NYCweboy

Right By Your Side

Since my, um, neighbor, at the gym also noted it, too, I guess it's worth commenting on: Doncha hate when you finish your workout and go back to a near empty locker room... only to discover the only other guy in it is the locker right next to yours?

I mean, we laughed and all... but what is this? You go in, the place looks deserted, you pick a spot - no locks on either side - and you may have even accidentally opened it on some fool who goes lockless (which, frankly, strikes me as more embarrassing than going commando - I mean, dude, we're not thieves anymore, but Christ, did I want to see your socks?), and you change and go to work out, you come back... and bam! There he is.

And I hate to be one to admit it, but part of this is being gay at predominately straight gyms, because you want to get in and out without cruising some poor guy who, you know, is sensitive (and thanks to the gym, hot looking). In New York, I blame New York Sports Clubs, which has become the ubiquitous gym of choice for people who want a good gym without paying too much (otherwise it's NYAC or Reebok... or Crunch if you're all downtown and hip about it), so it's got Chelsea and the Upper East Side... and everything in between. And it's also the inheritor, for better and worse, of that ethos from the first gym craze of the eighties and nineties, when the synonym for Bally's was "Meat Market" (at my first Bally's, I had women hitting on me.  I swear). Now it's pansexual cruising, and everyone's a little wary... and we just want a locker of our own, away from the others... is that too much to ask?

Apparently, yes. And I thought I was the only one.  And now that I know that we're a group, I think we need a word for it.  Any suggestions?

Pro Choice?

J in Baltimore is unhappy because Edwards just dropped out.  I'm unhappy because Kucinich dropped out.  My sister is unhappy because she's still trying to decide... it's hard being happy with having a choice, these days.  Especially when the choices seem so... constrained.

The last couple of weeks, I've been as puzzled as anyone with why Edwards was staying in the race.  His poor showing in Iowa, the expectation of his poor showing in New Hampshire, the probability that he would lose South Carolina... all of these seemed obvious.  Once the press decided on the "Obama vs. Hillary" narrative (in no small part because love of Obama and his symbolism makes a lovely counterpoint to  Hillary Hatred™), it seemed clear that Edwards had to go.  That he didn't, and that he seemed to be hanging around for some purpose, made me wonder - does he want to be a spoiler? A king (or queen) maker? Does he want a payoff (VP, or Attorney General, as was rumored)?

As it turns out, Edwards probably was just hoping against hope, and he needed just that little extra bit of confirmation. But there's no money, and no energy, and the notion, however polite, that his populist message is the frame around which everyone else is running, doesn't really matter.  Edwards is out because his narrow appeal never grew, and, most likely, the time for his type of candidate - the fully identified Southerner - has passed.  With only Mike Huckabee in the race (and he also with next to no chance at this point), for the first time in 20 years, we are not seriously contemplating a Southern white man for the Presidency.

Of course, that leaves us Democrats... with her.  Or the new guy.

Serious Movie Star Stuff

With the Writer's Strike looking solvable (thanks - and no thanks - to the DGA), award season is starting to look a little brighter... as in we might get an Oscars, and Sunday's SAG Awards went on without a hitch (SAG, but not the DGA or the Golden Globes, got an exception to use writers, based on their support for the Writer's Strike).

That meant - finally - a dress parade, a/k/a The Red Carpet, a/k/a The Sport of Women, Gay Men and Go Fug Yourself... could go on as scheduled.

I don't love what the dress mess has become - yes, it was fun in the old days (that's the seventies and early eighties, kids) to watch the Award show (we just had the Oscars, and we walked uphill in the snow to school... both ways) and wonder "how on Earth did she pick that?" Back then, they didn't have stylists, there wasn't a 24/7/365 gossip industry.  Just us viewers, and the National Enquirer and The Star a few days later to tell us "Best and Worst at the Oscars!"

Now, of course, it's an industry, the choices are mostly safe, and the whole thing has been blown utterly out of proportion to what it is.  Let's stipulate that no one, really, dresses in these things mostly, except for Awards shows. And let's also acknowledge that almost no one makes the spectacular errors of long ago - the bicycle short and overskirt of Demi Moore in 1989, the one shouldered monster of Kim Basinger around the same time, the horrible "no-fashion" years of the late seventies (brightened, really, only by Halstons we didn't fully appreciate at the time) - choices have become much safer, risks less likely.  But the downside is that what's really exciting about fashion - the shock of the new, the risks taken to be daring and different, require taking chances, and making mistakes.

It's rare to find people with a real sense of style, rarer still to see them blessed with the money, as well as the taste to get the top clothes, and the ability to get photographed doing so. That's why, in a wide open year, I'm so glad to see Tilda Swinton get some of the attention she so richly deserves.  Despite Jennifer's mild objections, Swinton's red carpet appearances promise to  surprise, as Swinton isn't just an adventurous actress, she's a fairly daring dresser, with her own style, and adventurous tastes that lead her to the most avant garde designers.

For the SAG Awards, Swinton wore a gunmetal grey gown with a matching oversize blazer, all by Haider Ackerman, a newer than new designer out of Germany, already making waves with people in the know, and now like to burst out wide.  That, by the way, is what red carpet dressing can do - highlight a fresh, interesting new designer (much as Carolyn Bessette did by getting married in Narciso Rodriguez).  Swinton could have worn something safe, and dull, and predictable.  That she went, as always, to the edge - maybe even a little over - and came out looking original, different, and stylish is a credit her to her fashion sense, something all to rare these days. I celebrate it.

And just to nominate two others for looking great at the SAGs: Ellen Pompeo (as always) and Marion Cotillard, both in Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci, and about the only examples of successful strapless dressing all night.

No Indication, Though, Who Likes Apple Pie

This year's run-up to the Super Bowl has seemed especially silly. I think it's partly geography that accounts for this - rarely does the Notheast Corridor account for both side of the match-up, and like the World Series and Playoffs when it's Red Sox vs. Yankees, there's a glut of media interest well beyond anyone's actual interest.

How else to explain the 4 days of wall-to-wall coverage Tom Brady got after leading the Patriots to vistory over San Diego, when he came ot New York for a weekend break with his new girlfriend?  Okay, so his girlfriend is Supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and he was on the opposition's territory, but the attention was just... weird.

It's only gotten weirder as New York outlets focus their loving eyes on Eli Manning and find... a wholesome superstar, a Mama's boy who married his high school sweetheart.  It's so sweet, it could give you diabetes.

Look, if I had to pick a Super Bowl winner based on who I'd like for a next door neighbor, I'd probably pick Manning (though the sleek high rise apartment that I'd like to live in would probably be next to Brady's f**kpad), too, but that's not how it works.  And the reality is that the 18-0 Patriots will probably win because that's what they've been doing all season, including against the Giants.  Twice.

(And this post is dedicated most to my friend Chrystal, who taught me to be a Pats fan, which made my life in Boston just a bit easier.  But boy is it not helping me get to know my new co-workers.) :)

So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish!

RedStar seems to trust me as some sort of State of the Union expert... I really don't know why I watch the thing; seven years on, his States of The Union have been the clearest, most obvious examples of Bush's poor speaking skills - skills which have not significantly changed over that time.

Really, what else can be said? The speech was thin on policy proposals, or legislative requests; Bush reviewed his actions and found them wonderful, and only vaguely criticized his opponents.  He reiterated the same old cases about Iraq, Iran and his general goal of "freedom" in the world, but none of it had particular punch (Iran, in particular, seemed pretty muted, given the sabre rattling he'd been pushing most of last year... til those intelligence reports came out).

Probably more significant was the hype leading up to the Democratic response, provided by Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas.  Sebelius has been a rising star, especially for winning - twice - in what has become a heavily Republican state, and her selection, along with her coming endorsement of Obama, led to speculation about being a possible VP candidate...

expectations on which she seemed to pretty much fail to deliver. Aside from speaking a little too slowly, what Sibelius had to offer seemed even thinner than the usual Democratic response.  She suggested that Americans had moved beyond traditional partisanship... then offered  proposals pretty much straight down the liberal line - governmental intervention in the economy (vague), green policies,  getting troops out of Iraq - the more or less standard laundry list. Whatever it is that leaps to the eye and ear and says "this politician is going places..." wasn't there with Sibelius, who mostly seemed ready to go to bed. Mostly she was, I think, hamstrung by the main event; with Bush offering little in the way of red meat, and essentially expecting to tap dancing in place for the next 12 months, it's hard to envision "Americans, coming together" anytime soon.

The clearest example of that was probably the failure, ths afternoon, of the Senate to reauthorize FISA, the warrantless wiretapping program that Democrats have loathed since discovering its existence  after 9/11. Last year's bitter fight over legislation led to  a temporary extension that expires Friday, which Bush threw in as a major closing issue... but isn't likely to go anywhere without some serious compromising (most especially on the liability of telephone service providers who assisted the government with wiretaps which may well have violated some Americans' rights). That's the Washington we have, and the Washington we're likely to have all year. And it's a Washington the nation isn't likely to look to for all that much... presided over by an irrelevancy. Don't let the door hit ya on the way out, Mr. Bush.

It's Probably Because I Have Wonder Woman #37, Isn't It?

Damn you, Red!

Which Character on The Simpsons Are You?

The Catholic Girls Start Much Too Late

Setting aside all the Democratic drama for a moment, tomorrow's Republican primary in Florida is shaping up to be the moment when we won't have Rudy Giuliani to kick around anymore.

Beyond that, it will probably tell us very little.

One of the interesting things about all the Democratic shouting is that Republicans find it fascinating; given the wide swath of Hillary Hatred™ floating around GOP circles, it's not necessarily surprising.  Still, It seems mostly that Republicans seem to welcome the distraction of hating the other party more than the hard work of facing how deeply divided, and facing how many poor choices, their party is.  While the general consensus in Democratic circles is that we have a great slate where any candidate would be a fine choice (granting that some people would be hard pressed to support Clinton after the bruising past few weeks), there's no similar groupthink animating the GOP.

As the lead has swung wildly - a party that can seriously contemplate both the Southern Religiosity of Mike Huckabee, and the Business Driven Flexibility of Mitt Romney isn't just conflicted, it's insane - fissures within the party have been revealed at every turn.  Huckabee has managed to turn off huge numbers of the GOP Establishment, virtually killing his chances, but the flip side of that is that Religious Conservatives have seen more nakedly than ever just how the party dismisses their concerns.  Romney has proven, handily, that money can't buy you love, though it can buy you enough delegates so that love can come later.  Fred Thompson, who did raise the Establishment's blood pressure (why that man excites people, men and women, is a mystery to me... probably why I'm no Republican) for a while, fizzled. Giuliani, meanwhile, who seemed to be taking the smart route of letting others kill each other before facing him badly weakened, has discovered an uglier truth: you do actually have someone like you to win.

And all of that brings us back round to John McCain.

The Kid Stays In The Picture

I don't want to interrupt the stream of wonderfulness about the South Carolina results - once again, the media can barely contain its "anyone but HER" glee - but in the rush to celebrate what happened in South Carolina, let's just keep in mind:

76% of white voters voted for either John Edwards or Hillary Clinton.
78% of black voters voted for Barack Obama.

Obama came in third among white voters, which, aside from portending trouble as we get further along, also underscores the continuing, stark realities of the South: we can dress up the racial discussions any way we like, but it's amazing how the old realities never quite go away. (And I'd add, the case for John Edwards all along - that he could "win for the party in the South", has always been, in some ways, a really unpleasant argument.)

Again, I don't want to take away from Obama's win: this is a big deal, and his victory was quite solid.  It's just that it comes with caveats; some that  are about the things we still need to address as a society, and some that may spell trouble for Obama down the road. But the fact that he got more votes tonight than John McCain and Mike Huckabee did - combined - in the Republican SC primary... that's huge. And this thing may well not be settled until the Convention, meaning lots of energy, excitement... and probably frayed nerves.  But we should also remember, a lot of this is also a reminder just how much more work there is to do, regardless of who wins.

Sharing Is Caring

...and friendship is eternal: Just for J in Baltimore, I pass along the AfterElton list of "Top 10 Gay Sci-Fi characters" where Andrew is at #10.  And even Joss commented on it.

PS, in addition to Torchwood, James Marsters is playing Braniac on Smallville and some detective on Without A Trace.

Worst Song Notes: Today, Tom Sawyer Gets High On You

Apparently, the Dirges of Starbucks gets people's blood racing: we're getting new visitors, and the old friends are stepping up with some new suggestions.  Sadly, they don't make the cut... so I thought I'd get out the old guidelines and explain...

• kd lang, The Joker and Steve Miller, The Joker. I'm not a huge fan of The Steve Miller Band, one of those seventies album rock things that just never fit into my Motown/Disco/Pure Pop songbook.   Time, though, has brought me round full circle, and while I still don't love a lot of Miller's work, I've come to appreciate this easygoing paean to the free spirit.  Part of what got me there was lang's Drag album, which featured her cover of The Joker, which softened the instrumentation and played up the sly sexiness of the lyrics.  And me, I play my music in the sun.  What's not to love?
• Rush, Tom Sawyer.  RedStar, J in Baltimore, and I have a mutual friend who's a rabid Rush fan... and on Scott's behalf, I must say "cease and desist" with the Tom Sawyer talk.  Yes, Rush is an album-rock-era staple that should never have been part of the Junior High Dance, and Geddy Lee is a unique voice, to say the least... but even I have to admit that during Tom Sawyer's initial run up the Hot 100 (1981, I'd remind you - hardly a banner year for the pop single), it was not the most objectionable thing there; indeed, Rush was (and is) a tight, talented band, and their off the beaten path approach to music and lyrics is a welcome in between to the highly formulaic (Styx) and the genuinely weird (Traffic).

And now for one that does make the cut:

• Calexico and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Just Like A Woman. Daniel, our newcomer, offered this disaster in his comment, an item from the I'm Not There soundtrack (he didn't know who was responsible.  That's the kind of important research we can do here at NYCweboy). I may love I'm Not There, and the music in the film, but it's just like Starbucks to pick the slowest, dirgiest item on the compilation and put it in heavy rotation (and they have, natch). So okay, I didn't realize Neko Case was singing in a major key. I've still got some ability to separate the wheat form the chaff, and whatever icy brilliance there is to Dylan's original, it's lost in Gainsbourg's whispery, miserable reading. Good call!  And keep 'em coming!

And RedStar and J, you know I love you... we just disagree. :)