Love, Michael (All images by Matthew Rettenmund)

My day at the NYC Pride March began at 11 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. — and my feet are still refusing to let me forget it.

Among the first two people I encountered

But it was worth it.

First pic of the day set the tone — SO MANY young queers!

I know there is plenty of reason for cynicism — Deutsche Bank had a bus in the march — but every year I go, I'm uplifted by the sheer number of ecstatic, happy, ostentatious, proud people. For as many years as I can remember, I have also always been buoyed by the diversity, even before that became a buzzword. The sense of community is palpable.

Coloring outside the lines

I shot the whole thing, pretty much, and an distilling here 100+ of my favorite photos, including some of the countless images I took of joy-filled Love, Victor star Michael Cimino, who set a new standard for allyship by stripping to the waist, dousing himself with water and running along the route in order to plug the Trevor Project.

Let's get this started!

Enjoy!

Putin won by a nose. (Image via video still)

Little Big's “Generation Cancellation” rocks, and its music video features a stream of truly arresting anti-war, anti-disinformation imagery. Don't miss this:

Broadway Bares is back!

Sunday night's dual performances of Broadway Bares XXX — which celebrated the annual (give or take a pandemic) fundraiser's 30th anniversary — fishnetted $1,893,715 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Donate to BC/EFA Here!

The creation of super choreographer Jerry Mitchell had been sidelined by COVID concerns in 2020 and 2021, but came roaring back to the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC under the direction and choreography of Laya Barak.

I am what I Tam ...

The opener was a preemptive showstopper, featuring vocals from Jason Tam and Bonnie Milligan as a cast of thousands tens razzledazzled us, providing a recap of 30 years of Bares.

Man of the moment. (Images via Gr8erDays.com)

ABOVE: Ken Marshall is among today's b'days. More here.

BELOW: Keep reading for Giuliani's sad mewling over a back slap, SCOTUS cozying up to Christianity (let's try Wiccan prayers in schools) and more ...

“Fuck Clarence Thomas” -@chicagosmayor @SCOTUSblog @chicago #prideinthepark #chicago #RoeVWade #lorilightfoot #scotus pic.twitter.com/F5GOESquuM

— Ricky (@RickyRakoon) June 26, 2022

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said “fuck Clarence Thomas!” at a Chicago Pride event this week.

She's got a point.

In all seriousness, the right-wing — no strangers to vulgarity — are upset over her vulgarity, but don't find it objectionable that a woman who becomes pregnant should be forced, under threat of imprisonment for murder to carry a pregnancy to term and give birth. In a society that doesn't guarantee health coverage.

Fuck him, fuck them, fuck that.

(Image by Mel Holt)

Via Mr. Man:

Weekend is a seminal 2011 gay drama about two men who hook up after meeting at a club. That’s it. Except that it’s not. The two handsome men have playful, hot and passionate gay sex, and proceed to spend the rest of the weekend with one another. But are hookups made to last, or will this brief but passion-filled weekend be the only time the two men enjoy each other’s company?

Tom Cullen and Chris New play the brief boy toys here, and Weekend does not hold back on showcasing their undeniable sex appeal! Weekend blessedly embraces male eroticism. We get a full-frontal shot of Chris New’s endowed penis, a brief glimpse of Tom Cullen’s penis as he masturbates in the tub, and even a look at Tom grabbing a hold of Chris’ big erection when the two make out on the couch!

Weekend is quickly becoming gay canon, and we hope that these GIFs entice you to check out the full movie. After all, everybody’s jerkin’ for the Weekend!

 

Madonna's latest comeback was a minor miracle. (All images by Matthew Rettenmund, unless noted)

With the Supreme Court overturning Roe and Casey, and Clarence Thomas putting in writing his belief that the Court should get rid of marriage equality, gay sex and contraception on the heels of abortion, it feels frivolous writing about Madonna.

But we have to go on, and Madonna is the thinking person's diva — one who has expressly stood up for abortion rights (and was honored for that by Gloria Steinem) and, from the dawn of her career, LGBTQ rights. So, while much of my take on her show last night at NYC's Terminal 5 is escapist, I would like to remind everyone that Madonna is rarely a guilty pleasure. Rather, she has often been a progressive treasure, an inspiration for underdogs of various stripes.

Inside out

Lately, she's made missteps and — more disheartening — suffered an obvious physical setback, all of which combined to make her feel a bit less like Madonna to some.

One of her best marquees ever!

Following her regrettable appearance onstage with Maluma, I am excited to report that Madonna is bouncing back. I don't have insider info, but it feels to me like after a period of intense personal struggle (not that she would ever play the victim card), she used her club show both to promote the 16-track abridged edition of Finally Enough Love (out today) ahead of the 50-track version due out in August, as well as to get her bearings and to broadcast to her core audience that bitch, she's Madonna ... and always will be.