The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards—full list of winners here—were a mish-mash of political activism, back-slapping, genuinely emotional moments largely tied to the venerable org's new push for transgender rights and—oh, yeah!—a Madonna/Anderson Cooper one-two punch that was an instant-classic appearance for Madonna (even if the evening was to honor Coop).
Keep reading for a full report, pictures and videos...
Is it the singer's real-life sexual persuasion, the explicit or implicit (and positive or negative) lyrical content, how it has been embraced by the gay community, being inextricably linked with its homo-erotic video...or something else?
Or all of the above?
"Wait...'YMCA' is about more than just hittin' the gym?"
My picks for the gayest songs of all time follow below in alphabetical order by artist. There is also a separate post(with a crazy load time) with the songs arranged somewhat creatively for your listening/viewing enjoyment.
Feel free to tell me what am I missing, in both senses of the question...
The Scissor Sisters wrapped their tour in Europe tonight in Milan, Italy, and are, from all indications, splitting up. Hot on the heels of their "Let's Have a Kiki" hit, it's especially sad that they're "going on hiatus" for what could be—as Jake Shears told a London crowd—"quite some time." Ana Matronic swears we haven't heard the last of them.
With thanks to Joe.My.God.: The Captain Obvious melding of "Vogue" with "Let's Have a Kiki" finally has a video, a rather clever marriage of dueling source materials...
Lie Down With Dogs (1995) was a somewhat poorly received gay indie, but here the best bits are repurposed with some Scissor Sisters music. The director, writer and star of the film passed away in 2004 at the age of 37...
And one more time, in case you missed it, here is that marvelous Videodrome Discothèque video that's been credited with making this album track into a bigger hit than the current SS single "Only the Horses"...
Was offered last-minute tickets to the Rye Rye/Scissor Sisters gig at Terminal 5 last night and jumped at the chance—my last SciSis concert had been a pleasure and Rye Rye is hotter than...well, NYC at the moment! (We're at the end of our third heat wave of the year already.)
Got my buddy Greg to join me and we showed up around 7:45. Terminal 5 makes you go inside and up in order to wait outside on the third floor around this giant patio, then you file back indoors and fight for your position. Ran into my friends Michael (who ganged up with Greg to try to get me to sample Marina & the Diamonds) and Luigi (who left early to tend to his lonely pooch) and spotted about a zillion hot, slutty-minded guys. Something about the Scissor Sisters breeds those desiring to breed, or at least to do everything but.
You know how I feel about general admission, so this time I decided to stay on the first mezz and try an unobstructed view. Which worked out great! Very little crowding (just a pair of boobs pressed into my back—I'm used to the ones attached to my front) and though things heated up, I never felt it approached all-time suffocation levels I've felt at small Madonna shows at the Roxy and/or Roseland.
Rye Rye, matey!
Rye Rye came first and was a blast. I wasn't all that familiar with her stuff or her new album but she has a staccato style—vocally and physically—perfectly accentuated by a pair of sexy dancers. Between the three of them, they must have worked out every muscle and bone in their bodies while showing off songs "Sunshine", "New Thing", "Drop", "Boom Boom", "Never Will Be Mine", "Dance" and the trimphant closer "Shake It to the Ground". It was like double dutch with a beat.
The performer so nice they named her twice
A real ball of energy, she was seen after the show signing autographs at the merch counter. (I kinda wanted one of her dancers' autographs, too, or at least a DNA sample.)
After an interminable wait of what seemed to be over 45 minutes, the Scissors kicked things off with "Any Which Way". What follows is a shamelessly Jake-centric record of the next 90 minutes. I can't help it! I was more even-handed last time, but this time I focused on him a lot. We were all stranded in the heat, in heat, so it's only natural. Thought there is much to be said for the comeliness and talents of every member of the band.
Hardest working band in show business
Speaking of fairness, do you remember where you were when Jake Shears came out as gay? No, of course not. Because he's always been out. What's with our community being underimpressed with actual gay icons and so intrigued by the ones who refuse to come out? I think it's important to urge public figures to be open about their sexual orientations, but it does feel weird that Jake & Co.—superb live performers and outspoken opinionistas and opinionistos—are never mentioned in all those lists of out stars.
Would you like Babydaddy to be your baby daddy?
The full set list was "Any Which Way", "Keep Your Shoes On", "Baby Come Home", "The Skins", "Kiss You Off", "Inevitable", "Take Your Mama", "Running Out", "Year of Living Dangerously", "Let's Have a Kiki", "Skin This Cat", "Mary", their cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb", "Invisible Light", "Shady Love", "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" and encores "Only the Horses" and "Music is the Victim".