City Council Speaker announces bid for NYC mayor; would be first woman, first LGBT mayor

SHE LAUGHED, SHE CRIED: Christine Quinn is in. (But no mention of her wife???)

Oh, and by the way...so is Ashley Judd. (Probably.)

I don't know if he's blank-loathing, but I sure hate his guts.

Vince Sant's washboard abs.

TMZ to January Jones: "People think you're a homewrecker."

SNL hosts/alums welcome Timberlake to "Five-Timer's Club."

Rivers on lesbian kiss: "I'll do just about anything for ratings."

The contrived nature of the "selfie."

Homophobic "Harlem Shake" video from Jamaica.

DANCING IN THE SHEETS: In bed with Bowie & Jaggie.

Interview with I Want Your Love and Interior: Leather Bar director Travis Mathews.

An actor appears to contemplate documenting Val Lauren's Interior.

Justin Timberlake's album cover for The 20/20 Experience. A sight for sore eyes?

Meanwhile, my pal Fritz points out that the image appears to be a nod to a famous photo of Albert Einstein...one that was just used in July as an album cover for the similarly titled 20/20 by Canadian rockers Saga:

Justin Timberlake's new song seems pretty uneventful to me. The lyric video, though, was directed as if it were the real thing. It's low-key, but it's not just a static picture of his smiling face.

Do you like the song?

Romney believed he was Mormonism's mane man!

Did shellshocked Romney believe he was Mormonism's "white horse?"

Gingrich was pretty surprised, too, though.

Obama won because he called Romney a "poopy head?"

"Boehner has got to understand—they lost."—Sanders

The last "unknown" soldier wasn't.

Activist Brandon Lacy Campos (pictured)  found dead.

Madonna returns to NYC—possibly set to DJ?

Marriage equality makes polling gains everywhere.

The Simpsons tweaks FOX & Karl Rove.

Justin Timberlake signed for gambling flick.

Cincinnati FOX anchor vs. Rachel Maddow.

Guess what hottie just posed for NOH8?

Mamet, LuPone and Winger? Whoa!

Judy's dress goes for $480K, Kate's cake is $7.5K/slice!

"For $480,000 I'll throw in a BJ from Toto!"

For your holiday wish list?

Chely Wright: Wish Me Away, the documentary about the country star, comes out on DVD.

Soledad O'Brien reminds Rudy Giuliani of her job description.

Bloomberg for marriage, against "socialism."

Unsavory rumors swirl around The Advocate.

Cavalrymen for Romney. Obama is losing the aughties vote.

Justin Timberlake sang to his bride. Uh, he better have!

Florida firm connected to voter fraud on Republican payroll.

C'mon, vote! Let your body move to the Madonna music.

Did she just do a party line with that guy?

My first coup—JRT!

In Star (June 11, 2012), Justin Timberlake's's "first girlfriend" Veronica Finn spills the beans on what it was like being in puppy love with the future superstar, even providing (water-stained) love letters to enhance her memories. They apparently broke up when she realized he was likely banging out more than songs while touring with his fledgling band *NSYNC.

Veronica's way prettier now and Justin's way more clothed now

I was editor of Popstar! back in the day ("back in the day" meaning from 1998 until like a week ago) and set up a shoot with Innosense in order to get Justin—his mama was their manager. I was so proud of this shoot because it was ultra-classy and expensive (I think we spent a whole $1,000) and it showed I could figure out a way to get the then-#1 teen-mag draw (Justin).

Prove it!

As of midnight last night, it was exactly six years since my first post. It's been a tough thing to keep up with a dayjob and outside activities, and just when I think I might walk away, a valuable connection or interesting opportunity or a kind word comes my way. Thank you all for reading me.

Of whom are you more jealous?

Here are my favorite 100+ posts out of nearly 11,000. Please take some time to read (or re-read!) a couple and tweet or Facebook any you like.

xoxo Matt

The pocket pool championships were intense this year

BOY CULTURE

Boy-crazy

FROM BOY TO MAN: BC B.C. (2007): The entire history of my novell and novel Boy Culture as well as the movie version; might be my ultimate post.

Jonathon Trent & Derek Magyar make an Allan Brocka sandwich

BOY ON FILM (2006): An account of the NYC launch party for Boy Culture as it played the TriBeCa Film Fest.

I was left "Reeling" by the experience

FRIENDS AND "FAMILY" (2006): The movie version of Boy Culture hits Chicago.

No one would've mistaken me for Taylor Lautner

RAPT PUPIL (2006): The final night of Outfest with Boy Culture; I was fat but on the other hand got to meet Bryan Singer.

 

MY ART

 

Construction worker (shot this week) vs. James Dean

GUYDAR (since at least January 17, 2008) & ENDS OF THE WORLD (since at least January 13, 2008): Attractive men of the world—I got your backs. Your fronts, too.

i-i-i (phone)

Not totally built

Unaltered iPhone image that still blows me away

"Your pictures suck" (2008): An art critic attacks me, but not without sustaining some hits in return.

Let's call it a draw

DRAWN TOGETHER (2008): How my desire to draw related to my secret desire. One of my absolute favorite posts.

The shirtless one

LOST ANGELES (2009): My favorite photographic travelogue of L.A.

Even then, New Yorkers feared 9/11 was the beginning of the end

ART IMITATES LIFE (2006): My 9/11 and my distaste for grief tourism.

ME

Death of the party—Jeff in high school, already halfway through his life

BURNING MAN (2007): Tribute to my late high school friend and first romance.

Signed, sealed (eventually) delivered

LOST BOY FOUND (2011): There is a book in here somewhere.

Be Italian

CIAO HOUNDS: OUR TRIP TO ITALY (2011): Finally got José to Europe.

Death becomes here

ILLINOIS DEATH TRIP (2007): Ruminations on death while revisiting a past home, and the past.

Life is short...and meaningful

PASSING BY (2008): Mourning the loss of a person I only met once.

Lots more...

The Emmy noms are out, and it looks like Mildred Pierce, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family are the toast of the boob tube. (Remember when they had tubes?)

Noteworthy items:

GaGa looked more like Suzanne Somers than Suzanne Somers!

There is no fiercer critic of Saturday Night Live than this dude here—it has sucked consistently post-"Sarah Feylin" with the only exception being the Betty White episode, which benefited from an infusion of creativity from the show's past.

Lady GaGa will be on Saturday Night Live tonight for your post-Apocalyptic viewing pleasure. I'm curious to see if she does any sketches on top of her singing duties; she was painfully stiff in the promos with Justin Timberlake, although the humor of those—all centered around the concept of Justin wearing women's clothing—was pretty lame to begin with.