afternoon, described the row as "really unprofessional".The former tennis professional was sitting at the front of the plane and overheard a member of staff explaining the disagreement to the crew's manager.

"We were just taxiing towards the runway when one of the crew approached the front to complain about another," said Mr Lobb, who was travelling to Belfast ahead of filming the UK's Strongest Man.

"It sounded like the disagreement was over the way one staff member was packaging or storing bottles of water.

"It was something really petty.

"The manager told them to try and make it up and get on with their jobs, but a few minutes later, the crew member came back to the front and said: 'It's all kicked off again.'" ...

BBC News - currently the second most read story. 

Big queeny row brings airport to a standstill!

Film: The Gay We Were

The 1990s were an odd little crossroads for gay entertainment. The dominant mainstream narrative — when it paid any attention at all — trended towards the AIDS crisis and tragedy. At the same time, far from the mainstream, the cottage industry of gay romantic comedies pitched itself to a greatly underserved market. These movies barely made it to a theatrical release, and it’s fair to say that most of them weren’t great films, but they were what passed for a niche genre back then, and that makes them important. Certainly, for a child of the ’90s, they were formative in ways both good and bad. With The Gay We Were, we’re going to examine this subgenre one film at a time and examine what they said about gay entertainment and the era that once was.

Decider.

EastEnders: Slight Return

LORD Michael Cashman is to reprise his role as EastEnders’ first gay character Colin Russell as he returns to the soap after 30 years.

Cashman, 65, is to make a brief return to Walford in a story line that bosses are staying tight-lipped about – but his visit to Albert Square will involve Dot Cotton.

Cashman starred as Colin Russell from 1986 to 1989 and shortly after making his debut, he found himself in a relationship with Barry Clark, played by Gary Hailes, which saw them have the first gay kiss in a British soap opera – and on primetime television...

“Arguably without EastEnders I would never have gone into politics; I would not have been one of the founders of Stonewall and its founding chair, and I would never have ended up where I am now."

The Sun.  

So now you know who to blame.

Lady Colin Campbell: But Y'Are Blanche

Times.

 

 

Same.

Dustin Lance Black: Hospitalised

Sorry for the silence. Seems too much travel, work and excitement has landed me in this fine predicament. 🤒 pic.twitter.com/62e1UACcXU

— Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) August 24, 2016

Well, this is a little bit intriguing, to say the least.

My guess is that Tom... no, it would be wrong to speculate.

Pink News: It's Not Unusual

Gay @C4Naked contestant takes the unusual step of previewing the penis of his date https://t.co/wxXon0DoVI

— PinkNews (@PinkNews) August 24, 2016

Oh bless, Pink News have never heard of Grindr etc etc.

Catholic Church: Confession

Trainee Roman Catholic priests in Ireland could face curbs on their internet access and are to be encouraged to mix more with women after claims over the use of the gay dating app Grindr at the country’s main seminary.

Ireland’s Catholic hierarchy voiced concerns about what it called an “unhealthy atmosphere” at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Co Kildare, and ordered a review of the “appropriate use of the internet and social media”.

It follows remarks earlier this month by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, about “strange goings-on” at the 221-year-old s

Dr Martin, the most senior Catholic cleric south of the border, disclosed that he had decided to send students from Dublin – the largest diocese in Ireland – to Rome for priestly formation, rather than to Maynooth just a short drive from the capital.

The Archbishop spoke of an “atmosphere” at the college following a string of allegations about a “gay culture” made in letters and blogs and concerns about “promiscuous sexuality”.

Pressed on what his concerns were he told RTE Radio: “One is that there is a homosexual, a gay culture; that students have been using an app called Grindr, which is a gay dating app. 

“[That] would be inappropriate for seminarians, not just because they are trained to be celibate priests but because an app like that is something which would be fostering promiscuous sexuality, which is certainly not in any way the mature vision of sexuality one would expect a priest to understand.”

His remarks prompted the college trustees, including senior clerics, to hold crisis talks.
Now in a statement issued by the Catholic Church in Ireland, they promise a review of whistleblowing procedures and internet and social media use policies.

They said they would ask bishops to set up a group to look at the “pastoral needs” of seminarians, including ways to temper the all-male, clerical training environment by introducing more contact with women, families and lay people.“Acknowledging the recent and extensive media coverage regarding the college, and the disquiet that it has caused amongst the faithful, the trustees emphasise that the Church has clear instructions on the formation of seminarians,” they said.

“It is essential that these are observed in order to form priests ‘after the heart of the Good Shepherd’.

“There is no place in a seminary community for any sort of behaviour or attitude which contradicts the teaching and example of Jesus Christ." ...

Telegraph.

Well, at least they're not raping altar boys...

Richard Smith: Seduced And Abandoned

Great to see Bloomsbury Academic Collections reprinting Seduced And Abandoned: Essays On Gay Men And Popular Music - surely one of the most thrilling books about homosexual culture of modern times.

Richard Smith's meant to be a complete cunt though.

Chris Rock: An Irony Plane Crash

To Delta Airlines, Chris Rock’s HBO comedy special Kill the Messenger has turned out to be no joke.

The airline has pulled the 2008 program from its selection of in-flight entertainment options because of a part of Rock’s routine in which the comedian claims it is okay to use the anti-gay slur ‘faggot’ in certain contexts.

The airline said in a statement to GayTravel.com that the program ‘should not have been uploaded on flights based on our criteria for excluding onboard programming that includes content featuring explicit language, slurs, extreme violence, and explicit scenes.

‘We apologize to any customers who were offended by the content or our airing of the segment, and we are working as quickly as possible to remove it from our aircraft. Our commitment to inclusion and respect of all customers is rooted in Delta’s values and culture, and we proudly embrace diverse people, thinking and styles.’

The content was flagged by Grindr employee Jeremy Foreshew who complained after watching the special during a recent flight to Los Angeles from New York.

‘I couldn’t believe this was something happening in 2016,’ he told Gay Travel. ‘When you think of the number of people who fly Delta every day and have access to that language… it just shocked me.’ ...

Gay Star News.

The whole point of the routine was before you say a word's offensive you have to look at the context that it was said in!

'KIll the messenger', indeed.

Oh Oscar, please deliver us from humourless gaybores who take offence at anything and everything.

Manchester Pride: A Fucking Pink Train

Sadly, Pink News appear to have deleted my comment; 'This is great news for gaytards!'

And one that said it looks like a little girl's toy, which seems a bit censorious.

[A comment from a homophobic Christian nutjob also disappeared into the ether].

It must be soul-destroying having to write about stuff like this when you can't say; 'What a load of pointless, patronising pink shit.'

Update: PN tell me Disqus automatically deletes comments if several people flag it as; 'Horrid man said nasty thing'.

Oscar Wilde: Your Actual France

Paris will hold its first major exhibition on the life and work of Oscar Wilde next month, co-curated by his grandson.

Wilde, who spoke fluent French, was an ardent Francophile who regularly visited the city, eventually dying there in 1900, having been hounded out of England after his conviction for homosexuality. His tomb, in Paris’s Père Lachaise cemetery, is now a place of pilgrimage.

Yet the centenary of Wilde’s death – aged just 46 – was not celebrated in France, even though London honoured him with two exhibitions in 2000, at the British Library and the Barbican Centre. The Irish novelist, playwright and poet has only now been given full cultural recognition.

Wilde’s grandson Merlin Holland, who lives in France, told the Guardian: “There has never been a major Paris exhibition on Oscar. Everybody is now saying, ‘well, why not?’ Oscar is going to be plastered all over the Metro and the buses. I think the French are quite surprised … that they never thought of doing this before.” ...

Guardian.

 • The Petit Palais exhibition, Oscar Wilde: Insolence Incarnate, runs from September 28th to January 15th.