02/09/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Portia De Rossi has come a long day from her Ally McBeal days. BE (Before Ellen) De Rossi was tight lipped about her personal life and opened up just the narrowest crack to allow the public access to her struggle with eating disorders. Today, De Rossi is a beautiful, strong, articulate woman who will go head to head with anyone to defend marriage equality and preservation of positive self image.

De Rossi states in the interview that:

“Ever since Ellen and I got together, I feel like I’ve been given an opportunity to actually—God, this sounds corny…” She rolls her eyes at herself, fidgets, and then forges ahead. “Well, I feel like my life can actually kind of stand for something. And I don’t mean that in a self-aggrandizing way, like, ‘Look at me, I can make a difference.’ But I feel like, maybe I get why I’m here.”

The LGBT community couldn’t ask for a better spokesperson. De Rossi also says that it is up to the LGBT community to fight for marriage equality:

“I think it’s up to us to save marriage,” she says. “Up to gay people across the country, seeing as though we’re fighting for it so vehemently.” De Rossi has an impressive ability to marry the personal and political: “This whole thing has been a wave of excitement and hope, and then it gently falls back into despair. And then it picks us up again. Unfortunately, we’re the ones who have to suffer this—this humiliation, really. There’s kind of a dignity that’s been stripped from us. Gay people are the ones who have to suffer through it—but without it, it won’t change.”

De Rossi also reveals that she is working on a book that will be published in the fall. It will focus on her battle with anorexia.

Check out the rest of the interview here:

http://advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/People/The_Great_de_Rossi/

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02/90/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Sarah Silverman is known for her controversial comedy. She frequently includes the LGBT community in her many borderline offensive comedy routines. My personal favorite being when she “becomes” a lesbian on The Sarah Silverman Show and says “As a lesbian I resent your laughter and all laughter.” However, Silverman got very serious about marriage equality last friday on the view.

“I can not imagine wanting to get married right now at this time in America. If you’re for equal rights, why would you get married right now? It’s like joining a country club that doesn’t allow blacks or Jews. There’s no difference. Why would I wanna join that club? It’s gross.”

Silverman’s statement is beautiful in its simplicity. Comparing perpetuating institutional prejudice in the form of marriage to the kind perpetuated by those in exclusive country clubs is an argument that is easily understandable and doesn’t allow for very much wiggle room by those seeking to disprove marriage equality.

Silverman is a staunch supporter of LGBT rights and it’s easy to see why she has such a large LGBT fanbase. Watch the Sarah Silverman show on LOGO to support Silverman.

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02/08/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

The Samantha Ronson/Lindsay Lohan romance has been off for a few months now. There have been reports of Lohan dating men, even another DJ that Ronson is acquainted with. When Ronson was asked by paparazzi how she felt about that, she wished Lohan luck with her new romance. Over the past two weeks, there has been more reports of Lohan’s erratic behavior when it comes to Ronson. First, Ronson asked paparazzi if Lohan was sending them after her on purpose. Given Lohan’s relationship with the paparazzi, this seems possible. Also, witnesses at clubs say that Lohan has been grinding with other women in front of Ronson, to try and make her jealous. Lohan has thrown a drink in Ronson’s face and Ronson herself admitted that she got kicked out of a club because Lohan kept flicking cigarette butts at her.

Despite the witnessed violent behavior from Lohan towards Ronson, Lohan is claiming that Ronson is the one who has been throwing the punches, literally. A source has exclusively spoken to Radaronline.com saying:

One time I saw her [Lindsay] and she had a large welt on her head,” the source told RadarOnline.com. “She told me that Sam beat the (bleep) out of her.

“She also said that Sam even punched and choked her one time.”

Ronson has not responded to these allegations. However, they seem out of character for the lesbian DJ, who kept a low profile before her romance with Lohan. No past girlfriends of Ronson’s have come forward to verify this type of behavior on Ronson’s part. I would assume that they are false until proven, because that is the kind of rumor that can ruin someone’s life. Domestic abuse accusations aren’t something one should participate in out of anger towards an ex-girlfriend.

These accusations are very serious. Abuse by a partner is a huge issue and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The LBQ community doesn’t necessarily embrace an open dialogue about domestic violence or rape within our own community, but it happens. Let’s hope that in this case, where there is smoke there isn’t fire.

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02/08/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Rachel Maddow wants you to know that she is not getting married. Maddow is currently living with her long term partner, artist Susan Mikula. Maddow and Mikula met when Maddow was a grad student. Maddow shoveled Mikula’s driveway…among other things.

Maddow said in an interview today:

“This spring, we will have been together for 11 years, and our relationship is serious and happy, mature, monogamous. We like having the right…but we’re making our own decision about whether we should exercise it.”

I don’t want to delve into the validity of Maddow’s relationship. However, statements such as these generally occur right before the couple in question breaks up. This applies to gay or straight relationships. Ladies, feel free to get your hopes up.

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02/07/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Carrie Prejean, the ex-California beauty queen who was projected into fame when openly gay celebrity blogger Perez Hilton asked her to share her views on marriage equality. Prejean stated, in the garbled words of a vapid, silicon implanted, spray tanned barbie doll, that she does not believe in marriage equality. Prejean grabbed onto the fame that statement brought her and rode it as far as she could take it- to a book deal and a spot on Larry King. Prejean was set to be a rising icon for the republican party, when both topless photos and solo sex tapes of her surfaced. She was quickly abandoned by her new found allies in her moment of need.

Luckily for Prejean, she found a rich guy who will marry her. The erstwhile ex-girlfriend of Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps will be entering into the sacred institution of opposite marriage with St. Louis Rams star Kyle Boller. Boller and Prejean have been dating for about six months. Hopefully, once Prejean discovers the joys of marriage, she will change her stance on prohibiting the LGBT community to share in the institution.

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02/07/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Jason Mraz, the well known pop-rock singer/songwriter, best known for his hits “The Remedy” and “I’m Yours” has come out as a straight ally. Jason Mraz posted on his facebook page:

Jason Mraz’s Notes

As a straight man I really have nothing to gain by standing up for equal rights for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual, and/or my Transgender friends. Except for the fact that I have many friends who are still subjected to hurtful comments by a society that hasn’t yet embraced fully the nature of… nature.Supporting a limiting system of rules for specific people to follow is prejudice. It’s the Antithesis of Christ Consciousness and (like smoking) it’s Soooo last century.

Allowing love to freely flourish will only enhance the life experience – For All.

Imagine telling cyclists to stay off the road. “These roads are for cars only! Those who dare to pedal on the shoulder will most likely get hit! Drivers will not expect to see you. It will not be the drivers’ fault if you get hurt.”

Yet, by sharing the road, the same rules get to apply to all of us. And surprisingly, we all get somewhere.

No one has to sit at the back of the bus.

A Marriage is a powerful commitment by any two people who are committed to each other’s lives being great. The God that is present in ceremony is looking itself in the eye in the form of the two worthy participants. Their commitment is the divine expression “love loving itself.” Any interference from the outside world be like a bear coming out of the woods and mauling the two lovebirds in front of the entire wedding party, the family and invited guests. Interference is messy and downright rude.

Hosting closed minded thoughts or making lewd comments about the intimate affairs of someone else does not make life great. In fact, it clogs up the judicial system, diminishes entire communities, and turns the clock backwards to our ultimate realization that we are all One – living in harmony with the Earth, with the cosmos, and with great things unseen. Thinking that others are a ‘particular way’ rather than reinventing them as new everyday makes you separate and disconnected from the really easy, peaceful solution.

Life is too short. The age of interfering with someone’s natural rights (and natural born gifts) are over.

Love is too powerful to resist. I think the whole world would be better if we just got out of our own way. It would certainly be sexier.

I understand many people who stumble onto this blog are already dialed in and ready to transform the world. Much of my community is too. But there are some who still don’t care one way or the other about the ways of being in the world. Thereby, it’s up to us to share our positive outlook on our favorite issues.

To learn more about how you can be a part of the Epic Movement for Equal Rights. Visit The Human Rights Campaign at http://www.hrc.org/ and support the True Colors Fund.

This Year I Resolve to Join the Conversation on Equality. I will Stand Up and be outspoken about Same Sex Marriage and Let Freedom Sing.

Jason Mraz is using his celebrity power for a good cause. The LGBT movement could use the support of more celebrity men who are secure enough in their sexuality and their fame to voice their support.

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02/06/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Nina Sky, the pop singing duo of twin sisters Natalie and Nicole Albino, had a hit song in 2004 with “Move Ya Body.” While none of their subsequent singles has been as successful, they are still around on the music scene. Natalie and Nicole are Puerto Ricans who grew up in Astoria, Queens. Rumors have been circulating on the internet for years that one of the duo is a lesbian.

Sources say that Nicole is the sister in question. Chueca is a Columbian run LBQ bar/nightclub in Queens. It is largely frequented by Latina lesbians and it’s rumored that Nicole was regularly seen at the bar when she was younger, and will still show up every once in awhile. Sources say that she is very low key and doesn’t throw around her fame or her repuation.    

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02/06/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Natalie Portman was “terrified” when she had to kiss Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, That 70’s Show, Family Guy) in her new movie ‘Black Swan’. Black Swan is a movie about two rival prima ballerinas in the high stakes world of ballet dancing. In the movie (spoiler alert, only if you are planning to see the movie, which I’m pretty sure you aren’t) Portman and Kunis have a sex scene together. In an interview Portman states:

“I was terrified. At the moment I lived in a state of inner terror.”

Inner terror? Kissing a beautiful accomplished actress is terrifying? Portman who has previously shot nude scenes and played a stripper in the movie “Closer” is also worried the lesbian sex sequence is overshadowing the plot of the film and worries it will make her be taken less seriously as an actress. She added: “Nudity is something absolutely natural and I’m not prudish – but in a film it can be distracting. But stripping isn’t? Portman goes on to say:

“Doing ‘Black Swan’ I couldn’t say no. The project is a huge opportunity for me to show a new me. I can’t always play the nice mothers. My other problem is that single pictures are being taken out of context and put on the internet.” Right, Portman is always playing the nice mother, or the nice stripper. Playing a nice lesbian is a huge leap for her. There is nothing wrong with strippers, but it’s sad that Portman regards playing a lesbian as her least family friendly role.

Portman studied psychology at Harvard has a reputation for being “I can guarantee you I’m not one of the most intelligent actresses of the world.” I completely agree with you Natalie and to prove it, I’m running some of Portman’s best quotes below:

“Star Wars hasn’t changed my life at all.”

Except for the millions of dollars you made and the wooden acting that eventually will become your legacy among the millions of Star Wars fans worldwide.

“When a guy tells me I’m cute, it’s not something desirable. Cute is more like what you want your pet to be.”

Cute is awesome. We can’t all be devastatingly gorgeous in a half-fed way.

And then there was the time she compared meat lovers to rapists: I say that Foer’s ethical charge against animal eating is brave because not only is it unpopular, it has also been characterized as unmanly, inconsiderate, and juvenile. But he reminds us that being a man, and a human, takes more thought than just “This is tasty, and that’s why I do it.” He posits that consideration, as promoted by Michael Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which has more to do with being polite to your tablemates than sticking to your own ideals, would be absurd if applied to any other belief (e.g., I don’t believe in rape, but if it’s what it takes to please my dinner hosts, then so be it).

Portman told Allure magazine in an interview, regarding being famous: “I’m not black, but I know what it feels like.” That quote speaks for itself. Natalie Portman: Not America’s Smartest Actress.

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02/04/2010- by Natasia Langfelder It was surprising to everyone when FOX announced that Ellen DeGeneres would be filling the vacant judging spot left by Paula Abdul. It was however, a genius move. America loves Ellen. She gave an interview to Entertainment Tonight about her upcoming appearances as a judge on American Idol. She says about the show:

“I had one idea of Simon when I came in, and it’s changed. He’s actually meaner than I thought. … It’s hard to listen to him tell people things and me not to go, ‘You poor thing!…I’m getting good at delivering bad news, myself, but I’m trying to do it in a tender way. … I hate hurting people’s feelings, so that, I think, is the hardest part…I think we have good people … I’m going to fight very, very hard to keep the people that I believe in, so that we have a wide variety … somebody for everybody, I hope.”

Ellen’s statement is in line with her personality, there is no way she is going to bring the bitter bite that Simon Cowell brings when it comes to judgingthe contestants. Ellen makes her debut as a judge on the February 9 episode of the show. Simon will exit the show at the end of this season. I’ve never watched American Idol, but I’ve been watching this season so I will know what to expect when Ellen is on the show. Will you be watching Ellen on American Idol?

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1/31/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Amy Winehouse, the troubled UK singer best known for her drug fueled eccentric behavior and hospitalizations, has been outed as bisexual. There has been speculation about Winehouse’s sexuality in the past, as she has tattoos of sexy pin up girls on her arms and has emanated a ‘tough-girl’ persona. A friend of Winehouse is blabbing about Winehouse’s romantic preferences to British Tabloids. The friend is claiming that she is speaking with Winehouse’s full permission. She says that during a conversation about Winehouse’s ex-husband dating a transsexual who is also an Amy Winehouse impersonator; Winehouse stated:

So what? I like girls as well. I have had relationships with other women but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love Blake [Fielder-Civil]. There is something about being with a woman that is very satisfying. I don’t care what people think about me being bi – I do what feels good.

The friend, also gave a statement of her own, saying:

There is nothing restrained about Amy’s sexuality. She doesn’t hold back and says what she feels. She often talks about other women. Her favourite [sic] is Cheryl [Cole, member of the British band ‘Girls Aloud’], who she really fancies. Most women can appreciate another woman’s beauty but Amy definitely takes that to the next level.

It is difficult to know whether or not these statements are true. Even if Winehouse is bisexual, her public entrance into the LGBT community would probably not do much in terms of perpetuating a positive image for bisexuals. At this point in her career, Winehouse is more well known for her disgusting exploits and nasty drug habit than for her singing abilities. Hopefully this is a rumor that will quickly be denied by Winehouse, because the LBQ community doesn’t need this kind of celebrity as a spokesperson.

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1/31/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

It has been no secret in NYC lately has been that Alicia Keys and rapper Swizz Beatz have been looking for an apartment together.  Now, sources say that the two are engaged. Beatz reportedly gave Keys a seven carat diamond ring for her 29^th birthday and the two are currently in Hawaii together on vacation. Keys’ spokesperson is denying the engagement.

The denial of the engagement comes as a surprise, when so much of managing Keys’ career is dispelling the lesbian rumors that have persisted since her career first took off. In 2003 and 2007 Keys released statements directly addressing the lesbian rumors and denying them. Since then, much publicity centering around Keys’ has been to remind the general public that she likes men. A lot. All the time. We get it, she says she’s straight. Also, Keys’ relationship with Swizz Beatz has been so heavily publicized that it makes no sense for her handlers to back off now.

If they are engaged, congrats to the happy couple. For any of you holding out hope that Keys will someday admit she plays for our team, don’t hold your breath, ladies.

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1/31/2010- by Natasia Langfelder            

Dolly Parton, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights, told the Times of London that she believes in marriage equality and that LGBT rights are human rights, not political fodder.  Parton says that while she is not a posterchild for gay rights, she has many LGBT friends that she feels have the right to marriage.

Parton has a large gay following and while she embraces her fans and their rights, she has never been the most outspoken celebrity in a political sense. In the interview, she states that she doesn’t want the controversy suffered by stars such as the Dixie Chicks, who made polarizing political statements. It seems unlikely that Parton will suffer a backlash from these comments, as it is generally known among her fans that she embraces her LGBT fanbase.

1/29/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Rosie O’Donnell is doing the media rounds as she promotes her new HBO special, “A Family is a Family is a Family: A Rosie O’Donnell Celebration.” She first made headlines, at least during promotions for her HBO special, when she announced on Oprah that lesbians can stay better friends after breakups than heterosexuals. Now, she is talking to LocateTV, with her son, Parker, by her side.

O’Donnell admits that she is not looking for a full time position on TV. Her family is her first priority. The interview shows a different side of O’Donnell, who is frequently over exposed. O’Donnell and her son show a genuine affection for each other and come off as very down to earth, despite their wealth and stardom. Parker says of his mother:  

LOCATETV: What’s your relationship with your mom? Does she know as much as maybe you thought she did a few years ago? (laughter) How do you guys get along?

PARKER: I’m going to get in trouble.

ROSIE: No, take it. Say the truth.

LOCATETV: Be honest now. (laughter)

PARKER: Well, me and mom have been close probably, yeah, since I was born. (laughter) Yeah. So I would probably say I talk to her a lot about a lot of stuff that’s going on. And she probably knows most of the stuff that she needs to know. (laughter)

 If you are interested in Rosie (not all of us are) you can read the rest of the interview here:

http://www.locatetv.com/blog/mamas-family-rosie-odonnell-style/

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1/25/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

Out lesbian actress Jane Lynch will marry her girlfriend, Dr. Lara Embry, this May, according to shewired.com. There are no details about the ceremony or where the two will marry.

Lynch is currently on Glee and played a lesbian on The L Word and in the movie Best in Show. Since appearing on Glee Lynch’s career has picked up even more steam and she is rapidly closing in on Ellen Degeneres and Rosie O’Donnell as America’s favorite gay actress.  

 Embry, is a psychologist who made headlines last year for her triumph in a landmark same-sex custody lawsuit in Florida.  She was honored by the National Center For Lesbian Rights with the organization’s Justice Award.

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1/25/2010- by Natasia Langfelder

The much anticipated Joan Jett biopic, The Runaways debuted at Sundance last night. The Runaways focuses on the all-girl group of the same name that rose to popularity in the 70’s. The film is directed by Floria Sigismondi. Which brings into full circle the “girl-power” message of the both the group and the film.

The movie has been getting a lot of attention from LGBT-ers because of the sexual orientation of Jett and the romance between her and fellow band mate Cherie Curie. In particular, there has been much coverage of the kiss between Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, the actresses who play each band member, respectively. Fanning is fifteen, so this film is great for teenagers who either are out and proud or those who are questioning and looking for role models.

The marketing campaign for The Runaways focused on Joan Jett as the center of the film, however, the film is actually based on the book “Neon Angel,” by Cherie Curie which explains the heavy focus on Curie in the film. The reviews of the movie range from “okay” to “good.” Entertainment Weekly comes down on the film for being too scattered in terms of it’s portrayal of Curie’s character and for not giving Jett’s character a deeper storyline. A few reviewers stated that they went into the movie without high hopes and came away surprised. Fanning’s ability as an actress was never in doubt. But there was concern about whether Kristen Stewart could pull off the part of Joan Jett, based on her wooden acting in the Twilight movies. Cinematical had this to say

Beware Twihards and Twi-Moms, this is not your sweet and innocent Bella. Kristen Stewart’s Joan Jett urinates on electric guitars, pops pills, snorts coke, and loves other ladies. Just a fair warning.

Quality LBQ movies are few and far between. Hopefully, The Runaways will make a bigger splash when in wide-release. Read the rest of the review here: http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/24/the-runaways-sundance-review/

For more reviews, check out these links:

http://movie-critics.ew.com/2010/01/25/the-runaways-is-no-knockout/

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/16166/sundance-review-the-runaways-

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1/24/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Julianne Moore is straight. She is married to director Bart Freundlich and they have two children together, a boy and a girl. However, Moore has never shied away from taking on unconventional roles, roles that perhaps most straight actresses wouldn’t want to take on.  Moore first made it onto my radar when I read a quote from the actress saying that she was hungry all the time.  It’s rare for an actress to admit, with that type of honesty, that she has to make that kind of sacrifice to be able to practice her craft. Moore first made it onto the LGBT radar when she starred in The Hours (2002), alongside Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep, as a closeted 50’s housewife who goes on to leave her husband and child in order to stay true to her identity.  Moore’s performance was as beautiful as it was heart-wrenching and she was nominated for her work in the film by both the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy.

Moore is getting a lot of buzz for her recent choices in roles in two soon to be released movies. The film “Chloe” stars Moore and Amanda Seyfried (Momma Mia, Mean Girls) as a wife who pays an escort to seduce her husband and said escort, respectively.  Recently, screen shots of the movie have surfaced showing that Seyfried’s character, at the very least, kisses Moore’s character. At first blush, the plot of Chloe sounds more suited to the playboy channel than in the repertoire of an academy award winning actress. But so does the plot of Boogie Nights, a film that earned Moore nominations from the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and the Academy.  The LBQ audience has to trust that Moore would not take this role unless it depicted the community in an honest light, if not in the most flattering light.

Moore will be starring as a lesbian parent, alongside Annette Benning, in the film “The Kids are Alright.”  The film centers around two lesbian parents who conceived their two children through artificial insemination with sperm purchased from a sperm bank. When the children want their biological father brought into the picture, complications arise for the family. The movie was recently shown at the Sundance Film Festival.  

Moore’s three LBQ roles could not be more diverse and truly do represent the diversity among women who love women. Moore’s stable background as a heterosexual wife and mother combined with her prolific on-screen roles and artistic consistency in her acting, probably helps to account for her sustained popularity among straight audiences as well as gay. However, if this stability helps her to explore and break new ground in queer films, it proves her commitment to the LGBT community and to visibility for an often overlooked group of people.

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1/24/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Courtenay Semel, the heiress to the Yahoo fortune and self labeled “Lesbian Don Juan,” opened up to E! entertainment news and gives new details about her relationship with Casey Johnson.  Semel maintains that despite her turbulent romance with Johnson, which ended long before Johnson’s death, that Johnson was her other half and the love of her life.  She describes their relationship, detailing that she and Johnson knew each other their entire lives.  They initially beefed in high school, when Johnson’s ex-boyfriend began dating Semel. However, one night the two women found themselves together at Hyde, and knowing no one else, sparked up their friendship again. Semel, who had come out by that time, even going so far as to try to set Johnson up with Semel’s brother. That relationship never sparked, and Semel reveals that Johnson told her she wanted to date women. After that the girls were inseparable, according to Semel.

Semel tells E! that Johnson predicted her own death, Johnson telling Semel that she wouldn’t make it past her 30^th birthday. Semel also says that she has no doubt in her mind that Johnson’s death was attributed to drugs. Which is an odd thing to say to the world about the “love of your life,” which Semel repeatedly states in the interview regarding Johnson. Semel reveals that days before Johnson died, they argued and Semel lied and told Johnson she was dating someone new. They day after, Johnson began her much publicized relationship with Tila Tequila. Semel ends the interview saying that she has regrets and that she will always love Johnson.

The interview does seem heartfelt, but one has to wonder how someone could open herself up enough and say those types of statements to the world, if they are completely true.

This interview probably marks the next step in Semel launching herself into reality stardom. In the pictures they show of Semel and Johnson, they both look young, innocent, sweet, sober; A marked difference from Johnson’s pictures with Tila Tequila. It is In Semel’s defense she always looked awkward on the red carpet with Tila, almost like she was embarrassed and fighting the urge to hide her face. When she was dating Lindsay Lohan, her face was never visible to cameras. Lohan’s rumored girlfriend was an impression of thick black hair and skinny jeans.

Even Semel’s relationship with Johnson was low-key until January 14^th, 2009 when the women got into a physical fight and Semel was accused viciously beating Johnson and of lighting Johnson’s hair on fire.  It is interesting to see the evolution of Semel from the woman behind the scenes, to the woman who is quickly becoming as famous as Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian. Semel seems to be drawn to drama, but with this interview she proves that she is no longer willing to be on the sidelines.  Semel is very well spoken and on the surface, she appears to be a very intelligent young woman. It will be interesting to see if she, as an out lesbian, will be able to land the television and endorsement deals of her straight counterparts.

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Natalie Cassidy is a British actress who appeared on the popular UK soap, EastEnders for 16 years. Cassidy played “Sonia Jackson” since she was ten years old, but left the show in 2007 after Sonia had an affair with Naomi, a fellow nurse.

Cassidy told Reveal Magazine that she left EastEnders because she didn’t feel comfortable with her character engaging in a same sex relationship.  She calls the relationship not true to the character of Sonia and calls the lesbian story itself “shocking.” Cassidy goes on to display her ignorance further when she says that she would consider going back to EastEnders, but only if Sonia was the star of a really “shocking” storyline. Basically, she is claiming she would return to the show for the same reason she says she left the show. Someone call MENSA, this girl is a genius. Obviously, Cassidy is upset that she was cast as a lesbian. I would like to applaud EastEnders for including lesbians in their stories, lesbians exist in real life and deserve to be represented on the screen. Only most of us are much more attractive than Natalie Cassidy. Cassidy has also appeared on the UK version of dancing with the stars, “Strickly Come Dancing.” I would like to nominate Cassidy to appear on Oxygen’s “Dance Your Ass Off.” That show is much more appropriate for her.

1/19/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

Katy Perry shot to fame with her lez-ploitacious song, “I Kissed a Girl,” has never actually kissed a girl. But that hasn’t stopped her from using her image as teasingly bisexual to make herself appear more attractive to heterosexual men and to build up a loyal LGBT audience.

Perry, who has a body hot enough to distract you from her bug eyes and insipid personality, is currently dating/engaged to Russell Brand. Brand is a British comedian best known for his role in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” The two have been out and about and ensuring the paparazzi catch them at the appropriate intimate moments. She has even hinted at being pregnant over her twitter feed, to create buzz for herself.

Perry’s latest attention grab again involves pretending to be gay-ish. She told the Daily Star newspaper that if Russell Brand ever cheated on her, she would become a lesbian. Because being a lesbian is something you can “become,” at least according to Perry. She goes on to say something even stupider:

““I have a soft spot for women… if any of my boyfriends ever fail me, I’ll turn to them!” Some women walk into the room, and they’re so beautiful and you’re like: ‘I wanna smell you,’ you know.”   

 She wants to smell beautiful women? Gross. Hopefully Russell Brand will never cheat on her. She would make a really creepy fake lesbian.

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• Katy Perry and Russell Brand, engaged and adorable (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

01/14/2010-by Natasia Langfelder

 Well ladies, it was only a matter of time. The Daily Mail is reporting that a 47 second scene featuring Lohan and a “mystery” man is being shopped around LA.  It is said that the man is a waiter at a Carl’s Jr. chain and that he or his camp will eventually sell the tape offshore, rendering Lohan powerless to stop it’s release.

I know Lindsay is a hot mess, but I feel bad for her. I really do. She shouldn’t have been stupid enough to make sex tape and it’s possible that at this point in time she wants it to be released so she can stay in the public eye.  Even if this is something she thinks she wants, in the end it will only humiliate her and cause her to spiral further out of control. If this tape really is being released without her consent, then that is unequivocally wrong and there should be ways to better protect women’s privacy.

 Let’s hope the tape doesn’t make it offshore. I don’t think that any of us are rooting for Lindsay to end up like Casey Johnson.

The National Inquirer is reporting that Rosie O’Donnell and her new girlfriend, Tracy Katrick-Anders have moved in together. Rosie seems to be moving quickly with this relationship, as she announced her split from Kelli Carpenter in December.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I am a huge Kelli Carpenter fan and I liked her and Rosie together. I hope they find their way back together sometime down the road, especially since there are children involved.

                                                                    Reported by Melanie Nathan

Following a Press release in LOS ANGELES, CA -  Celebrating its 20th milestone anniversary (March 31- April 4, 2010), Club Skirts The Dinah (www.TheDinah.com) is once again breaking grounds by delivering the creme de la creme of all things entertainment – and  this year again it includes THE Billboard pop artist with the current # 1 hit in the country and two other buzz-heavy breakthrough performers. 

She’s done it again!  Mariah Hanson, the visionary master brain and envelope pushing event producer behind The Dinah, has secured another extraordinarily exceptional entertainment line-up for the 2010 Dinah Shore weekend held at the Hilton Hotel and The Hyatt Regency in Palm Springs, CA!

In the span of two decades, Mariah Hanson, founder of Club Skirts, has turned The Dinah into a MUST SEE, MUST BE SEEN AT event, building a reputation as a trendsetter and the catalyst propelling new young artists to the top of the charts – Lady Gaga and Katy Perry were the breakthrough artist of 2009, Colbie Caillat in 2008 and The Pussy Cat Dolls back in 2006.

If The Dinah 2009 was EPIC not only securing the performances of a Grammy nominee and a Top Ten Billboard artist with the then # 1 Song in the country, but as well making it the most attended Dinah ever despite the economic crisis, The Dinah 2010 will be HISTORIC!

Meet The Dinah 2010 performers who will grace the stage of the prestigious Convention Center in the Sunny Oasis:

 Pop singer Ke$ha, who only this past few weeks, who came out about her bisexuality a few days ago, just scored her first # 1 hit with her contagiously catchy tune ”Tik Tok”  ending Jay-Z and Alicia Keys‘ five-week reign at the top of the US singles chart-  and bumped Lady Gaga off the number spot in Australia last week ….. number one in New Zealand, too and Canada.

Ke$ha is scheduled to perform at the highly anticipated 20th Anniversary of Club Skirts The Dinah (March 31 thru April 4) during Friday night’s White Diamond Party at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Ke$ha   gained exposure in the mainstream media after being featured on Flo Rida’s single, “Right Round”.    ”Right Round,” soared to No. 1, selling more than 636,000 downloads its first week out, and shattering the all-time one-week digital single sales record. (Ke$ha also contributes her sassy vocal stylings to “Touch Me,” another track from Flo Rida’s upcoming 2009 album R.O.O.T.S.)

Also Featuring:
PARADISO GIRLS -The “Will I Am” Produced all Girl-Band from the creator of The Pussy Cat Dolls
LOLENE – The Dance Club Billboard Chart-Topper British Sire

  The countdown has started … tik tok … tik tok … it’s Dinah time!    www.TheDinah.com

  Posted by Melanie Nathan
 

 Posted by: Melanie Nathan   
nathan@privatecourts.com

 Posted by Melanie Nathan     The LAPD  released a statement confirming the death of Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson.  (Picked up from OK Magazine) Reported by OK at January 4th, 2010 9:45 pm / Author: OK! Staff  

I have not verified this for myself.

“Just in: TMZ is reporting that Casey Johnson, 30, the party girl heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, who on Dec. 9 was online showing off the her engagement to Tila Tiquila.”   Johnson was arrested in November for grand theft.  Her father is the owner of the  NY Jets.

 

LAPD  STATEMENT: “Earlier today at about 11:51 this morning, our Wilshire area patrol officers responded to an ambulance death investigation in the 900 block of North Orlando Avenue. The L.A  fire department also responded and pronounced Miss Casey Johnson dead at the scene. Through a preliminary death investigation it does appear it was a natural death as there was no foul play.  And of course the Los Angeles coroners office will conduct their own investigation, which includes a toxicology screening. There is no evidence at this time that there was any foul play.”

However Tila Tequila has been tweeting that she was told that her fiance Casey isin a  coma and not dead.   One wonders if Tequila is tweeting from her fiance’s coma bedside and if not why not?

Based on OK’s report that does not seem a likely possibility. 

By   Melanie Nathan. nathan@privatecourts.com

http://gawker.com/5440075/johnson–johnson-heiress-casey-johnson-is-dead-in-a-coma-really-dead-updated

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• Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson dead at 30 (cnn.com)
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• Casey Johnson, Tila Tequila Finace, Johnson & Johnson Heiress Found Dead (socialitelife.celebuzz.com)
• Daughter of Jets Owner Dies (nytimes.com)
• Casey Johnson Dead At 30 (buzzfeed.com)
• Socialite daughter of New York Jets owner has died (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Rosie O’Donnell just revealed in November that she and longtime partner Kelli Carpenter had split up and that Kelli had moved out two years ago. The reports are out that Rosie now has a new girlfriend who in fact has six children. See http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/12/30/2009-12-30_rosie_odonnell_romancing_new_lady_friend_says_a_report.html, as the two were seen on thebeach in Miami holding hands. O’Donnell’s rep confirmed to People.com that she is dating Texas artist and mother of six Tracy Kachtick-Anders.
O’Donnell met her new love through her blog, Perez Hilton reports on his blog. O’Donnell had also let slip that the alleged new woman in her life was the same person photographed with her on a jet ski in Miami a few months back. In addition, O’Donnell has posted photos of Kachtick-Anders and her children on her site.

The site also noted that O’Donnell’s new love is a writer who created the non-profit organization Open Arms Campaign, a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the recruitment of foster and adoptive homes. She also invented the Sleep Tight Wedge, a slumbering aid for infants.

www.People.com quote:

‘Like O’Donnell, Kachtick-Anders is active in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parenting and adoption issues. She launched Open Arms Campaign, a non-profit organization to recruit and foster adoptive families that targets the LGBT community. “I have become an activist and work to educate everyone, not only about the plight of foster children,” she wrote on TheRainbowBabies.com, “but also the inequality that faces LGBT people in their quest to create families.” Kachtick-Anders has six children, five of whom are adopted, according to the Examiner.com.

O’Donnell, meanwhile, is gearing up for the airing on HBO in late January of A Family Is A Family Is A Family: A Rosie O’Donnell Celebration, a documentary that challenges the traditional ideas of family.”

Posted by Melanie Nathan
Nathan@privatecourts.com
 www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com

12/27/09- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Liberal discontent with the Obama Administration boiled over onto the panels of Doonesbury this past week as Mark Slackmeyer ripped into the failures of the Obama Administration with zeal. The week long run of strips feature Mark, who is openly gay, going after the Obama Administration for a variety of different issues, including the Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. “From the Public Option to Marriage Equality to the Patriot Act to escalation in Afghanistan…” one of Mark’s rants goes. In a dig that may be partially aimed at MSNBC’s Kieth Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, the caller who started this anger filled rant by Mark talks about how “he’s all we’ve got. If you bail, what’s the point of your show?” Both Olbermann and Maddow have been critical of the tone that President Obama has set, and his tendency to not push a more Progressive agenda, and to, instead, try to forge a consensus with people who will never negotiate.

Doonesbury has been known for its long history of liberalism. Gary Trudeau had one of the first openly gay characters in a major comic strip. He has one of the few regular openly gay characters in the comics as well. In 1975, Trudeau won a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning for Doonesbury. It was the first strip to be so honored. It is in a similar vein that The Daily Show won two Peabodys for their work regarding political humor. Doonesbury has always been timely in its commentary, and though there are always more Republican and Conservative characters, the strip has always tended towards the Liberal. At one point, an aid to Obama points out in the strip “You’re losing NPR.” In some ways, losing Doonesbury is akin to losing Olbermann, Maddow, and NPR. Doonesbury has been a major Liberal voice since it first went into syndication in 1970.

Discontent with Obama’s lack of leadership has grown during the debate over health care reform with a handful of people holding up the vote as the system becomes more and more stacked towards the minority party. It is unclear how this discontent with Obama will play out in 2010 and 2012.

Unfortunately, Doonesbury strips are not available for embed. They are, however, available to the reading public here.

12/15/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Closer centers around Detective Chief Brenda Johnson, played by Kira Sedwick, and the Priority Homicide Unit at the LAPD. The episode “Make Over” centers around the reopening of several cases where the evidence involved has been thrown out when the lab that processed it has been discredited. In one of these cases, the evidence that sent the criminal to jail was a confession and a tox screen result of excessive morphine in the victim’s body. The last bit of evidence is no longer valid. The case goes back seven years prior to the episode and was closed by Detective Lt. Provenza, played by G.W. Bailey, and his partner Detective George Andrews, played by guest star Beau Bridges. As Provenza and his new partner Lt. Flynn, played by Anthony Denison, wait at the train station for Dt. Andrews, Provenza reminisces about the good old days with Dt. Andrews. When Detective Andrews finally arrives, it is something of a shock. Retired Detective Georgette Andrews comes as a major shock, and a problem, for the unit. (Do not read beyond this point if you do not want spoilers!)

Typically, this column is dedicated to profiling a specific celebrity, but in this case, an exception can be made. “Make Over” is not a perfect episode when it comes to the depiction of transpeople, but compared to a lot of the normal rundown of shows featuring transpeople, this episode definitely surpasses many of them. The reaction of Georgette’s old friends is one of those that does not get portrayed on television very often. Another diversion from the norm is that we see a transperson who is neither the victim nor the perpetrator of a crime, but, in this case, a detective, or former detective, who is out to make sure that the person that she put behind bars seven years prior stays there. There are the uncomfortable questions, including one by Detective Sanchez regarding what happened to Detective Andrew’s penis. The answers are often straight forward, including a basic rundown of the surgery. That whole sequence ends with a kicker too, Georgette Andrews is not just transsexual, but she’s lesbian as well. (It was enough to make me, a transwoman and lesbian, smile.)

Over all, the episode was well written with regards to trans-issues, and sensitive to how we feel. In one sixty minute episode, they ran down many of the issues that transpeople face including acceptance, prejudice, problems when a past life comes back to haunt us, and those darned uncomfortable questions. Beau Bridges does an admirable job with portraying a transwoman, and actually makes a pretty decent looking woman. The episode is also remarkable in another fashion in that it also goes against the stereotype regarding lesbians. Detective Andrews is very much a femme. She wears dresses, high heels, makeup, and long hair. This is atypical in the normal run of depictions regarding lesbians, who are usually portrayed as being masculine or slightly masculine.

It was a good watch. I do not normally watch The Closer, but I did enjoy this particular episode.

For a full synopsis, please visit the IMDB.

TNT requires a special program to watch their TV shows online. It does not take long to download and install. The episode itself should be online sometime within the week.

Photo via Wikipedia.

12/09/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Chaz Bono has become one of the most visible transmen in recent memory with his rather public transformation from Chastity to Chaz. This is not a typical event as many transpeople often remain quiet about transitioning, including Lana Wachowski formerly Larry Wachowski. Ms Wachowski’s transition has been so quiet that it has only been largely rumored barring a couple of confirmed photographs. Chaz Bono recently began transitioning, and despite stating that he was planning on remaining quiet regarding it, he ultimately made the transition far more publicly than expected.

Recently, Chaz Bono stated on Good Morning America “Life is short and life is precious. This is who I am. I need to finally be who I am.” He also called it the best decision in his life.

Chaz Bono is the child of Cher and the late Sonny Bono. In 1995, Chaz came out as a lesbian, a step that is not completely unknown with regards to many transmen, and that Cher had gone “ballistic” (though Cher’s words were “primal”) when that occurred. Eventually, Cher came to terms with then Chastity’s lesbianism, but his relationship with his father became strained when Sonny became a Republican politician.

Every since coming out, Chaz has been a vocal advocate for LGBT rights, largely due to the fame that came along with being the children of high profile parents. It also seemed a natural fit given Cher’s status as a gay icon over the years.

At forty years of age, Chaz seems quite happy with his new life. Here is the clip from GMA. Unfortunately, it cannot be embedded.

 Airing Dec. 9 at 10 p.m. EST on ABC, “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009

Today, Barbara Walters tells the Ladies of the View that this year’s group of most fascinating people is edgier, more current and less obvious than usual.  That sounds refreshing and perhaps a worthy watch.

Her most ‘edgy’ fascinators would apparently be Adam Lambert and the very Lady Gaga, who responded to Barbara Walters direct questions about her sexuality.  When asked, she admits she “likes” women, but has only ever fallen in love with men.  Walters on this morning’s VIEW, showed the clip where she honed in for the kill; with an “have you ever slept with a woman?”    Lady G looked as if she had been clonked on the head – and nailed an actual smile (nervously) and gasped “Barbara…”  Answer cut and the teaser was over.  Interviewed wearing a paradoxical black Chanel Suite – a must watch.

Written by Melanie Nathan

12/01/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
He wrote “The Show Must Go On” about his own battle with AIDS. It is a song that conveyed the pains of having to continue onward as he fought off the disease that would, in 1991, claim his life. Today is World AIDS Day, and perhaps few celebrities have passed away from that disease who were quite as famous to a generation of music lovers as Freddie Mercury.

Born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara were Parsis originally from Mumbai in India, and the family fled Zanzibar after the revolution. Freddie Mercury grew up largely in Feltham, Middlesex, England. He is remembered by his mother as being a wonderful son. While his family wished for him to practice law or accounting like his cousins, the arts always called out to him. “He used to love playing records all the time and then sing – any sort of music, folk, classical or Indian music,” his mother Jer Bulsara stated in a recent interview published at the BBC. About being a lawyer, his mother stated that “he’d say, ‘I’m not that clever mum. I’m not that clever.’” Of course, this is from the man who wrote some of the most iconic songs in the latter half of the Twentieth Century.

Unfortunately, music soon got in the way of living at home, and Freddie had to leave. “The neighbours were elderly and said that it was disturbing them. He was a very conscientious man. He knew it was disturbing them. I was sad when he left but he said, ‘This is the only way to move forward, Mum’. I just told him to work hard, do his best and we were here to help him,” Mrs. Bulsara went on in the interview to state. He would return home often, even long after he had become famous.

In 1970, Freddie Mercury formed the rock band Queen with Brian May and Roger Tayler. They performed on a number of soundtracks including for Flash Gordon and Highlander. All together, they released fifteen albums, and had enough greatest hits for three CD’s. Their most famous song is “Bohemian Rhapsody“, a song about a young man who murders another and makes a bargain with the Devil in order for his life to be spared. The song has been covered several times, and parodied twice- once by “Weird Al” Yankovic and once by the Muppets. However, many of their songs are still radio favorites, and continue to be played and covered even today.

Freddie Mercury’s sexuality was always hard to pin down. He often stated that he was bi-sexual, though the reality is that he was gay. In 1985, he began a long term relationship with Jim Hutton, which would last until his death in 1991. Mercury tested positive for HIV/AIDS in 1987. Hutton was with him for the next six years, and nursed him through the end of his life. According to Hutton, Mercury died with the wedding band he had gotten for Mercury on his finger.

Mercury did not disclose his disease until the day before his death. That lead to a great deal of controversy with regards to how his personal struggle with the disease could have helped to raise awareness and helped to raise money for a cure. Mercury was a very private person, and likely did not wish to face the public problems and questions that an open disclosure of the disease would have lead to.

Band mate Roger Tayler has continued to advocate for HIV/AIDS research and treatment. Two years ago, he released “Say It’s Not True”, a song about AIDS. The proceeds from the sale of the song have gone to the 46664 (four double six sixty-four) concerts to benefit AIDS charities. The number refers to the year of Nelson Mandela’s arrest and his prison number. He was prisoner 466 in the year 1964.

Mother’s fond memories of Queen star Freddie
photo via Wikipedia

My mom blames California for me being a lesbian. “Everything was fine until you moved out there.” “That’s right, Mom, we have mandatory lesbianism in West Hollywood. The Gay Patrol busted me, and I was given seven business days to add a significant amount of flannel to my wardrobe.

~

via Speak Equal.

Coley Sohn started out as a theater actor in her native Washington DC and made her way west.

Other acting credits include recurring roles on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and 90210. Coley also writes, improvises, and has a penchant for real estate.

In fact, Coley says she bought the house BOUTONNIERE was shot in and flipped it post production to pay for the entire project.

Currently, Coley working on getting the feature version, SASSY PANTS, ready to shoot, as well as another screenplay she recently completed entitled DODIE AND CHERYL GET HITCHED.

11/24/09- by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Johnathan Stewart Leibowitz has been a tireless advocate of LGBT rights, and is a strong ally. His often acerbic wit and comic style has garnered the host of the Daily Show a ton of viewers and an equally large number of accolades in the time since he took over the show from Craig Killborn in 1999. A decade later, the actor, comedian, and all around funny guy known better as Jon Stewart remains the undisputed host of the Daily Show with few remembering a time before he had taking over the show.

Jon Stewart was born to a Jewish family in New York City, a place he currently resides and is the headquarters for the show which has made him incredibly famous. Despite being born in New York City, Stewart grew up in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. When he was eleven, his parents divorced.

Growing up Jewish meant that Stewart was often teased and picked on for his faith. It is often said that people develop a sense of humor when they are being bullied, and while it does not actually work for everyone, it appears to have worked for Stewart. Stewart was voted to have the “Best Sense of Humor” before graduating third of his class from Lawrence High School.

Stewart attended William and Mary College where he studied psychology. After graduating from college, Stewart went on to hold many odd jobs. During this time, he roomed with Democratic Representative Anthony Weiner. To date, Weiner is the only politician that Stewart has ever donated money to. In 2000, Stewart married his girlfriend of four years, Tracey. They have two children together.

Jon Stewart has had a number of roles in film and on television, but it was in 1999 that Stewart first broke through as the host of The Daily Show. First launched in 1996, the Daily Show started out with host Craig Killborn, who left the show in 1999. Stewart was the original choice to be host, and was approached a second time in ‘99. This time, he accepted. Ten years later, the show is one of the most popular faux news reports in the country with clips from the news often presented in satircal manners before Stewart interviews a guest.

After the passing of Walter Cronkite, Time Magazine did a poll to find out who the most trusted man in news was today. Jon Stewart won that poll with 44% in a four way race. NBC’s Brian Williams, a friend of the show, came in second. The show, and Stewart, have received numerous awards, including two Peabody’s, one in 2000 and one in 2004, for their coverage of the Presidential elections. Often times, Stewart is more than willing to ask very hard questions, or to put things into a more accurate perspective. In his interview with then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Stewart was able to elicit an answer to a question which CNN’s Wulf Blitzer was unable to during his interview with Musharraf.

The Daily Show has, over the years, often gone after those who would deny LGBT Americans their rights. While they do so with a sense of humor, often times those who oppose equality are left to seem buffoonish. In a recent episode, Stewart both needled a man who is claiming he was fired for his religion after telling his boss that she was an abomination before God, and praised a ten year old boy for taking a stand for equality by refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance until all Americans are equal. In an interview with Mike Huckabee, Stewart agreed to disagree with the former governor and Presidential candidate after a cordial debate on the issue of marriage equality. Stewart has always tended to be a gracious host.

Often the way in which Stewart mixes his humor with a subtle criticism of the people he is mocking has made him a wonderful advocate for LGBT rights.

To Jon Stewart and his writing team, a big thank you for your support.

11/17/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Each week at LGR we are hoping to bring you, the reading public, a special gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or allied celebrity. This week, we turn this column over to Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE. Sir Ian McKellen is mostly likely famous, by now, for his portrayal of the wizard Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as for his portrayal of Magneto in the X-Men trilogy. As a British actor, McKellen has been in a variety of different roles over his long career.

Ian McKellen was born on the eve of World War II on 25 May 1939 in the Lancashire town of Burnley, but spent much of his formative years in the town of Wigan, which is part of Greater Manchester. The town was the site of factories and coal processors, and the whole area was extensively bombed by Nazi forces. The effects of the war linger with McKellen even to this day. During the 9/11 attacks, a reporter asked him why he was so calm, and he reported as having quipped “Well, darling, you forget — I slept under a steel plate until I was four years old.” For many a lower and middle class family, the evacuations out of the major metropolitan areas was financially impossible.

As the child of civil engineer and lay preacher Denis Murray and Margery Louis McKellen, he grew up in a non-conformist, but deeply Christian household. His mother passed away when he was twelve, and his father remarried. Denis McKellen would pass away twelve years later.

McKellen attended Bolton School, where he was first introduced to the theater as an actor. He remains a supporter of both the school and the Bolton Little Theater to this day.

Sir Ian came out publicly in 1988. When he told his step-mother, Gladys, she was glad that he no longer had to lie about his homosexuality, but she was completely accepting. She was a member of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. Recently, the Quakers came out in support of full marriage rights for gays and lesbians in Great Britain.

What prompted McKellen to come out to the public on a BBC Radio 3 program was the Parliamentary amendment Section 28 which made the public promotion of homosexuality a crime. The amendment, championed by Dame Margaret Thatcher (who is still alive despite rumors of her recent demise due to a cat of a similar name), did not have any criminal penalties, and thus was never actually enforced. It was put into law in 1988, removed from the law books in Scotland in 2000, and in England in 2003. McKellen chose to get involved in the LGBT rights movement, including becoming one of the founders of Stonewall, no matter what the negative effects of his decision would be to his career.

If it had a negative effect on his career, it does not show in his filmography. From 1988 until the present, McKellen has made some fifty film and television appearances, including his most famous role to date- Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings. He also teamed up with fellow Royal Shakespeare Society alum Patrick Stewart for the X-Men movies where he played Eric Lehnscherr, a Nazi Concentration Camp survivor.

Like many a good British actor, he does television for the exposure, film for the money, but does stage for the love of acting. He has had numerous roles on the stage ranging from appearing in Dr. Faustus to the most recent revival of Waiting for Godot, opposite Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, most famous in the United States as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation. He played to sold out crowds for various productions including his recent foray as King Lear, in which he teamed up with long time director Trevor Nunn. Indeed, across the years, McKellen has worked with many famous actors and actresses such as Dame Judi Dench in MacBeth, and Sir Derek Jacobi, who was one of McKellen’s first great unrequited crushes. Derek George Jacobi is also openly gay (and likely to be profiled here in the future).

Over all, McKellen has made his life in acting one that is often intertwined with his activism. He has appeared in films such as And the Band Played On, and Gods and Monsters. The film Gods and Monsters, in which he stars opposite Brendan Fraser, is a biopic about James Whale, director of Frankenstein. Whale was openly gay throughout the majority of his career.

In 2002, McKellen attended the Oscars with his then boyfriend Nick Cuthell, and was the second actor to do so. The first was the late Sir Nigel Hawthorne in 1995.

As one last note, in 1994, McKellen announced at the closing ceremonies of the Gay Games, “I’m Sir Ian McKellen, but you can call me Serena.” Serena was a nickname given to him by Stephen Fry, who is also openly gay. Fry is most famous for being part of the comedy duo Fry and Laurie, where he starred opposite House actor Hugh Laurie.

Ian McKellen continues to act, and to be active in LGBT advocacy. It is rumored that he will return to the big screen as Gandalf the Grey in the upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit. Currently, he is starring in the remake of The Prisoner as Number Two on AMC.

Photo via Wikipedia

11/10/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Born in 1972, Kirsten Vangsness is most famous for her role on the CBS television show Criminal Minds. On the show, she plays geeky Penelope Garcia, the Behavioral Analysis Unit’s computer specialist. As a former hacker, Garcia is in charge of tracking down records regarding a variety of different criminals no matter how obscure the person or the records are. The character, of course, is very different from the actress. Recently, Vangsness announced her engagement to her long time girlfriend Melanie Goldstein, an assistant editor at the FOX show 24. The couple decided to get married in Texas even though the state does not recognize marriages between two women. This is largely due to the fact that Ms Goldstein’s family is from Texas. It is unclear if the wedding, which was announced for spring, has occurred.

Vangsness has been out since 2007, when she came out to the broader audience on a blog relating to the series.

Ms Vangsness, according to the IMDB, first broke into acting in a Dr. Pepper commercial. She later went on to other roles, of course, but had a lot of different day jobs before even then. She spent time as a child councilor, a substitute teacher, a grand writer and a murder mystery theater actress. She is a member of the NOTE theater in Los Angeles. She continues to perform there.

Now in its fifth season, Criminal Minds has had a few nail biters with Vangsness’ character Penelope Garcia. In a two part episode, Garcia was shot and almost died after a predator thought that she had stumbled upon a series of crimes that the man had been committing. In that episode, Garcia met someone who paralleled her own life in a character played by Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Nicholas Brendon.

Over all, Ms Vangsness gives the impression of a very private person. Of course, we in the LGBT Community are always happy to have one of our own who is open about their sexuality. We wish her the best in her career and in her marriage.

11/05/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Starting next week, we will be doing a weekly rotating profile of celebrities who have impacted the LGBT community in a positive manner. Rather than limiting this to just lesbians, though many lesbians will be profiled, this spotlight will shine upon many famous LGBT people as well as those who are our allies in our fight for equality. Thus, we hope to shine a spotlight upon allies such as Charleze Theron, Brad Pitt, Jon Stewart as well as Wanda Sykes, Kirsten Vangsness, David Hyde-Pierce, and Niel Patrick Harris.

Nor will this category be limited to just the recent in celebrity. The hope is that we can include many historic gays and lesbians and shine a belated light upon them. After all, it would be nice to raise the profile of some famous LGBT people from the past such as poet Amy Lowell.

Rachel Maddow is a liberal political commentator, radio personality, and the host of her own television show on MSNBC.

Rachel Maddow is from California and has an impressive education including a degree in public policy from Stanford University. She was also the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes scholarship. After wining a radio co-host contest with The Dave in the Morning Show on WRNX, she continued to share her talents through a variety of hosting positions which ultimately led her to create The Rachel Maddow Show. You can currently find The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America and MSNBC.

Bridget McManus is a comedian and vlogger whose talents and sex appeal have taken her to into the hearts of many lesbians.

Funny and beautiful, Bridget McManus has made us laugh with her stand-up routines and video blog Brunch With Bridget, where she regularly interviews other celesbians for AfterEllen.com. Her AfterEllen vlog won her the Best Lesbian Vlog Ever award, and was also nominated for a NewNowNext award.

Bridget McManus has performed at the Hollywood Improv, The Comedy Store and The Ice House; and proudly shares that she was kicked off stage from The Laugh Factory for being too dirty.

She has a great comedic style and you can see for yourself by visiting her MySpace page which has videos, links, photos, and more about Bridget McManus and her various projects.

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• Let’s Moogis (livecomedyla.com)

Ellen DeGeneres born on January 26, 1958 in Metairie, Louisana.

She has won over 11 Emmy’s for her talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres show” which can be viewed on TV in the morning and around 5pm (check your local listings). Ellen has recently married star Portia De Rossi who can be seen on ABC Wednesdays on “Better off Ted”. Ellen family consists of her mom Betty who can be seen on her show sometimes as Ellen makes jokes and wise cracks about her. She has a brother named Vance and her fathers name is Elliott. She has been on the air since the early 1980’s bringing laughter and joy to everyone on mini series and TV shows. In 2007 she is said to be worth over 65 million dollars!

After four seasons on the air Ms DeGeneres came out as a Lesbian and has been out and proud since.

She brings so much joy and happiness to people in time of need for example recently she has been aiding people who are having a rough time in the economy by providing money or a car or by bringing gold digger to there house. Ms DeGeneres is an amazing person who has a big heart for animals she is currently along side “Halo” and constantly donates to help animals out.

**I personally think anyone who brushes by this and or read it should go and check out her show. You’ll thank me!

Kayla Tate is a 19 year old high school graduate looking to attend Winnipeg Technical for Carpentry. She loves sports,being out doors and is happily dating. Kayla had a 19 year old mid-life crisis and decided that her voice needs to be heard, so she writes to help the LGBT community.

Known to many as Alice Pieszecki from Showtime’s The L Word, Leisha Hailey was born in Okinawa, Japan on July 11, 1971.

Not only is Leisha an actress, but she’s also a musician, where she first went public in the band the Murmurs and is continuing to pursue her musical career in the band Uh Huh Her.

Leisha Hailey is to star in a spinoff of the L Word, The Farm, which will be written by the creator of the L Word, Ilene Chaiken.

Jill Bennett is the star of the hit web series 3Way with Cathy Shim, Maile Flanagan, and Maeve Quinlan.

Jill Bennett gained notoriety from her role in the Drag King troupe The Sugar Daddy Show, and one of her characters, Butch Monroe is the current reigning drag king of Los Angeles. She has also been seen on the weekly AfterEllen.com video blog “We’re Getting Nowhere” and  “The Violet Underground” on SheWired.com. She is also starring in a web series entitled “We Have to Stop Now” which can be seen at www.jillbennett.com.

Cherry Jones is known primarily for her stage work, and is considered to be one of the foremost theater actresses in the United States.

Sarah Paulson is a TV series regular, and has ventured into film as well. Jones indirectly outed Paulson in her acceptance speech after winning a Tony Award in 2005 when she thanked her by the name of the character that she was currently playing, The Glass Menagerie’s “Laura Wingfield”. However, the pair had attended the awards together and kissed right after Jones won, thus making it clear that Paulson was not secretive about the relationship. In 2007, Paulson and Jones declared their love for each other in an interview with VelvetPark at Women’s Event 10 for the LGBT Center of NYC.

Michelle Paradise is an American actress, writer, producer and lesbian, best known for the short film The Ten Rules and the television series Exes and Ohs.

You can find Michelle Paradise videos on her website where you will find that she has had the acting bug since she was four; and ultimately did what many in the entertainment industry consider impossible when she created, executive produced, wrote, and starred in her own television series. She also managed to develop, produce, and sell her series without an agent. In 2007, POWER UP named Michelle Paradise one of its “10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz”.

Suze Orman is an American financial advisor, author, motivational speaker, and is the host of The Suze Orman Show on CNBC.

She has written six consecutive New York Times Best Sellers; has written, co-produced, and hosted six PBS specials based on her books; and is the most successful fundraiser in the history of public television. In 2004 and 2006, Orman won two daytime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Service Show Host for her PBS specials. In 2008, she was selected by Time magazine as one of the most influential people in the world.

In February 2007, Orman told The New York Times Magazine that she is a lesbian.

Her partner of seven years is Kathy Travis, a co-producer on The Suze Orman Show. In the interview, Orman said that she wishes she could marry her partner partly because it could save them both a lot of money.

Wanda Sykes is an American stand-up comedian and actress.

She is known for her blunt observations on current events, the differences between the sexes and races, and life in general. She was named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 25 funniest people in America in 2004. In 2008, she publicly came out as a lesbian when she spoke at a rally against Prop. 8 on November 15th, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, revealing that she had been married in October to her new wife.