Rod 2.0:Beta

Fans Flee Tracy Morgan's Raunchy, Homophobic Carnegie Hall Show

Tracy Morgan's raunchy Carnegie Hall performance in New York City over the weekend was reportedly marred by numerous walkouts. The Daily News, the first to report the story, says many in the audience "walked out in disgust" only minutes after the 30 Rock comedian's homophobic, XXX "comedy" routine:

"People seemed to not be laughing at his jokes, but more because they were shocked and appalled with what was coming out of his mouth,” reports one audience member. Morgan talked trash about homosexuality (saying it’s “a choice,” which drew gasps), drugs, pornography and what he calls “politricks” — far edgier subjects than what his alter ego, Jordan, gets air time for. "There was a continuous flow of people getting up and leaving throughout the show," our spy reports, adding that many in the crowd clearly didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. Middle-aged women were the most flabbergasted when he started ­mimicking explicit sex acts on stage.

The Huffington Post adds a little more color, describing Morgan's routine that included highly scatological "jokes" involving rimming and buying a glass coffee table to "watch" his wife do Number 2. One HuffPo reader writes: "I'm an aspiring standup and I went to the show cause I love Tracy on SNL, 30 Rock, etc. To call it a disappointment would be THE understatement of the century."

In 2005, Morgan played a cross-dressing, effeminate, gay inmate in the remake of The Longest Yard. Clay Cane has described that as one of the all-time gay roles by straight actors "we could have lived without".

James Brown III Has the Right Stuff in "Mr. Broadway 2009"

If you had the good fortune to see The Little Mermaid or The Color Purple, you could not help but notice James Brown III. Here is your chance to see much more. Brown strips down and shows off his bod for the Third Annual Mr. Broadway 2009 Beauty Pageant. The pageant benefits the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and much-needed services for homeless LGBT youth.

JB has the right stuff, no?

AFTER THE JUMP, more James Brown III in the buff.

"Gladiators" David McIntosh and the After Elton Hot 100

Have you cast your vote for the After Elton Hot 100?

Voting ends tonight at midnight. Need inspiration? For the second year in a row, the editors at AE have published our own personal list of the ten hottest men. (Last year's list here.)  Gladiators' David Mcintosh, the Royal Marine Commando known as Tornado, is the number one stunnner on the hot list. The last time you saw him he was practically nude ...

Much more Tornado hotness ON THE FLIP SIDE.

News: After Elton Hot 100, Darian Aaron, Colorado, Maryland

· Everything you always wanted to know about Queerty.

· The After Elton Hot 100 returns. Who are the 10 hottest men on the planet? Will Demps, Tyson Beckford and LL Cool J made our list last year.

· Gay rights advances in Maryland. Partners and dependents of gay state employees will receive health, dental and prescription drug benefits for the first time. Meanwhile the Senate votes to exempt domestic partners who jointly own homes from inheritance taxes. Legislation to "add gender identity to state laws barring discrimination" stalls in committee.

· Dark and lovely Pierre Woods covers British GQ. Photographer Tarrice Love: "This is big because magazines are notorious for selecting celebrities, athletes, and politicians to appear on their covers. This is an even bigger accomplishment for a black male model in this industry."

· Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) signs  Designated Beneficiary Law, which allows unmarried adult couples— including same-sex partners—"some of the legal rights afforded to married couples, expanded rights in inheritance, medical decisions, and hospital visitation."

· Darian Aaron discusses the black gay blogosphere with popular YouTube vlogger Nvncyble.

·Legislation to protect transgendered persons advances on both coasts. "The New Hampshire House approved by one vote a bill that would amend the state’s anti-discrimination law to include trans people. In the state of Washington, the House has approved a Senate bill adding 'gender expression or identity' to the state’s hate-crime law. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for signing."

· Yahoo and Microsoft consider pooling advertising.

· Customers camp out overnight to buy Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy sneakers.

· Pharrell Williams debuts Bionic Yarn, a new eco-friendly fabric brand made of recycled plastic bottles that can be turned into anything. Says Pharrell: "We want to do everything from high-end luggage to high-end denim, to university caps and gowns to Parks Department uniforms."

After Elton's Best and Worst Dressed (Mostly) Gay Men

Michael Jensen at After Elton asked for our input in the latest Best. Gay. Week. Ever. This week's column wraps the Academy Awards, fashion week, and includes our list of the Top Best and Worst Dressed (Mostly) Gay Men.

Of course supermodel-actor-Rod 2.0 obsession Tyson Beckford makes the best dressed list but he is not number one. Our number one should not be surprising but some may disagree. Oh and is anyone surprised the Worst Dressed list is populated with those ridiculous "style" and "fashion" "gurus"?  Let me know what you think.

Best. Gay. Week. Ever also interviews modeling hotness Ronnie Kroell, the openly gay winner of the first season of Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel. Project Runway's Jack Mackenroth, the openly gay and HIV positive fashion designer, offers his highlights (and lowlights) of fashion week and the Academy Awards. Very flattering for After Elton to include us in the same column with Kroell and Mackenroth.

"Greek" Star Paul James Looking Forward to "French" Kissing

Last summer we chatted up twenty-one-old actor Paul James on "Greek", the new ABC Family comedy on college life and the fraternity and sorority system. Jams plays "Calvin", the only recurring black male character on the series, and, is the fraternity's resident wealthy "legacy" and a jock. His character is also gay and introducing a trendy homo aesthetic to the series. This week's episode "had more gay jokes than I could keep track of," notes our blogging buddy Shana Naomi Krochmal at Out.com's Popnography. "Including a nice shout-out to Anderson Cooper, a serious discussion about the appeal of Tim McGraw's irresistible package, and the first truly hilarious treatment I've seen of the nightmare that is so-called "conversion therapy."

There is more Paul James over at Out.com, where Shana asks the actor about his new on-screen boyfriend, "Veronica Mars" and "Ugly Betty" alum Max Greenfield, whom he describes as a personal friend for the past three years. Paul also follows up on a promise about some mouth-to-mouth action.

You didn't get any kisses last season.
No, we didn't have any! I hear that they're going to work up to it. It's funny -- the guy from As the World Turns, Jake Silbermann, is a friend of mine too. I went to college with him. I know they're getting a lot of flak for [the gay characters not kissing]. It's definitely a different situation over here. It's not a network thing, and it's not a creator thing. Sean is just making sure that it's not this event, like a marketing campaign, like, "First gay kiss!" That's cheap. He wants it to be something that happens naturally for the character.

When Max was getting cast, did you talk with him about it?
I didn't know he was getting cast until he showed up at the table read. I was like, "Max, what are you doing here?" And he said, "I'm playing your boyfriend!"

Are you close? Are you going to be cool if you end up making out?
Oh, yeah, yeah. I hope he has the proper mouth etiquette and I'll do the same. He's easy to work with.

Last year, the actor said he would have "no problems" kissing another man on screen. "A lot of times, the well-written roles for black actors are gay roles. They have some depth, something beyond I'm a thug on the street. I have no qualms about it at all as long as the material is good which it is ... "It's real important to me [to] show little kids who are gay that you don't have to be afraid of who you are. You can be happy.".

Don't you love this guy?

Exclusive: Greek's Family Values [Popnography]
Greek's Family Values [Out.com]

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"Greek" Actor: "Best Roles are Black Gay Roles [R20]
Shemar Moore: "I'm Not Gay" [R20]
Rodney Chester of "Noah's Arc": "I'm Still NOT Gay" [R20]
R&B Singer Tyrese Will Ban ALL MEN [R20]
No Big Deal Playing Gay [R20]
Jason Steed on Homophobia [R20]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
Deal or No Deal? [Rod 2.0]
Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]
Michael K. Williams and Being Gay on "The Wire" [R20]
Beyond the Sassy Sidekicks? [R20]
Michael K. Williams: Omar's Sexuality is "Fearless" [R20]
Obama: Omar is "Black, Gay, Fascinating" Character [R20]
Michael K. Williams and Being Gay on "The Wire" [R20]
Deb Price on Blacks LGBTs and Obama [R20]
All Up in Omar's Game [Popnography]
The Parts You Can't Make Up [Popnography]
Best Gay Sex Scenes on TV [After Elton]

After Elton on Breakthrough Film Roles for Black and Latino Gay Men

With the exception of Maurice's Jamal's soon-to-be-released independent feature Dirty Landry—which we profile in the next (?) issue of The Advocate—the cinematic landscape for black gay men has been practically barren. "It’s barely a landscape," notes veteran television producer Kevin E. Taylor at a comprehensive new analysis at Logo-owned After Elton. "It’s a window garden at best."

The editors After Elton asked us to survey and analyze the more important roles for black gay men and Latinos on the big screen. The piece went live last last week and has caused a strong buzz in comments and across the e-telligentsia. Was Brother to Brother more important than Patrik-Ian Polk's PUNKS? Should Isaiah's role in Get On on the Bus be reevaluated give recent developments? Rev Kev, director Maurice Jamal and critics such as Keith Boykin ,J. Brotherove, and author Fred Smith express cautious optimism.

On the other hand, several Latino voices say they have even fewer choice and are largely unimpressed with their portrayals in Hollywood, including the well-received Quinceañera, seen above. "There are actually very few instances where Latino gay life has been depicted in American film,” says Andrés Duque, the well-known New York City-based advocate for Latino LGBT issues at Blabbeando, Repoter and novelist Johhnny Diaz and poet Emanuel Xavier agree, saying some of the most complex portrayals of Latino gay men are seen in Spain and Almodóvar movies. “It's interesting that countries supposedly plagued by religion are putting out the most provocative cinema [for gay Latino roles]," adds Xavier.

After Elton's Breakthrough Black and Latino Roles on the Big Screen is easy to read, but, clocks in at some five jump pages. Grab your morning coffee (or two) and enjoy the article. It's important issue and thankfully is getting some much-needed recognition.

More After Elton HERE.

Jensen Atwood Talks Bicurious, Bisexuals, and, Metrosexuals

The November issue of Clik features our cover profile on the über-gorgeous Jensen Atwood—the newest addition to the third season of Dante's Cove which debuts tonight on here! The issue is being shipped from the binders and will drop over the weekend and on Monday. So more on the Jensen Atwood cover and profile next week,

Meanwhile ... After Elton publishes a revealing interview with the pec-alicious Atwood, who, as we noted before, is cast as the bisexual warlock "Griffin" on the supernatural-themed soap opera. The interview was conducted by actor Charlie David, who plays "Toby" and has some behind-the-scenes perspective on Jensen and the show. Especially on the former football player's reluctance to "play" with the cast, and, his thoughts on bisexuals and the bicurious.

Now all the boys and girls liked to toss around the football except for you and Reichen. Care to explain yourself?
I had a great time with all of the cast. It was torture to watch you guys toss the football around. I love football. But as you know I chose to keep my fingernails long for the character. So playing catch would have jeopardized the continuity. Okay, okay. Basically, I didn't want to break a nail. The first description sounded better though.

Do you think it’s common for straight guys to consider having an encounter with another guy, especially in light of gay and alternative culture being so chic right now?
JA: No, I don't think that's common for a straight guy at all. But because of the gay and alternative culture becoming more mainstream, I think it leaves room for those that aren't sure of their sexuality. Or for those whose sexuality isn't as simple as gay or straight.

"Those whose sexuality isn't as simple as gay or straight" more or less sums up Atwood's characters in Noah's Arc and Dante's Cove. More in the After Elton interview, which touches on Noah's Arc and recent reports that suggest the series is coming to the big screen. Our take is different than the After Elton piece, so, get their perspective and next week read ours here and in the new Clik.

More Jensen Atwood HERE.
More Noah's Arc HERE.

Interview with Jensen Atwood [After Elton]

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First Look: Jensen Atwood in "Dante's Cove" [R20]
Jensen Atwood Joins "Dante's Cove" [R20]
Deal or No Deal? [R20]
Dante's Cove [Fleshbot-NSFW]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
TV's Most Influential Gay Sex Scenes [After Elton]
Jensen Atwood Reveals All [KeithBoykin]
Jensen Flaunts It [R20]
J for K [R20]
A Conversation with Darryl Stephens [R20]
A Conversation with Keith Boykin [R20]
Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20]
Jason Steed on Homophobia [R20]
Jensen Atwood Reveals All [R20]
Jensen Flaunts It [R20]
No Big Deal Playing Gay [R20]
Uno Dos TREY [R20]
"Honey, I'm Home!" [R20]
DVD Review: "Noah's Arc" [R20]

ABC Family's "Greek" Actor: "Best Roles are Black Gay Roles"

Set your TiVos on Monday nights for Greek, the new ABC Family comedy on college life and the fraternity and sorority system. The third episode of the series debuts tonight and one of the pleasant surprises has been the introduction of a black gay character.

Twenty-year-old actor Paul James plays "Calvin" and his character goes against the grain: He's the only recurring black male character on the series, and, is the fraternity's resident wealthy "legacy" and a jock. In the pilot episode, we see Calvin "hooking up" with another fraternity brother and their relationship continues. “Calvin's issues sort of come with not wanting to be pigeonholed in what he was in high school,” the actor says in a new interview at Advocate.com. “Whether it was for being gay or for being a jock. He's very happy with who he is."

Unlike recent comments by black actors and singers who feel compelled to broadcast their (alleged) heterosexuality—some of these denials are quite comical, by the way—this straight actor is more than happy to play gay. "As a black actor, a young actor, it's really hard to find good parts," Paul James tells Greg Hernandez, the out entertainment reporter for The Los Angeles Daily News. "And a lot of times, the well-written roles for black actors are gay roles. They have some depth, something beyond I'm a thug on the street. I have no qualms about it at all as long as the material is good which it is."

There are some very obvious criticisms one could make of the series: Those yearning for Noah's Arc will be disappointed in the largely vanilla cast, and, Paul James' character isn't nearly as interesting as the roles. However, in Paul James' interview to Out in Hollywood, the actor goes out of his way to lend authenticity to his character. "I wouldn't have a problem with" kissing another man on-screen, he says—which we want to TiVo—and adds, "It's real important to me [to] show little kids who are gay that you don't have to be afraid of who you are. You can be happy."

Greek: ABC Family Mondays at 9/8c.

Greek Goes Gay—with Suburbia Watching [Advocate]
Gay Fraternity Brother on "Greek" [Out in Hollywood]
Gay TV Recap: Greek [After Elton]

Some Background ...

Shemar Moore: "I'm Not Gay" [R20]
Rodney Chester of "Noah's Arc": "I'm Still NOT Gay" [R20]
R&B Singer Tyrese Will Ban ALL MEN [R20]
No Big Deal Playing Gay [R20]
Jason Steed on Homophobia [R20]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
Deal or No Deal? [Rod 2.0]
Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]
Michael K. Williams and Being Gay on "The Wire" [R20]
Beyond the Sassy Sidekicks? [R20]

Kevin Aviance Describes Recovery from Crystal Meth Addiction

It was almost one year ago at this time that Kevin Aviance, the iconic gender-bending performer and downtown personality, was savagely attacked in a gay-bashing in Manhattan's East Village. "Aviance found his image changed overnight from that of an oversize black man with an outsize drag persona to that of an invalid stuck in a wheelchair," reports the Village Voice. "Not only couldn't he sing, he could barely talk through jaws wired shut."

As a result of the depression, isolation and unstructured time, Aviance turned to an familiar habit that threatened to destroy what his four young assailants could not: Crystal methamphetamine. "I'd been doing drugs for a long time. It was a way of life. I was able to have a career, wear the clothes I wanted, get high."

"It got crazy," he said. "I was drinking, drugging—shopping to sex to everything. I was trying to fill this void in my life. Crystal meth was the one thing that took me over the edge. I was doing it to keep myself going. I had to get outside my head..."

Fueled by alcohol and any other mood-altering substance within reach, Aviance went on crystal binges that got longer and longer, with "Suicide Tuesday" comedowns that grew worse and worse.

Thankfully, friends staged an intervention and Aviance went into rehab. (More on crystal meth and black gay men here and here.) Kevin's recovery has been remarkable—in addition to producing his third album, the performer just debuted a line of women's shoes which "run to a size 13!" he laughs.

Clay Cane was treated to a glamorous preview: "Kevin's expression is just as creative as his stage performances. The heels are graced with names like 'Willona', 'Alive' and 'Belinda', full of straps, jewels, buckles and more. The footwear range from $70 - $100—not bad to walk in the shoes of a diva."

"I’ve always wanted to be a designer and to go in that fashion world," Kevin Aviance tells Cane in an interview at the New York Blade. "I have a big fetish for high heels. The inspiration is my mother and other fierce women in my life. I’m dedicating my first collection to them."

Becoming Kevin Aviance, Again [Village Voice]
Kevin Aviance Releases Women's Shoes [After Elton]
Walk the Walk [NY Blade]

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