Masters, slaves, tops, bottoms, daddies, boys, porn stars… Wow!  Folsom Street East is New York City’s premiere S&M-, leather-, and fetish-themed outdoor festival.  Inspired by the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco, this deliciously decadent event attracts thousands of attendees every year.  On Sunday, June 21st (Father’s Day– and, yes, there were a lot of hot DILF’s there…), the adults-only street fair offered entertainment, merchandise, and many, many treats for all six senses: from superb displays of masculine beauty, to truly jaw-dropping live demos of consensual bondage, flogging and electro-shock play.  As a good friend of mine sang back in 1982, “It hurts so good!” The festivities were held on one of  the last streets of downtown NYC which hasn’t been exploited by gentrification– the same street which has The Eagle just doors away from Scores!

Since 1997, Folsom Street East has raised over $250,000 to support a wide variety of charitable organizations.  This year, the beneficiaries were The NYC LGBT Center, The Anti-Violence Project, and The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.   I particularly liked the Imperial Court of New York’s contest, where attendees got to toss a dildo or fake boob into the wide open mouth of a life-size effigy of booted Miss California Carrie Prejean, for a prize.  I also nearly creamed in my shorts at those cute guys selling their famous Boy Butter.

CLICK “Read more >>” BELOW FOR COMPLETE ARTICLE AND MORE HOT PHOTOS!
Read more »

According to their official website, Males au Naturel (MAN) may be the oldest of the all-male naturist organizations in America.  The group was founded in 1984, when Cyndi Lauper reminded us that “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” on the radio, and Gloria Gaynor’s disco version of “I Am What I Am” was a huge gay fave at the clubs. Many of M.A.N.’s founding members went on to form other organizations such as Gay Naturists International (GNI). To state the obvious, a Males au Naturel party is quite different from your average soiree. Andy Seamen, filmmaker and longtime M.A.N. member, states, “Who knew shaved balls would be so important at a social event?!” Although the group is mostly gay and bisexual guys, all men are welcome.  In the naturist tradition, sexual activity is forbidden at the events (”No stroking, no squirting, no shooting!” is a recurrent reminder.), although exhibitionism and voyeurism are encouraged– naturally!  On Saturday, June 20, Males au Naturel celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a party at New York City’s GLBT Center.  Many of the members remembered how years ago, before the Internet, invitations went out via snail mail (!) and a lot of the parties were held at such now-closed NYC hotspots like King and The Slide.  Through the years, M.A.N. has offered events like nude yoga, naked dance parties, clothing-optional theater gatherings (What was one of the plays?  “Naked Boys Singing”, of course!), hot tub parties at members’ houses, and pool parties in Croton Falls during the summer. M.A.N.’s holiday soirees in December are especially popular.  For M.A.N.’s Silver Anniversary, there was food, drinks (served by a naked bartender, natch!), and skyclad men of all shapes, sizes, ages, and lengths.  There was also royalty in the house, and not just the Prince Alberts:  The Queen of All Media, Lady Clover Honey, was one of the performers.

CLICK “Read more>>” BELOW TO CONTINUE

Read more »

But sorry Betty, he’s Gay!  Porn Czar Michael Lucas recently won a walk-on role on the hugely popular ABC comedy series, Ugly Betty at a charity auction for the Stonewall Foundation.  Lucas, producer/performer and CEO of Lucas Entertainment, an international  all-male erotica media powerhouse, came up with the highest bid of $18,000 at a benefit auction and dinner last week held at the United Nations in Manhattan.  This has everyone Dishing about how a national mainstream network will handle having to deal with televising an Out gay male porn celebrity!  I just hope Betty has her eyeglass prescription updated for Michael’s shoot date!  As they say in TV land- “Stay Tuned!”

Lucas shares his feelings on this Dish in his blog.  “Of course I wanted to give money to Stonewall. But I also saw a chance to shake up television a bit: the first porn star cameo ever on a family program. Let’s not confuse gay-friendly networks with porn-friendly networks. The main channels are extremely pornophobic.”  Says Lucas.  “It felt great to give all that porn money to Stonewall. And it also felt great to put out a challenge to mainstream TV. How will ABC deal with a porn star on one of its prime time programs? I am curious to see how this will play out. . . . And I hope the American public will enjoy seeing a porn star as a real person, not just as a hot body.” - Lady Clover Honey

This post concerns news about aged lesbian tennis great Martina Navratilova, and I begin with a disclaimer:  I could not be fully objective when writing this report because, frankly, I do not care for the woman. Of all of the celebrities that I have had the privilege to interview, my encounter with Navratilova was the singular experience that I would define as not just distasteful, but offensive and embarrassing.

During an on-camera conversation, I made the grave mistake of asking Mr. Thing about her partner. I was to learn, however, that “Marti” does not appreciate even benign personal questions from the press.  Hackles up, spine rigid, jaw clenched, Navratilova revealed that she and her (unnamed) amour had been friends for nearly a decade before becoming lovers.  

“That must have been some first kiss after all those years,” I made the mistake of commenting.  I thought of this as a rather innocent remark and quickly moved on to an even more inane topic; Martina’s body language clearly indicated that she wasn’t interested in providing a gripping or even semi-charming sound byte. To me, she displayed all the personality of an angry piece of cardboard (at this point I was afraid to even ask if she had any pet cats) and I quickly wrapped the interview.

CLICK “Read more >>” BELOW TO CONTINUE
Read more »

The DishMiss editorial staff was quite busy at the NYC Gay Pride Parade on Sunday; Clover Honey rode on top of the LGBT Community Center’s fabulous float (she is the Center’s BINGO Queen), while Tony Sawicki and Jed Ryan marched with Manhattan’s LGBT swim team, the NY Aquatics, spraying onlookers with water guns.  Then we hung out backstage and checked out bisexual rocker Houston Bernard’s outdoor concert (where Clover and recording artist Lovari also appeared onstage).   The Grand Marshals who led the parade this year, by the way, were  Academy Award winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and New York State Governor David Paterson, who has been trying to make same-sex marriages legally recognizable in the Empire State.

We took tons of pictures — check out some of our favorite snapshots from the day:

CLICK “Read more>>” BELOW FOR MORE FABULOUS PHOTOS
Read more »

You’re certain to enjoy this Under the Pink Carpet “Man On the Street” report which was videotaped at a past NYC Gay Pride Parade.  The clip features correspondent Clover Honey interviewing participants and spectators at the event. They dish about what annoys queer people about other queer people — and the responses may surprise you!

Today the entire world recognizes the 40 Anniversary of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride with parades, celebrations and commemorations.  Many contribute the modern gay rights movement as being sparked by Drag Queens rebelling against police harassment at The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s West Village on June, 27, 1969.  Back in those days, gay bars were owned by the Mafia and regularly raided by the police. But on that particular evening, the night of Judy Garland’s funeral, the patrons of The Stonewall Inn have had enough.   Hundreds gathered on the street outside watching officers arrest employees and Drag Queens.  The crowd, which eventually grew to be over a thousand, became fed up.  Something about that night inflamed the pent up anger at unfair treatment.  People started shouting and chanting, and then started throwing bricks and other objects.  Police reinforcements arrived to chased the angry crowd away.  But the next night, the protesters returned in larger numbers than the night before, starting a upheaval causing the police to send a massive riot-control squad to disperse the crowd.  When it was over 13 people were arrested and four police officers were injured. Many rioters were said to be beaten and wounded.

CLICK “Read more >>” BELOW TO CONTINUE
Read more »

Our beloved Out, Proud, Emmy-Award-winning talk-show host and comedian, Rosie O’Donnell will soon get her own daily Talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio XM this fall.  The new show, aptly titled Rosie Radio, will feature O’Donnell discussing news and entertainment as well as chatting with special guests and listener call-ins. She was approached by radio show producers after she appeared on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM show earlier this year.  Her show will be broadcast live from 10 AM to noon Eastern Time, from a new studio built right in her New York home.  O’Donnell calls her program “an exciting new adventure - two hours of talk show entertainment without having to wear makeup. Perfection. I can’t wait to jumpstart each day with millions of Sirius XM listeners.”

Rosie hasn’t been a talk show host since she left ABC’s The View under alleged drama and controversy in 2007.  Satellite Radio is subscriber-based and the talk is not subject to federal regulations and censorship since it does not use public airwaves.  Many feel that this fact may stop some commotion and others feel it may add more excitement to Rosie’s talk.  Whatever the case, I know I’ll be tuning in! - Lady Clover Honey

The Temperamentals - theatical review by Jed Ryan.  “The Temperamentals” takes its name from one of the code terms that was used for gay men back in the 50’s. The term “gay” in those days meant “happy”, and the word “homosexual” was too frightening to say out loud. One man from that generation, when the gay male American culture was marked by codes and secrecy, was Los Angeleno Harry Hay. Hay was a 39-year old married member of the Communist Party when he conceived the idea of forming a homosexual activist group. When we first meet Mr. Hay (Thomas Jay Ryan) in the play, he’s clearly an intelligent and progressive thinker with a direct, no-nonsense attitude. In an early scene, he states with conviction that he knew he would be famous. The reason? He was born on Easter Sunday in 1912, a week after the Titanic went down… and two Titanics cannot exist at the same time. However, we soon see that the tailored suit and tie Hay wears is something of a metaphor for the conformist ideals of the ’50’s that our hero is trapped in. In contrast is Hay’s boyfriend, Rudi Gernreich (Michael Urie), a talented clothing designer whose career is on the rise. He’s dressed in a turtleneck, with an Austrian accent and a distinctly European, more free-spirited personality to match. When we first meet the odd couple of sorts, they are discussing politics. Harry states that gay men need to organize and to become politically active. He has crafted a revolutionary manifesto promoting gay solidarity. Gernreich calls Hay’s manifesto “the most dangerous thing I’ve ever read!”… and adds, “Count me in!”. A bond forms between the two men that goes beyond romance. Knowing that there’s strength in numbers, the two set out to find other like-minded gay men.

CLICK “Read more>>” BELOW FOR COMPLETE REVIEW AND MORE PHOTOS
Read more »

United for the Ride. Vol #1 CD review by Jed Ryan.  Braking the Cycle is a three-day, 275-mile fundraising bike ride from Boston to New York City.  The annual event raises money for The LGBT Community Center of NYC’s HIV and AIDS services.  In the past three years alone, Braking the Cycle has delivered over $1.2 million to the HIV/AIDS services of The Center. This year, the highly anticipated event will take place from September 11th through  September 13th.

One of the event’s most dedicated cyclists is New Jersey singer/songwriter Terry Christopher, AKA Rider #154.  A multi-talented performer with two albums under his belt, Christopher was declared “Favorite Male Artist” by the 2003 Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts Awards, with his album Take Another Look winning “Favorite Album” as well.  In 2007, his GLBT pride anthem “Brothers in Arms & Sister Soldiers” was awarded the Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts “Favorite Pride Song”. Terry’s own participation in the annual ride as a cyclist inspired him to do more for the event.  Raising awareness of Braking the Cycle, as well as raising money for the event, became one of Terry’s missions.  He was involved in organizing an ongoing, year-long itinerary of fundraising activities, from private rooftop house parties to benefits.

CLICK “Read more>>” BELOW FOR COMPLETE REIVIEW
Read more »