Pink has never been one for subtlety.
True, her last album Try This didn’t quite get off the ground, but the powerful Pink has returned with a vengeance, with her latest fiery album I’m Not Dead (she certainly isn’t!).
We have an exclusive live clip of her performing the controversial Dear Mr President, written as a scathing letter to the Dubya, asking questions like “What kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?” and proclaiming “You’ve come a long way from whiskey and cocaine!”
Hoorah for politically-minded angry divas! She may be losing a fan base of Bible-thumping rednecks, but she certainly gets points from us!
Click here for more on the new album!
Monday, 16 July 2007
Sellevision!
7/2/06
Take a trip to the twisted world of home shopping in Augusten Burrough’s debut novel.
Although not quite as up to par as his critically-acclaimed and hysterical memoir Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs’s Sellevision takes us to a similar place: the surreal and camp world of America’s retail broadcasting network, in what Burroughs himself calls a “shallow, petty, mean-spirited little book”. If you’re into dark and sarcastic comedy, this is your cup a’ tea.
Reminiscent of Armistad Maupin’s popular Tales of the City, Sellevision reads swiftly, jumping from episode to episode in a quirky sit-com-like manner.
Full of laugh-out-loud moments, Burroughs mocks cliché over-the-top on-camera personalities, following the stories of Sellevision’s top tv presenters: Max, Peggy Jean, and Leigh.
Leading presenter of Sellevision, handsome and gay Max Andrews’s luck takes a turn for the worst when his accidentally exposes his penis on live television.
The scandal sets off a series of events including the promotion of Leigh, Sellevision’s junior presenter, who uses her new fame to plot an even more scandalous revenge on her current married boyfriend, who also happens to be her boss.
But the real star of Sellevision is Peggy Jean Smythe: church-going, elitist, and self righteous - the perfect embodiment of the teeth-clenched, irritatingly synthetic tv bitch.
After a string of vicious emails from a stalker mocking her “hairy earlobes”, Peggy Jean plummets into a world of binge drinking and pill-popping , following a pattern of favourite female gay icons, ironically redeeming herself through failure. As Peggy Jean loses her grasp on reality and heads to rehab, her husband turns his attention to the underage babysitter Nikki.
There’s something sadistically pleasurable about watching the demise of Peggy Jean, and at times, you almost wish the entire novel followed her – the other characters are tedious in comparison.
I found myself wanting to skip forward to Peggy Jean’s bits. Even Max, the staple gay of the book, comes across as a pitiful wet blanket.
While Sellevision is an engaging and humorous quick read, it comes off a bit flat. The energy that begins the book dwindles and most of the characters come across as one-dimensional caricatures.
Burroughs succeeds in creating the cartoony world of the home shopping network, and in a way, the book reflects his own cynical attitude toward advertising [His memoir Dry records Burroughs' years as an alcoholic Manhattan ad writer].
While Sellevision doesn’t reach the fantastic calibre of his memoirs, it certainly gives you a taste of his deliciously sardonic wit- and is perfect if you need a literary upper to relieve your winter blues.
Take a trip to the twisted world of home shopping in Augusten Burrough’s debut novel.
Although not quite as up to par as his critically-acclaimed and hysterical memoir Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs’s Sellevision takes us to a similar place: the surreal and camp world of America’s retail broadcasting network, in what Burroughs himself calls a “shallow, petty, mean-spirited little book”. If you’re into dark and sarcastic comedy, this is your cup a’ tea.
Reminiscent of Armistad Maupin’s popular Tales of the City, Sellevision reads swiftly, jumping from episode to episode in a quirky sit-com-like manner.
Full of laugh-out-loud moments, Burroughs mocks cliché over-the-top on-camera personalities, following the stories of Sellevision’s top tv presenters: Max, Peggy Jean, and Leigh.
Leading presenter of Sellevision, handsome and gay Max Andrews’s luck takes a turn for the worst when his accidentally exposes his penis on live television.
The scandal sets off a series of events including the promotion of Leigh, Sellevision’s junior presenter, who uses her new fame to plot an even more scandalous revenge on her current married boyfriend, who also happens to be her boss.
But the real star of Sellevision is Peggy Jean Smythe: church-going, elitist, and self righteous - the perfect embodiment of the teeth-clenched, irritatingly synthetic tv bitch.
After a string of vicious emails from a stalker mocking her “hairy earlobes”, Peggy Jean plummets into a world of binge drinking and pill-popping , following a pattern of favourite female gay icons, ironically redeeming herself through failure. As Peggy Jean loses her grasp on reality and heads to rehab, her husband turns his attention to the underage babysitter Nikki.
There’s something sadistically pleasurable about watching the demise of Peggy Jean, and at times, you almost wish the entire novel followed her – the other characters are tedious in comparison.
I found myself wanting to skip forward to Peggy Jean’s bits. Even Max, the staple gay of the book, comes across as a pitiful wet blanket.
While Sellevision is an engaging and humorous quick read, it comes off a bit flat. The energy that begins the book dwindles and most of the characters come across as one-dimensional caricatures.
Burroughs succeeds in creating the cartoony world of the home shopping network, and in a way, the book reflects his own cynical attitude toward advertising [His memoir Dry records Burroughs' years as an alcoholic Manhattan ad writer].
While Sellevision doesn’t reach the fantastic calibre of his memoirs, it certainly gives you a taste of his deliciously sardonic wit- and is perfect if you need a literary upper to relieve your winter blues.
'Beautiful' boys
18/1/06
A fantastic new London production of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing is set to close this week. Don't miss it!
Ah, young love!
Known primarily for the successful film adaptation - Beautiful Thing - Jonathan Harvey's uplifting story of adolescent gay love returns to the London stage in a one month engagement at the Sound Theatre in the Swiss Centre.
In this witty coming-of-age drama, a pair of teenage boys growing up in a working-class neighbourhood become aware of their homosexuality.
One hot summer in a South London housing estate, we meet Jamie, played by Andrew Garfield, unpopular and awkward, who lives with his tough but warm-hearted mother Sandra, a struggling barmaid.
He lives next door to his classmate Ste, an athletic type who often has to take a beating from his hard-drinking father and brother. When Sandra discovers the abuse, she offers refuge to Ste, who then bunks up with Jamie, thus unintentionally initiating the boys' budding romance.
Set against the backdrop of working-class 1980s London, the play deals with the trials and tribulations of the boys coming to terms with their sexuality and of their growing attraction.
It also explores the tender relationship between Jamie and his mother, with the subplot of Sandra’s desire to buy her own pub as a means to escape the dismal estate.
Adding some much needed comic relief there is Leah, a brassy high school dropout obsessed with Mama Cass, who spends her time smoking and doing a variety of mind altering drugs. If you’re tired of gay tragedies, Beautiful Thing offers an optimistic alternative, poignantly illustrating that out of the dreariest, angst-ridden circumstances comes a glimpse of hope.
Beautiful Thing
Sound Theatre in the Swiss Centre, W1
Featuring Andrew Garflied and Gavin Brocker
January 10- February 4
Box Office 0870 890 0503
A fantastic new London production of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing is set to close this week. Don't miss it!
Ah, young love!
Known primarily for the successful film adaptation - Beautiful Thing - Jonathan Harvey's uplifting story of adolescent gay love returns to the London stage in a one month engagement at the Sound Theatre in the Swiss Centre.
In this witty coming-of-age drama, a pair of teenage boys growing up in a working-class neighbourhood become aware of their homosexuality.
One hot summer in a South London housing estate, we meet Jamie, played by Andrew Garfield, unpopular and awkward, who lives with his tough but warm-hearted mother Sandra, a struggling barmaid.
He lives next door to his classmate Ste, an athletic type who often has to take a beating from his hard-drinking father and brother. When Sandra discovers the abuse, she offers refuge to Ste, who then bunks up with Jamie, thus unintentionally initiating the boys' budding romance.
Set against the backdrop of working-class 1980s London, the play deals with the trials and tribulations of the boys coming to terms with their sexuality and of their growing attraction.
It also explores the tender relationship between Jamie and his mother, with the subplot of Sandra’s desire to buy her own pub as a means to escape the dismal estate.
Adding some much needed comic relief there is Leah, a brassy high school dropout obsessed with Mama Cass, who spends her time smoking and doing a variety of mind altering drugs. If you’re tired of gay tragedies, Beautiful Thing offers an optimistic alternative, poignantly illustrating that out of the dreariest, angst-ridden circumstances comes a glimpse of hope.
Beautiful Thing
Sound Theatre in the Swiss Centre, W1
Featuring Andrew Garflied and Gavin Brocker
January 10- February 4
Box Office 0870 890 0503
Madonna Euphoria at the Astoria
22/11/05
Brimming with utter euphoria and hysteria, the Astoria became the centre of the world for many fans Saturday night; the Queen was due to arrive just past midnight. Following last week’s “warmup” gig at Koko (formally known as Camden Palace) Madonna decided to grace the stage at club G-A-Y in London, as a special, appreciative nod to her most loyal and faithful fans: the queers.
For those obsessed and devoted enough to queue up from the early morning to seize a holy purple wristband, the sweat and tears were all worth it to see the diva of all divas. The moment people got past security and saw the stage, gloriously projecting the album cover on a screen, most forgot who they were and turned into giddy 16-year-old girls. Every half hour up to showtime, the DJ played a Madonna hit, each time sending the crowd into bedlam as scores of balloons dropped from the ceiling.
As the clock struck half past midnight, the crowd eerily chanted her name. Her band appeared, looking sharp in vintage white suits. We screamed, we cried… and then, without introduction, the clock started ticking…with that orgasmic ABBA tune crescendo...and then, in a surreal moment, the screen projecting a spinning disco ball split, and there she was.
Achingly beautiful, clad in pink sequined jacket and pink hotpants, she strut downstage, followed by an entourage of stunning creatures and performed her 11th number one, “Hung Up”. Her body moved flawlessly, her voice sounded better than ever, and when she finally spoke, she resembled the feisty twenty-something New Yorker she once was.
Playful and chatty, she asked the crowd if they approved of her new album. Responding to the wild enthusiasm, she screamed, “Good! I wrote this album for you fuckers!!”
Seductively, Madonna stripped off her jacket, revealing her unworldly body tightly wrapped in a pink vintage leotard. She sighed and asked, “Aren't you guys hot! I should have worn my bathing suit. Oh wait....I did!” Before she agreed to continue, she demanded that everyone in the front row had to take off their tops. When some were shy, she asserted, “No. That’s an order!” to which a handful of sweaty t-shirts were flung into the air.
She continued and performed “Get together” and “I Love New York” (She defended her position, saying, “‘I Love New York’ is just a figure of speech. I fucking love London!”).
She apparently loves New York so much that she was even inspired to simulate masturbation, indulging her fans with some much-appreciated, old-fashioned Madonna debauchery.
She also treated the audience to a whole lot of fierce pelvic thrusts while aggressively pulling up her leotard, making it impossible to avoid staring at her luminous, powerful crotch. She even dry-humped the New York backdrop. Sitting on the stage, she began “Let it will be”, starting off slowly and then chaotically burst into a head- banging, arms- throwing, foot-stomping dancing frenzy.
Pure Madonna heaven.
Just as the sexual energy nearly blew the top off of the Astoria, Madonna graciously thanked her fans, finishing off the show with “Everybody”, her first single from 1983. The dancers, usually with stone-cold expressions, even let loose and were laughing as they were engulfed in another excessive balloon dropping.
Just as the song was about the end, Madonna started "Jump", and everyone did the obvious, probably breaking the foundation of the venue.And then, like an apparition, she disappeared, just as swiftly as she entered. Three days later, I’m still breathless.
Brimming with utter euphoria and hysteria, the Astoria became the centre of the world for many fans Saturday night; the Queen was due to arrive just past midnight. Following last week’s “warmup” gig at Koko (formally known as Camden Palace) Madonna decided to grace the stage at club G-A-Y in London, as a special, appreciative nod to her most loyal and faithful fans: the queers.
For those obsessed and devoted enough to queue up from the early morning to seize a holy purple wristband, the sweat and tears were all worth it to see the diva of all divas. The moment people got past security and saw the stage, gloriously projecting the album cover on a screen, most forgot who they were and turned into giddy 16-year-old girls. Every half hour up to showtime, the DJ played a Madonna hit, each time sending the crowd into bedlam as scores of balloons dropped from the ceiling.
As the clock struck half past midnight, the crowd eerily chanted her name. Her band appeared, looking sharp in vintage white suits. We screamed, we cried… and then, without introduction, the clock started ticking…with that orgasmic ABBA tune crescendo...and then, in a surreal moment, the screen projecting a spinning disco ball split, and there she was.
Achingly beautiful, clad in pink sequined jacket and pink hotpants, she strut downstage, followed by an entourage of stunning creatures and performed her 11th number one, “Hung Up”. Her body moved flawlessly, her voice sounded better than ever, and when she finally spoke, she resembled the feisty twenty-something New Yorker she once was.
Playful and chatty, she asked the crowd if they approved of her new album. Responding to the wild enthusiasm, she screamed, “Good! I wrote this album for you fuckers!!”
Seductively, Madonna stripped off her jacket, revealing her unworldly body tightly wrapped in a pink vintage leotard. She sighed and asked, “Aren't you guys hot! I should have worn my bathing suit. Oh wait....I did!” Before she agreed to continue, she demanded that everyone in the front row had to take off their tops. When some were shy, she asserted, “No. That’s an order!” to which a handful of sweaty t-shirts were flung into the air.
She continued and performed “Get together” and “I Love New York” (She defended her position, saying, “‘I Love New York’ is just a figure of speech. I fucking love London!”).
She apparently loves New York so much that she was even inspired to simulate masturbation, indulging her fans with some much-appreciated, old-fashioned Madonna debauchery.
She also treated the audience to a whole lot of fierce pelvic thrusts while aggressively pulling up her leotard, making it impossible to avoid staring at her luminous, powerful crotch. She even dry-humped the New York backdrop. Sitting on the stage, she began “Let it will be”, starting off slowly and then chaotically burst into a head- banging, arms- throwing, foot-stomping dancing frenzy.
Pure Madonna heaven.
Just as the sexual energy nearly blew the top off of the Astoria, Madonna graciously thanked her fans, finishing off the show with “Everybody”, her first single from 1983. The dancers, usually with stone-cold expressions, even let loose and were laughing as they were engulfed in another excessive balloon dropping.
Just as the song was about the end, Madonna started "Jump", and everyone did the obvious, probably breaking the foundation of the venue.And then, like an apparition, she disappeared, just as swiftly as she entered. Three days later, I’m still breathless.
Hollywood’s ‘veiled’ sexuality
Ernesto Tomasini returns to the Drill Hall in his clever, bittersweet, one-man ‘musical extravaganza’- "A Veiled Screen: A Secret History of Hollywood" - written and performed by Tomasini himself, exploring one gay man’s obsession, and identification, with Hollywood.
Despite some messy transitions and the sometimes superfluous, strained effort to include as many film references as possible, the show works quite well. He manages to pull off some very funny, as well as touching, poignant moments.
In this highly interactive, one man-show, Tomasini takes us on a surreal, dreamlike journey through the history of film, from the perspective of the sentimental cinema projectionist, Sebastian Venable.
Tomasini proves to be an incredibly talented, versatile performer. He convincingly brings to the stage a range of memorable moments from film, both male and female, tying them in with his gay identity. He even covers major moments in gay history.
He gives you a chance to relive classic movie moments, effortlessly highlighting just how campy and queer they really are.
Although he’s on top of the ball for most of the performance - when he initially comes on stage, he seems a tinge uncomfortable. Thankfully he warms up to it, and ten minutes in, he is flying.
From high camp drag numbers to slapstick comedy, Tomasini also manages to take us to the darker, quieter place in Sebatian’s mind. The show is skilfully written, with scenes of upsurd comedy juxtaposed with purposely facetious scenarios.
He begins as an silent film actor, brilliantly capturing the melodramatic mannerisms, takes a dramatic turn, and arrives on stage as a giddy 1950s housewife and, amazingly. pulls off a wonderful falsetto. He performs a number of other iconic screen moments, ending with powerful and ironic academy awards acceptance speech.
If you want an enjoyable and thoughtful night out, A Veiled Screen in your answer.
"The Veiled Screen – A Secret History of Hollywood" closes this weekend.
For information/online booking go to www.drillhall.co.uk
The Drill Hall
16 Chenies Street
LondonWC1E 7EX
Box office. 0207 7307 5060
Despite some messy transitions and the sometimes superfluous, strained effort to include as many film references as possible, the show works quite well. He manages to pull off some very funny, as well as touching, poignant moments.
In this highly interactive, one man-show, Tomasini takes us on a surreal, dreamlike journey through the history of film, from the perspective of the sentimental cinema projectionist, Sebastian Venable.
Tomasini proves to be an incredibly talented, versatile performer. He convincingly brings to the stage a range of memorable moments from film, both male and female, tying them in with his gay identity. He even covers major moments in gay history.
He gives you a chance to relive classic movie moments, effortlessly highlighting just how campy and queer they really are.
Although he’s on top of the ball for most of the performance - when he initially comes on stage, he seems a tinge uncomfortable. Thankfully he warms up to it, and ten minutes in, he is flying.
From high camp drag numbers to slapstick comedy, Tomasini also manages to take us to the darker, quieter place in Sebatian’s mind. The show is skilfully written, with scenes of upsurd comedy juxtaposed with purposely facetious scenarios.
He begins as an silent film actor, brilliantly capturing the melodramatic mannerisms, takes a dramatic turn, and arrives on stage as a giddy 1950s housewife and, amazingly. pulls off a wonderful falsetto. He performs a number of other iconic screen moments, ending with powerful and ironic academy awards acceptance speech.
If you want an enjoyable and thoughtful night out, A Veiled Screen in your answer.
"The Veiled Screen – A Secret History of Hollywood" closes this weekend.
For information/online booking go to www.drillhall.co.uk
The Drill Hall
16 Chenies Street
LondonWC1E 7EX
Box office. 0207 7307 5060
Saturday, 30 June 2007
Online dating success!
Is online love for real? Yes! GAY.COM met with couples to talk about their online dating success.
Believe or not, people succeed finding love through the internet.
With more people meeting online than ever before, we thought it was about time we hear from those who actually found something special, in addition to a shag.
First we talked to Sami, 24, a publishing assistant, and James, 39, music producer. On the eve of their two year anniversary, we had a chance to talk to them about their initial meet.
How did you meet?
Sami: On GAY.COM. I was hesitant to meet James, but he was really responsive to my self –deprecating attitude (which is rare) and I had to respect that. After much deliberation, and him confessing to me that he was getting an MA in musical theatre (I then knew he was harmless) I agreed to have him over for a spliff and Moulin Rouge…I had to sneak him into my student halls.
James: It was a relaxed Sunday evening and I guess I wanted an adventure, I was chatting to Sami online and the offer of smoking cigarettes and watching a musical sounded perfect. Oh and he looked cute in his profile picture!!
Why do you think people have qualms about meeting people online?
James: I guess because it is unconventional but in time it will become more accepted. Lots of people I know met friends online but are at first ashamed to admit it. I think it could be something to do with attitudes towards sex and the attachment to traditional values of courtship.
Sami: Because it’s a gamble, isn’t it? The concept of meeting someone online, especially to have sex, is unfairly stigmatised; it doesn’t always end as a one-night-stand. It seems that people only hear horror stories about meeting randoms online—sometimes it turns out ok.
Do you think your relationship would be different if you met each other in person instead of online? Explain.
Sami: I don’t know if our relationship would be all that different now, but how it initially progressed would have been different. And as sad as this is, if I met James in a more traditional way, I don’t know if I would have had the nerve to tell him that I was attracted to him.
James: No, not in any way. I think if people share common interests and 'click' with each other they will continue to feel a connection. Where they meet is inconsequential.
Were you nervous about meeting each other? If not, how did you feel?
James: I think excited is a better word than nervous.
Sami: Very nervous. I felt fat and felt like my hair was too long..
What kind of reactions do you get when you tell people you met online? Do you ever feel embarrassed about it?
James: Not any more. There is still some taboo but I think peoples attitudes are changing. I think people judge relationships on how they are in the present moment rather than where the two people met.
Possible civil partnership plans?
Sami: Yes! We are getting a civil partnership next month!
Are you doing anything special for Valentines Day?
Sami: Dinner, DVD, and sex.
What advice do you have for people who seek a partner online?
Sami: Avoid saying annoying things like “Age/sex/location?”, “Are you horny?”, “How big are you?” – it’s rude and lame. Just be yourself. You can have a sense of humour when you go online—it seems like people forget that they have one.
James: You need to have a sense of adventure but be under no illusion that the rules of the courtship or relationship are in anyway different than if you had met at a Valentine's dance or in wartime Berlin, there is a rhythm and timing to the growth of the relationship and that depends on both of your commitment and respect for each other.Online dating may be part of our 'want it now' culture sidelining the traditional values of making greater effort towards finding a partner.
James: But what makes us attractive in our online profile can soon fade away if we cannot reveal the qualities necessary to form a loving bond with another human being. However gorgeous the person you are chatting to and perhaps decide to meet, if he is selfish, greedy, and egotistical you won't want to hang out with him. The internet is a great gateway to information and other people, once passing through the gate the effort is then required. It's a fantastic option to have and one that should be embraced by lovers of love all over the world.
Thanks James! How insightful. Our next couple are Nigel and Henry. Nigel, 34, a financial analyst, and Henry, 31, a banker met 8 months ago in a Pimlico pub, after chatting online.
So, How did you meet?
Nigel: Well, we chatted for probably 2 months online, then finally agreed to meet each other for a drink at a pub. We had similar backgrounds and similar occupations in the financial industry. Then a couple of weeks after our first meeting at the pub, he invited me to join him and some of his friends in Brighton for the weekend, so I went, and that was the first time we shagged.
Why did you decide to meet each other?
Henry: He seemed like a nice guy, down to earth, wasn't too pushy, which I liked. So I finally just thought, why not?
Nigel: I was tired of always meeting the same kind of cracked out twinks at the bars who have no direction, no reputable profession and nothing interesting about their character. When I chatted with Henry online, he made laugh - I knew that was a good sign.
Why do you think people have qualms about meeting people online?
Henry: It's an unfair stigma. I think some people look down on those who meet online.
They might assume that people who meet online are not capable of meeting in bars or clubs - it's not true.
Nigel: I don't know, I just got tired of putting up with all the shit and found it easier to try something over the internet.
Were you nervous about meeting each other? If not, how did you feel?
Nigel: Not really, only because we had been talking for about two months before we met in person so I felt like I knew him a bit better in a sense.
What kind of reactions do you get when you tell people you met online? Do you get embarrassed about it?
Nigel:I actually don't tell people we met online; I tell them we met in a pub, which isn't a complete lie because we did meet in a pub - just not for the first time.
Henry: Only embarrassed when straight people ask us. I think it's pretty much accepted in the gay community.
Possible civil partnership plans?
Nigel: Well we've only been dating for 8 months (laughs). We'll see, I guess. I do however like the idea that that option is available now to us. Let’s not spoil it by putting too many expectations on the long term.
Henry: Agreed. For now we're just having fun and enjoying each other's company
Doing anything special for Valentines Day?
Henry: Dinner at the Ritz, and Nigel has never seen Mamma Mia, so I got tickets for that.
What advice do you have for people who seek a partner online?
Henry: Take it slow, converse with the person on a fairly regular basis for a while before you meet up - that way you know the person better.
Nigel: if you go in with the expectation of just having sex, you'll probably be limiting yourself to just that.
Goodness! Don't waste any more time, find your online lover now!
In an unprecedented move, GAY.COM has decided to offer all our personals services, including Premium membership, to all new members completely free of charge.
Click here for more information.
Believe or not, people succeed finding love through the internet.
With more people meeting online than ever before, we thought it was about time we hear from those who actually found something special, in addition to a shag.
First we talked to Sami, 24, a publishing assistant, and James, 39, music producer. On the eve of their two year anniversary, we had a chance to talk to them about their initial meet.
How did you meet?
Sami: On GAY.COM. I was hesitant to meet James, but he was really responsive to my self –deprecating attitude (which is rare) and I had to respect that. After much deliberation, and him confessing to me that he was getting an MA in musical theatre (I then knew he was harmless) I agreed to have him over for a spliff and Moulin Rouge…I had to sneak him into my student halls.
James: It was a relaxed Sunday evening and I guess I wanted an adventure, I was chatting to Sami online and the offer of smoking cigarettes and watching a musical sounded perfect. Oh and he looked cute in his profile picture!!
Why do you think people have qualms about meeting people online?
James: I guess because it is unconventional but in time it will become more accepted. Lots of people I know met friends online but are at first ashamed to admit it. I think it could be something to do with attitudes towards sex and the attachment to traditional values of courtship.
Sami: Because it’s a gamble, isn’t it? The concept of meeting someone online, especially to have sex, is unfairly stigmatised; it doesn’t always end as a one-night-stand. It seems that people only hear horror stories about meeting randoms online—sometimes it turns out ok.
Do you think your relationship would be different if you met each other in person instead of online? Explain.
Sami: I don’t know if our relationship would be all that different now, but how it initially progressed would have been different. And as sad as this is, if I met James in a more traditional way, I don’t know if I would have had the nerve to tell him that I was attracted to him.
James: No, not in any way. I think if people share common interests and 'click' with each other they will continue to feel a connection. Where they meet is inconsequential.
Were you nervous about meeting each other? If not, how did you feel?
James: I think excited is a better word than nervous.
Sami: Very nervous. I felt fat and felt like my hair was too long..
What kind of reactions do you get when you tell people you met online? Do you ever feel embarrassed about it?
James: Not any more. There is still some taboo but I think peoples attitudes are changing. I think people judge relationships on how they are in the present moment rather than where the two people met.
Possible civil partnership plans?
Sami: Yes! We are getting a civil partnership next month!
Are you doing anything special for Valentines Day?
Sami: Dinner, DVD, and sex.
What advice do you have for people who seek a partner online?
Sami: Avoid saying annoying things like “Age/sex/location?”, “Are you horny?”, “How big are you?” – it’s rude and lame. Just be yourself. You can have a sense of humour when you go online—it seems like people forget that they have one.
James: You need to have a sense of adventure but be under no illusion that the rules of the courtship or relationship are in anyway different than if you had met at a Valentine's dance or in wartime Berlin, there is a rhythm and timing to the growth of the relationship and that depends on both of your commitment and respect for each other.Online dating may be part of our 'want it now' culture sidelining the traditional values of making greater effort towards finding a partner.
James: But what makes us attractive in our online profile can soon fade away if we cannot reveal the qualities necessary to form a loving bond with another human being. However gorgeous the person you are chatting to and perhaps decide to meet, if he is selfish, greedy, and egotistical you won't want to hang out with him. The internet is a great gateway to information and other people, once passing through the gate the effort is then required. It's a fantastic option to have and one that should be embraced by lovers of love all over the world.
Thanks James! How insightful. Our next couple are Nigel and Henry. Nigel, 34, a financial analyst, and Henry, 31, a banker met 8 months ago in a Pimlico pub, after chatting online.
So, How did you meet?
Nigel: Well, we chatted for probably 2 months online, then finally agreed to meet each other for a drink at a pub. We had similar backgrounds and similar occupations in the financial industry. Then a couple of weeks after our first meeting at the pub, he invited me to join him and some of his friends in Brighton for the weekend, so I went, and that was the first time we shagged.
Why did you decide to meet each other?
Henry: He seemed like a nice guy, down to earth, wasn't too pushy, which I liked. So I finally just thought, why not?
Nigel: I was tired of always meeting the same kind of cracked out twinks at the bars who have no direction, no reputable profession and nothing interesting about their character. When I chatted with Henry online, he made laugh - I knew that was a good sign.
Why do you think people have qualms about meeting people online?
Henry: It's an unfair stigma. I think some people look down on those who meet online.
They might assume that people who meet online are not capable of meeting in bars or clubs - it's not true.
Nigel: I don't know, I just got tired of putting up with all the shit and found it easier to try something over the internet.
Were you nervous about meeting each other? If not, how did you feel?
Nigel: Not really, only because we had been talking for about two months before we met in person so I felt like I knew him a bit better in a sense.
What kind of reactions do you get when you tell people you met online? Do you get embarrassed about it?
Nigel:I actually don't tell people we met online; I tell them we met in a pub, which isn't a complete lie because we did meet in a pub - just not for the first time.
Henry: Only embarrassed when straight people ask us. I think it's pretty much accepted in the gay community.
Possible civil partnership plans?
Nigel: Well we've only been dating for 8 months (laughs). We'll see, I guess. I do however like the idea that that option is available now to us. Let’s not spoil it by putting too many expectations on the long term.
Henry: Agreed. For now we're just having fun and enjoying each other's company
Doing anything special for Valentines Day?
Henry: Dinner at the Ritz, and Nigel has never seen Mamma Mia, so I got tickets for that.
What advice do you have for people who seek a partner online?
Henry: Take it slow, converse with the person on a fairly regular basis for a while before you meet up - that way you know the person better.
Nigel: if you go in with the expectation of just having sex, you'll probably be limiting yourself to just that.
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Homo blogging, part 2!
17/4/06
Blogs are taking over...so be prepared. From hysterically vicious to the downright bizarre, we found some of the net's must-see sites.
Blogs are taking over...so be prepared. If you aren't at least browsing them, or creating your own, you may miss out on some seriously vital information. From hysterically vicious to downright bizarre, we found some of the must-see sites.
World of Wonder
From the twisted minds who brought you the films Party Monster and Being Bobby Brown (reality TV show featuring Whitney 'Crack is wack' Houston) comes this shrewdly amusing blog commenting on the campier side of pop culture. A gay -leaning production company, they ridiculule Diana Ross's outrageous funeral gown (worn at Richard Pryor's funeral ) and also speculate about the reality of Baby Cruise, spawn of Tomkat. This site is also home to the deliciously vicious rantings of ex-club kid turned author James St.James. Pure joy.
Perez Hilton
Paris's gay Cuban cousin?! Bueno! Perez indulges us with a healthy dose of latin sassiness in his daily bitchfest of celebrity bashing and gossip. Recently Perez has been sued by Colin Farrel for providing much appreciated commentary and links to the infamous Colin Farrell sex tape, which makes us love him even more. Flamboyantly offensive, he's basically a male equivalent of Joan Rivers - if you can handle it. Apparently Perez and Paris have become party buddies, so Perez has an inside scoop on celebrity dirty dishes!
Beautiful
Boys. Boys. Boys. And Madonna. For all those basically one-tracked minds, this blog is less of a blog and more a plethora of pictures of the most breathtakingly 'beautiful' male specimens on the planet, which occasional diva-update. 'Beautiful' will give you plenty to drool over. Watch out for unexpectedly 'drool-worthy' paparazzi pics of Ricky 'I'm not gay' Martin and an area dedicated to new pinup Jake Gyllenhall. Yummy.
Fake Gay News
"Because Real Gay and Lesbian News is Too Damn Depressing." We hope not...but if you're looking for an absurd fictional take on gay media - from celebs to politics- Fake Gay News is your answer. Darkly comic, usually taking the piss on political correctness, with titles like "Historians Claim King Kong was gay, calls his death a hate crime" and "Disaffected New Yorkers try and re-enact Rent get crap beat out of them", FGN fails to disappoint.
Go Fug Yourself!
Are you one of those people who gets a ridiculous amount of pleasure out of slagging off other peoples fashion tragedies? Do you even really have a right to talk? Not that it matters, but this catty blog gives you a chance to let out your aggression on some well-meaning celebs, who just wanna look their best; unfortunately, they fall flat on their ass! From bashing fashion mistakes of 'D-list' celeb ex-Celebrity Big Brother housemate Jodie Marsh to the Emaciation Watch Terror Level Chart with Nicole Richie at the top of the list, Go Fug Yourself redefines fugly!
Blogs are taking over...so be prepared. From hysterically vicious to the downright bizarre, we found some of the net's must-see sites.
Blogs are taking over...so be prepared. If you aren't at least browsing them, or creating your own, you may miss out on some seriously vital information. From hysterically vicious to downright bizarre, we found some of the must-see sites.
World of Wonder
From the twisted minds who brought you the films Party Monster and Being Bobby Brown (reality TV show featuring Whitney 'Crack is wack' Houston) comes this shrewdly amusing blog commenting on the campier side of pop culture. A gay -leaning production company, they ridiculule Diana Ross's outrageous funeral gown (worn at Richard Pryor's funeral ) and also speculate about the reality of Baby Cruise, spawn of Tomkat. This site is also home to the deliciously vicious rantings of ex-club kid turned author James St.James. Pure joy.
Perez Hilton
Paris's gay Cuban cousin?! Bueno! Perez indulges us with a healthy dose of latin sassiness in his daily bitchfest of celebrity bashing and gossip. Recently Perez has been sued by Colin Farrel for providing much appreciated commentary and links to the infamous Colin Farrell sex tape, which makes us love him even more. Flamboyantly offensive, he's basically a male equivalent of Joan Rivers - if you can handle it. Apparently Perez and Paris have become party buddies, so Perez has an inside scoop on celebrity dirty dishes!
Beautiful
Boys. Boys. Boys. And Madonna. For all those basically one-tracked minds, this blog is less of a blog and more a plethora of pictures of the most breathtakingly 'beautiful' male specimens on the planet, which occasional diva-update. 'Beautiful' will give you plenty to drool over. Watch out for unexpectedly 'drool-worthy' paparazzi pics of Ricky 'I'm not gay' Martin and an area dedicated to new pinup Jake Gyllenhall. Yummy.
Fake Gay News
"Because Real Gay and Lesbian News is Too Damn Depressing." We hope not...but if you're looking for an absurd fictional take on gay media - from celebs to politics- Fake Gay News is your answer. Darkly comic, usually taking the piss on political correctness, with titles like "Historians Claim King Kong was gay, calls his death a hate crime" and "Disaffected New Yorkers try and re-enact Rent get crap beat out of them", FGN fails to disappoint.
Go Fug Yourself!
Are you one of those people who gets a ridiculous amount of pleasure out of slagging off other peoples fashion tragedies? Do you even really have a right to talk? Not that it matters, but this catty blog gives you a chance to let out your aggression on some well-meaning celebs, who just wanna look their best; unfortunately, they fall flat on their ass! From bashing fashion mistakes of 'D-list' celeb ex-Celebrity Big Brother housemate Jodie Marsh to the Emaciation Watch Terror Level Chart with Nicole Richie at the top of the list, Go Fug Yourself redefines fugly!
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