Guy Carumba! ‘Brokeback’ Ballroom is a hit Stateside.

A Latino Gay male couple have made it through the first auditions of hit American TV series So You Think You Can Dance.

Jacob Jason and Willem De Vries impressed the judges with a faultless Latin ballroom display in the first round of auditions. They will now go on to the next stage of the competition that decides which couples will perform on the live televised show.

The surprise audition stunned both the judges and studio audience, however the duo are not the first same-sex couple to audition for the show.

Series creator and head judge Nigel Lythgoe came under fire last May after rejecting another gay male couple at the audition stage. He said he feared that a same-sex couple performance might alienate viewers, later remarking on Twitter that he was “not a fan of Brokeback Ballroom”.

His remarks upset gay fans of the program which prompted a challenge from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation (GLAAD).

Following the backlash gay choreographer and ‘Hairspray’ film director Adam Shankman was invited to join the judging team.

Jason and De Vries met in series two of the show, but after failing to make the call backs went on to compete in same-sex men’s Latin dancing competitions, winning a US title.

The duo said they want America to know there is a ‘whole world’ of same-sex dancing, and are extremely emotional at being given the opportunity to perform in the competition.

The show, now in its sixth series has won several Emmy Awards.

Following the performance Lythgoe commented “Thank you for showing me that same-sex ballroom dancing can be very strong - and very good”

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Gay religious survey debunks ‘godless’ myth

Gays eh?, Christian bashing, sex-obsessed hedonists out to destroy the sanctity of marriage and ordainment…er, hang about…a new survey conducted by respected evangelical pollster George Barna reveals some surprising results…gays are a lot closer to god than you may think.

Being gay and Christian makes for a bumpy ride, not only do you have to contend with hell and damnation as a thank you for your loyalty to God, heaven help you should you have any designs on joining the clergy and spreading the ‘good’ word.

It may come as quite a surprise then, to gays and clergy alike, that a recent survey of 9,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans showed that 70% of gay adults identify themselves as Christian with 60% saying that their faith is “very important” to them. In further, pollster Barna, a best-selling author of books about faith and culture has concluded from his findings that there is “less of a spiritual gap between straights and gays than many Americans would assume”.

“People who portray gay adults as godless are not working with the facts” he says, “A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life, consider themselves to be Christian, and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ in their life today”

Despite their faith taking a divine hammering, separate research has found lesbian and gay congregants present within even the most conservative churches, with the evidence pointing to Christian gay men often being more committed to the church than their straight brethren.

The ordination of gay and lesbian clergy remains a highly contentious issue world wide. Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (America’s 5 million strong Lutheran denomination) votes on a proposal to repeal its ban on non-celibate gay pastors.

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Michael Douglas and Matt Damon to play lovers in Gay superstar biopic

The movie world is abuzz with news that Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are to star in a new biopic based on the life of flamboyant gay entertainer Liberace.

The outrageously camp piano playing showman, best known for his extravagant costumes and Las Vegas spectaculars, was once the world’s highest paid musical performer. He died of an AIDS related illness in 1987.

Damon has signed for the role of Scott Thorsen, boyfriend and assistant to Liberace, who famously sued the singer for palimony in 1982, reports People magazine.

Liberace sued the Daily Mirror (and won) for suggesting he was gay in 1956.

Douglas is to play the lead role and has already quipped to Damon “Get your Chapstick ready” the Bourne Supremacy star revealed during a press conference for his forthcoming movie ‘The Informant’.

It is not the first gay role Damon has played - he received critical acclaim for his portrayal of charlatan Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley and appeared in a gay choir on camp TV comedy Will And Grace.

“It’s going to be a great movie. My role is a great role. But Michael’s role? It’s spectacular.” He said.

The as yet untitled movie is the latest in a string of gay related releases set for big screen distribution in the coming year: Guy’s Richie’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’ introduces a budding romance between the super sleuth, played by Robert Downey Junior, and his side-kick Watson, played by Jude Law and I Love You Phillip Morris stars Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as gay prison cellmates.

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Obama is A-OK say Gays

According to a new survey more than two thirds of American gay men and women feel optimistic about President Obama, their straight counterparts however are indicating that the ‘HOPE’ has turned to mope…

 

The national survey, conducted online, reveals that 67% of gay men and women think the country is moving in the right direction with Barack Obama at the helm, compared to just 45% of heterosexual adults.

A notable difference is also reflected in outlook on the economy, personal financial situation and trust in the President to do what is right for the American economy.

When questioned whether they felt the overall job Barack Obama is doing in handling the economy is ‘excellent or pretty good’, more than two thirds (69%) of gay participants agreed, while only 38% of heterosexuals agreed.

Despite President Obama’s electoral promises on gay equality issues remaining as yet unrealized, his popularity rating with the GLBT community is far higher than that of heterosexuals on all issues polled in the survey.

The study was carried out last month by Harris Interactive, a global market research and consulting firm, in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm that specializes in the GLBT market.

“It’s not surprising to see the higher marks that GLBT citizens give to the President and his Administration; last year’s exit polls, for example, suggest that at least three out of four gay and lesbian votes were cast for President Obama,” said Wesley Combs, president of Witeck-Combs Communications.

Obama’s popularity within the gay community comes with great expectation. In June the President reaffirmed his pledge to “bring the full spectrum of equal rights to GLBT Americans”.

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Brad Pitt continues his support of Gay Marriage

Oscar nominated star is fast becoming an icon to gay men and women around the world as he continues to speak out about gay marriage and equality.

Brad Pitt has long been a firm favourite of gay men the world over – no surprise there! But his gay ‘icon’ status shifted up a gear last year when he donated $100,000 to the campaign to defeat a Californian law that bans same-sex marriages. The ‘Inglorious Basterds’ star and his partner Angelina Jolie initially made public their support for gay unions in a 2006 edition of Esquire Magazine where Pitt stated that he and Jolie would not consider marriage until it was “legal for everybody”.

Whilst the gay marriage debate continues to elevate in the U.S. Pitt again publicly lends his support in the current issue of U.S. newspaper magazine Parade “I have love in my life, a soul mate - absolutely. When someone asked me why Angie and I don’t get married, I replied, ‘Maybe we’ll get married when it’s legal for everyone else.’ I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it. I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I’ve had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment”

Despite Pitt’s support, ‘Proposition 8’ – a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage - was voted in by the Californian public last November. Gay marriage has been legalized in six of the 50 U.S. states.

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Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby goes Gay to celebrate same-sex marriage

Dessert deities, Ben & Jerry’s, have scored a PR scoop this week by rebranding one of their classic flavours in support of same-sex marriage. Tongues are wagging.

Your taste buds may know it intimately already as Ben & Jerry’s ‘Chubby Hubby’ – but in honour of Gay Marriage being legalized in their home state of Vermont this week, the cheeky chappies have temporarily rechristened their fudge-tastic classic as ‘Hubby Hubby’.

The gay-friendly rebrand comes with new ‘gay glow’ packaging, and features an illustration of grooms holding a bouquet, atop a wedding cake.

In a statement issued by the company, Walt Freese, Chief Executive Officer of Ben & Jerry’s said “At the core of Ben & Jerry’s values, we believe that social justice can and should be something that every human being is entitled to. From the very beginning of our 30 year history, we have supported equal rights for all people. The legalization of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont is certainly a step in the right direction and something worth celebrating with peace, love and plenty of ice cream.”

Vermont is the fifth U.S state to legalise same-sex marriage, it follows Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Maine.

Although currently only available for free at Ben & Jerry’s Vermont outlets, the company hasn’t discounted the idea of rolling out Hubby Hubby internationally… speaking to The Advocate, Sean Greenwood, PR for Ben Jerry’s said “Anything is possible. We weren’t bringing out Hubby Hubby as a product to sell (as such). What we are bringing out nationwide is the discussion, and we think that’s more important.”

Ben & Jerry’s are the second major brand to come out in support of gay marriage in the U.S. Earlier this year jeans manufacturers Levis launched an in-store campaign, dressing its mannequins with White Knots, as a show of support for the campaign to legalise same-sex unions.

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