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"Ticked Off Trannies With Knives" Ticks Off GLAAD

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:42:55 -0600

When I first saw the trailer for the upcoming movie Ticked Off Trannies With Knives, I turned to my coworker and said, "Let's Go!" Now, thanks to GLAAD, we'll never get tickets!

Never once did I think what GLAAD thought about the film:

The film, its title, and its marketing misrepresent the lives of transgender women and use grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence against transgender women in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face. Because of its positioning as a transgender film, viewers unfamiliar with the lives of transgender women will likely leave this film with the impression that transgender women are ridiculous caricatures of "real women."

The movie is a homage to campy revenge flicks. I immediately thought of Kill Bill and the grindhouse movies of today and yesteryear. Apparently director Israel Luna thought the same thing. In a recent interview with Arnold Wayne Jones of the Dallas Voice he said, "The idea actually came up when a group of us were watching the Grindhouse movies that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez did. After, we were just playing around and someone said I should do this with drag queens. That would be so much fun. I thought, ‘Well, let me try to think of how we could do this with absolutely no budget whatsoever.’ I thought a simple, old-fashioned revenge movie would be easy to write for me. And that’s what I did.”

Controversy has arisen over the title, but Luna insists that the trans-community was involved, and heck, the actresses in the film are transgender.

“I thought the gay thing’s been done, the coming-out-to-the-parents thing has been done. We’re just so past all of that stuff,” he says. “Who’s now the most under-represented and misunderstood? The trans community. And now with all the new rights [issues] coming up and murders [against transgender people] happening, that’s what I wanted to do. Everyone says I have the corner on the market with the drag queens and the transgender women here in Dallas because I have them in all of my projects. I just have this fascination and love [for them].”

If GLAAD really wanted to pick a movie that misrepresented the community, they could have gone after last year's egregious, Another Gay Sequal, but then again, it's just a movie.

Trailer after jump...

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Jedward Gets a New Record Deal

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:54:28 -0600

We have to admit that we've been slightly obsessed with Jedward since their awfully wonderful rendition of Oops!...I did it Again. Just one day after being dropped by Sony Records, the Irish singing duo got picked up by Universal Records. Hopefully Universal can help the X-Factor alumni crank out a good single — though our expectations are rather low after their first attempt, Under Pressure.

Suzanne Westenhoefer to Headline Trump Taj Mahal's Gay Weekend

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:24:34 -0700

Openly lesbian, comedienne Suzanne Westenhoefer is set to headline Trump Taj Mahal's Fun and Gay-mes weekend (March 27 and 28). A wild weekend of LGBT-specific events like gay bingo and T-dances. Money raised during specific events will go to help the South Jersey AIDS Alliance.

Suzanne is known as the first openly lesbian comic ever to appear on television, Suzanne has been seen on Late Night with David Letterman, and in her own HBO Comedy Special. Her GLAMA award-winning show A Bottom on Top, is now available on DVD, as is her latest venture, a starring role in the popular online web drama We Have To Stop Now.

Westenhoefer's stand-up show after the jump...

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The Worst Academy Awards Ever?

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:25:38 -0700

Cast and Crew of the Best Picture "The Hurt Locker"

This year's Academy Awards presentation may go down as one of the worst ever. Here are some takes on high and low moments, awkwardness, high fashion, and even its own Kanye West moment.

We only hope that next year the Academy will properly honor the Lifetime Achievement winners by giving them their hard-earned awards on the night of the broadcast and showing clips from their incredible films! Add to this, the need for a decent and complete tribute to those who died.

Directors and producers come and go, and it may be time for those responsible for last night's show to pack their bags.

If you got through the hour of Kathy Ireland's robotic, red-carpet pre-show, then you would have been thrilled to see the perhaps, gayest part of the entire evening... a musical number by Neil Patrick Harris. Check it out below (warning poor video quality).

The night's big winner was The Hurt Locker, which took home six awards including Best Picture and Best Director, making director Kathryn Bigelow the first woman to pick up an award for best directing in the Academy's hisory. (Also beating her ex-husband James Cameron.)

Other big winners included Sandra Bullock for best actress for her role in The Blind Side, Bullock also made history as the first person to pick up a Razzie for Worst Actress and an Academy Award. Jeff Bridges took home Best Actor for Crazy Heart, beating the GLBT-pick Colin Firth.

The only LGBT win for the evening came in the shorts category with The New Tenants taking home Best Short Live Action. The story follows two gay men after they move into an apartment, which turns out to be cursed.

For a full list of winners, click here.

Boys and Girls! Want to Dress Like GaGa?

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:47:48 -0700

Lady GaGa's bizarre fashion sense is almost as notorious as her music. Love it or hate it, Germanotta's outlandish style is catching on. But don't think you can just throw on some round glasses and spankies, Gaga's style is an art. Thanks to our friends at the Times Online we've got a step-by-step guide on how to get the GaGalicious look. She is a moving art exhibit and everything from her dress, boots, hair, tights, mask, and her pose are carefully calculated. Even if you're not ready to hit the town in your pouf wig, this could be great advice for next Halloween.

Plus Gaga at the Brit Awards!

Lady GaGa Flashes Her Pearls at AmFar's Fashion Week Kick Off Event in NYC

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:17:11 -0700

[SocialiteLife]

Shaky, handheld video of her performance at the event after the jump...
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Popular UK Soap to Air First Lesbian Kiss

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:17:19 -0700

Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson)

Coronation Street, the UK's longest running and most watched soap opera will air its first lesbian kiss. The show has snowballed a massive following during its 50-year run, and a gay kiss will surely be a hot topic among school-aged children and grandmas alike.

While, the storyline has not been confirmed, the Internet is swirling with rumors.

According to one source:

Religious teenager Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) will snog friend Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson) when a comforting hug turns passionate, the Sun claims.

A source told the newspaper: "Sophie and Sian think they're just good friends but their feelings for each other have been growing."

The source went on: "Things come to a head when Ryan tries to kiss Sophie. Sian runs back to Sophie sobbing - and their emotions take over."

The teens' embrace comes despite the pair taking a vow of chastity.

Many are reporting that the scene will air on Friday, April 9. [UKPA]

Elton John and Partner David Furnish to Produce Broadway Play

nospam@example.com (Tricia Manzanero) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:44:53 -0700

After composing music for three of Broadway's biggest shows, Aida, the Lion King, and Billy Elliot, Elton John will now try his luck in the producer's chair. According to a recent post on the Guardian, John will join forces with his civil partner David Furnish to put on Next Fall, a new play by Geoffrey Nauffts that follows the relationship between two gay men and the strain that their distinct religious beliefs put on them over a five-year period.

The Lion King and Aida clips after jump...

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GLAAD Commends The Academy Awards for Gay Inclusion

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:34:07 -0700

Lee Daniels Academy Award Nominated Director of "Precious"

GLAAD congratulates the creative teams and casts of Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire and A Single Man which received a combined seven Oscar nominations during today's announcement of nominees for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Lee Daniels, honored for his work on Precious, became the first openly gay African American director to receive a nomination.

“These films tell inclusive and diverse stories of our community which grow awareness and understanding of the lives of gay and transgender people,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios.

“Images like the love and commitment between Ms. Rain and her partner in Precious and the isolation felt by George in A Single Man spark conversations that help Americans embrace their gay and transgender friends, family members and neighbors,” Barrios said. “We need to advocate for more gay-inclusive stories to be shared with mainstream audiences because as more people see these images, they realize that we have the same aspirations, hopes, and deserve the same chances to take care of our loved ones and families.”

Bollywood's First Gay Kiss?

nospam@example.com (Joseph Pedro) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:13:45 -0700

Promotion for Dunno Y . . . Na Jaane Kyun

It is a theme that Bollywood has never dared to cover... a same-sex love affair. All this may change with the release of a film which has already been called India’s Brokeback Mountain.

According to the Times Online: "The film, which promises to break new ground by telling the story of a serious, and explicitly sexual, relationship between two Indian men, comes months after a law outlawing homosexuality was overturned in the Delhi High Court."

Not much is known about the project, except that "It will star Kapil Sharma, an actor in his debut role who plays an aspiring gay model forced to 'compromise his morals' to further his career. Its director, Anil Sharma, is one of the best known in Bollywood whose most recent offering, Veer, was a macho action adventure."

Any other clues to the plot comes from the promotional poster above.