Clay Aiken
October 2008
Becoming a father led to another life-changing decision for Clay Aiken, 29, the American Idol runner-up whose awkward charm, flat-ironed red hair and soulful sound inspired a curious and deeply devoted cult of music fans who call themselves Claymates. Long dogged by rumors about his sexuality, Aiken decided the time had come for him to publicly acknowledge what he's known privately since he was in college: He's gay.
Says Aiken: "It was the first decision I made as a father. I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that."
Ricky Martin
December 2008
"I’m going to concentrate on becoming a better, stronger, more complete person. All throughout my career — a career I’ve pursued since I was twelve — I have had to make sure to please people and ensure that people were happy with the things I was doing. At this moment, though, I’m focusing on what makes me happy. My sons are happy and they’re going to grow up being sure of themselves. When they ask a question, they will always receive an answer given with the utmost honesty and sincerity. They’re not going to feel ‘different,’ because there are hundreds — thousands — of children all over the world who are raised solely by their mothers or only by their fathers. I’m choosing to focus on the light, not the dark.
I always knew a wanted to be a father. I have such happy childhood memories of my own dad, and I thought it was important to share that kind of love with children of my own.
I felt a real need to see myself reflecting in my children’s eyes, that’s why I decided to go with a surrogate. It was the best option for me at this point in my life. There are people who think that science and medicine don’t go with God, but I see art and God’s hand in each and every one of my sons’ movements, in each smile and every cry. This whole process has been a spiritual one for me. Becoming a parent has been a blessing."
March 29, 2010
If someone asked me today, "Ricky, what are you afraid of?" I would answer "the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war...child slavery, terrorism...the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith." But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, It fills me with strength and courage. This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids were born with.
Sources: Clay Aiken People Magazine Article Full Scans, More Ricky Martin twins bb pictures! HOLA! magazine spread, RickyMartinMusic.com
2,161 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1601 – 1800 of 2161 Newer› Newest»ITA. What is wrong with Austin?
He says Jake is supposed to be with Rachel.
Thanks, got to love fangirls :)
If only it was JG said...
Jake To Strip For Playgirl?
Bachelor Jake Has 'Gay Tendencies'
What are 'Gay Tendencies'?
LOL, JJ has a Cooper post up claiming the distance between him and the beard was to get one over on the paps. PR doing damage control.
Jared really wants to help PR, but PR should talk to Bradley + I would kick Bradley's ass if I was Renee.
LOL, JJ has a Cooper post up claiming the distance between him and the beard was to get one over on the paps. PR doing damage control.
"get one over on the paps." That really is funny! Is that the best they could come up with? Bradley is not a good little soldier at all. I would wonder why he even bothers, but as long as there are people like JJ and Hartinger willing to do your phony PR work for you under the guise of being fair-minded, he figures he doesn't have to try.
He says Jake is supposed to be with Rachel. ("sollen" modal verb is like we use "ought to" in English
Okay, thanks, 5:11 :) Wow, that's really cringeworthy, lol.
Bradley is not a good little soldier at all.
I'm curious what's going on in his head, somehow I can't imagine that Renee is a bitch and pisses him off.
Bradley is unprofessional, he'll give us closeted gays a bad name!
Posted on WDW
...
What will Liman take? He's been circling lots of projects. One is the sci-fi actioner "All You Need Is Kill," which writer Dante Harper wrote on spec, as an adaptation of the Hiroshi Sakurazaka novel and the other is a Coen Bros-scripted remake of "Gambit."
Most people seem to have forgotten, but there was also an untitled moon project that Liman had been working on, with Jake Gyllenhaal as an astronaut involved in a lunar colonization, back in 2009, but it's possible Duncan Jones' similar-sounding "Moon" may have killed it. There's also been talk of a "Jumper 2," but god no, please.
The short take away from all this rambling: Liman will announce his next official project soon, probably (sounds like he's attaching himself to several projects at once in hopes of finding the one he really wants; though 'Kill' looks like the frontrunner) and Warner Bros. will likely find a director for their 'U.N.C.L.E' film in the next few weeks if all goes well. "Fair Game" will probably hit theaters sometime this fall or in the heart of Oscar season.
The Playlist
Sir Elton John and Sting
EmmyETF: Oh great Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't have a foreskin :|
2 minutes ago
Most people seem to have forgotten, but there was also an untitled moon project that Liman had been working on, with Jake Gyllenhaal as an astronaut involved in a lunar colonization, back in 2009, but it's possible Duncan Jones' similar-sounding "Moon" may have killed it.
IMDB Jake Gyllenhaal - In Development:
Untitled Joe Namath Project (details only on IMDbPro)
Damn Yankees (details only on IMDbPro)
Untitled Moon Project(details only on IMDbPro)
IMDb info doesn't mean much in this case because they might postpone the project indefinitely.
Fingers crossed for Damn Yankees!
I won't cry for Untitled Moon Project, the story sounded dumb.
Would You Do...Renée Sorta Glammed Up?
Ever since Bradley Cooper started hanging around with Renée Zellweger, haven't you noticed that you're just a little less interested in him? The guy deserves a red-hot romance, not one that attracted more paparazzi attention before the relaysh even started.
But we were stunned to see Renée out of her jogging suit and in the same frame shot as her BF Bradley here in NYC Tuesday night. Are you buying their power-couple status now?
If you're keeping score, R.Z. has been trying to glam it up the past few weeks. It seems the hard-chilling A-Team bro, or rather his team, is trying to get his lady out of purgatory and up to A-list status again. Hollywood has big plans for The Coop, so naturally this means he needs to have a leading lady at his side to share it with.
Feast your eyes on this shot of Zooper (is that the right name?) leaving the Broadway play Lend Me A Tenor last night (visiting Hangover costar Justin Bartha, perhaps?). Miss Crumpleface is lookin' tres slim and sophisticated, which is expected, since the man by her side is rapidly climbing T-Town's ladders. But what's with the short hair? Babe, let loose!
Of course, nothing need be said about Vice-worthy Bradley, who might as well have walked right off of a GQ photo shoot. Not fair.
Must 'fess the two are looking much, much better together. Dare we say, even good? Still not sure we're convinced this is the right match, for either of the babes.
But what do you think, Awful Truthers? Is there a future in your tabloid hearts for Bradley and Renée?
He is really embarrassing himself now.
Actually Austin isn't There's been a lot of talk in the alternative press (and Fox even)about whether BP is not talking about one option--blowing up the well--because it would permanently damage it and prevent them from extracting oil later on.
Crooks and Liars
I don't know why the link isn't working, here's the address:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/it-time-blow-leaking-gulf-oil-well-b
He is really embarrassing himself now.
Actually Austin isn't
Sorry, Austin obviously has no idea what he's talking about.
Crooks and Liars
I don't know why the link isn't working, here's the address
Thanks! Just one important detail - article is from May 17, 2010.
Actually Austin isn't There's been a lot of talk in the alternative press (and Fox even)about whether BP is not talking about one option--blowing up the well--because it would permanently damage it and prevent them from extracting oil later on.
Do we know that blowing up the well is what Austin is referring to? There are a lot of dangers and risks involved with blowing up the well - it's definitely not an easy quick-fix.
There's been a lot of talk in the alternative press (and Fox even) about whether BP is not talking about one option--blowing up the well
Check out comments to get the idea how complex is this issue.
There are no easy quick-fixes for something like this, we aren't talking about pipeline explosion in Manhattan, our technology simply isn't good enough to deal with any kind of major problem like this one.
It's certainly a possibility that that's what Austin means - and the US gov't and the military has plenty of experience with conventional explosives.
It's certainly a possibility that this is what Austin is talking about. The gov't and the military has plenty of experience with conventional explosives.
The gov't and the military have plenty of experience with conventional explosives.
10:36 AM, please read the comments on the article.
I don't doubt that it's very risky because it's so deep - humans can't get down there and it has to be done by robotics, so I think it would be difficult to control?
I have read them - so what?
Are they experts?
Maybe you should re-read them.
Are they experts?
Is Austin?
One of the commnets: "Ever since Obama dispatched his Macgyver team to address the spill, I figured bombing it closed was definitely on the table. Two of the scientists are nuclear physicists. One was the architect of the H-Bomb."
Oh please, Obama loves to trot out his "nobel" winning advisers and then do nothing.
Not saying blowing it up is the solution, but there has been very real little talk about it. It is clearly off the table because of the loss of money to BP.
What you don't know you don't know can be dangerous.
I have to wonder as well - these comments are from back in May, a lot of the solutions like caps haven't worked. Nukes, absolutely not - but I have to wonder if conventional explosives would be a good idea to collapse the well. But then it couldn't be used again.
Doing nothing for month after month after month is killing the area just as much as any kind of explosion - killing off oxygen to the area, no plankton, nothing for the food chain. A dead zone.
Rachel Maddow had Rep. Phil Gingrey from GA discussing it too.
What you don't know you don't know can be dangerous.
This hasn't stopped BP from drilling, has it. They don't/didn't have a hurricane plan either.
It is clearly off the table because of the loss of money to BP.
Nice of you to support Austin, but please don't support bullshit posted by clueless and ignorant people.
This hasn't stopped BP from drilling, has it.
Nothing can stop capitalism.
To me, it seems like six of one, half a dozen of the other. The oil is consuming the oxygen in the area, and they are worried that methane gas from an explosion will do the same thing. Nothing wrong with capitalism, just out-of-control capitalism.
Doing nothing for month after month after month is killing the area just as much as any kind of explosion
More comments on the article:
The hole is reinforced. As part of the drilling process, heavy steel pipe is inserted into the pipe and cemented into place. Also, there is enormous pressure underground pushing the oil out. Just blowing shit up is not going to work. Well-engineered application of explosives might, but as I said, I am highly skeptical and fear that such an approach is more likely to make the problem worse.
---
The Russians have done it on dry land. Personally, I think it's a godawfully stupid idea with either nukes or conventional explosives. The worst case scenario for both is that they not only fail to seal the well but also remove what flow restriction the BOP is providing and foreclose any other options for killing the well.
This well will be abandoned regardless of the option used to kill it. Those are, according to the Oil Drum crowd, the regulations and standard practice in the US, and BP is currently under such close scrutiny that they will not be deviating from it.
The relief wells are the slow and certain way to end this. They will enable BP to put enough heavy mud in to stop the flow and then cap it with concrete from above. Everything else is at attempt to hurry it up, because those will take a while to finish.
Well-engineered application of explosives might...
This poster does allow for it to work. I don't think it's a shot in the dark.
The relief wells are the slow and certain way to end this. They will enable BP to put enough heavy mud in to stop the flow and then cap it with concrete from above.
I certainly hope something does. :(
This poster does allow for it to work. I don't think it's a shot in the dark.
He said: ' Well-engineered application of explosives might, but as I said, I am highly skeptical and fear that such an approach is more likely to make the problem worse.'
Looks like people who commented agree that it would be extremely difficult to control the explosion and there is a risk to make it worse.
What gives an anonymous poster any credence? Those with mining experience and oil drilling experience have plenty of know-how.
Do you really think BP is never going to use this well if they manage to drill a new opening? Maybe not right away, but then again, they don't always tap the wells right away. They find the wells, then close them until ready to tap them. But once they think enough time has passed you can bet they'll go back to it.
I just hope that the relief drills work.
^^I wondered about this too.
Do you really think BP is never going to use this well if they manage to drill a new opening?
Does BP run the US? One big, 'bad' company isn't the only one to blame.
I thought this was cute:
Then the Georgia congressman [Phil Gingrey] said this:
“For the life of me, I can’t understand why BP couldn’t go into the ocean floor, maybe 10 feet lateral to the – around the periphery – drill a few holes and put a little ammonium nitrate, some dynamite, in those holes and detonate that dynamite and seal that leak. And seal it permanently.
“And although I didn’t ask him that question yesterday — I think I had three minutes — if we get another bite at that apple, I’m going to ask that question, over and over again. What is going on here?
“I feel like, and I’ve had people advise me — people in my own district, by the way, who have a lot of experience in mining, say that this could be done.”
That’s how Red Adair rolled.
Who knows? :)
Your Morning Jolt: Blow That Well To Kingdom Come!
President Clinton was talking about this solution just this week, which may be why Austin is mentioning it. It's not old news. Here's an article from yesterday.
ABC News
"I think we'd have to run out of a lot of things before we'd consider something like that," Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen told "Good Morning America" earlier this month. He later said that even a non-nuclear explosion -- considered by some to be less controversial and less dangerous -- could also prove more hurtful than helpful.
It is old news because it's been bantered around before.
President Clinton was talking about this solution just this week, which may be why Austin is mentioning it.
Austin didn't mention 'Just Blow It Up' option, Austin posted a lie about BT and oil spill situation.
Fingers crossed that the relief wells are going to stop it. :(
At least they sound confident about that solution.
Oops, bad link:
Your Morning Jolt: Blow That Well To Kingdom Come!
Comment:
Gotta love Phil Gingrey. He always has a simple, common sense answer for any problem. Too bad he doesn’t know anything and is almost always wrong.
Politicians should be smart enough to use the experts when we desperately need them.
He's not an expert on the subject. :)
Another comment:
Gingrey’s idea sounds reasonable. But a quick Google search by the Congressman would answer his question. From the NYT (6/2/2010):
“Some have also suggested conventional explosives, claiming that oil prospectors on land have used such blasts to put out fires and seal boreholes. But oil engineers say that dynamite or other conventional explosives risk destroying the wellhead so that the flow could never be plugged from the top.”
If Austin is serious about his commitment to finding solutions and helping the situation, he shouldn't be tweeting such overly simplistic and vague statements that don't take into account the complexities involved.
It does sound extreme, but I envision this well gushing for the rest of my natural lifetime. Something has to be done to stop it.
The complexities are up to the experts, not Austin. He can tweet his frustrations and the basic idea.
Austin is trying to get people interested in the issue so they will push BP and the government to do something. He is expressing an opinion that is out there--that there are options not being discussed, possibly for not good reasons. You can agree or disagree whether blowing up the well will work, but to say he's lying is not accurate.
Or support green energy.
He can tweet his frustrations and the basic idea.
Or support green energy.
You can agree or disagree whether blowing up the well will work, but to say he's lying is not accurate.
It is accurate because Austin is lying:
No one is saying this on the news. But the truth is Bp could stop that leak anytime they want. ... Be assured, they could Stop that leak right now if they wanted.
He can tweet his frustrations and the basic idea.
Austin is trying to get people interested in the issue so they will push BP and the government to do something. He is expressing an opinion that is out there--that there are options not being discussed, possibly for not good reasons. You can agree or disagree whether blowing up the well will work, but to say he's lying is not accurate.
LOL at the re-writing of Austin's tweets. He was making statements as though they were facts - not merely tweeting his frustrations. And who used the word lying? I didn't. Also, who even knows what he is talking about? Re-read his tweets. Note that he said "No one is saying this on the news..." What? The talk about blowing it up is all over the news!!
Austin is trying to get people interested in the issue so they will push BP and the government to do something.
That would be a good thing, but based on his tweets Austin has no idea what to do with his twitter account.
The MSM articles are not talking about the fact that BP won't be able to tap the oil if they blow it up--they're only talking about whether it is doable. Nobody in the MSM is questioning whether BP's statement that it can't be done is BS and driven by their profit motive.
Nobody in the MSM is questioning whether BP's statement that it can't be done is BS and driven by their profit motive.
Experts agree with BP, 'blow it up' option is very risky and could make the problem much worse.
No shit that BP is driven by their profit motive and that they want to continue drilling. But whether it is doable or not, whether it might make things worse, all the unintended consequences of blowing it up - these are not minor issues, and there doesn't appear to be a consensus on that from experts. So simply saying that BP could fix it if they wanted to is an oversimplification of an extremely complex issue. That's why trying to discuss complex issues on something that limits you to 140 characters at a time isn't a good idea.
140 characters or with characters enough to write a book? It doesn't matter if you have something to say.
redcoloredstars: What is it with Jake Gyllenhaal wooing all sorts of charming musicians? First Marcus now @krisallen...when will it end?! (hopefully never)
7 minutes ago
IMG00192.jpg http://twitpic.com/21hlxc
about 4 hours
People!!! This is not a real haircut. This is a joke!!!
about 4 hours ago
I have to repeat myself - Austin has no idea what to do with his twitter account.
People!!! This is not a real haircut. This is a joke!!!
Okay. But I don't get it. What exactly is the joke? (And fyi, Austin - if you have to tell people it's a joke, it's probably not that funny.)
I don't get it either - whatever is there to get! :)
Austin, you are too smart for us!
The complexities are up to the experts, not Austin. He can tweet his frustrations and the basic idea.
He's not tweeting frustrations. He's tweeting ignorant, fact-free claims. And he's doing it to get publicity for himself. It would be funny if it wasn't so tragically ridiculous.
Insisting that "Bp could stop that leak anytime they want. ... Be assured, they could Stop that leak right now if they wanted" puts him in the romper room with conspiraloons, nutjobs and tin foil hatters. Since he's also an Ayn Rand lover, that's probably the right place.
From now on, he is Austin "Bp could stop that leak anytime they want" Nichols to me.
"Conspiracy theorists give no credence to scientific data or the respectability of sources. The fact that a claim has been made by anybody, anywhere, is enough for them to reproduce it and demand that the questions it raises be answered, as if intellectual enquiry were a matter of responding to every rumour."
"Conspiracy theorists never notice that the small inconsistencies in the accounts which they reject are dwarfed by the enormous, gaping holes in logic, likelihood and evidence in their alternative account."
Since he's also an Ayn Rand lover,
Really? I didn't know that. Did he tweet about it or something? Ayn Rand is like the patron saint of the tea party crowd :/
Goodness G, I just realized that as an evidence-untroubled conspiraloon, Austin "Bp could stop that leak anytime they want" Nichols probably also believes in his very own Baby Tile conspiracy. That must eff with his head! But the consolation is that he's one of us. Joy.
Did he tweet about it or something? Ayn Rand is like the patron saint of the tea party crowd :/
Austin made a video praising her book The Fountainhead. It's on YouTube.
I must admit that I was hooked on Howard Roark when I was 15. But then I grew up.
Rand's books are unrealistic because she makes the mistake of assuming that self-interested people will always act in the best interest of society and that sane people always act rationally.
I wonder if Austin likes this quote: "I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."
-Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
Austin said he thought the book had some interesting things to say about the creative process and artists. He didn't say he was an adherent of her ideas. After all, Austin was an early Obama supporter, so I'd hardly call him a tea party supporter.
Austin made a video praising her book The Fountainhead. It's on YouTube.
Thanks! I just found it:
Storytime with Austin Nichols
I had to read both "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" in high school and college. What a bunch of pretentious b.s. She sees total selfishness as a virtue and dismisses everyone who doesn't share that view as a worthless "second-hander." Not to the mention the fact that her dialogue is so bad it's laughable.
It may be bad, but it was a page-turner for me when I read it. And yes most of the ideas are crap, but it did set me to thinking about things more than most books I've read purely for entertainment.
I also love how every woman in a Rand novel wants to be raped.
What?! Surely that can't be true.
Does Jake read Austin's tweets?
The man is perfect. That is all :)
'White Collar' star Matt Bomer is our Must List Summer Crush
If you think Matt Bomer is crush-worthy wearing an expertly tailored suit as con-man Neal Caffrey on USA’s White Collar, wait until you see him in jeans and a t-shirt in our Summer Must List Issue. Bomer’s charm, smooth moves, and piercing blue eyes added up to him being named our Must Summer Crush. Needless to say, we were pretty excited to talk to him for our special double issue about White Collar, his favorite summer memory, and what’s he’s Musting after himself this summer.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: There’s a lot of chemistry among the cast, especially between you and Tim DeKay. Was that instantaneous?
MATT BOMER: I think it was certainly with Tim and I from the get-go when we tested together. We spend a good portion of the day keeled over, laughing. That’s not a typical experience on sets, so we all feel really grateful to have a set that appreciates humor and allows it. When you work crazy TV hours, you got to have a good sense of humor.
What’s it like to film in New York City?
It’s amazing. New York City is really a character on the show. On so many shows, you get the gritty, dark, dirty corners of New York, and we celebrate the city. We shoot up. We’re looking up at buildings and seeing the blue sky. We also get to see the great upper crust aspects of the city. Multimillion-dollar brownstones, chandeliers that are six stories high, places that even if you’ve lived in New York for years, you don’t really get to see. We’re a crime show, but there aren’t a lot of guns or sex or nudity. It’s pretty clean.
Neal is such a suave guy. What does it take to be that much of a charmer?
Confidence. It’s a big part of the social engineering game. Presence as well, just being able to interact with people and thin slice them very well and figuring out what pushes their buttons and what charms them. Underneath all that, Neil is a die-hard romantic whose weak spot is his romantic life.
Yes, the personal relationships in the book, if you can them that, are truly fucked up. All in the name of people achieving what they want in life. But we're not talking literal rape, more like rape fantasies.
Got to wonder if being deep in the closet for your art didn't make the book of more interest to Austin than it would to the average Joe.
Then again, that would be kind of ironic given that Rand was a raging homophobe.
What will we see with Neal’s love life?
The love of his life died in [last year's] season finale, so there’s a part of him that’s really obviously crushed by that. He’s also a very proactive guy so he’s not going to sit around and cry about it. He’s going to find out who did it and how best to avenge her death. That’s a big struggle for him this season. But the fun thing about Neal is he never passes up a chance to flirt. No matter what’s going on, if there’s somebody cute, he’s going to make the most of it. It makes the day a little more interesting.
You’re on our Must List, but what’s on yours?
[The movie] The Kids Are All Right is amazing. The performances are insanely good. Julianne Moore is going to wreck you. This is the best I’ve ever seen her, and I’ve seen everything she’s ever done. I like the story and I think it’s a great alternative to the big summer popcorn blockbusters.
Inception is my big studio movie of the summer. That looks amazing. I’m a huge fan of Leonardo [DiCaprio]‘s and [director] Christopher Nolan’s. It looks amazing just from the trailers. The dream world looks unbelievable.
[The book] Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man by Bill Kleg. It’s an addiction memoir about a rising literary agent whose life spirals out of control when he gets addicted to crack. I read about in The New Yorker and New York Times. It really intrigued me. Man, if they ever did a movie about this, I’d want to do it. The summertime, people get into that salacious type stuff. This one is really gripping and entertaining.
The man is perfect. That is all :)
*sulk*
It sucks that he's not as openly gay as he used to be and has gone back in the closet! http://bit.ly/db669q
10 minutes ago
Why is the mainstream media aiding closeted gays to remain so? They don't even "go there" and ask dating questions they'd ask straight folk!
9 minutes ago
http://twitter.com/PerezHilton
[The movie] The Kids Are All Right is amazing.
"The Kids Are All Right" centers on a lesbian couple, Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening), the mothers of two children conceived by means of artificial insemination. When the eldest child, Joni (Mia Wasikowska), turns eighteen, her brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson), asks her to contact the sperm bank in order to meet their biological father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo).
Objectivism and homosexuality
Moral views
In 1971, Rand published The New Left, a collection of essays that attacked feminism and the sexual liberation movements, including the gay rights movement. Rand called them "hideous" for their demand for what she considered "special privileges" from the government. She addressed homosexuality in the course of an attack on feminism, stating that "[T]o proclaim spiritual sisterhood with lesbians... is so repulsive a set of premises from so loathsome a sense of life that an accurate commentary would require the kind of language I do not like to see in print."[1]
In response to questions from the audience at the two Ford Hall Forum lectures she gave at Northeastern University, Rand explained her views in more detail. In her 1968 lecture, she said, "I do not approve of such practices or regard them as necessarily moral, but it is improper for the law to interfere with a relationship between consenting adults."[2] In 1971, Rand reiterated this position, then added that homosexuality "involves psychological flaws, corruptions, errors, or unfortunate premises", concluding that homosexuality "is immoral, and more than that; if you want my really sincere opinion, it's disgusting."[3]
Harry Binswanger, of the Ayn Rand Institute writes that, while Rand generally condemned homosexuality, she would adopt a somewhat modified view of it "when she was in an especially good mood." [4] Further, intellectual heir Leonard Peikoff stated that there were people that Rand was "just as close [with], knowing full well that they were homosexual" and that "she certainly regarded some of them as objectivists." [5]
Political views
Despite her negative views about the morality of homosexuality, Rand took a much more tolerant view of the legal rights of homosexuals.[6] She endorsed rights that protect gays from discrimination by the government (such as apartheid), but rejected the right to be protected from discrimination in the private sector (such as employment discrimination).[7] The basis of this conclusion was not related to her feelings about homosexuality, but rather a product of her stand on property rights. Rand supported the right of a private property owner to discriminate, even on a basis that she condemned as immoral, such as racism, and that any act of the government to change this would be an intrusion on individual rights.
On sex roles
Rand asserted that the "the essence of femininity is hero worship — the desire to look up to man" and that "an ideal woman is a man-worshipper, and an ideal man is the highest symbol of mankind."[8] In other words, Rand felt that it was part of human nature for a psychologically healthy woman to want to be ruled in sexual matters by a man worthy of ruling her. In an authorized article in The Objectivist, psychotherapist Nathaniel Branden, Rand's extramarital lover and onetime "intellectual heir," explains Rand's view as the idea that "man experiences the essence of his masculinity in the act of romantic dominance; woman experiences the essence of her femininity in the act of romantic surrender."[9]
while Rand generally condemned homosexuality, she would adopt a somewhat modified view of it "when she was in an especially good mood
How nice of her!
Bomer!!! A Bomer post always makes me feel happy, no matter how crappy my day is.
What does it take to be that much of a charmer?
Confidence.
Word. Nothing is sexier than being confident of who you are.
Love the shoutout to The Kids are Alright. He has no fears mentioning a film that has got to be close to his heart.
Perez Hilton can go fuck himself. The man is despicable, going after easy targets and actors who have the courage to at least live in a very clear glass closet, all while promoting bearding fauxmances for pr. Shame on him.
Perez Hilton can go fuck himself.
I wish!
Ayn Rand was born in 1905, her homophobia isn't surprising. Austin has twitter so we could ask if writer's political views influence his choice of books to read :)
It sucks that he's not as openly gay as he used to be and has gone back in the closet!
Matt back in the closet? What is Perez talking about?
More reasons Perez is full of it: Bomer has been asked about the rumors about his personal life--which he allowed to be asked--and Perez has to know that stars and their publicists put limits on what questions can be asked as a condition to granting interviews.
How many times do you suppose Perez has asked closeted stars in interviews if they're gay?
Depends on the star and his PR.
But we were stunned to see Renée out of her jogging suit and in the same frame shot as her BF Bradley here in NYC Tuesday night.
LOL :)
Why is the mainstream media aiding closeted gays to remain so?
Depends on the star and his PR.
Perez is a hypocritical joke.
Perez is full of it
ITA. Also why do some people like him (and here too) focus so much on a person's sexuality when it comes to interviews. I mean it's great if they happen to mention their partner, etc., but there's a lot more to a celeb/person than just that. This EW interview was about his WC character and what films and books he's reading for summer; to me his opinions in those things carries more weight and makes him interesting. His sexuality and/or personal home life doesn't need to enter every topic he discusses. I bet if there was an interview with Boner strictly about foil vs. saran wrap when covering leftovers Perez would complain that he didn't bring up his sexuality and then say he's closeted.
YellowYami: Listening to my brother make fun of my Jake Gyllenhaal wallpaper. "Stupid girls... You like asshole looking gay guys."
11 minutes ago
Perez Hilton can go fuck himself. The man is despicable, going after easy targets and actors who have the courage to at least live in a very clear glass closet, all while promoting bearding fauxmances for pr. Shame on him.
I couldn't have said it better myself, destiny.
ITA. Also why do some people like him (and here too) focus so much on a person's sexuality when it comes to interviews. I mean it's great if they happen to mention their partner, etc., but there's a lot more to a celeb/person than just that. This EW interview was about his WC character and what films and books he's reading for summer; to me his opinions in those things carries more weight and makes him interesting. His sexuality and/or personal home life doesn't need to enter every topic he discusses. I bet if there was an interview with Boner strictly about foil vs. saran wrap when covering leftovers Perez would complain that he didn't bring up his sexuality and then say he's closeted.
This, also.
Re the earlier oil discussion that I missed: What's amazing to me is 1. There is that much oil deep under the ocean floor 2. How did anyone ever find it?! 3. Yes it's used for gasoline but people forget it's used to make many other things like plastics. 4. That no one ever notices or complains about the individual-sized 4 ounce yogurt plastic containers - which are petroleum byproducts - thrown away by millions of people every damn day. [sorry, end of rant..but that's my pet peeve, the packaging of those tiny cups which are a waste of energy and resources.]
Sorry, here's the link: many other things (I got so worked up about yogurt cups I messed up on the link!)
^^They can easily make plastics and other products without using petroleum byproducts and converting to something else, and they should. I recycle my plastics, and I try to keep them to a minimum. They used to use other packaging for containers, some of which can be reused. It's just a modern convenience, like a lot of "throw-away" stuff.
They can easily make plastics and other products without using petroleum byproducts
Uh, no. Recycling and reuse is great; however the plastic product has to be made first.
Re: Ayn Rand
...but it is improper for the law to interfere with a relationship between consenting adults.
She is right - she doesn't have to like how other people live, but she recognizes they are entitled to live the way they want under the law. Everyone is entitled to their views, you are never going to get all of the people to accept everything about each other all of the time. What you do want is social equality, equal rights and protections under the law, and tolerance. If you have that, who cares what anyone else's personal thoughts are about you?
In other words, Rand felt that it was part of human nature for a psychologically healthy woman to want to be ruled in sexual matters by a man worthy of ruling her. In an authorized article in The Objectivist, psychotherapist Nathaniel Branden, Rand's extramarital lover and onetime "intellectual heir," explains Rand's view as the idea that "man experiences the essence of his masculinity in the act of romantic dominance; woman experiences the essence of her femininity in the act of romantic surrender."
As a straight woman, this is my own personal sexual philosophy, and I never realized Ayn Rand held it as well. It's the most fulfilling for me personally, and I don't expect others to agree or believe the same thing I do. They are free to believe what they want to, as am I.
Just because you may read a book by an author who, in your opinion, holds controversial views - doesn't mean you automatically subscribe to them, or are going to. It just could mean you have an open mind. I read The Communist Manifesto in college, but it didn't turn me into a communist.
They can easily make plastics and other products without using petroleum byproducts.
Uh yes. They can.
Recycling and reuse is great; however the plastic product has to be made first.
You can recycle the current plastic products now. My city does.
It's a modern convenience; throwaway packaging. They used to use glass, metal, waxed cartons, etc. before plastics came along as a modern convenience, and they can do so again. They can reformulate plastics as well, without using petroleum byproducts. Uh yes.
What you do want is social equality, equal rights and protections under the law, and tolerance. If you have that, who cares what anyone else's personal thoughts are about you?
Equal rights and protections under the law? Maybe you missed this part:
She endorsed rights that protect gays from discrimination by the government (such as apartheid), but rejected the right to be protected from discrimination in the private sector (such as employment discrimination).
And you can't have "social equality" without that.
No wonder I'm a slut. I read Tom Jones in college!
What you do want is social equality, equal rights and protections under the law, and tolerance.
I'm speaking for myself here, whatever constraints Ayn Rand put on homosexual rights are hers. I don't subscribe to her philosophy about it. My thoughts are my own. Her philosophy isn't in practice either. Again, what I said was that you aren't going to have everyone accept or agree on how everyone lives, but you can have equal rights for all.
Are you going to turn Austin in to the secret police for reading Ayn Rand?
Rand supported the right of a private property owner to discriminate, even on a basis that she condemned as immoral such as racism, and that any act of the government to change this would be an intrusion on individual rights.
This is what she said, I don't necessarily agree with her, but she was a staunch supporter of rights of the individual.
I'm speaking for myself here, whatever constraints Ayn Rand put on homosexual rights are hers
That's fine. You didn't make that clear when you misrepresented her position, i.e.,but she recognizes they are entitled to live the way they want under the law.
Are you going to turn Austin in to the secret police for reading Ayn Rand?
No. I didn't mention Austin at all in my post. I didn't say, nor did I infer any such thing. I was simply supplying the background to someone else's statement that Ayn Rand was a homophobe. She was.
I don't think it's that simple.
I did not misrepresent anything.
7:26, I don't think you understand. I'm talking about the original product, whatever it might be. The original plastic product was made from petroleum, period. ALL of our products originally came from a raw resource. Now the product can be recycled, reformulated and made into something else, sure. But you can bet your ass the majority of all consumer and commercial items are NOT made from recycled materials. Also, not all products can be made from recycled materials; some have to be manufactured from pure virgin materials. "They can reformulate plastics as well, without using petroleum byproducts." So tell me, 7:26, where did that original plastic product come from before it got recycled?!
Despite her negative views about the morality of homosexuality, Rand took a much more tolerant view of the legal rights of homosexuals.[6] She endorsed rights that protect gays from discrimination by the government (such as apartheid), but rejected the right to be protected from discrimination in the private sector (such as employment discrimination).[7] The basis of this conclusion was not related to her feelings about homosexuality, but rather a product of her stand on property rights. Rand supported the right of a private property owner to discriminate, even on a basis that she condemned as immoral, such as racism, and that any act of the government to change this would be an intrusion on individual rights.
You didn't post the entire quote, so quite naturally it's not going to appear correctly.
7:48, go look it up.
I don't think you seem to understand much. Unless you just want to stir, and I'm not taking part in that.
I'm hungry!
They are working on making plastics out of other materials besides petroleum byproducts even as we speak. So we are not locked in to using petroleum forever, but it won't happen overnight, no. We used other materials in the past, and we can do so again, as well as reusing and recycling the currently manufactured plastic products.
No wonder I'm a slut. I read Tom Jones in college!
:)
We probably will never reduce our use of petroleum and petroleum byproducts entirely; but we can reduce how much we use and use it in better ways, and reformulate plastics so they are more environmentally sound and not be such of a throw-away world.
I did not misrepresent anything.
You said: "but she recognizes they are entitled to live the way they want under the law. Sorry, but people can't live the way they want when the law allows them to be discriminated against in the matter of employment.
You didn't post the entire quote, so quite naturally it's not going to appear correctly.
I supplied a link, so obviously I wasn't trying to hide anything. Even if she says her conclusions are not based on her feelings about homosexuality - the fact is she thought homosexuality was "immoral" and "disgusting." People are free to read any books they want, of course. But when they publicly recommend a book and encourage others to read it, the background and views of the author are fair game for discussion, especially when the author's political and moral viewpoints are directly tied into even their fictional writing.
Have you read her books? I don't recall her coming out against homosexuality in the ones I read, or all of her political and moral views in her fiction. I don't think that's always the case with writers - they can write about anything, and it may or may not say anything about their personal views. I think that's debatable. Her views never became a reality. That's what she claims were her motivations for her views, the rights of the individual, and she's no longer here to defend what she meant or answer questions about them.
Atticus said...
I'm hungry!
Aww, poor Atti! Why isn't Daddy feeding you?
explains Rand's view as the idea that "man experiences the essence of his masculinity in the act of romantic dominance; woman experiences the essence of her femininity in the act of romantic surrender."
As a survivor of rape, i wish men whould take their "essence" of masculinity and shove it up their own.
I would never surrender, even for the purpose of procreation. I'll wait for the external(-of-body) uterus, they ought to invent it one day.
A lot of far right conservatives voted against and/or are against civil rights legislation --e.g. The Civil Rights Act on these so called private property rights. Paul Rand(running for senate in Tenn. And no relation) recently took a lot of heat on this.
Have you read her books?
Yes, I have read her books. Her viewpoints were weaved into her novels. That may not be the case with all writers - but it was definitely the case with Ayn Rand, and I'm not speaking of her views on homosexuality in particular. Her philosophy of Objectivism, her belief that selfishness is a virtue, her dismissive attitude toward those she referred to as "second-handers," her views on feminism, etc., these were all an integral part of her writing. The extreme right wing doesn't admire her so much simply because they thought her books were entertaining.
^^The private property issues come up by conservatives in a lot of other areas besides civil rights.
ITA with the person who talks about being raped. That's an entirely different thing - there's no free choice, and there's no giving freely between the couple. It's a huge difference.
(((8:31PM)))
For example, according to Objectivist Damian Moskovitz:
While many conservatives believe that homosexuality should be outlawed and many liberals believe that homosexuals should be given special rights, Objectivism holds that as long as no force is involved, people have the right to do as they please in sexual matters, whether or not their behavior is considered by others to be or is in fact moral. And since individual rights are grounded in the nature of human beings as human beings, homosexuals do not deserve any more or less [sic] rights than heterosexuals.[11]
I see no problem with this.
8:38, I think you are being just a little disingenuous.
Conservatives tend to want as little government interference in what they view as private property and business affairs as possible. It's not always about civil rights. I don't necessarily agree. This is why you have oil companies with very little regulation.
And Wall Street as another example.
Which books have you read, 8:38?
8:38, I think you are being just a little disingenuous.
In what way? Her books do reflect her views. I'm not telling you or anyone else that you have to agree or disagree with Ayn Rand. If you don't have a problem with her views, fine.
LOL you can find all of that info on Wikipedia, and it doesn't sound like you really know what you are talking about.
9:03, don't try to put words in others' mouths. I never said I did or didn't have a problem with her views. TBH, certain of her views are thought provoking, others not. BTW, which books have you read of hers? Just curious.
In what way? I don't think you have read any of her work. From what I read, her books do mostly have elements of fiction, and some of her views interwoven, but not a right winger's darling. I haven't read any of her work since college.
It sounds like you did a quick Google search and found not even a Cliff notes version of The Fountainhead, just what Wikipedia had on it about second-handers, because you don't seem to have much of an understanding of it.
I don't think you have read any of her work.
LOL. People always get personal when they don't have any other argument. I have read "Atlas Shrugged, "The Fountainhead," "Anthem," and "The Virtue of Selfishness." They were all assigned readings in high school and college.
but not a right winger's darling.
ARC (Ayn Rand Center) Tea Party page complete with resources, flyers, videos, etc.
Sarah Palin and Ayn Rand Highlighted in Tea Party Fever (book about the tea party movement)
It sounds like you did a quick Google search and found not even a Cliff notes version of The Fountainhead, just what Wikipedia had on it about second-handers, because you don't seem to have much of an understanding of it.
I understand the books just fine. Please stop insulting me and calling me a liar just because I don't share your views. For anyone to make the claim that Ayn Rand's books are not all about her political and moral viewpoints is so absurd it's laughable. Frankly, that statement makes it sound like you don't understand the books.
No, you are laughable. You haven't read her. It's painfully obvious.
Now, you've shown me what Sara Palin may have read, but not what you have read. Still waiting for that. :)
People can take any book and tout it as having their point of view. Doesn't make it exclusively theirs, and doesn't make it a Tea Party Bible. If you read them in high school and college, you would understand that. You are trying to make a point about Austin and it is failing miserably. A few days ago it was FOX news. Next!
Call me pathetic, but I went to college and got my masters and I could GIVE A CRAP about Ayn Rand and what the twit Austin thinks about it.
I’m sorry Jake is hiding, but really, I rather paint a goat then read these comments.
I don’t come here to think, I come here to get dirt on Jake.
Thank you. Have a nice night.
ITA
The Ayn Rand diatribe is just the usual diversion. Keep them off the topic and drive people away with boredom. But we persevere.
OH MY. You should see the wet t-shirt photo of Bomer in the comment section of ONTD, near the bottom of the page in the linked page. One of the hottest pictures I've ever seen.
ONTD Bomer thread
I read The Communist Manifesto in college, but it didn't turn me into a communist.
If Austin read The Communist Manifesto and then make a video recommending it to others because "it has some interesting things to say," it would be entirely legitimate for people to question his affinity for the ideas of Karl Marx.
He may not be an Objectivist (lol, I doubt he thinks that deeply), but his video is promoting the work of Ayn Rand. The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged are essentially Rand's manifestos, shrouded in some of the worst, most turgid prose I've ever had the displeasure to read. So it's perfectly legit to wonder if he believes in what she says.
If he adheres to her philosophy, it would fit that he is also promoting her for reasons of self-interest. ;)
Will 'Atlas Shrugged' (and Other "Unfilmmable" Books) Ever Get Made?
"Who is John Galt?" Not even the team that claims to be about to shoot the long-gestating version of Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged' seems to know the answer to the book's famous question.
According to Deadline New York, entrepreneur John Aglialoro, who has held the option on the film rights for 17 years, plans to begin shooting the project on June 11, even though there's no cast to speak of yet. ... more: Inside Movies
Fun comment on Ayn Rand in cinema by Tallulah Morehead: The Insanity of Ayn Rand: The Fountain-Brain-Dead.
Okay, back to Matt Bomer's nipples. (It's possible to be too perfect. Sorry, Destiny, but he looks like a Ken doll to me.. There's a plastic quality about him. I prefer Jake with his little toothy flaws. But Bomer seems like a very nice guy and if he turns you on, go to it.)
The Ayn Rand diatribe is just the usual diversion. Keep them off the topic and drive people away with boredom.
Nah. It's just plain old "going-off-topic" - typical for all blogs and forums and message boards. No conspiracy to "drive people away with boredom" - which is laughable. I'm all for being wary but some of you (I'm talking about you, 10:59) are way too paranoid. Idk about other people but what drives me away from here (and Godot) are fights, non-responsiveness, and rudeness. Talking about Ayn Rand and the oil spill, whether it bores me or not, is just people normally going off on tangents. Not a Babbler or PR strategy. If you believe it is then LOL you should also accuse Destiny of being in on a big PR/Babbler conspiracy to lure WFT/OMG posters away from Jake and Austin and over to the Matt Boner fandom. How dare she post a link about Boner; she's trying to make us forget about Toothy!!
IMG00193.jpg http://twitpic.com/21l2so
about 10 hours ago
Oh God.
Idk about other people but what drives me away from here (and Godot) are fights, non-responsiveness, and rudeness. Talking about Ayn Rand and the oil spill, whether it bores me or not, is just people normally going off on tangents. Not a Babbler or PR strategy. If you believe it is then LOL you should also accuse Destiny of being in on a big PR/Babbler conspiracy to lure WFT/OMG posters away from Jake and Austin and over to the Matt Boner fandom. How dare she post a link about Boner; she's trying to make us forget about Toothy!!
01:33, that is spoken just like a troll who has had their ego take a blow by being called out on their own ranting.
Been ignored? Been told off? tsk, tsk. That's so sad.
The Ayn Rand diatribe is just the usual diversion.
Ayn Rand discussion is the result of discussing Austin and his BP tweets. Just reminding :)
I’m sorry Jake is hiding, but really, I rather paint a goat then read these comments.
I don’t come here to think, I come here to get dirt on Jake.
I find the comments very interesting, mix of info about Austin's favorite book and wet t-shirt photo of Bomer is fine by me.
Since his highly-publicized split from Vienna Girardi, reports on Jake Pavelka’s romantic past have led to rumors about the former Bachelor’s sexuality. A close friend of the TV personality opens up to OK! exclusively about Jake, dismissing particular claims made by a celebrity entertainment magazine stating the reality star may be gay. The story claims Jake became very close with fellow Bachelorette contestant Juan Barbieri while taping the show (Jillian Harris’s season), and Juan took Jake to a gay hotspot Mickey’s in West Hollywood in mid May-2009.
“Jake has never even heard of Mickey’s, let alone been there,” a close friend of Jake’s tells OK! exclusively. “He has no problem going to a gay bar as a straight man. He has friends from all different places with different backgrounds, but this story is simply not true.”
The source adds that the only time Jake has been seen with Juan was on The Bachelorette set.
“They’re not even friends,” the insider continues.
In another bogus story regarding Jake’s romantic past, his ex-girlfriend Tanya Douglas claims Jake was still dating her during his time as The Bachelor.
“She’s angry and disgruntled because Jake broke her heart, but it simply was not meant to be,” Jake’s pal explains. “They were completely broken up before he went on to do The Bachelor, and friends and family can vouch for that.”
According to our source, Jake was looking for any reason to end his relationship with Tanya.
“She came with way too much baggage and sadly enough, she would get physically abusive with him,” the insider adds. “When she would hit him, he would get up and leave and tried to think of reasons that she would understand to leave her. He thought she was an absolute lunatic.”
http://www.okmagazine.com/2010/07/ok-exclusive-jake-pavelkas-pal-denies-gay-rumors/
Oh God.
LOL. IA.
I’m sorry Jake is hiding, but really, I rather paint a goat then read these comments.
No one is forcing you to read them. Scroll.
Chris,
I hope Jake is up and working in the garden!
Austin said...
IMG00193.jpg http://twitpic.com/21l2so
about 10 hours ago
Oh God.
That about sums it up. I see from the twitpic comments that OTH fangirls think it's very awesome, amazing and cool! And EPIC!
Epic??? :x
01:33, that is spoken just like a troll who has had their ego take a blow by being called out on their own ranting. Been ignored? Been told off? tsk, tsk. That's so sad.
5:46 learn reading comprehension, lose the unwarranted hatred and stop being unnecessarily snippy and you'll be much happier and your comments will be a pleasure to read, not a pathetic attempt to psychoanalyze the poster and fling insults. Try it; I'm sure the people in your real life would appreciate the change as well.
OH MY. You should see the wet t-shirt photo of Bomer in the comment section of ONTD, near the bottom of the page in the linked page. One of the hottest pictures I've ever seen.
Thanks, destiny :) Damn. That Simon Halls is a lucky guy.
Please bring your Daddy Matt for show and tell day, thank you.
Epic??? :x
ikr? I'll bet the "epic" person also thought it was epic that he used his mugshot as his original profile pic, lol (and I wonder who finally suggested that he change it).
Well, it was one of the best looking mugshots of a celeb that I've ever seen..can you blame him?!
Some of you are so holier-than-thou it is pathetic.
I sense Babblers trying to disrupt the blog in any way possible - you can smell UV and her pathological fears a mile away.
UV and her minions strike me as man-hating. They only like an emasculated man, that's why they loved the Reeke era.
Some of you are so holier-than-thou it is pathetic.
I sense Babblers trying to disrupt the blog in any way possible - you can smell UV and her pathological fears a mile away.
LOL at 1792 comments, almost 200 on this page alone, and we're supposed to know exactly which ones you have a beef with, which ones you think that UV wrote, and which ones in your opinion are "disrupting the blog". LOL again.
People's writing styles.
Babblers have never been the same since the end of Reeke. :)
Damn. Today's Bitch Back and nothing on Jake/Toothy/Goose/Sophia/Shafterella/gay/beards/hidden babies, nothing nada zilch. C'mon Ted, give us something!
Give me food.
Babblers have never been the same since the end of Reeke.
Poor Babblers are still in a state of shock, LMAO!
Atti, hunt for your own food!
Curious about the poster who wants to turn everyone and everything into a right-wing conspiracy. I wonder what today's topic will be. :)
I'll bet the "epic" person also thought it was epic that he used his mugshot as his original profile pic, lol (and I wonder who finally suggested that he change it).
I expect comments like that from teenagers, but Austin ... what is he thinking?
He doesn't.
I expect comments like that from teenagers,but Austin ... what is he thinking?
idk. Maybe he's thinking, "I know my audience!" And maybe all his commenters will be sure to vote for his gf Sophia in the Teen Choice Awards :)
He's probably just very frustrated with the situation. At least he cares, not lulled into a somatic trance. Hopefully, the relief wells will be successful, early August isn't that far away, and the Gulf can begin to recover.
I know, today we can discuss Brave New World!!!!
He's probably just very frustrated with the situation.
Bearding with Sophia? Looking for a new job?
At least he cares, not lulled into a somatic trance.
Care about what? Adults who care about the Gulf don't post bullshit about the situation.
Are you posting from the Gulf?
Is Austin still there? Or is he tweeting from LA now? Jake's at the Vineyard? And then there's what to do about the Babys Tile ...
Are you posting from the Gulf?
From Europe.
Is Austin still there?
Austin was there (the Gulf) less than 24 hours.
Jake's at the Vineyard?
Yes, there were tweets from the airport, Woods Hole and MV ferry.
I'm glad he takes the ferry over. :)
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