Beep, beep! Today we’re talking to Erin Davies the lady who drives the now rainbow colored Fagbug! Erin turned her Volkswagen Beetle that had been vandalized with the word “Fag” into an art project and tours the country documenting people’s reactions to the unusual automobile.

Erin Davies has driven her Fagbug all over the continental United States.

Despite the challenges of naysayers, Erin finished the documentary and she’s here today to talk about why her community railed against her, life on the road and meeting thousands of people from all walks of life who shared their own stories of surviving hateful attacks.

Listen to Erin’s amazing story and find out what’s next for the unstoppable Fagbug.

Plus-

A New Jersey bridal shop refuses to sell a wedding gown to lesbian bride.

Will voters overlook or embrace Michelle Bachmann’s horrific ties to a convicted terrorist involved in the Ugandan Kill Gays Movement?

And congratulations to Chely Wright, the country music star and her lover tied the knot.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please help keep Feast of Fun alive so we can bring more shows for years to come. Donate

[Originally posted on 08.23.11]

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Although nothing can compare to the thrill of going for the gold at the Winter Olympics, for speed skater Blake Skjellerup fighting for equality in his native New Zealand really gets him going.

Taste the rainbow.

The campaign was a huge success and over three thousand people sent letters to the Prime Minister urging him to meet with Blake, which he then did!

Now, Blake is touring across New Zealand and stopping at school to talk about acceptance and diversity.

Listen as we talk with Blake about his intense training regimen, getting on the box of Fruity Cheerios, meeting Justin Bieber, who has the best ass in sports, and what it’s like being the only openly gay man in the Olympic Village.

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One ringy-dingy to rule them all. Why would anyone want AT&T to become telecom-titan once again? What does Lily Tomlin have to say about all this?

The battle to protect Network Neutrality is raging. Millions of people are up in arms over the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile, because it will leave just two large companies in control of the Internet and mobile broadband. Tech experts insist the merger will create higher prices, poorer service, the loss of thousands of jobs and most importantly, threaten free speech and openness on the wireless web.

AT&T has been fighting hard to convince the FCC to allow the merger and they’ve aggressively courted dozens of civil rights groups across the country to endorse it by promising increased functionality and speed, despite their dismal past record. Today the U.S. ranks 15th in the world in Internet speed and access, behind most European countries, South Korea and Japan.

One unusual LGBT rights group endorsing the merger is the Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD. Their support of the merger is seen by many as a misguided attempt to curry favor with board members and one of their largest sponsors, AT&T.

Join us as we talk to-

Timothy Karr the Campaign Director for Save The Internet a non-profit coalition of over 2 million people seeking to protect Internet freedom.

Daniel Villareal, Queerty’s new day editor covering the story.

And Jarrett Barios, the President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation about the groups’ controversial support of the merger.

Listen as we try to convince Jarret Barios and GLAAD to reconsider withdrawing their support.

Plus, will the negative backlash over GLAAD’s support of their corporate overlords overshadow its important work with traditional media creators?

And what your Internet experience will look like in the future if we lose Net Neutrality.

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Eric Himan – Everywhere All at Once: iTunes | Amazon

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The European Council on Human Rights may have ruled that the Russian people have a right to hold a Pride Parade, but that didn’t stop the authorities in Moscow from banning it anyway by claiming they couldn’t protect the parade participants from the haters.

Dan Choi gets beaten up. In Russia you don't march in Pride Parade, Pride Parade marches on you.

But, the march was a huge success not only at an international level, but it also drew an unprecedented amount of attention from the Russian media, which here until now largely ignored the struggle for gay rights in the land of Tchaikovsky.

Today, Andy Thayer joins us fresh from his return from Russia (with love) to share his amazing story of participating in the Pride Parade and what it was like to face down hunky but violent Russian police officers and fascists.

Listen to today’s show to hear what Sir Ian McClellan had to say about the parade and find out what Adam Lambert tweeted while performing in Moscow on that very day.

Plus-

Sarah Palin’s tour bus gets tagged.

Shep Smiths’ struggles to wrap his head around Wiener’s wang.

Civil Unions go live in Illinois.

And boy are we maad at GLAAD and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce! Why are two of the nation’s largest gay lobby groups endorsing the AT&T merger, a move that’s most likely against their own interests?

Tom Goss: iTunes

Must have something to do with that white dragon.

Pete Subkoviak, health advocate, blogger for Lifelube, and policy coordinator at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago joins us to talk about fighting homophobia, in obvious and not so obvious ways. Next week in Chicago, Lifelube is holding a public discussion on fighting hate and bigotry, and they want to hear your ideas on what works.

Pete also shares with us his own experience in being a trans guy, and how he got the support from his family to transition at the young age of 18.

Plus we take a look at some trans guy myths and legends, like why so many guys choose the name Bastain or Sebastian and what part the film “The Never Ending Story” has in choosing that name.

In the 90s gay men protested by sewing their mouths shut, instead of today where just get to use duct tape.

Republicans completely ignore the bad economy and take us back to the early 90s as they attack the Smithsonian for daring to show art made by radical gay men like- Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp and Grant Wood. On World AIDS Day, the museum caves into pressure from religious hate groups by removing a work by late artist David Wojnarowicz that criticizes the church’s inaction in the 80s to help people with AIDS.

Peter Pan and Pirates.

Talk on the taboo word tranny.

Foods that naturally enhance the testosterone in your body.

And a new study finds mercury poisoning makes some birds go gay.

[Originally posted on 12.02.10]

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One of the biggest challenges facing marriage equality anywhere is that legislators often overlook divorce and international law in their good faith attempts to bring equality to same sex couples.

When it comes to divorce, it’s not always clear how to split up the assets, or who gets custody of the children and when one country calls the union marriage and the other a civil partnership or union you may not even be able to get a divorce.

Today’s show is all about Gay Divorce. One of our long time listeners, Wayne Hicks who was born in Canada, found love and had a Civil Partnership in the UK. Later he and his partner Gerdado moved back to Canada and found himself in legal limbo when a fight erupted between them that led to Wayne being tossed out on the street without legal protection because their union was called a partnership and not a marriage.

Why can’t two countries with relative marriage equality see eye to eye?

Join us for this plus-

Why is Pete Burns so obessed with his piercings and body modification, and giving unusual short interviews?

The botox mom loses custody of her child.

And a new Princess Diana documentary, paid for by Dodi Alfayed’s father, re-opens the possibility she was killed by British monarchy.

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first AIDS diagnosis in the U.S.

It’s difficult to measure the devastating impact AIDS has had on humanity, not just the horrors of the disease itself but the inadequate response of governments and health care institutions to this incredible loss of life.

Gay activism in 1988. This poster could have been made yesterday, and yet, we've come a long way baby.

Today, we take a look at three decades of AIDS with David Ernesto Munar, the newly appointed President and CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. David got involved in the fight against AIDS at a very young age, and has seen our struggles and triumphs through the years as he’s risen through the ranks.

Most recently, young people have taken to digital media by storm as a way to inspire each other and find all kinds of information on how to create gay straight alliances or at schools.

The benefits of this are profound as studies show that LGBT people who’ve undergone severe trauma as a result of bullying are more likely to become HIV positive.

Listen as we talk about—

What it’s like for a gay man to discover he’s HIV positive today.

The Religious Right’s efforts to stop anti-bullying programs in schools.

You Will Rise- an online art therapy program for victims of bullying.

And Freddie Mercury- if he were alive today would he have done an amazing collaboration with Lady Gaga?

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s Spring Luncheon is on Monday, May 2, 2011, with keynote speaker Dan Savage, who along with his husband, founded It Gets Better. Mr. Savage will talk about how bullying impacts depression, suicide, and other HIV-related risk-taking behaviors among LGBT youth.

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With a daily dose of Feast of Fun, you can overcome practically anything.

A battle is erupting over a new way to prevent HIV infections.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation launched a national ad campaign to discredit PrEP or Pre Exposure Prophylaxis, a new HIV prevention technique that involves taking Truvada (an existing HIV medication) on a daily basis.

Last time there was a lot of fuss over a little blue pill, Bob Dole was doing Viagra ads on TV.

But by taking this medication prior to getting exposed to HIV people at high risk could increase their chances for staying negative by as much as 73% in some cases.

Why is the leadership of the nation’s largest AIDS organization arguing against a treatment that could potentially save millions of gay men from becoming HIV positive?

Today, gay men’s health advocate, Jim Pickett, from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, joins us to explain the controversy surrounding this new treatment, and the possible reasons it may be misunderstood.

Jim answers all your questions on health, STD’s and HIV.

Plus- all the hot news:

Chin-AIDS — is there a new form of HIV in China or is this just a manifestation of the anxiety Chinese people have over their bodies?

Doctors hope to get Congress to lift the ban on HIV positive organ donors to save the lives of other HIV positive patients.

and talk about hackers, a 75 year old woman from Eastern Europe took down the Internet for 3.2 million people in three countries by literally hacking a cable in the woods with her shovel.

Visit our sponsors:

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In Russia Gay Pride Parade marches on you! A very brave Nikolai Alexeyev faces jeers and police harassment during a Pride celebration in Moscow.

For the last six years, people in Russia have defied government bans and faced police beatings and arrests to hold gay pride parades. In Russia, gay pride parade marches on you. What a country!

Nikolai and a friend dress up as a bride and groom to confuse the police. 10 years from now people will complain about all the drag queens at Pride Parades.

Today we’re talking to gay rights activist and unofficial gay ambassador for Russia, Nikolai Alexeyev about the recent landmark win in the European Court of Human Rights that re-affirmed their constitutional right to march and gave his organization $40k in damages!

In an effort to get him to drop the suit and intimidate him, Nikolai was detained, drugged and ditched on the side of the road by the police. Incredibly, he used his iPad’s geolocation map to discover that he was some 200 miles from home. There is an app for that! He’s now touring the U.S. to rally support for their first “legal” Pride celebration in Russia this May.

Will Elton John keep his promise and Grand Marshall the first ever Russian Pride Parade?

Listen to the Nikolai’s incredible story on how he’s fighting for equality in Russia and he drops a bombshell that your favorite celebrity may be getting rich by secretly performing for the obscenely super-wealthy, anti-gay tyrants in Russia.

Also, joining us is Gay Liberation Network’s Andy Thayer who recently held a major demonstration against the Chicago archdiocese for actively lobbying politicians to deny gay people equality.

Plus- get inside the 007 top secret world of Russian gay rights activists, why are there no openly gay musicians, artists, actors or celebrities in Russia? And how drag queens in Russia tuck away their sexual orientation from the public eye. Acting!

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One of the most controversial guests we’ve ever had on this show is Shirley Phelps Roeper, the matriarch of the Westboro Baptist Church, the group best known for picketing funerals of dead soldiers by holding up signs saying “God Hates F*gs.”

One consequence of the Church getting so much negative media attention at these awful protests, is, believe it or not, the advancement of LGBT equality because their hate-mongering forces people to either side with them or stand up for LGBT rights. There’s no sitting on the fence. So are these guys nuts or are they pulling the ultimate prank by exposing hypocrisy and religion as a tool for discrimination?

Shirley and Margie Phelps talk to the press in front of the Supreme Court.

Their spat with Anonymous started when a message was posted on Anonymous’ blog warning the Westboro Baptist Church to cool their rhetoric or get hacked, but the church responded- do your worst, we can’t be shut up. Anonymous then denied the blog post was official even though they later did manage to hack into the site.

Anonymous Bitch Slaps the Westboro Baptist Church - click here to read the letter.

But, Shirley Phelps Roeper says the Church has no plans to sue any hacker and would only like to thank them for all the attention.

She’s also pleased as punch that her First Amendment court case involving the protest at the military funeral made it all the way to the Supreme Court and you’ll love hearing what particular protest sign made arch-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s blood boil.

Plus:

Does God Hate Wikileaks? Starbucks? Wisconsin? Unions??

Why does Shirley Phelps spank her kids?

What does she think of the Oscars?

And we take your questions.

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India's First Gay Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil

Prince Manvendra and Oprah Winfrey - photo: Harpo Studios

At the time, homosexuality was illegal in India due to stifling laws imposed during British colonialism. But, last year, the anti-sodomy laws were finally struck down and now a gay rights movement is blossoming in the land of the Kama Sutra.

One of Oprah’s favorite guests, Prince Manvendra, is now a gay rights leader, a health advocate and he recently launched a new gay magazine called “Fun,” in a culture that doesn’t even have a word for gay.

Listen as Prince Manvendra joins us in person from our home studio and shares with us his remarkable life on being India’s first out gay prince and gay life in India

Featured Music:
TINA – So Good (feat. Fat Joe): iTunes

[display_podcast]

Smart, funny and sassy, Elizabeth Pisani is a superstar in the HIV/AIDS healthcare crisis. As an independent researcher, Elizabeth has interviewed hundreds of sex workers all around the world to figure out how best to fight sexually transmitted diseases.

And she has come up with some surprising results- in Southern Africa, the biggest HIV risk for men is to get married, but in Southeast Asia, the more sex that women have before marriage, the less likely HIV infections will occur overall.

It’s not always obvious how to reduce HIV infections and that’s why Elizabeth fights to make sure that good research gets translated into good government policy.

At the TED “ideas worth spreading” conference, Elizabeth dazzled the audience of influential people working in technology, entertainment and design by bringing up the idea that a great way to develop policy is to look at things from the point of view of people at risk- sex workers, drug users and gay men.

Today Elizabeth joins us to talk about her fabulous book “The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS” If you’re interested in sex, drugs and taxes, you owe it to yourself to read her remarkable book.

Listen as Elizabeth answers questions from you on her research, how she builds trust with sex workers, why junkies choose to put themselves at risk and share needles, why banning prostitution can be bad for women and how to navigate your slut phase.

Visit our sponsors:

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
“How are you healthy?” Send in your answers
and join more than 100 men who have already
shared their secrets.

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Must have something to do with that white dragon.

Pete Subkoviak, health advocate, blogger for Lifelube, and policy coordinator at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago joins us to talk about fighting homophobia, in obvious and not so obvious ways. Next week in Chicago, Lifelube is holding a public discussion on fighting hate and bigotry, and they want to hear your ideas on what works.

Pete also shares with us his own experience in being a trans guy, and how he got the support from his family to transition at the young age of 18.

Plus we take a look at some trans guy myths and legends, like why so many guys choose the name Bastain or Sebastian and what part the film “The Never Ending Story” has in choosing that name.

In the 90s gay men protested by sewing their mouths shut, instead of today where just get to use duct tape.

Republicans completely ignore the bad economy and take us back to the early 90s as they attack the Smithsonian for daring to show art made by radical gay men like- Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp and Grant Wood. On World AIDS Day, the museum caves into pressure from religious hate groups by removing a work by late artist David Wojnarowicz that criticizes the church’s inaction in the 80s to help people with AIDS.

Peter Pan and Pirates.

Talk on the taboo word tranny.

Foods that naturally enhance the testosterone in your body.

And a new study finds mercury poisoning makes some birds go gay.

Featured Music:
Cosmo Jarvis – Gay Pirates: ITunes

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Even Cher is sometimes flabbergasted by her own career.

Burlesque may not have done well in theaters on its opening weekend, but the delightfully divalicous romp through world of a fantasy burlesque theater is a hit with gay men and drag queens everywhere.

Comparisons between Burlesque and Paul Verhoeven’s camp catastrophe hit-film Showgirls are inevitable, but while Showgirls is a roller coaster of decadent madness, Burlesque is merry-go-round and your stuck on the pony that doesn’t go up or down- pleasant but not thrilling.

Sure the music is fun, and as Nomi Malone would say, “it doesn’t suck” but the film really seems like a long playing Christina Aguilera music video with Cher making a special appearance. Expect to see hoards of drag queens lip synching the movie to death in the bars for years to come.

Join us today as we talk about Cher, Christina, the new Hollywood hunk Cam Gigandet’s hot box of cookies that’ll turn anyone into a cookie monster and why Alan Cumming’s scenes in the film went straight to DVD.

We very happy that Cam Gigandet enjoys playing characters that wear very little clothing.

Anti-Gay Religious Group Watchdog Wayne Besen

Wayne gives us an update on George “Carry My Luggage” Rekers, Dr. Laura’s so called new talk show, the future of Anti-Gay iPhone apps and what was the top anti-gay news story of the year?

PLUS:

Gaga-flage: how to use a Lady Gaga CD to steal top government secrets.

Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian will die for AIDS.

And surely you can’t be serious? Comedic legend Leslie Nielsen passed away from pneumonia, he was 84.

Don’t call me shirley.

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Money is no object when it comes to stopping gay rights in Russia.

Even though the Russian constitution guarantees the right to assembly, Moscow’s corrupt mayor has over the past five years spent a lot of resources trying to stop the city’s annual Gay Pride Parade.

Fear of a Soviet style beat down hasn’t stopped people from having their celebration, and it hasn’t stopped local Chicago activist Andy Thayer from flying to Russia to joining them.

How did the Russian gay rights activists outwit the police? By setting up a smart mob! Listen to today’s show to hear the fascinating details on how they did it and for all the hot news and trends.

A sign up sheet stolen at a gay kiss-in at a Mexican Restaurant has resulted in many activists getting menacing phone calls.

A man in Dubai demands that a court test him to prove if he’s gay or not.

BP’s attempts to silence a parody twitter account backfires, and now the account is more popular than ever. Shouldn’t they be more worried about cleaning up the spill in the Gulf?

NASA’s miniature art museum of modern art on the moon.

And if your favorite website was a drug, what kind of drug would it be?

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Join us at Pridefest Milwaukee
Over over a hundred and fifty acts including Kathy Griffin,
Patti LaBelle, and Joan Rivers! Visit Pridefest.com today
to get your tickets and book your hotel room.

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Being born into a famous family is never easy, so it’s refreshing to hear that James Duke Mason, the son of 80s pop star Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s, and grandson of Hollywood actor James Mason is not only well adjusted, he’s fabulously gay.

Duke (as he likes to be called) came out at the age of 14 when he pitched a fit because his mom said she was too busy to take him to see the iconic gay film, Brokeback Mountain. Since then, he’s gotten politically active by working for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and video blogging on YouTube where he enthusiastically spreads a message of pride.

Here is a photo of Duke taken at a pool party with actor Ryan Phillippe. Want to know what transpired during this party? Listen to the show and find out.

This fall, Duke is moving to Los Angeles where he plans on studying film-making and politics with the hopes of bringing a new energy to the gay rights movement.

Today Duke talks with us over the Internet from his home in the south of France. Listen as we talk to Duke about his film debut in You Can’t Have it All, his mom’s new autobiography, “Lips Unsealed: A Memoir,”where she admits it was cool in the 80s to kiss girls, and why he took down most of his YouTube videos.

Duke has some strong words for closeted gay celebrities and politicians and addresses head-on why some young people must embrace the label of being gay.

Check out today’s sponsor:

Join us at Pridefest Milwaukee
Over over a hundred and fifty acts including Kathy Griffin,
Patti LaBelle, and Joan Rivers! Visit Pridefest.com today
to get your tickets and book your hotel room.

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In October of 2009 the National Equality March brought over 200,000 people from all across the land to the nation’s capitol to demand the federal government put gay rights on the top of their list.

Since then, the movement is at a crossroads- we have the people, the money, and the will, but there is a raging debate on how best to proceed.

Today we have the the cute and fabulous Nik Maciejewski, project coordinator for Equality Across America, the gay rights group that emerged from the historic march. He’s here to talk about how to keep the equality movement diverse and at the same time unified.

Listen as we talk about the vital issues that must be addressed. And wouldn’t it just be easier to hire Lady Gaga to become the MLK for gays?

Hot news:

Everyone do what Cyndi Lauper says and go to We Give a Damn.

The Chicago Free Press, one of Chicago’s longtime gay newspapers, stops publishing, announcing the owner will no longer run the business due to what he calls health problems, or what others call a hangover.

Sir Elton John told to stay out of the Egypt for supporting gay rights.

A sailor ends up going in circles for hours and didn’t even know it.

And a woman chews off a man’s ear after he calls her fat. How about that?

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Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
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Smart, funny and sassy, Elizabeth Pisani is a superstar in the HIV/AIDS healthcare crisis. As an independent researcher, Elizabeth has interviewed hundreds of sex workers all around the world to figure out how best to fight sexually transmitted diseases.

And she has come up with some surprising results- in Southern Africa, the biggest HIV risk for men is to get married, but in Southeast Asia, the more sex that women have before marriage, the less likely HIV infections will occur overall.

It’s not always obvious how to reduce HIV infections and that’s why Elizabeth fights to make sure that good research gets translated into good government policy.

At the TED “ideas worth spreading” conference, Elizabeth dazzled the audience of influential people working in technology, entertainment and design by bringing up the idea that a great way to develop policy is to look at things from the point of view of people at risk- sex workers, drug users and gay men.

Today Elizabeth joins us to talk about her fabulous book “The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS” If you’re interested in sex, drugs and taxes, you owe it to yourself to read her remarkable book.

Listen as Elizabeth answers questions from you on her research, how she builds trust with sex workers, why junkies choose to put themselves at risk and share needles, why banning prostitution can be bad for women and how to navigate your slut phase.

Visit our sponsors:

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
“How are you healthy?” Send in your answers
and join more than 100 men who have already
shared their secrets.

Featured Book:
Elizabeth Pisani – The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS: Amazon

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For gay, lesbian, bi and trans folks the internet has become a vital tool for making political activism more effective. How can you leverage the power of group blogs to get your message out?

Today, we continue our series of interviews with well-known bloggers with long-time LGBT activist and political writer, Bil Browning. He’s the founder and Editor in Chief of the Bilerico Project, one of the nation’s top LGBT community blogs.

Bill works with hundreds of writers to inform and bring about social change by pressuring companies and politicians to stop their hateful practices.

One powerful moment came last year as the Bilerico Project came under attack by the lawyers for RockStar Energy drink for posting an opinion piece about the companies ties to radio hatemonger Michael Savage.

Instead of backing down, Bilerico opened up a can of gay whoop ass, launching a successful boycott of the sugary caffeinated beverage which lead to the company cutting its financial ties to the talk radio host and donating overt 100,000 dollars to further LGBT causes. That’s how you do it!

Listen as we chat with Bil about why bloggers and musicians stay in the closet, the blog swarm targeted at HRC and when to pull the plug on a hot discussion that goes too far.

Plus, what will happen to the Indiana seat now that Senator Bayh has decided not to run for re-election? Also, the changing face of journalism and we even manage to get out of Bil his drag name!

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A recent poll by the New York Times shows that 71 percent of the American public support “gay men and lesbians” to serve openly in the military. President Obama has vowed to repeal the ban and even Admiral Mike Mullen the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff supports the lift, saying that service members should not be forced to “lie about who they are.”

Even Colin Powell, who as former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993 advocated for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” now supports the lift saying “attitudes and circumstances have changed.”

Everyone except conservative politicians want to repeal the military’s ban. So why is progress on this issue moving so slowly? And more importantly what are the human costs to our service men and women?

Today we’re talking to former Naval Petty Officer, Second Class Sean Niven. We first spoke to Sean anonymously, under the name “Joel,” five years ago while he was serving in the navy on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) the original nuclear-powered aircraft vessel that inspired the name of the starship Enterprise in the popular TV and movie series Star Trek.

Sean joins us to tell us some tragic stories of two men who suffered and died under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and his own personal loss with the unjust policy.

Listen to this an all the hot news:

Susan Sarandon is puked on by a New York City drag queen.

Apple cracks down on sexy apps from the iTunes music store, pulling over 5000 apps in one week for what they call “overtly sexual content.” Male physique apps like Hunk du Jour are gone while more explicit “Playboy” and PlayGirl apps are still available. Why the inconsistency? What’s wrong with the Parental Controls?

Huey Lewis is the World.

The Tickle Cock Bridge is saved

And another win for a Facebook groups- rumors are flying that Betty White may host a Women of Comedy special on Saturday Night Live.

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Robert German – Sirens of Brooklyn: iTunes | Amazon | Site

2009 was a tough year. Major setbacks in marriage equality, corrupt banks, derailed health care reform, and little support for gay rights from President Obama left millions of Americans asking where’s the hope?

And now in Federal Courts in California, a showdown on gay marriage is underway. Is it doomed like the vote for gay marriage in Maine?

Chicago gay rights activist Andy Thayer of Gay Liberation Network joins us with some bold solutions to our biggest problems. Plus, he’s got breaking news on Boystown most corrupt cop- Officer Fiorito.

Sources inside the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez leaked to Andy that Ms. Alvarez will not prosecute the creep for framing gay people with false DUI charges just to rake in overtime to pad his big fat pockets.

Also- Sarah Palin gets a job as a commentator on Fox, surprising no one.

The incredible shrinking gay journalist.

A real-life Mrs. Robinson, Tranny Neanderthals and Mr. Gay China.

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Please nominate us in the 2010 Weblogs Awards for Best GLBT Blog and Best Community Blog. You have to scroll to the right on the website to vote, but it’s really easy to do and we would really appreciate your vote.

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Matt Alber – Hide Nothing: iTunes | Amazon

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It’s World AIDS Day, the international day of remembrance which raises awareness about the AIDS pandemic and honors the struggles and triumphs of people living with HIV.

Today we’re talking to groundbreaking actor and activist Michael Kearns.

In the mid 70s, long before coming out of the closet was considered a career move in Hollywood, Michael Kearns was famous for becoming the out gay model and spokesperson for the popular book, “The Happy Hustler” even though he didn’t write it.

Prompted by the AIDS-related death of “Midnight Express” star Brad Davis in 1991, Michael made history when came forward on television as being HIV positive at a time when so many people were afraid to divulge their status.

He later appeared on the TV shows Life Goes On and Beverly Hills 90210 as a man living with HIV.

Today Michael is re-staging his one man show “Intimacies’” for a 20 year anniversary tour. The show features six characters identified by the placement of a red scarf to tell six diferent monolouges on the AIDS crisis of the early 80s. Never in the history of theater has a red scarf meant so much!

Listen as Michael Kearns talks with us about why he came forward back then, why Hollywood still has a long way to go when embracing gay men and he reveals the juicy details of an affair he had with a major music celebrity.

Who was it? Listen to today’s show and find out. And we mean out.

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Featured Books:
Grant Tracy Saxon- The Happy Hustler: My Own Story: Amazon
Michael Kearns- The Solo Performer’s Journey: From the Page to the Stage: Amazon
Michael Kearns- T-Cells & Sympathy: Monologues in the Age of Aids: Amazon

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Marc Felion, Jim Bennett and Fausto Fernós - photo by Fausto Fernós

The setbacks from the last two elections and President Obama’s sluggish pace on gay rights have made many people lose the audacity of hope for change. Is it too late to say “Yes We Can?”

With so much at stake what’s there to laugh about?

Jim Bennet of GayCo, the gay sketch comedy troupe that sprouted from Second City is back with a new show- “The Audacity of Nope- or How I fell for a Pansy Scheme.” The skits touch on the feelings of many who worked in earnest to get Obama elected who now feel like they’ve been duped. Does President Obama’s voice sound like Ron Popeil’s for a reason?

As the Midwest Regional Director for Lamdba Legal- Jim also shares with us his own insights into the political climate.— into the progress for change and the recent failure and triumph in gay rights.

Listen as we talk about what everybody’s talking about:

Microsoft’s awkward attempt at a viral video may have captured a shoplifter on camera.

Sarah Palin considers outrageous TV host Glenn Beck as a possible running mate for the future.

Sara Palin’s book “Going Rougue” goes rougue and shoots Rachel Maddow.

Iron Chef potluck parties, lutheran hamballs, and why bacon is the new black.

And we’re launching out Holiday Contest! Win a Feast of Fun t-shirt simply by submitting great content to the fresh section.

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Mike Rickard – Sweat: iTunes

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The November 2008 election dealt an unsettling blow to the gay rights movement when voters in California narrowly passed Proposition 8 a measure to take away the state’s ability to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

After the measure passed, fashion photographer Adam Bouska and his partner, Jeff Parshley, founded the “NO H8 Campaign” to promote the overturn of Proposition 8.

The campaign shows photos of people dressed in white shirts against a white background with their mouths covered in duct tape in silent protest and the words NO H8 emblazoned across their cheek. Although it began with just photos of everyday people the campaign grew to include the enthusiastic participation of families, police officers, filmmakers, actors, musicians, celebrities, politicians and even Kathy Griffin.

Although some criticize the project as superficial, its anything but. The NO H8 Campaign has galvanized people on the internet to take a very active stand and to raise funds for this important cause.

Listen to the show to find out why Adam and Jeff were so inspired to start the campaign, what risque photos are too sexy to be included and how you too can participate.

And the Hate Crime Bill is finally passed and will be signed into law by President Obama, what does this mean for you?

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LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
Delivering daily news and commentary on sexuality, cutting edge research, and fresh thinking on health & wellness.
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Jeffery Straker – Step Right Up: iTunes | Amazon

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Almost a year ago, longtime gay rights activist Cleve Jones announced on this show that he was working on an action inspired by the late politician Harvey Milk, asking people from all across the country to demand full equal rights for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, NOW.

Last Sunday it really happened. Was the turnout a meager 250 thousand or a whopping quarter of a million?

Will the March re-invigorate the gay rights movement or was it just a great opportunity to see Lady Gaga out of her gyroscopic dress?

And most importantly, will President Obama listen to our demands?

Listen to today’s show as we give you highlights from the rally- Cleve Jones, StaceyAnn Chin, Kate Clinton and yes, even Lady Gaga.

Interviews with longtime gay rights activists like Equality Illinois representatives Art Johnston and Rick García, and a whole new generation of fun folks like Zach O’Connor, who started downloading the Feast of Fun podcast in 2005 while in high school- find out what happens to you when you’ve listened to the Feast of Fun during your formative years.

Click here for a photo gallery from Washington D.C. Got any photos to share? Upload them to the Flickr group and we’ll feature the best ones on the site.

Obama once again re-affirms his support for the gays, the only question is when?

Barney Frank calls the March “a colossal waste of time at best” and “the only thing they’re going to be putting pressure on is the grass.” Is he right or is he just smoking too much grass himself?

Gov Schwarzenegger signs a Gay Rights Bill and establishes Harvey Milk Day.

And the ultimate question:

What would you say if you had had the opportunity to speak to thousands of gay people?

Comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1073 in your update for it to appear on the site. Learn more about hashtag searches in the Twitter Fan Wiki.

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Tom Goss – Back to Love…: iTunes

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If you live in Chicago, you’ve seen this guy all over the place, Bill Pritchard, nicknamed the Mayor of Boystown. Bill came to Chicago from Seattle, Washington for a regular day job but also ended up working a gay job as Sr. Vice President of Community Affairs for Chicago Pride.

Like him or hate him, Bill Pritchard is someone you should know.

Bill Pritchard on today’s show talking about the hot gay scene in Chicago, drag queens behaving badly, the hot guys he hangs with and why he always wears those suits!

Paris Hilton gets her ass whooped by an Italian drag queen.

Kanye West takes a year off for being a jerk and President Obama calls him a jackass off the record.

A Canadian human rights group pledges to help fight the cannibalism of African albino people.

Snuggies make New York Fashion Week.

Scientists warn that actual man-eating hybrid pythons may be lurking in the swamps of florida.

And sadly Dirty Dancing heartthrob and terrible drag queen Patrick Swayze dies at the age of 57. Nobody puts baby in the corner.

Comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1056 in your update for it to appear on the site. Learn more about hashtag searches in the Twitter Fan Wiki.

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Get a FREE audio book at Audible.com
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Carlos Bertonatti – Times Are Good: iTunes

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Step right up, step right up, we’ve got a fabulous show for you today!

Obama is set to deliver his Back to School speech on the importance of education to children on what is for many school districts, the first day of school.

But why do some parents have a problem with it? Some Republican parents claim the President is trying to politicize our nation’s school systems and they’re threatening to keep their kids home that day.

Brad Thomas, teacher for the Chicago Public Schools and former ringmaster for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus joins us to weigh in on the controversy and to talk about education and life in the circus.

In California, parents sue the public school system over a diversity curriculum aimed to reduce violence in schools and raise awareness for GLBT people and their families.

As a teacher, Brad knows the value of diversity, tolerance and the cost of violence in schools, so how does he handle tough topics like Marriage Equality when it’s brought up by the kids?

Be sure to check out Brad and Teri Yaki as hosts of this year’s Night of a Hundred Drag Queens, the popular fund raiser for Equality Illinois, held at Sidetrack, one of the best gay bars in America.

How to dress up as Kate Smith this Halloween by recycling an old Grimace costume

A man loses his manhood.

And it looks like Lady Gaga is losing her’s too.

Make a comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1050 in your update for it to magically appear on the site. To learn more about Twitter hashtags and how the work, please visit the Twitter Fan Wiki.

Visit out our sponsor:

Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
on your next visit. Enter “Feast of Fools” on the promo
code field to get the special discount.

Featured Music:
Kristine W – The Power of Music: iTunes | Amazon
Kristine W – Be Alright (single): iTunes | Amazon

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On today’s special edition of Feast of Fun, we’re teaming up with Lifelube and Project Crysp in conjunction with the 2009 National LGBTI Health Summit to bring you Risky Business- a raw discussion with a live audience at the Center on Halsted on the sex and intimacy we crave and the risk we’re willing to take.

How do adult films with bareback sex affect our sexual desires and practices?

Are videos depicting sex without condoms a hot but safe way for viewers to find pleasure or is it a dangerous normalization of risk?

We have a panel of experts here to break down the ins-and-outs of condomless sex.

Tony Valenzuela, Writer and Activist whose work focuses on the politics of gay sex, subcultures and assets based perspectives. He’s known as AIDS activism’s most misunderstood man.

Mufasa Ali, Minister and Activist, as well as co-founder of ONYX, a leather group for men of color.

Dr. Braden Berkey, Clinical psychologist whose practice focuses on gay men, and the director of the Center on Halsted’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Institute.

Chuck Renslow, the founder of International Mr. Leather Conference and Convention, was in the audience to talk about why he recently banned bareback porn at IML and the future of the ban.

This is a frank talk about the kind of sex men have in real life and how they “seroadapt” or reduce sexual harm.

For many people, this is just the start of the conversation surrounding sex without condoms, it is not the final word. If you have any questions or insight, please leave a comment and keep the conversation going. Please be respectful and refrain from personal attacks, inflammatory remarks or general hysteria.

Make a comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fofrisky in your update for it to magically appear on the site.

To learn more about Twitter hashtags and how the work,
please visit the Twitter Fan Wiki.

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How Are You Healthy? Find out at Lifelube.org
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The fight is on over the future of Healthcare! America may have voted for change but health insurance industry funded conservative Republicans are doing everything in their power, come hell or high water, to misinform the public and stop reform dead in its tracks.

Secret deals with drug companies, Death panels– what’s going on here?

One sad reality is that the only death panels that do exist are inside the health insurance companies, every day life saving treatments are denied to people simply because it doesn’t help their profits.

AIDS activist and writer Jim Pickett is here to help us make sense of it all. Jim is co-chairing the National LGBTI Health Summit, a four day conference to build community networks and share ideas which starts this weekend in Chicago.

How do we inspire a deeper conversation inside our own community around health? What’s at stake if we don’t recognize the needs of gay folks in healthcare reform?

Come to “Risky Business” a live podcast forum at the Center on Halsted in Chicago in Monday, August 17th. Find out how porn – and bareback porn – affect our sexual desires and actions!

In the news:
Will conservative Christians declare the bizarre African frog who feeds her young with her own unfertilized eggs as unholy? You have to see the video to believe it!

The Anti-Gay lobby group Focus on the Family faces hard financial times.

And Viagra ice cream– just another form of P.R. spam or the real deal? On thing that may be the real deal is Peptol Bismol Ice Cream. Would you eat it?

Make a comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1037 in your update for it to magically appear on the site. To learn more about Twitter hashtags and how the work, please visit the Twitter Fan Wiki.

Check out today’s sponsor:

How Are You Healthy? Find out at Lifelube.org
A blog on sex, drugs, physical, mental and
emotional health, spirituality and more.

Featured Music:
Kristine W – The Power of Music: iTunes | Amazon
Kristine W – Be Alright (single): iTunes | Amazon

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Gay Marriage may be the next big thing to come to Illinois. Today we’re talking to Illinois State Representative, Greg Harris- he’s been working for gay rights for years, he’s HIV+ and he’s fabulous!

Greg replaced Larry Mckeon, who was also openly gay and HIV+ when he retired in 2006. Since then Greg’s run unopposed in this overwhelmingly Democratic district.

Listen as Greg gives us a behind the scenes look at life as a State Rep, the state of marriage equality and Health Care Reform.

Greg stands apart from his peers by embracing new media, keeping his people informed by updating his Facebook status from the floor of the State’s capitol. It is certainly exciting to follow the ups and downs of his efforts to bring a successful marriage equality bill to the state of Illinois.

Facebook is great but why don’t politicians use Twitter to keep their constituents informed?

Greg takes questions from you through our Facebook page and talks about why there aren’t more openly gay politicians, why that state passed a resolution honoring Michael Jackson and weighs in on all the crazy Governors- Palin, Sanford, Spitzer and Blagojevich.

Are we pushing President Obama enough for gay rights?

Moonwalking for Hate- Westboro Baptist Church or are they Shirley Phelp’s Kids’ parody Michael Jackson’s song “Beat It”- are they for real?

And one simple, easy thing you can do to bring about political change in your part of the world.

Make a comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1027 in your update for it to magically appear on the site. To learn more about Twitter hashtags and how the work, please visit the Twitter Fan Wiki.

Featured Music:
Baby Teeth- Hustle Beach: iTunes | Amazon

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