Monthly archive of January 2006

News Stories 2006

Posted on January 1 2006, 12:52AM | Permalink

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to keithboykin.com and welcome to 2006. The holidays are over, the decorations are down, and gifts have been purchased, wrapped, opened, used and returned. Now it's time to make the new year even better than the one before. And it's time to make your resolutions into reality.

We've all heard the expression, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I believe it. So I encourage you to use this time at the beginning of the year to create your own vision of your life and the world around you. This could be the year when you live your dreams, or it could be the year when you dream your life away.

Here on the site, the year is already off to a fresh start and we're back with a new vision and a new attitude. In the coming year, we're going to make the site bigger and better than ever before. The changes will be gradual but they will be noticeable. Of course, this site will remain a place for fresh, reliable and informative news and commentary. But at the same time, we're changing our business philosophy. Here's what you can expect.

First, we're finally putting a limit on comments. For the past 4 years, the comments on the articles have been open to anyone who wants to post almost anything. Many readers post thoughtful, respectful comments on a regular basis. Others take a different route. From now on, the web administrator and I will be actively moderating the comments and removing comments that don't reflect the tone of this page. To avoid this fate, please keep your comments (a) on topic, (b) respectful and (c) at a reasonable length. If you feel the need for an uninhibited space where you can say almost anything, I encourage you to visit the message board and post your comments there.

Second, we're finally going to accept advertisement on this site. I've resisted advertisement for awhile, but over the years I've realized that it takes an enormous amount of time and energy to maintain this site, and the best way to maintain and improve the quality of the site is to secure a steady stream of funding. But rest assured, all advertisers will be tasteful and respectful and will reflect the tone of the site, and I will still exercise control over the content and look of the site.

Third, we're going to seek donations from readers on a regular basis. We're really far behind in this category too. Many other sites regularly solicit contributions from their readers, and readers respond because they value the information on the site. So I'm asking you today, and I'll be asking you regularly to make a donation to support this site.

Fourth and finally, we're going to continue to expand the topics discussed here. Some days we'll delve into pop culture and some days we'll dive into politics. Some days we'll talk about books and some days we'll talk about boys. Some days we'll be intellectual. Some days we'll be sexual. It won't all fit in a neat little box, but it will be entertaining, engaging and informative.

So fasten your seatbelts. If you thought 2005 was interesting, wait till you see 2006! There's a lot more coming. Thanks for joining me on this exciting ride.

Posted on January 9 2006, 5:33AM | Permalink

Jasmyne Cannick: My Favorite Things

I first heard the name Jasmyne Cannick back in 2003. Back then, a group of black LGBT activists were coming together to discuss early plans to build a new national presence, and Jasmyne's name kept coming up. Everyone said that Jasmyne knew how to work the media, and she did.

With Jasmyne's help, the group of activists held a widely publicized press conference in December 2003 at the National Press Club in Washington. Although the group had no money and no organization behind it, even the Washington Post covered the event and helped to launch a movement. That group would later become the National Black Justice Coalition and Jasmyne became a board member and the first communications director. Since that time, she's been very visibly involved in the community. She's worked with the Black AIDS Institute, the Pan African Film Festival, Noah's Arc and a California State Assembly member.

Posted in pop culture on January 9 2006, 4:15PM | Read More | Comments (7)

Google Takes Over the Earth

Believe it or not, I spent the past weekend learning to play "Black Hawk Down" on my new Play Station 2, a wonderful Christmas gift that took me two weeks to open because they sell the equipment without the actual games that make it work. The PS2 and the new games I bought to go with it are surprisingly addictive and fun, but they're not nearly as addictive as Google Earth.

It's a project so mammoth that it seems fit for a James Bond spy thriller, but it's not. This is reality in 2006. Without telling you or asking your permission, Google has taken a photo of your house. Some of the pictures are better than others, but if you live in any major city in the world -- not just the U.S. -- your neighbors may be able to spy on you without ever leaving their living rooms. That's right. Google has taken a satellite image of the entire planet and made it available for free to anyone who wants to see it.

What are the implications of this? This week I present a special series on Google Earth. Today I explain what it is. Tomorrow we look at the national security implications. Thursday we look inside the homes of famous celebrities. And then on Friday, we look at the impact of this new technology on the real estate industry. Let's begin with the facts.

Posted in pop culture on January 10 2006, 5:55AM | Read More | Comments (9)

Condoleezza's Vice

She's been called everything from a "sellout" to an "iron lady" to a "heroine." She's been criticized for her politics, her hair, and even her marital status. When you're a powerful single woman in politics, that comes with the territory. Just think back to Clinton's Attorney General Janet Reno. But this woman is different. Her name is Condoleezza Rice, and she's the first black woman to hold the office of U.S. Secretary of State. The fact that she works for a Republican administration, of course, makes things more complicated.

In a letter to Condoleezza Rice published in the recently released book Letters from Young Activists, liberal black gay writer Kenyon Farrow planned to "go for the jugular" against Rice. But as he thought about it, he realized he might just be playing into the hands of white liberals looking for racial cover in their criticism of Rice. In his analysis, Farrow poses a fascinating question: "Is it even possible as Black people to articulate critiques of other Black folks, in ways that won’t be manipulated by mass media on the Left and on the Right, to the ultimate detriment of us all?"

Posted in politics on January 10 2006, 4:48PM | Read More | Comments (46)

...And Bring Omarion Too

It's sad to say, but there aren't too many major black male recording artists who would perform at a black gay event. We do know there are plenty of black women who have performed at these events. That's because Black LGBT Pride Events all across the country pay big bucks to bring out the pop divas every year to perform a couple of their greatest hits.

But where are the brothas? Aside from Rahsaan Patterson, who performed at DC Black Pride a few years back, I don't think I've ever heard of a major black male recording artist performing at one of these events. That is until Raz-B, a 20-year-old former member of the boy band B2K (with Omarion), performed last August at Oakland's Black LGBT Pride. Just so you know it's not a one time thing, this week I got an email that Raz-B will be back in front of a gay audience on January 25 at Trade, a black men's party in Washington, D.C. at the 501 Club.

Posted in pop culture on January 10 2006, 6:18PM | Read More | Comments (28)

The Idiot's Guide to Spying

Today, in part 2 of the series on Google Earth, we take a look at the national security implications of worldwide satellite imagery. Using Google Earth, I was able to track down the Kremlin in Moscow. I found images of airports and military facilities in China and Iraq. I could even see the cars passing by the Parliament Building in North Korea. No wonder governments are concerned about this technology.

But the real implications are closer to home. As you can see above, I also found the CIA, the Pentagon, the White House and hundreds of U.S. military bases by satellite. (Click on any image above to see a larger photograph.) Nearly all the images I found were clearly visible. You could see the nuclear submarines in Charleston or the aircraft carriers in Norfolk. About the only thing I couldn't see was the official residence of the Vice President.

1. CIA Headquarters. (Top, left. The nation's spy headquarters.)
2. The Pentagon. (Top, second left. The U.S. military headquarters.)
3. The White House. (Top, third left. The President's residence and office.)
4. Norfolk Naval Station. (Top, right. Aircraft carriers.)
5. Langley Air Force Base. (Bottom, left. Rows of fighter jets.)
6. Andrews Air Force Base. (Bottom, second left. Home of Air Force One.)
7. Charleston Naval Weapons Station. (Bottom, third left. Nuclear subs.)
8. The Vice President's Residence. (Bottom, right. Curious, huh?)

Posted in politics on January 11 2006, 4:30AM | Read More | Comments (4)

The Birds, The Bees & The Boondocks

What happens when an older black man raising his two grandsons has to talk to them about gay marriage? Bondocks creator Aaron McGruder takes on this provocative issue all this week in his comic strip, The Boondocks. But a funny thing happened when granddad raised the issue. He couldn't go through with it.

When the two school kids, Huey and Riley, have to coach their grandfather to say the words "men having certain relations with men," McGruder suggests that the younger generation is actually much more comfortable than the older generation in talking about gay issues. Then when granddad finally asks the two boys if they've heard of gay marriage, Riley responds, "Ain't it when two dudes get hitched" and the grandfather threatens to "smack the filth" out of his mouth. There was a time when a prominent black male comic strip artist would never have raised the issue of homosexuality, but the times are changing and young Aaron McGruder is no ordinary artist.

Posted in sexuality on January 11 2006, 12:29PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

A Million Little Dollar $igns

As far as live drama goes, it doesn't get any better than this. First, Oprah Winfrey selects James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces, for her book club, and the book sales climb through the roof. Then the Smoking Gun website runs an investigative article that challenges the facts in the book, accusing its author of fraud for fabricating his story. After several days of controversy, Frey remains fairly quiet until Larry King announces on Tuesday night during an interview with controversial author Star Jones-Reynolds that Frey will be his guest the following night. That's the set up.

While the controversy builds, Oprah remains silent but Frey's book hits number one on the Amazon.com sales list the day of the Larry King appearance. Frey appears on the show, admits errors in his book, but stands by the "essential truth" of the story. Later, his mother joins him in the studio and defends her son without apology. Then, in the last minute of the show, Oprah Winfrey herself calls in to express her support for Frey, forcing the show to run late into the designated start time for "Anderson Cooper 360." Millions of people are watching as Oprah finally breaks her silence to Larry King. And Frey's mom is watching with a smile. Now that's how you sell a damn book!

Posted in books on January 11 2006, 10:14PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Black and Gay in the NFL

The first time I wrote about Roy Simmons was three years ago this winter. At the time, I was working on a magazine article on homosexuality and homoeroticism in black athletes". I had heard about Simmons, a former guard for the New York Giants, and I wanted to reach him. He had appeared on The Phil Donahue Show back in 1992 and then disappeared for a decade. A sports reporter I contacted told me that Simmons had been down on his luck and reportedly had become a junkie on the streets of San Francisco. But I couldn't track Simmons down and I couldn't verify the reporter's claim, so I left that part out of the story.

Now Simmons is back in the public eye as the author of the new book, Out of Bounds: Coming Out of Sexual Abuse, Addiction, and My Life of Lies in the NFL Closet (Avalon 2006). The book, which he wrote with Damon DiMarco, is a fascinating page turner. And it was edited by Don Weise, my own editor, and published by Avalon Books, which also published my book, Beyond The Down Low. So when I got the book, I had to do an interview with Roy Simmons, the man behind the story.

Posted in sports on January 12 2006, 10:55AM | Read More | Comments (13)

An Ipod Is Not A Fashion Accessory

I've already had my say about the nineties trend of wearing cell phones as clothing accessories. (Is it really that important that you carry your cell phone on your outer garments?) And I've complained about the new annoying habit of this decade -- wearing Bluetooth earpieces when you're not on the phone. (Nobody is that busy, I'm sorry.) But the Ipod craze is taking things to a new level altogether.

First Levi's announces that it is releasing new Ipod-compatible jeans with a joystick remote control built into the watch pocket that will "allow wearers to play, pause, track forward or back and adjust the volume on their iPods without having to take them out of their pockets." And now there's also news of a new Ipod belt buckle that you wear right above your crotch. Is this convenience or laziness? I'm not sure, but I'm holding out for the new Ipod G-string that adjusts your mood music with your level of sexual arousal throughout the day. Now that's convenient fashion.

Posted in pop culture on January 12 2006, 2:30PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

The Book of Samuel (King George Version)

1. Now there was a certain man of Trenton, of the new state of Jersey, and his name was Samuel, the son of Rose and Samuel, of New Jersey or Italy, depending on whom you ask.

2. And he had a wife; the name of which was Martha-Ann, and they had two children.

3. And before their children this man went up out of his city to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of knowledge in Princeton. And there he joined with the keepers of the old ways.

4. And it came to pass that this man should later serve the King of the day. And as all good servants must obey their masters, he would do things and say things that he would later deny.

5. And it came to pass again, that another King should call upon him to serve, and Samuel righteously obeyed.

6. But the King's adversaries, being men of desperation, dared to question the King's new servant.

7. Wherefore, Samuel followed the kingsmen's advice, and kept his silence as the adversaries questioned him. And they rose up in frustration and questioned him some more.

8. So Martha-Ann rose up after they had spoken in Washington, and after they had dared to question her husband. Now Lindsay Graham, the priest, sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the King and apologized to Samuel and his family.

9. And Martha-Ann was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the King, and wept sore. And the King's adversaries were slayed by her tears and the people saw this and knew that it was over.

10. Therefore the King had his man; and as long as he liveth Samuel shall be lent to the King in the highest of courts. And he shall serve the King there.

(Loosely translated from The Bible, 1 Samuel 1: 1-28 )

Posted in politics on January 13 2006, 12:35PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Remembering Dr. King

"On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?'

Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?'

And Vanity comes along and asks the question, 'Is it popular?'

But Conscience asks the question 'Is it right?'

And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right."

-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted in politics on January 16 2006, 1:10PM | Permalink

Mehcad Brooks Is Everywhere

From Glory Road to Desperate Housewives to The View, Mehcad Brooks is everywhere these days. Last year at this time we hardly knew his name. Now he's popping up in films, prime time TV shows and daytime talk shows, as you can see in the photos above (photo captures courtesy of Jeff Hobbs).

Meanwhile, the past two weeks on Desperate Housewives marked the beginning of a new twist in the show as the neighbors on Wisteria Lane become more suspicious of Betty and Matthew Applewhite (Alfre Woodard and Mehcad Brooks). But as the four lead characters continue to question the Applewhites for being "different," one wonders how long it will take before the issue of race comes alive.

Posted in pop culture on January 18 2006, 12:50AM | Read More | Comments (10)

Beyond The Down Low in Paperback

It's finally here. Beyond The Down Low is now available in bookstores in paperback. That means the price is just $14.95 ($10.17 on Amazon) instead of the hardcover $25 sticker price. I just got a copy of the book today and it includes a whole new introduction, a slightly redesigned cover (to reflect its status on the bestseller lists), and some other changes throughout the text.

A year ago at this time, I was getting ready to launch an extensive 25-city book tour for the hardcover version of Beyond The Down Low. I had no idea at the time that the experience would be so positive and exciting and engaging. I had the chance to speak with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and Cornel West and Louis Farrakhan on Tavis Smiley's annual "State of the Black Union" event. I ran into resistance from an anti-gay black church woman in Washington, D.C. I signed books for hundreds of readers at Outwrite Bookstore in Atlanta. And I was surprised to find hundreds of supporters at the last official book signing event in Seattle.

From "Anderson Cooper 360" to "Tony Brown's Journal," it was a great journey and a great experience. And now I'm glad that the paperback version is finally out and even more people will have a chance to read the book and hear the story.

Posted in books on January 18 2006, 12:51PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Sharpton to Headline Black Church Summit

I've always believed that the black church is the primary obstacle to acceptance for black gays and lesbians. The black church has enormous power in our community, and unfortunately that power is not always used for good. I've had my issues with some black church leaders in the past, and I still get dozens of emails from homophobic religious types every week (yes, every week). I used to respond to these messages with long, detailed discussions about the Bible and homosexuality, but then I realized something. Most of these people weren't interested in reason. They were only interested in repeating the misinformation they had heard from their pastors.

The emails would invariably follow the same script. They would (mis)quote the Bible, tell me I'm going to Hell and then claim they would pray for me. That's not the making of a fruitful dialogue, so after years of frustrating conversations, I don't even bother to respond to these messages anymore. That's why, given the level of dialogue between black gays and lesbians and some black church folk, I'm pleased that the two sides will finally be sitting down together to discuss their issues this weekend.

Posted in spirituality on January 19 2006, 1:29AM | Read More | Comments (11)

Whose God Do You Believe?

What would the new year be without another self-righteous minister trying to make a name for himself by attacking gays? A black pastor in Seattle has called for a national boycott of Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and other businesses that have come out in support of a civil rights bill that would outlaw discrimination against gays and lesbians. The minister, Rev. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church of Redmond, announced his boycott to the locals on Monday, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He plans to make the national announcement today on a conservative talk radio show, "Focus on the Family."

The law he opposes would ban discrimination in housing, employment and insurance based on sexual orientation, as is currently the case with race, gender, age, disability, religion and marital status. If this is what his faith teaches him, then I want nothing to do with his god. But while we're on the subject of religion, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin told followers on Monday that hurricanes were hitting this country because God was "mad at America." Again, where are these people finding these gods?

Do you believe that God is so petty and mean that he doesn't want gays and lesbians to be protected in the law from housing discrimination? Do you believe that God is so random and reckless that he destroys entire cities and communities so he can teach a lesson to the millions of others in the country who are not even affected by it? What kind of god are these people talking about? As writer Patricia Arnold observes, those "who believe that God behaves like humans haven't fully opened themselves to the Awesome Allness. They have shrunk God into something small enough to wrap their human brains around."

Posted in spirituality on January 19 2006, 10:59AM | Read More | Comments (24)

NBJC Releases Alito-Thomas Ad

If you were watching MSNBC tonight, you may have seen National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Alexander Robinson talking about a new ad campaign launched by the organization this week. NBJC has just released a new advertisement that takes on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on a sensitive gay rights issue. The ad -- which is being published in the Afro-American Newspapers in Baltimore and Washington, and in Roll Call, the Congressional newspaper -- challenges the influence of religious intolerance on the US Supreme Court.

The provocative advertisement features a photograph of Justice Thomas, who is black, and his wife Virginia, who is white. Noting their interracial relationship, the ad asks, "Offense Before God?" The text continues by asking if Clarence Thomas had been on the Supreme Court in 1967, how would he have voted on interracial marriage? The ad then continues, "If Samuel Alito had been on the court in 1967, how would he have voted?" Noting the similarity between discrimination against interracial couples and discrimination against lesbian and gay couples, the ad argues that "using religion to justify discrimination is the real offense before God."

Posted in politics on January 19 2006, 11:32PM | Read More | Comments (4)

Marjorie Hill To Take Over GMHC

I never thought I'd see the day when an organization once known as a white gay agency would choose a black lesbian woman as its leader. But it has happened. Dr. Marjorie J. Hill -- a health professional, public policy advocate and former aide to New York Mayor David Dinkins -- has been named the interim executive director of Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), one of the nation's most prominent LGBT health agencies. Dr. Hill will succeed Ana Oliveira, who has served as head of the agency for the past six years and plans to leave in late February, according to Gay City News.

I've known Marjorie Hill for more than a decade now and I've always had the utmost respect for her leadership, her voice and her commitment to the community. Hill, 49, will lead the agency while the board searches for a permanent successor to Oliveira. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Hill currently serves as GMHC's managing director for Community Health, after having served as director of the Women’s Institute before that. She was on the agency’s board of directors from 1994 through 2001, the last two years as co-chair. She lives with her partner in Queens.

Posted in sexuality on January 20 2006, 8:40AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Crossing Jordan?

Various web sites are now reporting that WWE wrestler Orlando Jordan is coming out of the closet. Not in real life though. Apparently, WWE has decided to make Jordan's character bisexual. (Hmm, is this another down low story coming on?) The alleged plan is to connect former TNA female star Trinity and a new gay male character named Erik in a love triangle with Jordan. (Now if Jordan hooked up with Shelton Benjamin, then we'd have a story!) The Jordan story has been reported on not one, not two, but at least three pro wrestling web sites, although nothing has been posted to confirm the story on the WWE web site.

If past history is any indication, this story could be a big disaster. A few years ago, WWE created two stereotypical and flamboyant gay characters, Billy and Chuck, and planned an elaborate same-sex marriage ceremony to take place on national television, but the wedding was called off at the last minute when both men "came out" as straight and announced it was all just a publicity stunt.

Posted in pop culture·sexuality·sports on January 20 2006, 4:08PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Sharpton Kicks Off Black Church Summit

In a fiery speech on Friday, the Rev. Al Sharpton sharply criticized black churches that have preached bigotry against their gay and lesbian members and called on churches to embrace those members. Speaking at a Baptist church in Atlanta, Sharpton said, "It's not a question of bringing the issue of the gay and lesbian community to the church. It's about having an open discussion because they're already there. All of us know that this is nothing new. The only thing new is to have an open discussion on how we deal with it."

Sharpton's remarks were delivered on the second day of a three-day black church summit put on by the National Black Justice Coalition. Quoting Martin Luther King Jr., Sharpton described two types of leaders. "There are those that are thermometers that read the temperature in the room," he said. "And then there are those that are thermostats that change the temperature in the room. I come to tell you to be thermostats. Turn the heat up in the black church. Make these people sweat until we open the doors of dialogue for everybody."

Posted in spirituality on January 21 2006, 2:15AM | Read More | Comments (21)

Flunder Closes Black Church Summit

Just moments after a gospel group finished a performance on stage at First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta on Saturday, Bishop Yvette Flunder approached the pulpit unannounced and pulled the microphone to her lips. "The spirit of the Lord is here," she sang in a beautiful, melodic voice. From that point on, we knew it would not be an ordinary speech.

Before Bishop Flunder could finish singing, members of the audience were on their feet. With the organist and drummer playing background, people in the pews were praising the Lord, cheering and chanting as if they were in an old-fashioned Pentecostal church.

Posted in spirituality on January 23 2006, 1:16PM | Read More | Comments (31)

Malia Lazu: My Favorite Things

Loyal readers of this site will remember Malia Lazu as the young woman who campaigned her way to the finals of the 2004 Showtime television series American Candidate. Malia and I were running mates in the fictional presidential campaign, but there is more to Malia than her role on any TV show.

Malia currently works for the Washington-based organization, Progressive Majority, as director of the group's Racial Justice Campaign Fund, which recruits, trains and elects progressive candidates of color in state and local elections. But Malia is involved with so many progressive causes that she pops us everywhere. The last time I saw her in person was in the media tent on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the Millions More March last October. And then a week or two ago I noticed her again on television, as a member of the delegation led by Harry Belafonte that visited Venezuela and met with President Hugo Chavez. Malia serves as Harry Belafonte’s political director.

Posted in politics on January 23 2006, 3:33PM | Read More | Comments (5)

Why Noah's Arc Is Not In GLAAD Awards

As expected, the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated film Brokeback Mountain leads the nominees for the 2005 GLAAD Media Awards. Other nominated films include Capote, The Family Stone, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Rent and Transamerica. In the TV categories, Commander in Chief (ABC), The L Word (Showtime), Queer as Folk (Showtime), Six Feet Under (HBO) and South of Nowhere (The N) were all nominated for outstanding drama series while Out of Practice (CBS), Shameless (BBC America) and Will & Grace (NBC) were nominated for top comedy series.

But one decision is likely to cause some controversy. Despite the popularity of Noah's Arc and other programs on Logo, not one of those programs was nominated for a GLAAD media award this year. Programs on Logo, Here and Q Television, the three gay networks, were not eligible for GLAAD awards.

Posted in sexuality on January 24 2006, 11:25AM | Read More | Comments (45)

BrokeBlack Mountain? Don't Count On It

I met a British reporter last week in Atlanta who interviewed me for a story about Brokeback Mountain for The Guardian newspaper in London. When I finally read his story yesterday, I was so blown away that I wanted to share it on this site. In his article, reporter Gary Younge compares the racial dynamics of coming out by starting with a compairson of experiences between former New Jersey governor James McGreevey and Jonathan Plummer, the former husband of novelist Terry McMillan.

In his article, Why there will never be a black Brokeback Mountain, Younge writes: "McGreevey is white; Plummer is black. Although McGreevey was a public official, his transgression was generally regarded as a personal flaw. Although Plummer was a private citizen, his infidelity was regarded as part of a public health crisis. McGreevey's infidelity drew a mixture of contempt and pity; Plummer's betrayal fed a moral panic. McGreevey was being unfaithful; Plummer was on the 'down-low'."

Posted in sexuality on January 24 2006, 12:00PM | Read More | Comments (12)

Holy Matrimony! Mfume Steps Out

Although he never said it as head of the NAACP, as a candidate for U.S. Senate, Kweisi Mfume has now announced his support for equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. In an interview published in the Washington Blade yesterday, Mfume agreed with a Maryland state court's recent decision to strike down heterosexual-only marriage. The Baltimore Circuit Court ruled on Friday that it was unconstitutional to prohibit gays and lesbians from marrying.

"As someone who was raised to believe in traditional marriage, it does not mean others cannot have different beliefs," Mfume said. "I recognize [civil union] laws don't cover all the benefits and all the rights that could and should be accrued to same sex couples."

Posted in politics on January 24 2006, 3:24PM | Read More | Comments (7)

Porn Again Rapper

Subtlety has never been Kanye West's strongest suit. The guy who told us last September that "George Bush doesn't care about black people" isn't about to start speaking in code to communicate his messages. So it was no big surprise to see the 28-year-old rapper turned social commentator posing as Jesus on the cover of the new Rolling Stone. (Didn't Diddy already do this in a Nas video back in the day?)

What did surprise me, however, was West's admission that he is addicted to pornography. That links him to gospel artist Kirk Franklin, who recently announced on Oprah that he too is addicted to porn. So what's the big deal with recording artists and porn? Actually, it's not just the rock stars. I don't know too many guys who don't have some kind of porn stashed away somewhere, in the closet, under the mattress, in the VCR, or on the computer. That raises the question: Is porn such a bad thing?

Posted in sexuality on January 25 2006, 12:54PM | Read More | Comments (25)

The Color Purple Is Music To The Ears

The book won the Pulitzer Prize and sold more than 5 million copies. The film won 11 Oscar nominations and the Golden Globe. The Broadway musical has pulled in a record-breaking $2 million a week to the theater, garnered popular acclaim, and won a recent GLAAD Media Award nomination. The cast of the show even plans to model clothing during a Fashion Week show in New York next month. But that's not all.

Now the new cast recording is out, and it's destined to make its own mark. With 29 songs and well more than an hour's worth of music, The Color Purple CD is like listening to the Broadway show all over again.

Posted in music on January 26 2006, 12:50AM | Read More | Comments (2)

Oprah Has A Million Little Questions

At the risk of re-hyping one of the most hyped stories of the past month, I can't resist saying a word about today's Oprah show. After her recent phone call defending the author of A Million Little Pieces on "Larry King Live," I was expecting James Frey's appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show today to be little more than a love fest. I was wrong.

In a live broadcast earlier today, Oprah said she feels "duped" and betrayed by author James Frey and said it was difficult for her to speak to him. She also said she regrets the call she made to the Larry King show a few weeks ago because it "left the impression that the truth is not important." Oprah's selection of Frey's book last year for her book club made the memoir the top selling nonfiction book of 2005. But Frey's account started to unravel earlier this month after an investigative piece on The Smoking Gun web site found inconsistencies in Frey's story.

Posted in books on January 26 2006, 3:02PM | Read More | Comments (18)

Wake Me Up When It's Over

You may be wondering why I haven't said much about politics on this site lately. That's probably because I'm so over George W. Bush and his enablers. The guy has got to be the worst president of the past century. In Hollywood, they would simply cancel his show or replace him with Geena Davis. But in Washington, the Republicans are too corrupt to rein him in and the Democrats are too craven to fight him. But if Congress won't do its job and impeach him and the people won't run him out of office, we can still make fun of him. That's not against the law, yet.

So in the spirit of political resistance, here now is a video parody of the State of the Union. Some of the best lines in the video are so sad because they're so painfully true. For example, when Bush says, "To those of you out there who say that we don't need the Patriot Act, I say, 'I question your patronism,'" it reminds us that we have a president who manages to be dumb, incompetent, malicious, divisive and demagogic all at once. And we've still got three more years to go. Maybe we'll sleep through his speech, but we can't afford to sleep through his presidency.

Posted in politics on January 27 2006, 12:13PM | Read More | Comments (20)

Don't Mess With Oprah

What happens with Oprah gets upset? You don't want to find out. James Frey suffered her wrath earlier this week, but apparently he was not the only victim chided for his dishonesty. Our very own Steven G. Fullwood got an unexpected (and hilarious) late night phone call from Ms. Winfrey, who questioned him on the authenticity of his comedic memoir Funny. In the midst of all this, Steven managed to recall the entire conversation for his blog. Here's an excerpt:

"I am OPRAH, Queen of All Media. Defy me and feel the fatal sting of my multi-million dollar touch! Not to mention being booed and hissed at by my faithful, well-lit studio audience. So, as I was saying, is FUNNY a true memoir?" Click on Steven's web site to see the rest of this juicy conversation. And by the way, this is all just a joke. For the record, I love Oprah, so don't start with me.

Posted in books on January 28 2006, 4:10PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Aubrey Lynch: My Favorite Things

I first met Aubrey Lynch almost ten years ago. I was speaking at Outwrite Books in Atlanta and a group of guys invited me out to dinner after the book signing event. Aubrey was one of the guys at dinner that night and immediately I knew there was something about him that I liked.

A former principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Aubrey started his college career by studying chemistry at the University of Michigan before he moved into performing arts. After spending several years dancing with Ailey, Aubrey joined the new Broadway musical production of "The Lion King," first as a performer, then as dance captain, then associate choreographer, and now as a producer.

Posted in theater on January 30 2006, 10:21AM | Read More | Comments (12)

Coretta Scott King (1927-2006)

Posted in pop culture on January 31 2006, 11:23AM | Permalink | Comments (47)