News: Oprah and Michelle Obama, Madonna, Terrell Owens, Marriage

· Legislation filed in Pennsylvania to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

· For the first time in nine years, Oprah Winfrey will share the cover of O with someone else: First Lady Michelle Obama.

· Connecticut legislature hopes to amend the state’s marriage laws to become gender-neutral since same-sex marriage is legal. Civil unions would be elevated into fully valid marriages by 2010. Legislation to amend Minnesota's marriage law to make it gender neutral is filed in the state Senate.

· Darian Aaron reflects on the ridiculously talented Billy Porter.

· Gov. David Paterson appoints two lesbian judges to the New York State Appellate Division, said to be "the first openly gay or lesbian members" to serve at this level.

· Vermont Democrats will fast-track a marriage equality bill expected to "easily" sail through both houses despite Republican opposition.  Republican Gov. Jim Douglas opposes gay marriage legislation "but won’t say whether he’d veto a bill until after it comes out of the Legislature. The Senate would likely have no trouble with a veto override but the House would have a tougher time."

· Terrell Owens is released from the Dallas Cowboys. Outsports reports the Cowboys "decided a $9 million cap hit was worth getting rid of the future Hall of Famer. Sources are reporting that Owens finally just became too much of a distraction to deal with any more. Where does TO take the show from here? About 10 teams either leaked or blatantly said they have no interest." The San Francisco Chronicle adds, "One NFL team after the next say they have no interest in Owens. ... Multiple team sources said the Raiders have in no shape or form discussed the idea of signing Owens." Ouch.

· Did Madonna undergo the "ribbon lift"? The 30-minute procedure uses a "dissolvable ribbon implant to lift neck tissues'. The effect lasts up to three years and look considerably more natural than a regular face lift."

· RNC Chair Michael Steele stepping down? "Steele was guest hosting blowhard gambling man Bill Bennett's conservative talk radio," reports Pam Spaulding. "And gave this response to the whispers that he should step aside. 'Aww, trust me. Not me Baby! Nuh-uh. Not happening. No way, no how!' "

· Meanwhile ... Steele has taken his blog down. After criticizing Rush Limbaugh and being "ripped apart" by conservative critics on his blog, Think Progress reports "in the past few days, Steele’s blog has been disabled and now just redirects to the RNC homepage. 'One has to wonder if the RNC has taken the site down in response to the attacks being launched.' "

Comments

[Cevin Fisher]

it's 2am...when do you go to bed?

great news block, that oprah michelle obama cover rocks! i am so glad oprah is (finally) sharing her cover and who better to share it with than the first lady! sistahs are doing it for themselves lol

i am also hopeful the pennsylvania legislature will be able to pass this bill. as big as penn. is, most people cannot believe the state offers zilch protections to lgbt citizens. plus this new bill would protect gender and trans, so good news.

now go to sleep!

[Talarico]

Chile Miss Madgesty underwent something! The lines are starting to show but girlfriend had some freshening up! I ain't mad tho.

Oh and love that O cover

[Seahawk]

Excellent recap, Rod.

Why does Michael Steele, in every photo, look slightly retarded - eyes bugged out and crooked mouth?

Of all these stories, though, the most amazing to me is the Oprah cover. How does a person put only themselves on the cover of their magazine for nine years? In my wildest dreams of being a billionaire megalomaniac, I couldn't imagine doing that.

Looking at Madonna, Terrell and Oprah, I notice they are all at the top of their field, incredibly rich, self-absorbed to the max - and single.

[Cajiva]

I just don't get what terrell does wrong. He seems like a great man that loves what he do. Maybe its my love for him that blinds me but I just don't see the hate for him. Honestly I just think straight men are jealous of him cause I never met one that likes him.

[Dalton H]

Seahawk...you took the words out of my mouth. Oprah has never had the desire to "share" her cover with a mere mortal. Her ego is obviously the size of one of her estate's.

But it's funny tho, even, as you sad. Oprah, Madonna and TO have all that success and all that money, so much money...and each one is alone and lonely. Oprah even joked on the show that for her "couples talk" is "asking which airplane should we use"?

Good luck..

[RJ]

Cajiva, I don't think straight men get "jealous" very often. That's a stereotypically female or gay male emotion.

Other football players and team owners are not "jealous" of Terrell Owens. He is an excellent athlete but not a team player. And he has burned many bridges, cost many teams money and started fights with a lot of people. If he was a good player and would make a team money, then they should be lining up to sign him. Unless you think NFL team owners and coaches would rather be "jealous" and lose tens of millions in potential revenue?

Terrell is a hot man, a very good player but a loud mouth and drama queen. Team athletes hate that.

[Steven Starr]

...Terrell is a hot man, a very good player but a loud mouth and drama queen. Team athletes hate that...

That's TO in a nutshell. This is what the SFO Chronicle says in the link..."Multiple team sources said, as of Friday, the Raiders have in no shape or form discussed the idea of signing Owens, a perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver who burned every last bridge (and quarterback) on his way out of San Francisco, Philadelphia and Dallas."

TO needs to settle down with another DL football player and chill. I think he is sexually frustrated.

[Andy Niable]

In this issue of Oprah Magazine, it is finally revealed that Ms. Winfrey is... an Oompa Loompa?

(She looks horrible in that cover photo.)

[Rod Mc]

I didn't have the heart to comment on the cover, but you have a point. The Oompa Loompa comment is lol. -RM

[Colin]

i'm surprised vermont already doens't have gay marriage. weren't they the first to get civil unions?

[Cajiva]

So what is he going to do. He got to play for some team he just can't be jobless.

[Seven]

TO can settle down with me anytime. What an incredible body. I can ignore the rest for a long round of the old in and out with him.