Yes, she Cannes.

Another story about why federal recognition of same-sex marriage is a must.

Violent anti-marriage protests in France.

The lines where most singers eff up the National Anthem.

Ori for FOD Magazine.

Lowe's Behind the Candelabra perf was "really painful."

Steven Soderbergh done with movies, not with directing.

Pornstar Jett Black in Liberace swag.

Swift admires Madonna's predictable unpredictability.

YOU CAN'T DENY IT, BABY: Lisa Stansfield back soon?

Lesbian drama Blue Is the Warmest Colour tops Cannes.

Chris Brown might be off to prison.

Dan Savage on hubby: "I get to hit that when I get home."

Anti-gays are "heterophiliacs."

Parker Hurley for Mr. Turk. Gulp.

The Hurley Show.

La Lindz as La Liz swills Vodka-brand vodka

Charlie Sheen gave Lindsay Lohan $100K for taxes.

Angus T. Jones's mom: Religious rant shows he's being exploited.

Facebook policy-change hysteria.

Rob Johnson looks ah-mazing shirtless.

The Shining: The Musical exists.

Hipsters pre-date Christ?

Jenny Johnson wins Twitter feud with Chris Brown.

Rachel Maddow to Doonesbury.

Meet David Guetta in Ibiza, girl!

Gay dad makes electoral history.

Mug shot extortion could lead to more mug shots.

Ricky Martin: Adios to Evita.

Various bloggers (him & him) were wrong about "Elmo."

FOX News guest calls network "wing of the Republican Party."

Uganda to condemn its LGBT and LGBT-friendly citizens?

From the producers of Idi Amin...

 

Longtime readers of Boy Culture may be surprised that I made it out to Rihanna's 777 gig last night at Webster Hall; I haven't exactly written of my undying affection for the Barbadian bad girl.

But while I haven't been able to relate to her reaction to her Chris Brown beat-down, I have to admit she has a string of hit songs, many of which feel like indelible classics. Is it really so hard to imagine people listening to and loving "Only Girl (In the World)", "Don't Stop the Music", "We Found Love" or "Umbrella" decades from now? Speaking of which, with her new single "Diamonds" hitting #1, she ties Madonna and The Supremes with 12 pole-positioners, putting her behind only Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and The Beatles for most #1 hits. And she's only 24...the same age Madonna was when she released her very first single. (Yes, yes, I know—Rihanna has had guests, Rihanna has benefited from iTunes. But it's still fucking impressive.

The gimmick of Rihanna's (tumultuous!) 777 is that the surprise gigs are free and first-come-first-served. She was traveling with press and superfans to complete 7 gigs in 7 countries in 7 days. With New York the last stop, I felt lucky to be invited so showed up at 7:30. Doors were at 7, my contact told me she was expected at 9. Famous last words.

Inside, I was three to four people back from the stage. The gatekeepers made sure that the venue was only about 1/4 full until 9...people seemed to be trickling in. As soon as I found my spot, a brassy twentysomething girl, hanging on her hot boyfriend, asked me to take their picture, which I happily did. Much to my dismay, she became my arch-nemesis, pushing hard against me as she danced wildly to the endless warm-up music, hours before Rihanna graced us with her presence. Finally, she asked if I could move over slightly. I did so. She took up that space and continued. I was at a loss...we really weren't even packed in yet.

John be Arrow man

John Barrowman isn't straight, is in Arrow.

Russia's war on gays intensifies.

Chris Brown's war on gays intensifies.

McFly's Harry Judd is fit/to be tied.

People are interested in Paul Ryan's stats.

Adele gives birth to a boy.

Mitt Romney continues plagiarizing Friday Night Lights.

Out singer Jonny unleashes a "Gay [sic] Canon".

Best blind, lesbian opera singer story  you'll read today!

Athletes are often hawt.

Suffolk thinks Ohio is tied, but previously ceded Florida, Virginia and North Carolina to Romney outright.

Poll cats: Suffolk sounds like it's in the tank for Romney/Ryan

Josh Rimer can't get it up but has a hard-on for Chris Brown's "Don't Wake Me Up" in this really impotent video...

Chris Brown and Rihanna—back to collaborating professionally—are like Sonny and Cher, but with fists instead of banter. And you know, that's a substantial difference, kids.

Chris Brown is said to have peppered opponents during a recent, er, friendly basketball game with anti-gay slurs. His music career has broken records, but this pattern is also a broken record.

What's next, Brown beats a gay man to death with a shovel over the course of an hour while screaming "Faggot!" and later says, "I didn't mean any disrespect to anyone, my gay fans know I love them just the same"?

Lashing out at some paparazzi, Chris Brown adds to his laundry list of annoying actions/comments by telling them:

"Y'all niggas is weak. Did you all call them [parking lot enforcement] to try and film me? Y'all niggas is gay."

As TMZ points out, Brown has a history of less-than-friendly words when it comes to gay people. (I know, I know—you have tons of gay friends.) When a person of color is deciding whether or not to endorse the N-word or variations of it, that is a matter of political correctness and a debate to be had by people who could rightfully be personally offended by hearing that word used, people who could be categorized as such by a racist. (I'm white and don't like it, but it's not the same.)

But going around using "gay" as a put-down is my business, not his. If "gay" really isn't connected to homophobic sentiments, then let's just switch it out for "African-American." Then, when everything bad and weak is being called "African-American"—with nooo connection to black people—we can talk about how words and their context matter or do not matter.

His delusional fans wouldn't care if he lit a baby on fire in an intersection at this point; a little "gay"-bashing isn't going to dent him one bit. I doubt seriously he will do any kind of impressive apologizing and make-gooding as—I have to admit—Tracy Morgan has done.

Tracy Morgan eats some serious crow at a presser

Like Brown, Morgan said stuff that wasn't just a matter of running afoul of political correctness, he said things that seemed to reveal what he really thinks. To his credit, and even though at least part of the reaction can be chalked up to, "I don't wanna lose my job!", Morgan has done things that most celebrities would not do in order to make up for and disavow his comments—he's met with GLAAD, he's met with patrons from the place where he made the remarks (not jokes, remarks) and he's traveled back to the scene of the crime. He has abjectly apologized (no half-hearted "if you were offended, sorry").

In honor of Chris Brown's latest rage, Pretty On The Outside has constructed this rather brilliant photo illustration. Such a repulsive little slug.

Chris Brown with Andre Merritt

Chris Brown got into a low-down (and down-low) war of words with former B2K singer Raz-B, who has accused his former manager (and cousin) of molesting him back with the group was causing mayhem like this.

Raz-B (pictured at front of group) started it up by wondering aloud—on Twitter—how men like Brown can dare to "disrespect women as Intelligent as @Rihanna."

Why he decided to bring this up now is anyone's guess, but Brown didn't appreciate it, and he went there fast, tweeting that Raz-B was a "Dick in da booty ass lil boy" and noting that all the attention for Raz-B meant he "shouldve did this first instead of telling the world you got raped."