(Image taken in Düsseldorf, Germany, by Gerard Mawn)

Christmas brings us closer together ... but maybe not us, because I'm, like, totally not around to blog.

ABOVE: Save it for a rainy gay.

BELOW: Keep reading for how social media giants have radicalized the world, Trump's latest assault on the media, a major announcement from Germany's Angela Merkel, a list of very gay horror flicks, highlights from Taiwan Gay Pride and more ...

Above: All the feels, all the feels.

Below: Dancing on bourbon street, Jim Jordan's sticky mess, more power to Maxine Waters, a Tom of Finland cache, and more ...

Above: Pride, a deeper love!

Below: Antoni for Attitude; Barbra's misty, water-colored mem'ries; a gay African man's hunger strike over ICE, and more ...

Above: Garrett Clayton is going on vacation, and I. Want. To. Know. Where.

Below: Bad exposure, death of (another) gay-porn actor, Joan & Judy, Trump slams Trudeau but is romancing Putin and Jong-un, Richard Grenell fucks up in Germany (again), and more ...

A dead mobster gur wanted the world to know that Tom Cruise is not gay.

In a new biography of Johnny Fratto, the frequent Howard Stern Show caller is quoted as saying Tom Cruise cozied up to some party girls in front of him, so can't be gay.

Keep reading for that and the day's hottest links, including gays attracted to the far right, Ted Cruz squirming on sex toys, a hung hula-hooper and more ...

Early on, it looked as though Trump might pick gay politico Richard Grenell as ambassador to NATO. Never happened, but a trans ban and a wiping of all LGBTQ info from the White House website did.

Now, Trump has chosen Grenell as ambassador to Germany.

Is that progress, or is it appropriate to ask what self-respecting and community-minded gay man would accept any kind of job with the Trump regime? Keep reading for this and more of the day's hottest links ...

(Image via Stern)

No lies told.