Monthly archive of November 2006
At the Corner of Penetration and Race
Albuquerque, N.M. -- Trick or Treat? Patricia Madrid or Heather Wilson? They both really scare me with those attack ads, I'll tell you that! I didn't go "trick or treating." I stopped turning tricks a long time ago, right? And at 34, with a lot of great stories to tell, life itself is my treat everyday, not just on Halloween. So, I spent my Hollowed Eve in line for 2 hours at my chosen early voting location. I hung with the Democrats on a straight ticket, but only because I couldn't think of anything great about the Republicans in my area.
Everybody is so God and Gun happy, and in a place like Albuquerque where there are a lot of retired veterans, politics is very interesting. We're "granola" and gay-friendly out here too. I never feel overwhelmed by the moral conservatives, but they're nearby. In fact, I'm out to all of my (largely Republican) neighbors. I don't have any with whom I am not friendly and cordial, and haven't shared a cup of flour or an egg in the middle of cooking. Most of them are "if ya work hard and follow the rules" kinda Republicans. I like and trust them as my neighbors. They are sometimes curious, and I tell them as much as I think they can handle. I'd like to think that I'm teaching.
Posted on November 1 2006, 12:53AM | Read More | Comments (7)
"My Two Cents" Is Back
The new season of "My Two Cents" airs today on BET J. On tonight's show we talk about the new Whitney Houston, her relationship with Bobby Brown and power couple relationships like Oprah and Steadman. Tonight's show features myself, Crystal McCrary Anthony, Bryonn Bain and April Silver. And we have a brand new set!
The show airs three new episodes a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays and looks at race, pop culture and current events. Look for me on the first six episodes of the show for the next two weeks. Next week my colleague and co-host Staceyann Chin will be in the studio. But there is one change. Wednesday nights' episodes will air at 7 p.m. instead of 10. Don't miss an episode.
Posted in pop culture on November 1 2006, 12:54PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Introducing Wrestler Rohan Murphy
You have to see this video. Rohan Murphy weighs just 125 pounds. But Rohan is able to bench presses almost 300 pounds. To say he's strong is an understatement. He's a varsity college wrestler for Penn State University and a former high school wrestler. But there's something else very special about Rohan, as you'll see in the video. Rohan has no legs.
Posted in sports on November 1 2006, 4:39PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Marjorie Hill Takes Charge
GMHC's New CEO
Back in January we reported that Dr. Marjorie J. Hill had taken over the helm as the interim executive director of Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York. Today I am pleased to report that Marjorie Hill has been named the new chief executive officer at GMHC. I've known Marjorie for a little more than 10 years now, and she's always been a hero and an inspiration to me. I remember hearing her words in the documentary "All God's Children" and taking those words to heart.
I can think of few people who could do a better job at GMHC than Marjorie Hill. She has a long history in working with the agency. She served as a board member from 1994 to 1999, as board co-chair from 1999 to 2001, and as a senior manager from 2004 to 2006, when she was appointed Interim executive director. But she has wide experience outside of GMHC. She served as the assistant commissioner for the Bureau of HIV/AIDS at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and she was appointed by former Mayor David Dinkins as director of the mayor’s office for the lesbian and gay community. With all that on her resume, I thought I should sit down and talk to her for an interview about the AIDS crisis, the black community and the gay community.
Posted in sexuality on November 2 2006, 1:14PM | Read More | Comments (5)
Hypocrites!
Evangelical Leader in Gay Scandal
The timing couldn't be better. There's something about elections that leads whistle blowers to expose the dirt they know is hiding beneath the surface. Such may have been the case with Colorado Springs pastor Ted Haggard. Haggard abruptly resigned on Thursday from his position as president of the National Association of Evangelicals after allegations surfaced that he had paid a male prostitute for sex. In a statement released by his church, Haggard did not admit the charges but said he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations made on Denver talk radio this morning." That's baloney.
No straight man in the world would resign his position after being accused of having sex with a man unless he actually did have sex with a man. Not that there's anything wrong with men having sex with men, but this comes from a group of evangelicals who have specialized in demonizing homosexuality. These guys are hypocrites of the worst order, and they deserve every bit of condemnation that comes down on them.
Posted in politics on November 3 2006, 3:42AM | Read More | Comments (55)
I Ain't Saying He's A Gold Digger
Kanye West Goes "Crazy"
Somebody, please tell me this is a joke. Rapper Kanye West was so disappointed at not winning for Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards that he crashed the stage Thursday in Copenhagen when the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for "We Are Your Friends." West then reportedly launched into an expletive-filled tirade in which he said he should have won for his video "Touch The Sky" because it "cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it and he was "jumping across canyons."
I don't know where he's getting advice from these days, but Kanye West is on his way to becoming the John Kerry of American music. Every time he opens his mouth, you never know what he's gonna say to mess up the goodwill that he already has. "If I don't win, the awards show loses credibility," Kanye said at the show. Never mind the fact that West was named Best Hip Hop artist. Apparently that was not enough. Many people like Kanye West, but that won't last forever if he keeps acting out in public.
Posted in music on November 3 2006, 1:49PM | Read More | Comments (28)
The Homestretch
Maybe it was the October surprise Karl Rove had planned all along. The verdict was announced today in the Saddam Hussein war crimes trial, and the former Iraqi dictator was convicted and sentenced to death. Hussein's lawyers had complained for weeks that the verdict date was timed to coincide with the American elections, but the court denied defense attorneys' requests for an extension. In the end, the verdict was not really the surprise. It was the timing that raised suspicions.
The last week of the election has seen one dramatic political news story after another. And none of them involved the actual candidates. First the Republicans seized on a botched joke by Senator John Kerry to accuse the Democrats of offending the troops. Then the Democrats (sorta) fired back with a gay prostitute who accused evangelical leader Rev. Ted Haggard of being involved a gay sex and drug scandal that forced Haggard to resign. And now the Republicans shoot back again with the Saddam Hussein conviction, which will inevitably be used to remind voters that Hussein was not a good guy. With just two more days until the election, what else can happen?
Posted in politics on November 5 2006, 11:48AM | Read More | Comments (9)
Down To The Wire
With just one day before the election, some polls are showing the race tightening as the two political parties sprint down to the finish line to determine who will control Congress. At this point, it appears the Democrats will regain control of the House of Representatives, but it's not clear if they will have the momentum to take the Senate as well.
This is an important election and it's a chance to send a signal to the White House about the direction of the country, the management of the war, and their own failed leadership. The Republican leadership has become so intoxicated with power that they have neglected most of the important issues facing Americans. While they've been busy trying to ban gay marriage, outlaw abortion and amend the constitution to criminalize flag burning, more and more Americans are losing their jobs, losing their health insurance, struggling to pay for college, and slipping into the realm of the working poor.
Posted in politics on November 6 2006, 11:23AM | Read More | Comments (9)
Final Election Predictions
The time has come, and now the American public will decide. Who will control the House and the Senate for the final two years of the Bush Administration? While some Democrats are concerned that overconfidence may hurt the party, I predict the Democrats will win 30 seats in the House and 5 seats in the Senate. That will give them control of the House and a tie in the Senate.
So as the campaign draws to a close, I offer my specific predictions on some of the key races.
Posted in politics on November 7 2006, 12:13AM | Read More | Comments (16)
Decision 2006
Democrats Take The House;
Senate Still Too Close To Call;
Blacks Win Key Races, Ford Loses
DEVELOPING STORY -- In a stunning rebuke to President Bush and the Republican Party, the American people rejected GOP candidates across the nation and gave Democrats control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 12 years.
In another major development, Deval Patrick was elected governor of Massachusetts, making him the first African American governor of Massachusetts and only the second black governor elected in America. In addition, Keith Ellison, a black Democrat from Minnesota, will become the first Muslim in Congress.
In Senate races, the Democrats picked up at least 4 seats in the Senate. The Democrats beat incumbents in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Rhode Island. Ben Cardin defeated Republican Michael Steele in Maryland. Joe Lieberman was re-elected in Connecticut. Democrat Bob Menendez held onto his seat in New Jersey. At 12:40 Wednesday morning, CNN called the Tennessee race for Republican Bob Corker over Harold Ford, but Ford gave a beautiful concession speech that will set him up for future elections.
At 2:10 a.m., CNN projected that Claire McCaskill beat Jim Talent in Missouri. Shortly thereafter, the governor of Montana announced that his state would be called by the end of the hour. But by 5 in the morning, the race had still not been decided.
In the governors' races, Democrats picked up six governorships in Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, Maryland, Arkansas and Colorado.
In the media, The New York Times banner headline proclaimed "Democrats Take House," while the Washington Post banner screamed the same three words: "Democrats Take House."
Posted in politics on November 8 2006, 4:59AM | Permalink | Comments (19)
Decision 2006
Democrats Win Montana;
Webb Still Leads In Virginia;
Rumsfeld Resigns From Pentagon
The Associated Press is now reporting that Democrat Jon Tester has defeated incumbent Republican Conrad Burns to be the next senator from Montana. That gives the Democrats 50 seats in the 100-member U.S. Senate and only one vote away from the majority. All eyes now turn to the Virginia race, where Democrat Jim Webb leads incumbent Republican Senator George Allen in a race where almost 100 percent of the vote has been counted. As of 12:50 this afternoon, Webb led Allen by 8,123 votes.
In related news, the Democrats scored their first victory against the Bush Administration when Donald Rumsfeld resigned as Secretary of Defense. At a 1 p.m. press conference, President Bush acknowledged that he had planned to replace Rumsfeld as early as a week ago but had lied to reporters when asked about it. But when pressed about the misinformation by a reporter at today's press conference, Bush seemed to contradict himself by saying "No I did not know" because he had not met with Rumsfeld's replacement.
Posted in politics on November 8 2006, 12:55PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Decision 2006
Democrats Recapture The Senate;
Webb Wins Virginia;
AP, NBC Call The Election
Almost 24 hours after the polls closed on election day, the tally has finally been counted. The Associated Press and NBC News are both now reporting that Democrat Jim Webb has defeated Republican Senator George Allen, thus giving the Democrats 51 seats in the Senate and control of the entire U.S. Congress for the first time in 12 years.
Posted in politics on November 8 2006, 9:27PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Ed Bradley (1941-2006)
Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley died this morning. Bradley had been with 60 Minutes for 26 years. During his illustrious career, Bradley won 19 Emmys, the most recent for a piece on the murder of Emmett Till. He was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement award from the National Association of Black Journalists.
A serious journalist known for his laid-back style and nicknamed "Easy Ed," Bradley was just as skilled whether he was interviewing musical diva Lena Horne or Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Ed Bradley was also something of a trend setter. With his distinguished salt-and-pepper beard, his gap-toothed smile, his handsome face and his memorable voice, Bradley became an icon of grace and style. Years ago, Bradley drew my attention when he started sporting an ear ring. It was shortly after that time that my own father started wearing an ear ring as well. My dad cited Ed Bradley as the influence in getting his own ear ring.
Bradley appeared a bit more frail in his later years, but it didn't affect the quality of his work. When I was thinking of pitching a story to 60 Minutes last year, I was told by close associates at CBS that Bradley was reducing his workload because of illness. But if he wasn't as fit as he used to be, he hardly showed it. The last time I heard his voice was just last week on my Ipod when I was listening to a 60 Minutes podcast segment he reported about an explosion at a BP oil refinery in Galveston, Texas.
Born June 22, 1941 in Philadelphia, Bradley graduated from Cheyney (Pa.) State College in 1964 with a B.S. in education. Ed Bradley died of leukemia. He was 65 years old.
Posted in pop culture on November 9 2006, 12:50PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Decision 2006
It's Official; Allen Concedes;
Webb, Democrats Declare Victory;
Clean Sweep of Both Houses
Two days after the November 7 midterm elections, Virginia's incumbent Republican Senator George Allen finally conceded defeat this afternoon in the contested election against Democrat Jim Webb. Democrats immediately seized on the moment, declaring victory in the Senate. Later in the afternoon, Jim Webb held a victory rally and thanked the people of Virginia for electing him.
"The people of Virginia have spoken . . . and I respect their decision," Allen said in his speech in Alexandria, Virginia. He also said he had called his opponent to congratulate him. As of the most recent tally, Webb led Allen by 7,231 votes with almost 100 percent counted.
Meanwhile, in a related story, CNN reported that Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman is all but certain to resign. Mehlman has been the subject of controversy on several blogs recently for providing ambiguous answers to questions about his own sexuality. And just last night, CNN reportedly deleted a portion of Bill Maher's appearance on the show where Maher talked about Mehlman's sexuality.
Posted in politics on November 9 2006, 4:09PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Starting A New Chapter
It has been a long and exciting week. The Democrats have taken control of Congress, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resigned and Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman is next out the door. In fact, the developments of the campaign and the past few months have inspired me to take a new direction with my own life.
Today I officially close an important chapter in my life. After 15 years of working as a black gay activist, I am now retiring from that work. Last month, I quietly resigned from the board of directors of the National Black Justice Coalition, the organization I helped to start almost exactly three years ago. And in September, I stopped writing the monthly syndicated column I have been writing for the past 6 years. I wrote the column for PlanetOut, Gay.com, the Washington Blade, the New York Blade, Southern Voice, the Philadelphia Gay News, and several other publications. Now it's over.
Posted on November 10 2006, 12:20PM | Read More | Comments (103)
Crossing Jordan
A Conversation With Orlando Jordan
If you've been reading this site for more than a minute, you know that I'm a big wrestling fan. I wrestled on my team in high school and I'm a member of two wrestling clubs here in New York. Earlier this year, I even competed in the wrestling competition at the Gay Games in Chicago and won a gold medal. Wrestling is my favorite sport, but professional wrestling is relatively new to me.
That's why I was so intrigued by the news earlier this year that Orlando Jordan, a successful black professional wrestler, had come out of the closet. Before the news went public, there was a lot of speculation about it, even on this site. But when I spoke to Orlando a week ago by phone, I discovered that he was never really in the closet as a professional athlete. He's been out for years.
Posted in sports on November 14 2006, 11:38AM | Read More | Comments (17)
A Slave Ship in Manhattan?
An Interview With Daniel Beaty
What would happen if an old slave ship rose up from New York Harbor next to the Statue of Liberty? That's sort of the premise behind Daniel Beaty's new play Emergence-SEE, now in its final week at New York's famed Public Theater.
Daniel Beaty is an actor, playwright, singer, orator and thinker, who brings all these talents together in a show that features 43 characters on stage. But there's a catch. Beaty plays all 43 characters. I had a chance to see the show last week and I spoke to Daniel Beaty this week for this special interview. I talked to him about his life, his family, his plays, and what inspires him to do the work he does.
Posted in theater on November 15 2006, 2:20AM | Read More | Comments (14)
The Audacity of Dopes
Lightning does strike twice. Or at least it did yesterday. That's when we learned that two men, separated by race, had essentially thumbed their noses at American sensibilities. One, a former football star and actor, had fallen from grace after he allegedly murdered his ex-wife. The other, a former frat boy and powerful political leader, had fallen from grace after praising a racist icon from the past. Then, in an instant, they were back.
The first, O.J. Simpson, announced the upcoming release of his new book "If I Did It," in which the ex-NFL star describes how he hypothetically would have killed his ex-wife. (If he did it, wink, wink.) The second, Trent Lott, put aside his racial baggage and won a narrow 1-vote victory to become the Republican minority whip in the new Senate. It was almost as if neither man felt any guilt, remorse or shame for what he had done in the past.
Posted in pop culture on November 16 2006, 11:39AM | Read More | Comments (19)
The Doctor Is In
If you watch E.R., you may have noticed this scene in last night's episode. The episode, called "Reason to Believe," showed Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) accidentally walking into the bathroom to discover his half-brother Chaz Pratt (Sam Jones III) is making out with another man. You can watch the 2-minute video clip from last night's episode by clicking on the link here. Once on the page, select "two minute replays" and then pick the last icon on the right and hit play.
After that scene, we see the two guys wrapped only in towels, still wet from the shower. Pratt tells the two to leave and asks his brother to move out, but later in the show he changes his mind and invites him back. Thanks to Augusto at QueerBeacon for the tip.
Posted in pop culture on November 17 2006, 4:17PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
A March Of Our Own
Kenneth Winfrey Reports
Albuquerque, N.M. -- It's been two weeks since I've poked my head up from the New Mexico sands to sum up the message board score card. It's been an interesting past few weeks for me with some new contacts and some new opportunities. I've also taken on a few new clients with my design business. I've been going through a "growth spurt" of sorts, and it's been great!
Meanwhile, I try as I can to keep the SPAM off the message boards, but those guys (or girls or whatever they are) are relentless. One day, I removed 8 posts advertising the same product. On another day, I removed the same post 4 separate times where someone was just determined to have their ad up, and persistently re-posted it. They gave up finally, but I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to sit at my desk and watch this place all day--not that that would be a bad thing at all.
Posted on November 20 2006, 9:55AM | Read More | Comments (6)
Heroes In The Struggle
Last week, celebrated photographer Duane Cramer was one of several honorees to receive an award at the annual Heroes In The Struggle gala put on by the Black AIDS Institute in Los Angeles. Duane joined Dionne Warwick, Patrik-Ian Polk and several other honorees for the star-studded event.
But the real highlight of this event is not the celebrities. It's the stories of the people who are involved. Duane shared his story that night in a speech he delivered, and he was kind enough to allow me to publish that speech today on this web site. It's a brief but powerful statement about the impact of the AIDS epidemic on real people that we all know.
Posted on November 21 2006, 1:07AM | Read More | Comments (7)
Six Questions About Kramer's Outburst
Comedian Michael Richards was widely criticized this week when word emerged that he had engaged in a racially charged verbal attack during a performance at a Los Angeles comedy club. Richards, of course, is the actor who played Kramer on the hit 90s television show Seinfeld. Now he's apologizing to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. I'm spending the holidays with my family in St. Louis this week, and I've resisted writing about this divisive subject. But I have a few things I'd like to say.
I've watched the infamous Laugh Factory video and I've seen Richards's apology on The David Letterman Show. After hearing from all sides, these are my six observations.
Posted in pop culture on November 22 2006, 1:49PM | Read More | Comments (76)
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I am in St. Louis today, but I will be traveling to Chicago, Atlanta and New York in the next four days. Since I will be on the road so much, I will not be updating my site again until Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.
This Thanksgiving, I am very thankful for many things, but I am also thankful to have this space where all of us can come together and talk, argue, agree, disagree, and learn from each other. Thank you for your support of this site.
Posted on November 23 2006, 11:49AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
A Technicolor Dreamcoat
Kenneth Winfrey Reports
Hello again everyone! I hope you've all had a great holiday. I ate until I felt as if I would explode. (Maybe that's why I'm smiling in my photo this time!) I didn't go to St. Louis as Keith did. I was really concerned about the weather getting too cold. Living in New Mexico is an experience of acclamation. The altitude, dry air and warmth are difficult to get away from. Going to the humid Mississippi River valley, which readily freezes over any time after Halloween, is difficult during the fall and winter. I do it just about every year anyway, but all the weather reports indicate that this is an El Niño year, a good reason to avoid northern travel.
So, I prepared a Muscovy duck and some sweet potatoes (not yams) and joined my friend Toni at her lovely home with her family in the foothills. We had all the other Turkey Day menu items, and a picture window framed the sunset as her two young daughters, her husband, she and I dined. It was spectacular, as just is about every other view in New Mexico.
Posted on November 27 2006, 2:40PM | Read More | Comments (8)
The Clik Awards Take Atlanta
It was one of the most inspiring events I've attended. The first annual Clik Awards took place Saturday night at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, and the turnout was amazing. Everyone, from recording artists Kevin Aviance and Billy Porter to actors Wilson Cruz and Rodney Chester, was on hand for the ceremony. The event, sponsored by Clik Magazine, was co-hosted by Chester and performance artist Harmonica Sunbeam.
The awards ceremony brought together a diverse array of leading figures in the community, including TV & film producer Nathan Hale Williams, Noah's Arc creator Patrik Ian Polk, best-selling author E. Lynn Harris, publisher and editor Lisa C. Moore, Clik Magazine publisher Dwight Powell, Cambridge Mayor Ken Reeves, photographers Duane Cramer and Jerry Boles, NBJC CEO Alexander Robinson, Film makers Deondray Gossett and Quincy LeNear, authors Rashid Darden, Ricc Rollins and Doug Cooper, Black AIDS Institute Executive Director Phill Wilson, Delta Airlines Program Manager Rafer Johnson, and film director Maurice Jamal.
Posted on November 28 2006, 11:49AM | Read More | Comments (9)
Songs In The Key of Life
A Talk With Gordon Chambers
I can't remember when I was introduced to Gordon Chambers. In hindsight, it seems like he was always there. I heard his words on the radio back in the 1990s when I was driving my car through the streets of Washington. Gordon has been writing songs since he was 7 years old. His hit songs were playing on the radio when he was barely out of college. Now as an adult, Gordon is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter with a new solo CD of his own, appropriately called Introducing Gordon Chambers.
If you've listened to the radio in the past dozen years, chances are you've heard Gordon's words too. He's written songs for Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Usher, Brandy, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan and Marc Anthony. He wrote Anita Baker's hit song "I Apologize" in 1994 and Brownstone's hit song "If You Love Me" in 1995. He's written several of my favorite songs, including Heather Headley's "If It Wasn't For Your Love" and Whitney Houston's "My Love." More recently, he's also written for Angie Stone ("No More Rain"), Beyonce ("After All Is Said And Done") and the Isley Brothers ("Just Came Here To Chill"). So I finally sat down and talked to Gordon for this special interview.
Posted in music on November 29 2006, 10:50AM | Read More | Comments (8)
Dreamgirls An Instant Classic
It happens about 20 or 30 minutes into the movie. That's when it hits you that you're watching a classic film. With a hit Broadway pedigree and an all-star cast that includes Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Loretta Devine, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose, Dreamgirls was headed for success from the day it began filming. But because the bar had been set so high from the Broadway production, the movie could have been a disastrous folly. Fortunately for fans, it is not.
Dreamgirls not only lives up to the hype, it also exceeds many of the expectations and answers some of the critics' toughest questions. Can Beyonce act? Yes. Can Jennifer Hudson sing "And I Am Telling You"? Yes. Does Eddie Murphy still have it? Yes. And can Jamie Foxx appear on screen for two hours without being annoying? Well, yes.
Posted in movies on November 30 2006, 12:04PM | Read More | Comments (54)
