"Stick a fork in it ... it's done." That was one of the many disparaging comments Bernard Bradshaw, host of the steamy blog and podcast ... Sex & the Second City ... had to say about Noah's Arc. I first heard the grumbling in the fan club earlier in the week, but I never had time to actually hear the podcast for myself. Until today. I listened twice. The friends of SGL café know how much I love this show, and its creator Patrik-Ian Polk. So naturally, I got a little pissed when, on this podcast with Pink Mafia Radio where they discussed the much debated season finale, Bernard Bradshaw chose to show his support for black gay programming by maliciously sledgehammering the originator of this desperately needed genre to pieces. "It was more like a series finale to me, than a season finale." He goes on to speak of Patrik-Ian, "He's not a great writer, not even a mediocre one." Now I had to sit back and ponder that. Was I just having a visceral reaction to an attack on a man I admire and respect, one of the leaders in this ... the new black gay renaissance? But then the podcast continued, and he said he wouldn't care if it was canceled "if he [Patrik-Ian] was gonna continue writing it." Once I digested that foul statement from a fellow SGL brother making moves of his own, I realized it was not about his dislike of the writing of the show. Hell ... to each his own, right? But this over-the-edge negativity toward Patrik smacked of something else entirely, something so many out there wrestle with--even me--that I don't need to mention it by name. My mother always said ... if you don't have anything nice to say, then shut-up (then she'd proceed to gossip about somebody, but that's neither here nor there). Bernard Bradshaw certainly has a right to dislike the show. And he did back-pedal and say he "didn't" want the show to be canceled and expressed concerns for the future of black gay programming ... but as Jasmyne Cannick said regarding Tookie's good works, it was just "too little too late." With it all due respect, 'cause I truly love Sex & the Second City ... but for your short-sighted and malicious attack on the bedrock of all future black gay/SGL/lgbt TV programming and an SGL brother who's worked tirelessly for years knocking down doors and their attached homophobias to bring us Noah's Arc ... fuck you, Bernard Bradshaw ... and Merry Xmas. Keep doing what you do well, talking about the more ho-ish aspects of black gay life, which titillate us so. I'm still a fan of your blog and associated podcast, and will continue to support it. But I just can't live with myself ... when I don't call a spade a spade. ~~~ On a lighter note ... wanna get warm? Fly Life Wednesdays' re-opening kick-off this past week was packed despite the cold!

The rustic, tri-level spot is over the top cozy and cute ... with a roaring fireplace to warm you while you get your dance on ... and cushy sofa's where you can lounge while you get your drink on, or just ogle all the eyecandy that showed up to party.

But I didn't sit much, not with the thumping sounds spun Fred Pierce and Mark James. The Queen of Comedy, Harmonica Sunbeam, practically had to throw us out at the end of the evening because no one wanted to leave. Check it out this Wednesday.

Jersey City is warming up ... again.

Harmonica Sunbeam & Fred Pierce present ...

Fly Life Wednesdays are BACK!! Jersey City is Hot again ... Grand re-opening ... Wednesday, the 21st. FREE Admission.

Noah's ARC is finished. For now. And what a glorious debut season it was. LOGO is still considering a second season. Considering. Well, lets help their decision along ... sign the Petition below ... for Season TWO!! Let LOGO know, we want this show ... again!! Petition to LOGO for Noah's ARC Second Season Let's make it happen people. Show some love, and support, for the first Black Gay TV show ever. It only takes a minute to follow the link above.

"I am nobody's disciple.

I don't belong to any belief system. I love people from all over the world and I never compare them. They are all unigue, a Zarathustra is a Zarathustra, a Mahavira is a Mahavira, a Buddha is a Buddha, a Jesus is a Jesus, a Moses is a Moses ... they are so unique that you should not make one of them a criterion that everybody else has to fit with." Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh ~ Indian Spiritual Leader, 1931-1990

We stopped hanging people in the town square for a reason. Stanley 'Tookie' Williams did some good in his life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t soon enough. A part of me is in anguish because I really thought Arnold would exercise compassion and not put a nobel-prize-nominated-author to death. But I guess … that’s the only muscle he’s never flexed. Another part of me understands how some want him to pay for killing four with a shotgun in ‘79, regardless of the possible transformative powers of incarceration. He said he didn’t do it though. I guess that doesn’t amount for much when most of the convicted claim to be innocent. But the truth of his possible innocence coming out wouldn’t be worth a damn to Tookie now. The Death Penalty is barbaric to biblical proportions. We’ve evolved since the days when we threw a loose woman into a pit and pelted her with rocks until she died. We know better now … we know a woman has the right to be a freak if she chooses, and I can’t bust her with a rock if I don’t like it. If our justice were perfect, if we’d never had men wrongly convicted … then maybe. But since we know better, since we know the system sometimes makes grave mistakes, the death penalty should never be an option. As prison psychologist Gregory Goldstein warned the spectators, “Don't be surprised if you feel panic, anxiety or other emotions similar to those one might experience while "stuck in a natural disaster." An execution, he added, is a "highly unusual event." Highly unusual. Uh ... yeah.

The Death Penalty is outdated. Can a true civilized society actually put its citizens to death ... and still consider itself, civilized? And I really don't care whether it deters crime or not. I personally find the thought of spending the rest of my life in a tiny cell surrounded by neanderthal murderers and rapists a lot more terrifying than dying. And isn't it funny how the method of execution has evolved to be more humane. Could that be because there's something deeply, inherently wrong with it? We stopped hanging people in the town square for the same reason we don’t have slave auctions anymore … or use leeches to cure the sick.

We’ve evolved.

Just because something is in the Bible doesn't make it right. I live for the day when people realize that. AHrnold, Georgie boy … is anyone listening?

Twenty-three weeks ago yesterday ...

Dwan Prince was bludgeoned into a coma.

We all know the story. It sent shivers through the community and gay activists into a tizzy calling for an end to the violence and murder of same gender loving people. Now … long after the news vans have careened toward more timely tragedies and with violence against gay youth shockingly still on the rise, Dwan and his mom, Valerie Prinez, wage a lone battle with the aftermath of hate. NY Blade reporter, James Withers, who has diligently followed the case, writes ... “Dwan Prince sits in a wheelchair in his mother’s living room. He is a fan of professional wrestling and watches the television smiling. Prince’s hair is cut short, and it’s impossible not to notice the pink and white scars that cover his head. Down the middle of each are the delicate impressions left from stitches.

... When Prince talks, his words emerge slowly and with deliberate labor. His days are now spent with speech and physical therapies, hoping he can get back the life he had as a construction worker before the night in early June when three men decided to get out of their car and pommel Prince, leaving him in a coma.” I was shocked and saddened when I read that: Shocked that I’d let Dwan Prince slip into my subconscious, assuming, well … at least they caught that animal (Pomie) and he’s being punished for his crime ... and saddened over how quickly I'd allowed my outrage to mellow into indifference. Never once did I wonder how the family was doing ... or if they needed any help.

As it turns out, they do need help. Some wounds aren’t mere scratches and take much longer to heal … if they ever do.

Valerie Prinez knows that all too well. “...She also points to indifference, from politicians and from her own religion. As a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Prinez was dismayed when her minister refused her cries for help. The reason: He found out her son is gay, and wanted nothing more to do with her.” Withers continues … “… She has turned into his primary caregiver. Her bank account is depleted; she filed for bankruptcy and faces eviction. She is now on unpaid leave from her employer, which is a double-edged sword. It lets her help her son, but means no money is coming in. And her employer would like her back by December.” All this has made me wonder, who can victims of violence turn to for longer-term support? There are groups out there I’m sure, but apparently they aren’t doing very much. We as a community rally around our martyrs and their families when these injustices occur, when unconscionable acts take the lives of our young and innocent. But what about the survivors? What about the long-term suffering of innocents like Dwan and his mom? Will we just ignore their continued struggles, while quibbling over seemingly inconsequential things like whether Johnny Gill is gay … or if the Queen will ever step up? There but for the grace of GOD ... is what my grandmother would always say. She was right too. Dwan could easily be me, and his wheelchair … it could easily be yours. Time and time again it is proven that no one is gonna look after us ... but us. Dwan and his mom need our help now. Our community has resources and talents that we have yet to tap, let alone consolidate. Can we pull together to help this struggling mom? I know we can ... ‘cause despite our bickering and differences in style and tactics, when you get right down to it ... we are ALL THAT and a bag of skittles. I chatted with James Withers and acquired the mailing address of Valerie Prinez, Dwan’s mom. Though with all the kooks out there, we both agreed not to publish the address because the last thing this family needs is more drama or worse, a visit from the lunatic fringe. But Valerie & Dwan desperately need our help. So … if you can offer any services, advice, guidance, financial aid (no matter how small) or anything to be of assistance to Dwan Prince and his mother, contact me and I’ll give you the mailing address. The system doesn’t care about the Dwan Prince’s of the world or their mothers, but we certainly do. Let’s put our heads together to help Dwan and his mom get their lives back. Let's show the world we won't be beaten down, and teach one so-called Christian at the Mount Olive Baptist Church ... what charity, love, and support are all about.

Are we ...

Screwing Ourselves to Death?

True or false?

If heterosexual women trolled the parks at all hours of every day, looking for men to anonymously copulate with … heterosexual men would never make it to work and the world as know it would cease to function.

Awhile back, reports of two gay men being shot while engaging in sexual activity in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park set tongues wagging for and against these anonymous encounters. Well … there was a time when trolling a dark trail in the moonlight and happening upon another beautiful young wanderer (who was equally as eager to explode without words), was as thrilling as a hit of crack … and just as addictive. But with the shocking rate of HIV infection in black gay men nearing (arguably) fifty-percent … can we afford to be so hedonistic anymore? Our community has many negative labels attached to it, sex-obsessed perverts who troll the night looking for anonymous sex is just one of them. But this is about men being men … basically … our innate impulse to plant our seed as often as possible. Yeah. No matter how highly we think of ourselves as a species, we may just be animals with iPods and misty dreams of Heaven. I’m not defending anonymous sexual activity, but I do understand it's feral beginnings and advocate self-control and civic responsibility ... in order that we don’t "cease to function" as individuals and as a community. I know some people who literally live for their next encounter, cyber or park ... it's the same compulsion. We're better than that. Although the call of the night can howl like wolves in the distance, I know I'm destined for higher things ... and am not meant to be murdered in a park with my pants around my ankles. It's time we all realized that we're better than that. We are talented and productive members of society, first and foremost, but if we keep acting like irresponsible faggots ... that's how we'll forever be seen.

The Champ and the Queen?

Jasmyne Cannick gives us the heads-up on this newest rumored pairing, Laila Ali and Dana Owens … aka, Queen Latifah. If it’s true, they'll knock every other lesbian power couple out of the box. No pun.

Okay, yes pun. Predictably, the Queen’s camp denied the rumor. I have to wonder why though? Why deny it? Isn’t it common knowledge that The Queen likes girls? Is this some ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ bullshit? I could always understand struggling artists who chose to hide their sexuality. Yes … to bury the core of their being beneath a shroud of bullshit in the interest of self-preservation and financial advancement. Yeah, I can’t fault anybody for that … because ‘dog eat dog’ is a euphemism for what it really is like out there, and coming out of the closet can certainly put the brakes on a career. But there's a limit on my understanding. Dana … you didn’t win an Oscar for playing that big dyke in Chicago, nor did you win one for playing that other big dyke in Set It Off. However … you played the hell outta those roles though. Clever casting? C’mon Dana, seriously. We know. Gay people certainly know family, but even straight people know about you. My grandmother even knew about you. Still ... we've supported you for years, though you never once spoke for us. Not once. Now is the time to be the powerful black 'Queen' that you are, and step up and do the right thing. Isn't it time? Have you noticed your Same Gender Loving brothers and sisters are under siege? It's a subtle attack, not many 'die faggot' signs brandishing about, but the mind-set is firmly entreached. You know that. It's the reason you've remained low so long. Step up. Your Queendom will not only support you, but tribesmen will rally around you in defense of SGL royalty. Hell, with Laila watchin' your back, you're pretty much good to go already. (Her left hook is no joke.)

But I have this sickening feeling you won’t just yet, maybe due to ill advice from someone close to you. I’ll still love and support you regardless, and keep waiting for the day when you realize that visibility is viability. We all see it in our own time.

But please, Dana Owens .... don't take too long.

Fuck you, Curtis Jackson.

The only reason your missing-link lookin' mug is disgracing the face of SGL café is so I can say that.

"Being gay isn't cool" in the world according to you, Curtis, and rap music is "too aggressive" for gays. I know your steroid-addled brain has every right to express itself, but lines have to be drawn.

For some crazy reason, Curtis Jackson, God, serendipity or whoever-the-fuck has given you a platform from which to speak. This is a great responsibility and whether you want it or not ... it came with the money and the Bling. Millions of young impressionable minds out there are following your every move, dressing the way you do, pretending to be hard ... like you also do. But statements like that feed intolerance into those minds, and sometimes leads to violence against SGL youth and further fuels their need to go low.

Not cool, Curtis. For squandering the platform you've been given, this is an official SGL café Fuck you.

Fuck your movie. Fuck your CD's. Fuck your record company. Fuck any magazine with your face on it. Fuck any artists who support you. And most all, fuck any Same Gender Loving people moronic enough to still give you a dime.

And listen up ... the next sound you hear will be fifty pennies landing in the gutter. Symbolic I know, just more good money after bad, but it'll feel good to do it. ~~~ Thanks to Rod2.0 for his No Homo report. He's got the complete lowdown on Curtis Jackson.

Bill Duke ... directed one of my favorite dramas of all time, Deep Cover. His newest film slated for '06 release, Invisible, tackles the DL ‘problem’ head on … and could be sub-titled, ‘Every black woman's nightmare.’ At the end of the trailer, it gives shocking information about the women who sleep with these men. The last frame reads ... “70% of these women have contracted HIV or are dying of AIDS.”

In complete homage to the style, artistry, and brilliance that is Bill Duke, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt with this provocative statistic, for I believe the jury is still squabbling over that one. But it still disturbed me. Could it lead to scapegoating of all SGL men, as the cause of the AIDS crisis amongst black women? After all, didn't Oprah already subtly deem it possible ... by putting author/opportunist J. L. King (and his book), on her Best-Seller-making show? We all love her, but that wasn't one of her most balanced episodes. She started out as a public service I'm sure ... but besides making King rich, all she accomplished was making black women suspicious of their husbands and boyfriends, and more leery of gay men. Thanks Op'.... So ... people already want to believe we're sex-obsessed loose-cannons of society anyway ... like we're just salivating to pounce on helpless straight men to fuel the hedonistic orgies we call our lives. Will this movie feed that nonsense, or will it expose it for the bullshit that it is? Will it be true to life ... or just guilty entertainment to creep-out the masses? Time will tell. But if this movie does expose the life of one leading a stereotypical DL lifestyle and who happens to expose his wife to HIV ... is it just entertainment? Or is it real? Despite the other contributing factors to the rate of infection in women, this particular scenario has happened. And like the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, could deluding ourselves that these reckless men don't exist be just as destructive as the behavior itself? And are we complicit in their crimes when we sleep with a DL kat, knowing he's got a girl ... or a wife? Do these things happen? Hell yeah they do. And as long as Pastors and Reverends call our loves, homes and spiritual bonds an abomination ... we will keep having brothers (and sisters) who opt for surface sanctity and deceit instead, brothers (and sisters) incapable of accepting second-class citizenship in this life AND the next. And at the risk of sounding like a defender of Down Low anything, if there truly is a DL 'problem' in the Black community, then its the bastard child of the very churchs and pastors who condemn all things gay. Now ... ain't that a bitch?

I'm going on record that Bill Duke will paint it fairly, and possible point the finger at other culprits in this madness. I pray for that. But one way or the other, I'll be in the theater opening night. And if Mr. Duke gets it wrong, I'll have something to say about that too.

"I'm a FAGGOT ...." ... that was the subject line of the email below from this sweet young college student of slight stature. Let's call him Zamir for now. He granted me permission to post it here.

After reading this ... can you comment on what's at the root of these sudden attacks of homophobia that our young men are prone to?

What can be done about it? And what advice would you give Zamir?

~~

Taylor ...

Tonight I decided to journey to the mall with a friend. We opted to take the train home, and then to transfer to a bus that drops directly off at our stop. Upon waiting for the bus, we decided to grab something quickly from McDonald's. I'm standing in line, directly at the counter, and without even having seen my face, I can hear this wannabe thug mumbling to his friend, sayin shit like,

"I hate faggots. Damn I can't stand that shit. He betta not even look this way..." I hear his friend mumble, "Yo, that's rude." He responds, "I don't give a fuck. I hate that shit." Just to verify that I'm not losing my mind, I do a quick turn with my head. I hear him say to his friend, "That's right. Muthafucker betta turn around. Damn that sissy shit." I whispered the ongoing situation to my friend because he was oblivious to the whole thing. I elbow him slightly, "Damn, I wish someone had taught my ass how to fight, or I wish something was in sight and I was slightly more ghetto because I'd turn around and whoop some tacky thug ass." He's lost, and I tell him to listen closely to the mumbles behind us. A few minutes later, we're standing toward the exit on the lookout for the bus. They're on their way out, and the dude who's been doing all the talking, his friend just partially giggling, says, "Look at him, even got his dress boots on...look at those heels, nigga." He turns back, looks at us, and says "faggot ass muthafucka," and then he runs out of the store with his friend laughing along with him. Thankfully, it wasn't loud and the restaurant only had the employees in there. I guess that's the cost me wearing a track jacket that's completely zipped, collar naturally popped, black dress shirt underneath, Diesel bootcut khakis, and contemporary black pointed toe dress shoes that look like boots. Maybe I should wear trade gear??? Hmm...guess it's just the cost of me being thin and well dressed. [Zamir] ~~

I have my feelings on the subject, but I wanna know what you think this time.

http://www.gthemovie.com/

G OPENS IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON OCTOBER 28TH

... This vibrant independant film is a contemporary African-American romance inspired by the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald story The Great Gatsby ... and stars Blair Underwood (L.A. Law, Madea's Family Reunion), Richard T. Jones (Collateral, Judging Amy) and Andre Royo (Shaft, The Wire).

Set amidst the grandeur of the ultra elite Hamptons, "G" follows self-made millionaire and rap mogul Summer G (Richard T. Jones) on a journey to regain what he desires most - the love of his life (Chenoa Maxwell), now married toa wealthy and philandering Wallstreeter (Blair Underwood). Having built his thriving empire from the ground up, Summer G would relinquish it all for the promise of rekindling a romance with his one true love. Urban music writer, Tre, (Andre Royo) spends the summer chronicling the lifestyle of this complex rap mogul for an article on the rise of African-American prominence linked to Hip Hop in the Hamptons. Without malice or intent, this writer brings these lovers together while simultaneously pulling their worlds apart.

"G" is directed by ChristopherScott Cherot, who made his directorial debut with the independent film "HavPlenty," and written by Cherot and Charles E. Drew, Jr. ~~~

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." ~ SGL Legend ... James A. Baldwin

Trick or Treating ... The Top 10 signs you're Too Old for it:

10. You get winded from knocking on the door.

9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.

8. You ask for high fiber candy only.

7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.

6. People say, "Great Boris Karloff Mask." and you're not wearing one.

5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or....." and can't remember the rest.

4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.

3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hair-piece.

2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.

1. You keep having to go home to pee.

In case I don't see you before,

wishing all a safe and Happy Halloween !!

"Fifty years ago, white folks thought interracial marriages were a 'threat to the institution of marriage.' Texas Representative Senfronia Thompson.

She also said, "When I was a small girl, white folks used to talk about "protecting the institution of marriage" as well. What they meant was if people of my color tried to marry people of Mr. Chisum's color [State Representative Warren Chisum of Pampa sponsored the amendment, House Joint Resolution 6, which the house approved, 101–29, on April 25.], you'd often find the people of my color hanging from a tree."

And from those noise-making SGL rabble-rousers I love so much, Wil from Black Gay Men And Woman Of Action adds:

"Monday begins early voting in Texas to write discrimination into its state constitution: sgl marriage act. Regardless of your opinion of sgl marriage, unequivocally... All GLBT/SGL Texans Must vote NO on Prop.2

Gov. Rick Perry called black and white ministers to Austin to support Prop.2. Perry's not concerned about black ministers and congregants because blacks are so gullible; say homosexual - most Negros will ally with the KKK.

Sad: I have a 40+ yr old friend in a long-term committed relationship, but he doesn't see the importance of voting.

Therefore, I say to all those like my dear friend: If you don'tvote – shut the F*** Up and don't complain when the ramifications reach you and your partner now or later."

I couldn't agee more Wil ...

VOTE ... or shut the fuck up.

What's it all about ... ... this anger at certain heavy-handed tactics? At the risk of sounding like a Boykinista [defender of Keith Boykin no matter how wrong he is], I wanna interject something. His Earning the Right to Complain essay did have a sharp edge to it. Lots of emotion. It's been an emotional few weeks and months for him and all of us .... Beginning with 'Rev.' Willie's repugnant "anytime you gotta slap some grease on your behind" sermon/homophobic rant ... and those moronic parishioners who cheered the aforementioned 'sermon', filling the church with applause and 'Amen'. Boykin and others stepped up in outrage demanding Willie's head, even Reverend Al Sharpton stepped up and said this has gotta stop ... whilst the rest of us SGL tribesmen vented our rage more anonymously, lighting torches and 'doing the rabble-rabble thing' in the distance. But at some point ... and I think it was after Keith and Jasymne Cannick asked the infamous question, 'Are These Pastors Gay?' ... we began to rabble louder. First ... some kats who are not completely 'out' themselves began to bombard Keith's website in outrage, completely twisted at the thought of exposing anybody's secret sex life. This morphed into personal attacks and accusations ... words like "ego-maniac" and "self-serving" began to fly about. Some proclaimed that, for mysterious reasons, they "just don't like him."

( A friend of mine is one of those people. When pressed, he raved, "Look at that picture on his website, all shirt-less and whatnot. How professional is that? He might represent YOU but he doesn't represent ME!!" I responded .. "First off, its his damn dot com and he can put his asshole on it if he wants to. Second, that picture you're referring to is Boris Kodjoe, not Keith ... it's an ad or something." He responded, "Oh. Oh. Still ... I just don't like him." ) Hmmm .... Ok.

Then the 3M thing came and by then, our burning torches on the sidelines were clearly split into different groups, and we fought bitterly amongst ourselves. Do we really need to be there? Do we even need another march? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Why does HE have to speak? Then the aborted speech, and the rabble turned into a riot, torches flying, punches thrown, tribemen being trambled all over the place ... and sitting back, watching the melee, 'Rev' Willie smiles at our disfunction (after all, didn't he just say there was something not quite right about us?) Have we forgotten who pissed us off in the first place? Is this a transference of aggression thing? How did we end up trying to put one of our own on a spit? Keith's essay had a sharp edge. Rightly so. People who are not OUT shouldn't complain too much about the actions of those on the front lines. If you don't like what's being done, or who's doing it ... then get out there and take their place. And I believe his essay should have gone a step further and reminded us that the real enemy is still sitting up in that pulpit ... with a most ungodly condescending smile. We need to get back to what this is really about.

You've been Punk'd by Keith Boykin! Well, that's what George Payton is saying in a fiery email making the rounds today. Once again, I've got Boykin on the brain and feel the need to speak. But first here's a clip from George Payton's lengthy note.

I have news for everybody. Especially those so enraptured in Keith Boykin's guerilla-like self promotion tactics that their logic has gone to sleep. There is a quote in today's Washington Post from Willie Wilson that states a fact many gays are way too busy hating him now to accept. It says, “[Keith Boykin] straight up lied” about ever being invited to speak at the Millions More rally. In other words, Keith Boykin was never cut from the Millions More program by Willie Wilson. He was never invited, and he knows it.

... Be logical people and face that you all have been punk’d. When everybody scammed by Keith comes out of their stupor, they may then admit that Cleo Manago was the logical choice to speak on behalf of same gender loving people at Farrakhan’s pro-black Millions More Movement rally....

~~~

George Payton ... I wanna make a confession. For a lot of years I've hated Keith Boykin with a passion. Hated. Passionately! Everytime I saw a press release or news blurb about him doing this or that ... I got an angry knot in my stomach and I'd mumble, "Queen", under my breath. Boykin was the SGL communities Al Sharpton, swooping in whenever gay rights were impugned or somebody whispered "faggot", and of course, cameras were present and he was always coiffed and prepared for the spotlight. I hated Sharpton too, and his processed hair (which Chris Rock told him he'd never be president with) ... because in my estimation they both were blatantly and unashamedly self-serving in their tactics. Tactics, I must add, that when disguised as activism are even more morally and ethically repugnant. It's like someone consoling you by stroking your back and cooing in your ear ... while surreptitiously stealing your wallet. They reminded me of Kevin Powell. He was on the original cast of MTV's The Real World, playing the angry black man asshole stereotype. I hated him too. The thing is, we went to high-school together. He was cool then. But once he turned up on The Real World years later, I started to hate him. Then he wrote a book ... and I hated him even more. I'm sure you all see where this is going. I sat down and admitted to myself why I hated people who, although their actions were somewhat self-serving, were out on the front-lines getting things done. I was jealous of Kevin Powell because we'd sat in the same class in Henry Snyder High School in Jersey City ... we graduated together and he walked away with a special award for winning a national essay contest our senior year. I'd won that same contest in our junior year, but I got no mention. I fumed over that ... and a long, unhealthy, one-sided rivalry was born. I say one-sided because I'm the only one aware of it.

Kevin Powell would probably laugh his ass off if he knew I've been hating on him since our graduation in '84. There are a lot of unconscious haters out there. And its a shame. I finally admit it, right here right now, that I've hated Keith Boykin just because he's an extremely attractive, accomplished, poised, and a first-class self-promoter. Basically ... he's my dream ME. Kevin Powell ... same thing (although I still say I should have received an award at graduation, damnit!). As for Sharpton, I don't know, maybe in the late eighties I was just tired of seeing his fat sweaty presense everytime something went down. But in hindsight, thank God he did the things he did. People need to know a community refuses to be spat upon. Sharpton annoyed people, but he also got things done ... while at the same time becoming a national political figure to be reckoned with. Is he self-serving? Probably. Be honest with yourself ... aren't we all, just a little bit? At a time when the SGL movement for equality has finally begun to crawl, already forces from within are conspiring to trip us up before we even attempt to stand. Some throw around terms like Boykinistas, to describe anyone who supports Keith, which in my opinion says a lot more about the creator of the term than the targeted supporters. It's bullshit. Plain and simple. We are at the base of a hill where the enemy is firmly entrenched and lobbing shells all around us. And what are we doing? We're punching each other in the eye like Ren & Stimpy. Have you ever heard of the crabs in a barrel syndrome, George Payton? I thought, I hoped, we had the same goals ... respect from the African American community and squashing the rhetoric from the pulpit, and then ... equality as a whole. A two step plan. We'll never acheive full equality on a national level as long as the Neo-Cons use The New Black Church to dehumanize us. That's our target. That is what should be in our collective cross-hairs, not each other. And certainly not an activist who's out on the front lines not only making a name for himself, but making a name for all of us (did you read his unspoken speech? Was it about him? Or was it a history lesson about US and OUR legends?). He's not just getting headlines and selling books, he's also dodging the bullets that society likes to throw willy-nilly at OUT, PROUD, UPPITY FAGGOTS who dare to defy the church & demand equality. I have equal respect for Keith Boykin and Cleo Manago and John-Martin Green and BMX and NBJC and everyone else who stands up, dodges bullets of hate, and demands my rights for me. The question of motives has no place in this discussion ... 'cause bottomline is, we all want a piece of the pie. Don't front. From one hater to another ... and I say this with the greatest brotherly respect ... you need to check yourself, George Payton ... dig deep deep down inside yourself and grab that inner 'haterator' ... and then strangle the fuck out of him. 'Cause we don't have time for the bullshit right now ... we'll beat each other up later, but let's take out the enemy first ... shall we?

Keith Boykin being dissed by 'Rev.' Willie Wilson at the Millions More event should have been expected, after all, he'd just publically questioned Wilson's (and other homophobic self-serving super-pastors) sexuality just weeks before. I applauded that effort ... and still do. But now I truly believe 'Rev'. Wilson is gay. 'Cause only a true 'fag' would be as vindictive and catty to wait to the last minute and say 'you can't speak' with an obvious smirk. I know this because if I were Willie, I would have done the same thing. But for the record, I don't profess to be a man of God. I'm just a proud, run-of-the-mill, tit for tat sorta guy. You get me, I WILL get you back. The Rev. showed his human side, which I totally understand. But he also showed his entire ass ... a fact that I hope does not go unnoticed. I got a question I'd like to ask 'Rev'. Wilson: Was Jesus a vindictive little bitch too? Anyway, unethical 'clergy' aside, what's done is done. I've heard calls for showing up at 'Rev'. Wilson's events and booing him off stage. I wonder how difficult it would be to show up in force at his next speaking event and do just that. But I guess that would be in a church ... and would turn into a melee ... big church hats flying and all that. Wouldn't play well for the cameras I guess. It would send a message though. When I was in sixth grade there was this girl I liked (yeah, I know, pre-boy days ... but she was a tom-boy and I guess that explains it) ... so I talked about her because she was always on my mind, usually in humorous and unflattering terms. One day in the school yard, she walked right up to me and punched me in the eye and I fell to the ground like a white woman in a B movie. She looked down at me and said, "Keep my fuckin' name out your fuckin' mouth." She had a way with words like that. Needless to say, I did exactly as I was told ... and her and I never had a problem after that. Rev. Wilson needs a metaphoric punch in the eye, one that's clearly and publically delivered by the SGL community he so gleefully maligns. And one more thing ... what's with the acrimony between BMX & NBJC? Is it a pissing match with Cleo Manago & Keith Boykin? Is it all over the semantics of what's in a name (SGL vs GAY)? If that is the case, someone needs to bitch-slap the fuck outta both of 'em. Do we really have time to binker amongst ourselves over bullshit? If anyone reading this is in striking distance of either party ... please ... rear back and let it fly. Then tell 'em Taylor says hello. 'Cause right about now, we need to combine forces, somehow, for the greater good. Egos need to be set aside, pants zipped up ... 'cause we don't care right now who's got the biggest.

I couldn't have greater respect for BMX (gotta luv John-Martin) and the empowering work they do so well ... and I also have this hero-worship thing goin' on for Keith Boykin (which some say borders on lascivious). So let's get it together guys ... we've got much bigger enemies to fry. Cleo Manago did speak for us ... but the speech they needed to hear was never spoken, possibly due to the above-mentioned acrimony.

Read Keith's The Speech That Didn't Happen, which is in my opinion was tragically not heard by the many straight black ears that needed a lesson in our SGL history.

Read it. Then spread it around.

In all the drama of today I forgot to say

... Kudo's to Cleo Manago!! We seem to forget that the man just stood up in front of the toughest crowd of black faces and affirmed our sexuality. I haven't seen his speech or read the transcript yet, but his courage alone is off the charts in my book. I woulda just looked at that sea of people and passed-out (like the previously mentioned white woman), and made a big ol' fool of myself. Plus ... public speaking gives me lower abdominal distress anyway. So ... in spite of everything, progress was made in a very big way.

Millions More March ...

... just tired old-school activism, with new-school self-aggrandizement.

Well, that's the rumor. And I hate to say it, but I agree. The reason its a painful admission is because I truly believe that for some ... this is all a noble effort to do 'something'. I applaud that. But I also know that for many it's exactly what you said, a platform, and a light under which some questionable leaders will jostle for the brightest spot. Dr. King did great things in his day. But sadly, marches and humming religious hymns were fine when we wanted to stop lynchings and church burnings. But even in that environment, SGL voices weren't respected. Does anyone think that current conditions in faith-based groups have changed? No. We still get dismissed with that damn (ill-translated) scripture in Leviticus. The time has come for a new paradigm, a radical tactic that says that we Same Gender Loving Americans demand not just racial equality, not just the freedom to love without sacrificing our rights as American citizens ... but we also demand freedom from oppressive religious regimes bent on subjugating us. Ten years since that last march and the figures have hardly changed. Another march will yield exactly zilch for the black struggle, and for the SGL cause ... possibly even less. But if visibility is viability ... then maybe the public discourse between the Nation of Islam (NoI) and SGL groups (warring BMX-Black Mens Exchange & NBJC-National Black Justice Coalition), combined with the arrival of 'GAY TV' (LOGO) and the first BLACK GAY TV Series (Noah's Arc) all in a relatively short span of time is a good thing despite the acrimony. Fuck marches and fuck being on the defensive all the time. They should be on the defensive, not us! They are the ones ruled by ancient doctrine, half of which they even disgard as rubbish by today's standards. They should be forced to explain why one scripture means so much more than others a few crispy pages away. When they explain their legitimacy, then we'll explain ours. 'Til then ... we demand equality, if not understanding and respect. Screw any holy books and/or people who disagree.

In other news ...

you think Pornography and Church don't mix? Think again.

Check out Porn Sunday's ... it's priceless.

Religion, with all its shapes, sizes and malevolent Gods, is gonna be the death of mankind ... as surely as if you'd read it in the Bible (pun intended). There is a lot of good info about life in the Bible, probably because it was written by scholarly men of their time. But there are also life lessons in the books of Mark Twain ... but fortunately, people don't knock at my door and try to force '...Huckleberry Finn' down my throat ... or start wars over the different translations of its text ... or demean my humanity because of miniscule parts of the narrative. There has been a debate lately over the tactics of activists Keith Boykin and Jasmyne Cannick. Their dual series asked the question, Are These Ministers Gay? And then advised people to send emails with any info they may have ... basically digging for dirt on these homophobe black ministers under the premise that the bigger the homophobe, the bigger the closet. In my experience that premise is very sound. But what shocked me was the amount of opposition to their tactics. There is a large faction of our 'community' who believe we should just grin and bear it ... they believe we should take no action when the pulpit literally spits in our faces. What type of community are we then, when we refuse to hit back? Oh yeah ... we ramble on about masculinity and what it is to be a man ... but when the basic, visceral, masculine impulse to hit back when struck is triggered by homophobic leaders spewing flawed and twisted doctrine, we do nothing. We sit back and not only DO nothing, but we attack the efforts of SGL activists who are rightly outraged and just trying to express it. Are we a community of limp-wristed, sex-obsessed doormats that any half-assed, so-called, man of God can attack with impunity? I think we are. And I also think a lot of us are suffering from what one poster on Boykins blog described as Post Traumatic Church Disorder ... the inability to see past all the years of indoctrination and bullshit, and to think for ourselves for once. Remember this irrefutable fact if nothing else ... the Christianity that we hold dear was forced upon us by slave owners so we could be better 'niggrahs'. Some of us, despite everything, are still being 'good little niggrahs' ... giving undue respect to, and fearful of attacking the very pulpits that work tirelessly for our destruction. Wake up people. Jesus ain't gonna get our manhood back, or stop the murderous rhetoric any more than prayer will stop the next hurricane. We gotta do that ourselves. By any means necessary. Wake up.

Are These Pastors Gay?

Sometimes to put out a forest fire ... you have to start smaller fires ahead of it. Outing individuals is not the nicest thing to do. But our community is on fire ... fueled by the hateful rhetoric of these men who purport to follow Jesus. We can no longer be doormats, or expect anyone to come riding to our rescue. The time for silence is over. I support Jasmyne and Keith in this endeavor one hundred percent. ~~ tS

(LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK) Black lesbian and gay leaders Jasmyne Cannick and Keith Boykin kicked off a five part series entitled "Outing Black Pastors" on Monday, September 25. The campaign, geared at exposing the hypocrisy preached by Black pastors as it relates to lesbians and gays, featured a profile on two Black pastors each day this week including Atlanta's Bishop Eddie Long, Dallas' T.D. Jakes, Los Angeles' Bishop Noel Jones and Washington's Reverend Willie Wilson. The series can be viewed at http://www.jasmynecannick.com/ and http://www.keithboykin.com/. People from all over the country have logged on and shared information regarding the lives of the pastors profiled. "For far too long, homophobic black ministers have been able to spew their hateful venom from the pulpit without accountability," commented Jasmyne Cannick. "We're tired of the hypocrisy and divisive 'Christian' rhetoric that too many black pastors are spreading, and we're tired of these same ministers selling out their pulpits to the highest bidder." "From New York to Los Angeles, Black gay people have been the backbone of the Black church," states Keith Boykin. "Through this network, we've discovered that many homophobic black pastors lead secret lives outside the church. We're not naming any names, yet, but by doing this, we hope to confirm information from our sources and empower the Black lesbian and gay community to speak out." In a joint statement, both Keith and Jasmyne added the following. "Our experiences has shown that the people who are the most homophobic also tend to be dealing with their own issues about their sexuality. People who are comfortable with their sexuality usually don't care as much about other people's sexuality. Which leads us to an obvious question, are these pastors gay?"

Stuck In Traffic A driver is stuck in a traffic jam on the highway. Nothing is moving. Suddenly a man knocks on the window. The driver rolls down his window and asks, "What happened?"

"Terrorists kidnapped President Bush and are asking for a $10 million ransom. Otherwise they are going to douse him with gasoline and set him on fire. We are going from car to car to take up a collection."

The driver asks, "How much is everyone giving on average?"

"About a gallon."

The music. The thump.

The bounce.

Just came from seeing Bow Wow in Roll Bounce. (All pics are camera-phone captures taken in the theater.) I expected a flashback to the glory days of the roller-skating venues that were more like thumpin’ clubs on wheels … and I was not disappointed.

The movie itself has been done to death though … along the lines of Bring It On and that ilk. Nothing new here. Same ol’ same ol’.

But it was the feeling that I expected and got … reliving the experience of the Friday’s at Twin City Roller Rink in Newark that I used to frequent in the very early eighties. It all came back to me. God I miss those days. You could just take off your skates and dance on the side lines if you wanted to, the music was that good, and no one ever got shot. There is nothing that compares to that today. Nothing. I guess, maybe, rollerblading at night with your favorite jams pumping through your iPod at max volume … while tripping on mushrooms would be pretty close.

Yeah. It was like that. Twin City Roller Rink, I mean … the movie, not so much.

I did have a flashback though. But maybe it was from all those eighties drugs I took.

The movie did have some redeeming features: 18 year old Bow Wow (he ain’t so little no more) as leading man, clad in tight seventies gear and who’ll probably make fans forgive the clichéd plot, and Nick Cannon for his surprisingly corn-ball and forgettable cameo.

Chi McBride’s strong performance as his father was a treat … and Boston Public (he played the principal) fans would expect no less. And lastly, Wesley Jonathan (City Guys, What I Like About You) as the aptly-named antagonist, Sweetness … gave the film the necessary eye-candy, proudly displaying his well-chiseled torso while battling Bow Wow in the rink.

I was most pleased.

Overall, if you’re a Bow Wow fan (like me), or an eighties head who lived for the rink (like me), a Wesley Jonathan fan (like me) or just starved for seventies nostalgia … you won’t be disappointed.

Choppin' Locks & Buggin' Out ... Rashid Darden (author of Lazarus) was lamenting whether to cut his locks off. I had to reply:

Rashid ... ... can you say, Strummin' my pain? You seriously did, more than you could ever know. And let me get this out of the way first ... i saw the Touré pic and thought he was the friend you were talking to for a second. God ... I have this lust/loath relationship for him. He bashed Michael Jackson in an interview once (i don't cotton to MJ bashing, mind you, I don't care how crazy he is), and in spite of the fact that I wanna lick him from head to toe endlessly (Touré pictured left, not Michael) ... he still annoys the hell outta me. My fortieth birthday is looming like the end of summer and I'm going on a cruise to mark the event. I'd also planned to cut my hair completely off and start this next phase of my life completely anew ... and cue-ball bald. It's made me face the reasons why I've had the hair for over a decade, and why its admittedly become my trusty security blanket ... to dangle in my face when I'm feeling insecure or just can't stand people ... which is most of the time. A Jamaican guy at my gym told me that anyone who cuts his dreads after having them a long time will go crazy. I've given this some thought and certainly believe it has some truth. Will I continue to sweep the phantom locks out of my face? Will I crave their scratchy presense in moments of anxiety like a cocktail and a Newport? Not having the smooth Michael Jordan type dome, will I feel even more insecure than I did before when people see my large head shining in the sunlight? And lastly, will I look down at all that hair on the floor ... hair that's been with me through countless boyfriends and lovers and high and lows ... and suddenly regret cutting it? Regardless of the answers, this January before I leave I plan to do it. Whatever emotional changes I go through, however traumatic, whatever emotional shit gets stirred will be what I need to go through to get to my next level. I'll have a week of sailing around the Caribbean to tan my dome and get used to the feeling of no-hair amongst strangers, before coming home and facing familiar circles, and no doubt, critics. I think as an artist I need to be naked before the world, come what may. I can't hide in my hair cocoon forever. It's time to grow. I just hope I don't wuss out. Good luck with your decision.