A gay man whose antics have made him an infamous "American Idol" reject now claims in a new lawsuit that the show discriminated against him.

Ian Benardo, who auditioned for American Idol in 2007, has reportedly filed a $300 million anti-gay discrimination complaint with New York's Division of Human Rights, claiming he was exploited because he's gay, Zap2It reports :  "In the complaint, Benardo says the 'Idol' powers that be 'exploited my non-conforming appearance and sexual orientation. They did this by directing me to 'gay it up' in any appearance I made on camera,' according to the Journal-Constitution. '... Although characterized as an 'audition' to the public at large, in fact, I was and was paid as an employee of respondents for each appearance.' Based on the word 'audition,' we're assuming Benardo is referring to his 2007 tryout, which took place in New York."

The AJC reports: "He said employees of 'Idol' derided him for his appearance using words like 'fag' and 'homo.' 'The workplace,' he said, 'was permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, insults and hostile and offensive comments that were so severe as to alter my working conditions and create an environment that was abusive and ultimately threatening to my safety.'”

      

PING PONG IS HOT!

Last year actress Susan Sarandon took  on a new role – that of investor in SPiN ,  a Ping-Pong parlor that  opened its doors in New York.

The Thelma & Louise star, who discovered the game through her son Miles and helped launch the place in NYC ,  is very excited about her passion for ping pong.

 “I started finding out that there was this subculture of Ping-Pong and all these people that you wouldn’t expect are serious about it,” she said. “I just worked with Ed Norton, and he’s so committed that he trained in China while he was shooting a film there."

SPiN Hollywood  at Mondrian will mark one of SPiN's first expansions outside of New York, bringing two signature ping pong tables to the ADCB lounge, just steps from the famed Sunset Strip. SPiN hotel guests and visitors will enjoy tournaments, celebrity events and even cocktails and food over a casual game of table tennis.

What's next for SPiN?  Chicago? - Well, close.  Milwaukee!  Yes, get ready, Milwaukee. Table tennis is coming to the Historic Third Ward this summer.

Spin Milwaukee, 233 E. Chicago St. (across from Rubin's), will open later this summer and will feature 16,500 square feet of table tennis (12 tables and one center court), bars, a restaurant, pro shop and private event rooms. It's not your father's tennis club. This is custom designed, Olympic-caliber pingpong and entertainment.

WHO KNEW?!


Best Gay News

      

Of course, this is Unauthorized - and  Allegedly! 

Both stars in question are DEAD.   A new book ‘ Hollywood Babylon Strikes Again!: More Exhibitions! More Sex! More Sin! More Scandals Unfit to Print ’, by Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince,  digs thru dark and trashy secrets  to expose some of the rumors and myths about long-dead superstars.

The authors dug up an old interview made with the late gay porn star Cal Culver (aka Casey Donovan)  conducted before his death in 1987, which sensationally claimed that he had an affair with Superman star Christopher Reeve, and gave details of their relationship. Culver, who died of an Aids-related illness, alleges that he met Reeve when they were both auditioning for a Broadway role in the mid-1970s. In the book extract, obtained by the Globe newspaper, Culver claims Superman star Reeve was ‘the man of my dreams’ and says that the pair had a passionate two-month relationship until Reeve discovered Culver was a gay porn star, performing under the name Casey Donovan.

He wrote: ‘Christopher was a great lover and I think I liberated him sexually. I didn’t think he was gay but he seemed willing to try anything once. He was curious.’

Darwin Porter, who co-wrote the book, said: ‘I have no doubt this was legit – I knew Cal for years and at one stage we even lived next to each other. He was a very credible source and all the other stories he has told me checked out.

Hmmmmmmm.  We'll  never know.

      

Miss New York 2010
Claire Buffie
is the first Miss America contestant in the 90-year history of the pageant to run on a gay rights platform. Plum TV caught up with Buffie  at the Empire State Pride Agenda's annual Hampton's Tea Dance.

 

 Claire  is an outspoken advocate of human rights, opening the dialogue about equality amongst youth, teens and adults alike with her platform "Straight for Equality: Let's Talk." The issues of gay rights make up the civil rights movement of our generation and reach far beyond marriage equality.
 
As Miss New York 2010, Claire aims to break the stigma of marginalized youth, eliminating discriminatory vocabulary and changing the climate in New York schools. She celebrates diversity and the things that make us all unique and strives to instill pride, dignity and respect in developing minds and compassionate hearts. This will be a year of change in New York State and Claire is ready to support this incredible movement.


Says Buffie: "I feel like gay rights are the civil rights movement of my generation, and I think it's really important to have straight ally support because any time you want to effect a change with a minority you have to have support from the majority, and I'm that voice now...My older sister Sarah is a lesbian, but in addition to her, I grew up in the performing arts. So many of my friends are LGBT, and it's my duty as a straight ally to represent them."

YOU GO GIRL!!

Best Gay News

      

We told you about hottie singer  REEAD   last month - well he is back with a fun contest!

Write “share  me i’m not a virgin” on your body, face, computer, outside, or on a car…

Then send your picture to contact @  reead.com between now and until september 30th 2010.

The owners of the selected pictures will receive a tee shirt “Share Me I’m Not a Virgin”

The best one, selected by Reead, will get an iPod Touch !

      

OK, so I have a  BIG FAVOR  to  ask.

I have applied for a  very cool job  with  GayTravel.com

Out of hundreds of applications, after the first cut last week,  they have narrowed it down to 54 finalists. And I have made it to the top 54!

From here, on August 1st,  they will pick their  top 8  finalists to go to New York City for the final selection of the winner.

The winner gets a  6 month paid job with GayTavel.com  and will fly all over the US helping them build their brand with Social Media and blogging and Networking!

So here is my favor.  I am asking to PLEASE go to GayTravel.com   and sign up for a free profile/account for yourself.
 It just takes a minute.  

THE  VOTING  HAS JUST BEGUN! And runs for 2 weeks. Till July 30th.

 
Scoll down and  vote  5  STARS !

Any help you can give me, would be  GREATLY  appreciated!!!

Michael Snell
America's Next Top GAY TRAVEL GURU!

      

Enrique Iglesias was asked about his World Cup promise:

"If Spain wins, I'm going to get drunk and ski naked in Biscayne Bay. That is what we used to do when we were kids."

Said Iglesias when asked if he would honor it: "A bet is a bet!"

BUT,  Miami  police officials are all set to thwart him. "We enforce all laws here, regardless of what your status is in the Miami community," said a representative. 

      

Well aint this a slap in the face?!
 
We already have  NO RIGHTS. 

Now the Texas GOP wants to see us jailed and any heterosexual who is sympathetic should be jailed also!

The Texas GOP has released their “2010 State Republican Party Platform” and its filled with hate and bigotry.  One blogger even likened the platform to being very similar to that of Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill – and they are absolutely right!

Not only are they against gay marriage in any shape or form, they are aksing that ALL STATES that presently grant a marriage license to LGBT folks, to REVOKE all  issued licenses. And moving forward, they say, "We support legislation that would make it a felony to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple and for any civil official to perform a marriage ceremony for such."

They then “demand” that Congress withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy – in other words, because the federal courts said people can’t go to prison for oral sex, Texas Republicans are pissed.  They want people who have oral sex to go to prison.

W T F ?

What is wrong with this world???

By the way, Texas is not the only state involved in this. Montana has just jumped on the bandwagon .

      

Trevor Boris
has come a long way from the
farm he grew up on near Winnipeg, MB.

The openly gay Canadian comedian and writer is one of the stars and producers of MuchMusic’s hit show Video on Trial , has starred in numerous standup specials including One Night Standup on LOGO, and Comedy NOW on CTV, and is about to release his first major label standup DVD for Warner Music entitled ‘Trevor Boris: Over Easy’. (Available on iTunes).

Trevor’s is a fast-paced, hip and edgy style of comedy, which has quickly made him a crowd favorite everywhere he goes.

Boris is all about sexual ambiguity. The gay comic has been doing stand-up for 11 years, but for the first four of those, he was still in the closet. Now, the Toronto-based performer  is popular among schoolgirls attracted to his catty humour and harmless sexuality.

“I feel like the fourth Jonas brother,” says the fresh-faced Boris. “It’s funny, because I was never cool at that age. Now I have the girls, and I don’t even really want them.”

He means not wanting them in a romantic way. He adores their fandom. “It’s hilarious,” he says. “They’ll stop you in the street and they’ll scream.” Of course, he sees the marketing angle as well. “It’s not the 50-year-old men who have the power.” he explains. “It’s the young girls who make the calls.”

Boris sees himself not as a gay comedian but as a comedian who happens to be gay, though the claim is dubious. On his new  DVD, he asks a heterosexual fellow in the front row if he’s ever been so close to a gay man’s penis.

Boris is a very busy guy these days. He’s a full-time producer and personality on MuchMusic; he writes for the Juno Awards; and he’s got his stand-up career. Unsure of his next move – perhaps a talk show – he’s never been one for plotting. Pressed, he answers this way: “I want to be the Ryan Seacrest of Canada,” he says of the versatile American Idol host. “I’d like to think that I’m prettier than him though.” 

He will be performing July 14, 15 and 16  at Montreals  JUST FOR LAUGHS  Festival. 

Trevor Borsis.com        Trevor  Boris  on MySpace

      

A site came to my attention this weekend, which I had not been familiar with... Gay American Heroes. 

The Gay American Heroes Foundation  is creating the Rainbow Memorial, a national, traveling memorial to celebrate the lives of LGBT persons who have been murdered
because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

The Rainbow Memorial is the opportunity to shine a light on our Heroes and share their stories with the rest of America. The Memorial gives hope to the family
and friends of those LGBT people who have been
murdered in hate crimes and shows that a brighter
future is on the way.

The goal of the Gay American Heroes Foundation is   to  build a traveling memorial to take to communities  throughout the USA to honor the lives of LGBT  people who have been murdered for simply being  themselves.

The Rainbow Memorial also will educate the public about LGBT hate crimes and inspire compassion and
acceptance of all people.

The Gay American Heroes Foundation reaches out to communities as soon as possible following a LGBT, hate crime murder.

The foundation, with the support of people like you, gives a broader voice to the family and friends of victims
of LGBT, hate crime murders and strives to work constructively with local officials, law enforcement, and
service organizations to provide counseling, outreach, and education.We need your help to build the Rainbow
Memorial! 

Please join us in this historic project.  Adopt a hero and  send us your tax-deductible donation today!

All contributions are 100% tax deductible and can be
made right now at  GAY  AMERICAN HEROES 
or    mailed to the address below.

Thank you for your assistance and compassion,

Board of Directors
Gay American Heroes Foundation
1350 East Sunrise Blvd, Suite 119
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

      

NBC’s Today Show
is taking applications for its "Modern Day Wedding Contest" through Friday, July 9th. The winning couple will be awarded a wedding to be broadcast live on the Today Show in October and an all-expense paid honeymoon. 

Unfortunately, the network has set up rules that deny committed gay and lesbian couples the ability to participate.

An excerpt from Today’s Facebook page reads: "TODAY is throwing a modern day wedding! Whether your love blossomed over the Internet or you met the old-fashioned way, we want to hear from you!" 

GLAAD  contacted the network last week to find out why its application listed only "bride" and "groom" as options for applicants since the Today Show welcomed same-sex couples to apply to its "Hometown Wedding Contest" in years past.

HELP US AND TAKE ACTION NOW!

Contact NBC

Please contact NBC and urge the network to open Today’s "Modern Day Wedding" Contest to same-sex couples. Call on NBC to demonstrate a commitment to fairness and inclusion by providing equal opportunity to qualified gay and straight couples alike.



UPDATE!  July  8th, 6:00pm -
This afternoon after GLAAD met with NBC executives and shared our community's concerns, the network agreed to open the contest to same-sex couples!!

Following a meeting between GLAAD and NBC executives, NBC announced that after listening to community concerns it will open the contest to same-sex couples and extend the submission deadline until Monday, July 12. Couples now have until then to apply .  Finalists will be announced later this year and the wedding takes place live on the Today Show this October.

      

Why Am I Gay?
is a new comprehensive guide book designed to help you better understand Gay Sexuality and how to move towards becoming Spiritually Gay. Giving you insights into what makes a person gay, as well as pages of understanding and support for both gay and straight individuals.

This book covers the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of a gay individual. It also includes answers to: - Why am I Gay? - How does Gay Sexuality occur? How Past Lives, The Mind and Mental Energy affect Gay Sexuality. - Understanding Gay Spirituality. - Advice for parents and gay youth. - The importance of dreams and meditation.

Gay Spirit: Why Am I Gay? Understanding Gay Sexuality (Volume 1)

Written by Matthew Richardson, A gay English author who has recently moved to Latina, Madrid, and who writes to help both gay and straight minded people to better understand themselves.

      

In the fight for equality, sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the present that we forget that this struggle has been going on for decades --- and that those who have been speaking out on our behalf for many years have made possible the current level of societal acceptance of LGBT people.

There are few other individuals who have been such unabashed advocates for equality as Ms. Barbra Streisand, who has been at the forefront of the fight for her entire career.

Recently Ms. Streisand was gracious enough to give a bit of her time to answer some questions for MatthewsPlace.com . We send her our sincere thanks for her compassion, generosity and candor.

The world is a safer place because of her voice.

      

This weekend  the famous 
FAGBUG came to Chicago! 

On the 11th Annual National Day of Silence, Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, New York. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin's car was vandalized, left with the words "fag" and "u r gay" placed on the driver's side window and hood of her car.

Despite initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened by leaving the graffiti on her car. She took her car, now known worldwide as the "fagbug," on a 58-day trip around the United States and Canada. Along the way, Erin discovered other, more serious hate crimes, had people attempt to remove the graffiti, and experimented with having a male drive her car. After driving the fagbug for one year, Erin decided to give her car a makeover.

      

Come out, Come out,
wherever your are!

It’s time to tell your story. In celebration of the diversity, individuality and pride within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, Montreal is launching a global campaign in search of the “Queer of the Year!”

How can you stand out from the crowd?

Whether you’re a do-gooder, a diva, the average guy next door, a girl just out of the closet or anywhere in between, from now through July 15, Montreal wants you to visit Queer of the Year  and show the world that you have what it takes!

Participants are required to enter a one-minute video and submit applications explaining why they would be a perfect contestant. People will be judged on the following 5 criteria: personality, community involvement, sex appeal, healthy lifestyle and yes, even talent! The competition will be strong, so participants should rally Facebook friends, Twitter followers and family to vote for them.


The Final Five turn it out in Montreal!

The top 20 participants with the most public votes on July 15th will then be interviewed by a panel of judges.  From that group, five finalists will be selected to visit Montreal for an expenses-paid week during Montreal Pride (August 9-16), where they’ll explore one of the most LGBT-friendly cities on Earth and compete in a variety of challenges and activities. Ready to strut, smile and show what they’ve got, the finalists will be in the company of a film crew capturing all of the excitement. Website viewers will then be able to keep up with the action and vote for their favorite contestants. At each day’s challenge, judges will attribute points based on specific criteria.

All cheer for “Queer of the Year!”

At the end of Pride Week, the finalist with the most public votes, combined with most points from the judges, will win the ultimate title of QUEER OF THE YEAR, a chance to take part in the Pride parade, and enjoy the Montreal VIP treatment on Monday August 16. Valued at approximately $4,000 CAD, the Montreal VIP treatment includes:
Designer shopping spree with a personal stylist
Spa pampering package
Montreal gourmet dining experience.

BRING IT!

Best Gay News

      

By now we all know about the controversy  surrounding the movie Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives, the camp revenge “transploitation” film written and directed by Texan Israel Luna that was accepted into this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The problems for the movie began with a trailer for the movie that seemed, to some. to be gratuitously violent. And the uproar continued from there until GLAAD, bloggers, and more than a few well-respected transgender people were blanketing the movie with thundering condemnation.

The criticism got so bad that, after speaking with Dustin Lance Black, Luna issued a video explaining that he was going to blur the word “tranny” from some marketing materials in effort reach out to the people who were offended.

On our recent trip to Dallas ,  EVERYONE  was buzzing about the movie! It has done very well in New York at the Tribecca Film Fest and recently got raves and won  BEST OVERALL FILM in their hometown of Fort Worth during the Q Cinema Fort Worth , held earlier this month. Showbiz luminaries such as Robert DeNiro, John Waters and RuPaul along with The New York Times, The Advocate, Variety and The Village Voice have championed the film despite protests and angry condemnation from members of the transsexual community, GLAAD and gay-friendly religious leaders.

It will be at the Philadelphia  Q  FEST   July  10 and 11th. And in San Francisco also in July!

Ticked off Trannies on FaceBook .

ANOTHER  LGBT film  from Texas, in the news, is  Raid of The Rainbow Lounge, The Documentary. 

You may remember, one year ago,  several Fort Worth police officers and two agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission  raided the just-opened  Rainbow Lounge  and arrested five patrons on suspicion of public intoxication!  Some patrons were even hospitalized! And this all happened on the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall! 

It was a big hot mess and all over the news!  Texas film maker Robert L. Camina  almost immediately began principal photography to document what went on.
This full length film documents the events following the raid from all sides and its impact on the victims, the Fort Worth community and the world.

The documentary is currently still in production and seeking funds, to finish the project. Robert has already won several awards and this film project is creating great buzz!

The  Fort Worth  gay bar will mark the one-year anniversary of a controversial police raid with a party  on June 28th! -- and police Chief Jeffrey Halstead plans to attend.

WHAT?! 

Randy Norman, general manager of The Rainbow Lounge, said Halstead and a number of his officers have accepted the invitation to attend the barbecue on June 28.

"Our relationship with Chief Halstead and the Fort Worth police is fantastic now,” Norman said Friday. "It's been a roller coaster, but it's turned out to be really good,” Norman said of the past year.

Two state agents were fired and several police officers were disciplined after internal investigations faulted the way the raid was conducted. Halstead apologized for the raid and appointed an openly lesbian officer to serve as liaison to the gay community.

In the next few weeks, the owner of the Rainbow Lounge plans to open a restaurant next door and a piano bar across the street, Norman said.


Find out more at Camina Entertainment

Raid of the Rainbow Lounge on FaceBook .

      

"On Tuesday June 22nd, the President will host a LGBT Pride Month event at the White House, where he is expected to deliver brief remarks. Invited guests include elected officials, state and local community leaders, and LGBT Americans from communities across the country -- including many youth -- who have stood up for equality."

Invitations for the event were mailed last week. They say: “The President requests the pleasure of your company at a reception in celebration of LGBT Pride Month to be held at The White House.”

Earlier Obama declared June gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride month.

The president used the opportunity to cheer on lawmakers as they considered repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the 1993 law that forbids gay troops from serving openly, and highlight some of the gay rights initiatives advanced by his administration.

Saying that “our Nation draws its strength from our diversity,” Obama called upon Americans to “observe this month by fighting prejudice and discrimination in their own lives and everywhere it exits.”

WHAT OTHER PRESIDENT HAS DONE THAT?!

      

Been to Pride Book  lately??

Get over there and sign up, if you are not already a member. 
They're giving away an iPod Shuffle  at the end of the month. 

Pride Book  -  New and Improved. Like Facebook, but  GAYER!

      

      

A senior Mountie in Toronto,
who is gay, claims in a $13-million lawsuit that a “homophobic culture” within the force and unfounded child-sex-assault allegations led to a public arrest on a golf course and lengthy suspension that ruined his reputation.

In 2004, four B.C. men came forward with accusations that Donald Cooke sexually assaulted them when he coached them in minor hockey in the 1980s in the province. The investigation and his suspension went on for  FOUR YEARS!

After reviewing the case a second time, B.C. prosecutors concluded there was still not enough evidence to charge him.

Sgt. Cooke filed a  lawsuit  seeking  more than $13-million in damages.

(Photo IS NOT Sgt. Cooke)