Gay adult film performer blasts studio for paying bottoms less than tops
Adult entertainer Armond Rizzo claims that a studio called Blacks on Boys — the self-proclaimed “home to the best interracial” gay content — pays bottoms “way less” than tops under the rationale that the site is “more top dominant.”
“This has never happened to me but there’s a studio who is interested in me and what I found out about them is mind blowing,” Rizzo tweeted on January 25. “They pay bottoms way less than tops [and their] excuse [is] the site is more top dominant. I don’t give a f*ck, who are you to say that a bottom is worth less?”
Rizzo, who just won the 2020 GayVN Award for Social Media Star, went on: “If [you’re] wondering what site I am talking about, it’s @BlacksOnBoys. Such a shame… lost my respect.”
If your wondering what site I am talking about it’s @BlacksOnBoys such a shame… lost my respect.
And in another tweet, he added, “It’s going to be a big NO THANKS! I don’t care that you even raised my fee up. It’s just unjust you pay bottoms less and for that I decline working for you!”
Rizzo’s Twitter rant got a ton of support: “If anything, bottoms should be [paid] more,” one user replied. “If it not for a bottom, what the top gonna do?” added another. Wrote a third: “Bottoms low-key are worth more in reality.”
FYI, CNBC reported in 2016 that male porn performers “average $500-$600 per scene or day” with better-known stars earning up to $900 and “superstars” up to $1,500.
As of the time of this writing, the @BlacksOnBoys Twitter account has not replied to Rizzo’s claims.
Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.7 Earthquake Rocks Jamaica, Cuba
A tsunami warning has been issued after a 7.7 earthquake struck between the coasts of Jamaica and Cuba.
Accuweather reports: “The earthquake was originally rated a 7.3 by the USGS, but was later upgraded to a 7.7. The epicenter of the earthquake was 72 miles (117 km) northwest of Lucea, Jamaica, and was shallow with a depth of just 6.2 miles (10 km). Tsunami waves as high as 1 meter are possible along some coasts of Belize, Cuba, Hondura, Mexico, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC).”
UPDATE: Tsunami waves reaching 1-3 feet above tide level are possible for some coasts of Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Cayman Islands and Jamaica following powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Caribbean Sea, NWS Tsunami Warning Center says. pic.twitter.com/zJzF6Rh3jC
So many cinematic stories that illuminate the LGBTQ experience in Mexico, Central and Latin America have been coming out this past year and it’s glorious to see. Joining them at the end of January, is “José,” the Guatemalan film, described as “a gripping, layered and beautifully honest story about one working class young man’s struggle to find himself.”
Among the honors bestowed on the film was the prestigious Queer Lion award at the Venice film festival in 2018. José opens Jan. 31 at the Quad Cinema in New York, followed by the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles and Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center on Feb. 7 then on to various cities from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale to Tempe, AZ. For more visit: www.outsiderpictures.us/movie/jose/
Unfortunately, its opening has been marred by the fact that the film’s star, newcomer Enrique Salanic, has not received permission to travel the U.S. which the film’s distributor, Outsider Pictures, calls unfair and an example of political bias.
“This film is powerful in the way it shines a light on the heartbreak of having to choose between family and love. It’s sad and unfortunate that Salanic, who is so wonderful as José and who has lived and studied in the United States, may not be allowed to help introduce his film, like so many actors and artists visiting the U.S.,” said Monica Trasandes, Director of Spanish-Language & Latinx Media at GLAAD.
The titular character, José, struggles with the desire to help the mother and family that both love and need him with the desire to live openly. Subtle references to evangelical religion, which some argue the U.S. helped strengthen in Central America in the 1980s, are included in various scenes. By including this powerful cultural influence and depicting the pressures of poverty and homophobia, the film explores how difficult it can be to do something that seems so simple to those living in more affluent worlds: be with the person you love.
Director Li Cheng and producer George F. Roberson lived in Guatemala 2 years, according to press materials, and shaped the story’s narrative by interviewing hundreds of young people in 12 Latin American countries. They asked interviewees to answer three questions: “Which person are you closest to in your life?” “What’s your most unforgettable memory?” “Have you been in love?” Cheng summarized the film by saying, “José is about family, work, struggle, love and loss – and finally it’s about one man’s search for “self” and the search for Guatemala’s future.”
The film’s story is particularly relevant in a time when many of the refugees who have fled to the United States from Central America are LGBTQ, and have had to leave their families and communities in order to save their lives. Groups along the border are trying to help the LGBTQ migrants who, along with adults and kids fleeing violence and poverty, live in makeshift camps along the border and are barely surviving.
New doc explores the super-gay history of the International Male Catalog
Before there were Instagays and overtly gay underwear brands, the International Male catalog offered a somewhat coded window into homoeroticism, and the company behind it was happy to reap the rewards.
A new documentary titled All Man: The International MaleStory explores the catalog’s history, beginning in the 1970s and peaking in the ’90s when roughly three million copies were mailed out each quarter. At that time, annual revenue exceeded $100 million.
Drag Queens to Appear in Super Bowl Commercial for First Time: WATCH
RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Miz Cracker and Kim Chi are set to star in a Super Bowl commercial for Sabra hummus, in what is the first appearance by drag queens in an ad during sports’ biggest night on February 2.
The brand released three teasers this week and the others starred rapper T-Pain, and Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo.
Said Sabra to AdWeek: “We’re bringing a diverse group of personalities to the table and demonstrating just how incredibly versatile, relevant and relatable hummus is today. We think we’ve got something for everyone.”
Marketing strategist Bob Witeck told NBC News: “For queer audiences, it is an art form and an ‘outsiders’ language. Reaching the Super Bowl means taking our language into every home in the nation and millions around the world. The Super Bowl is the ultimate test, when you can take chances like this and realize that the fear of drag is nothing people imagined it to be. It’s us telling our own joke about ourselves, with a sense of humor and authenticity … with luck, everyone laughs with us.”
Eminem shares his Grindr photo, Grindr messages back
Grindr pulled an “I don’t know her” on Eminem after the rapper swapped out Tinder for Grindr in his version of the popular Dolly Parton Challenge.
Here’s Em’s tweet, showing the photos he could use as profile pics on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Grindr — the last of which is a 1999 David LaChapelle portrait of a nude Slim Shady gripping a suggestively placed stick of dynamite.
“It’s astonishing, really, that after 30 years in the game Eminem, who began rapping when he was 14, still hasn’t found a new insult,” The Independent’s Roisin O’Connor observed at the time.
In the same Vulture interview, however, the 15-time Grammy winner contended he doesn’t have a homophobic bone in his body:
So when I started getting flack for it, I thought, Alright, you people think I’m homophobic? Watch this. Hence the Ken Kaniff character and all that stuff. I was trying to push the buttons of people who were calling me something that I wasn’t. The honest-to-God truth is that none of that matters to me: I have no issue with someone’s sexuality, religion, race, none of that. Anyone who’s followed my music knows I’m against bullies — that’s why I hate that f*cking bully Trump.
French Rugby Team Awards New Contract to Israel Folau, Who Said ‘Hell Awaits All Homosexuals’
The French rugby team Catalans Dragons has signed Israel Folau, who was canned by Rugby Australian after remarks on social media that “Hell awaits all homosexuals” (among other anti-LGTBQ statements) to a one-year contract.
The Dragons organization said it wanted to give Folau a “new opportunity to shine.”
The move has inspired outrage in rugby circles, The Guardian reports: “This deep-rooted concern is echoed by many within rugby league, who fear the arrival of Folau could cause significant PR damage for the sport. Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) made it abundantly clear in the wake of Folau’s dismissal by Rugby Australia that he would not be registered in their competition moving forward – but the RFL instead have opted not to block the signature.”
In April, Rugby Australia said it was terminating Folau’s contract after the player posted a meme to Instagram that said Hell awaits all homosexuals. Folau challenged the firing and the “code of conduct” panel was assembled.
Said Rugby Australia at the time: “Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Rugby Union have made repeated attempts to contact Israel both directly and via his representatives since 6.30pm on Wednesday, and at this point he has failed to communicate directly with either organisation. Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport. We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts.”
Said Folau in his GoFundMe message: “I believe that sharing the Bible is an act of love and compassion. I know some people do not like or believe in the Bible. Indeed, what makes our country so wonderful is that we have such a diverse community made up of so many different cultures and values. But my faith defines me as a person. I do not believe that it is fair or right that I be punished for my religious beliefs. Sadly, after I uploaded the messages from the Bible, my employers, Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW, tore up my employment contract. As a result, I have lost my job, my livelihood, and the ability to play for my country. It looks like I will never be allowed to play rugby in this country again.”
You may recall that Folau was nearly expelled from the sport in 2018 after a series of similar homophobic actions.
Folau, a devout Christian raised as a Mormon who converted to the Assemblies of God fellowship with his family in 2011, made headlines in September 2017 during Australia’s debate over same-sex marriage, when he tweeted, “I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions. but personally, I will not support gay marriage.”
One year ago in April 2018, Folau replied to a follower in an Instagram post who asked, “what was gods plan for gay people?”
In the comments section of the post, Folau, who plays for New South Wales Waratahs, replied, “HELL.. Unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.”
Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Waratahs, for which Folau plays, said they would seek an explanation from Folau and denounced the player.
Rugby Australia declined to punish Folau, though its inclusion policy states: “Rugby has and must continue to be a sport where players, officials, volunteers, supporters and administrators have the right and freedom to participate regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race or religion and without fear of exclusion. There is no place for homophobia or any form of discrimination in our game and our actions and words both on and off the field must reflect this.”
The video featured a sermon by evangelical preacher David Wilkerson and footage of a Pride march where Christian street preachers were being protested, and a clip of the White House lit in rainbow colors against narration that said, “Now is the time to get right with God because this generation has lost the fear of God. There’s no fear of God left in the land.”
Said Folau, according to The Telegraph: “In Australia, this past couple of weeks, with all the natural disasters, the bushfires and the droughts. God’s word says for a man and a woman to be together, one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage to be together. Abortion, it’s OK now to murder, kill infants, unborn children. Look how rapid these bushfires, these droughts, all these things have come in a short period of time. Do you think it’s a coincidence or not? God is speaking to you guys. Australia you need to repent and take these laws and turn it back to what is right by God.”
In December, 2019, released a statement following a settlement with Rugby Australia.
The New Zealand Herald reported: “The 30-year-old was after $14 million in compensation for wrongful termination after RA sacked him for a code of conduct breach when he said on Instagram earlier this year “hell awaits” gay people. RA was determined to hold its ground as mediation ordered by the Federal Circuit Court began this week and a marathon 12-hour session on Monday failed to yield a result as both sides remained at loggerheads. However, on Wednesday afternoon, Folau and RA released a joint statement saying they had reached an agreement, settling for a confidential amount.”
A ridiculous and frankly unbelievable joint statement released by Folau and Rugby Australia read: “Mr Folau wants all Australians to know that he does not condone discrimination of any kind against any person on the grounds of their sexuality and that he shares Rugby Australia’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity.”
HRC TO HONOR WRITER, ACTOR AND PRODUCER DAN LEVY (@danjlevy) AT THE 2020 LOS ANGELES DINNER: “Through his advocacy, his creative leadership, and his hilarious, authentic portrayal as David Rose on Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy is moving LGBTQ visibility forward by inspiring us to embrace all of who we are, ” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). Read more from HRC, People, The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly.
I hope to find the words to properly articulate my gratitude by the time we sit down to dinner. For now, I will simply say thank you, @HRC. This means so much. x t.co/N0dI8smrhG
HRC PRESIDENT ALPHONSO DAVID ATTENDS SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT ACCLAIMED NEW DOCUMENTARY “WELCOME TO CHECHNYA”: He joined filmmaker David France (@welcomechechnya), Color of Change President Rashad Robinson (@rashadrobinson), and people featured in the film to talk about the deadly “cleansing” campaign and what activists are doing to stop it. Read more from HRC, The Wrap and Indie Wire.
30 MAJOR VIRGINIA EMPLOYERS SEND LETTER TO VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS CALLING FOR COMPREHENSIVE LGBTQ NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS & PASSAGE OF “VIRGINIA VALUES ACT”: “These protections are good for business, good for tourism, good for the economy, and most importantly, vital for the 250,000+ LGBTQ adults living in Virginia,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “It’s heartening to see so many Virginia businesses publicly support these protections and push for equality for all.” Read more from HRC.
TUESDAY TWEET — LATE NIGHT’S LILLY SINGH (@Lilly) ON COMING OUT AS BISEXUAL IN THE PAST YEAR & IMPORTANCE OF LGBTQ REPRESENTATION: Watch here.
— A Little Late With Lilly Singh (@latewithlilly) January 22, 2020
APPLETON, WISCONSIN PROTECTS LGBTQ YOUTH FROM SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY”: More from Associated Press.
GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!
AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER RICHIE JACKSON (@Richie_Jackson) TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK WITH HRC FOUNDATION BOARD CO-CHAIR JODIE PATTERSON (@jodie_GeorgiaNY): “Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son” is being released today. More from HRC.
S.N.L. STAR BOWEN YANG OPENS UP ABOUT SURVIVING SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY”: More from The New York Times.
Thank you to Bowen Yang for speaking so openly about his experience enduring so-called “conversion therapy.” LGBTQ youth do not need to be “cured,” and this debunked practice should be prohibited in all communities. t.co/ZYkvFn0Xvd
Queer guy gets revenge on school bully… by having sex with his dad
Nathan Pearson performs at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, NY (Photo: YouTube)
A comedy sketch is racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. Queer comic Nathan Pearson performed the routine at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on January, 16, as part of the ‘Characters Welcome’ solo monologue showcase. It was posted to YouTube on Friday.
In the routine, he plays the role of ‘David’: someone who comes across an old high school bully in the home of one of his sexual conquests. It turns out he’s just had sex with the father of his old tormentor.
He takes delight in informing his old school chum exactly what he and pa have been doing with one another. Pearson’s facial expressions are nothing short of genius, and it’s worth watching to the end for the punchline.
It uses plenty of not-safe-for-work-language, so watch with discretion!
The fantasy revenge has prompted a huge response, with some sharing their own tales of running into former school bullies.
On Instagram, @vscott333 commented on Pearson’s page, “LOVE THIS!! My high school bully was a girl. She recently was in the front row of one of my drag shows. I threw her a little shade during my performance. At first she was smiling. Then her face changed… lol. and she had no idea who I was.”
On YouTube, another viewer, @TheOnionQueen, said, “This is so inspirational. New life goal is to find the parents of all the kids that used to bully me for being queer and top them!”
One other said this had actually happened to him.
“I did f**k my bully’s dad. He was also my college professor,” said Judd Palmer. “It’s not like I knew who he was to begin with it was after two weeks he wanted me to meet his son and it turned out to be the homophobic prick that was my high school bully.”
Pearson told Queerty he was surprised at the sketch’s popularity and “how it’s resonating with people!” He said he’d been inspired by his own experiences of being bullied in high school and college.
