POLITICS + PERSONALITY: The Modern Gay Power Couples, Real and Imagined

Fridays at Justin + 6 are Politics and Personality with Washington DC-based gay party guy, and creator and host of Swish Edition, R. Scott Wallis. Expect to be challenged. Expect to be offended. Opinions expressed here are Scott's and Scott's alone.
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You may or may not have noticed that CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Bravo’s Andy Cohen were on vacation together last week in Croatia, with Anderson’s is-he-or-isn’t-he-an-ex-boyfriend Benjamin Maisani (the nightclub owner who apparently kisses other dudes in parks), as well as talk show host Kelly Ripa and her husband, the actor (and super hottie) Mark Consuelos*.

Or maybe you don’t give a shit. I don’t know. But I think TMZ told me about it and they so kindly shared some grainy video taken from a car or a bush of the fivesome getting on a Croatian yacht. I know, I should be focusing on more worthwhile ‘news,’ but sometimes I just can’t look away.

Like last week, when I enjoyed the near naked pictures of Prince Harry even though I felt bad about it afterward and wrote about it on this very blog last Friday. It’s why there is so much money to be made in reporting on celebrities’ private lives. We eat this shit up.

But all of this got me thinking about gay power couples (Anderson and Andy, not Prince Harry, ‘cause that ginger sure doesn’t look gay to me). Just in case Anderson is ready to kick Benjamin to the curb some time soon (and he’s not interested in dating me) wouldn’t Anderson and Andy make New York City’s Alternative Couple of the Year?

They each have a popular talk show on a major network. Andy oversees much of the programming for his entire channel. Anderson anchors and reports for, not only CNN, but for CBS’ 60 Minutes, too. And together, they could take over the television world. The kings of reality TV and TV news. (You know, just like Ryan Seacrest, but doubled.)

Probably won’t happen, but I can dream. However, it’s not like we don’t have other gay power couples to admire. There’s Facebook co-founder and The New Republic editor Chris Hughes and his new husband Sean Eldridge, founder of Protect Our Democracy. On the lady side, we can admire talk show host and CoverGirl spokesmodel Ellen Degeneres and her gorgeous actress wife Portia de Rossi. And I personally dig Barneys’ style guru and author Simon Doonan and his partner, potter, interior designer, retailer, and all-around cool dude Jonathan Adler.

(And let’s not forget author and NYC nightlife promoter Justin Luke and his personal ginge, DJ Joe Redhead, natch.)

So, all this got me thinking: What other potential gay power couples are out there, ready to make their debut on the national stage? How about…


Tom Cruise & John Travolta
We’re all ready for these two to come out already, right? I mean, there can only be decades of rumors and a dozen past-flings coming forward to prove us right, right? The dudes may have loved their wives, and certainly treasure their children, but did they do the whole marry-a-chick thing just for Hollywood gold? Ala Rock Hudson? Is it really worth it? If Anderson and Ricky can come out without much of a ripple, can’t y’all? You both love private planes, so, come on, fly off into the sky together.

Justin Bieber & Usher
Okay, it’s probably a stretch, but we’ve all wondered about these two. Usher seems a bit too interested in young Bieb’s career. And they’d look so damned cute together on their Christmas card, wouldn’t they? As long as Justin never speaks in public again (Have you heard him talk? He’s a total idiot.), I think they could have a very long career and could end up with a joint show in Vegas a few years down the road. I go watch.

Ricky Martin & Enrique Iglasias
Enrique’s not gay and he has said publicly that he has a very small penis, but I’m rooting for a Latino liaison between these two. And I want to sit in the corner of the room and watch.


What about you? Have some ideas for your dream gay power couples? Have a real life example you admire? Share them in the comments section below!

Okay, I realize that this week’s post has absolutely no point. But I had fun writing it because I have always wanted to be a part of a power couple myself. In a way, I guess I sort of am half of one. I’m a world-renown** gay comedy podcaster shacked up with a top Washington attorney.  But in all seriousness, we all have the ability to be a gay power couple in our own way. Work hard at a career you absolutely love, give back to the community, live your life out-loud, and always be proud of your mate…and you’ll be a power couple others will look up to and want to emulate.

And then maybe people will take grainy video of you and your friends boarding a yacht in Croatia, too!

How’s that to end the week? Go get your power, bitches.

* Mark is my personal choice for Kelly’s television co-host, since Anderson will never do it and Neil Patrick Harris is all tied up with his (tired) sitcom. Yeah, I understand the new permanent co-host will be announced on next Tuesday’s “Live” episode and all indications are that it’ll be former NFL player Michael Strahan. Yawn. If we can’t have a gay, I want the hot half-Italian, half-Mexican hubby. Just sayin’.

** Literally tens and tens of people know who I am.

- Scott

SEX + SOCIAL: Racist Schmasist

Thursdays at Justin + 6 are Sex + Social with hottie with a body AND a heart of gold, the gay dude known as Omar Stokes. Feel free to find him on Grindr, A4A, Mister, DudesNudes, Scruff or any other sex app known to man.
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A common question that I've encountered on social networking sites is the small talk filler "What kind of guys are you into?" To this question, I never have an answer. Truth is, I really don't have a "type". It's more of a gut feeling than anything else and I think some can relate. I've encountered some guys that are completely baffled as to why I've turned them down, claiming they know how hot they are and model all the time. Reality check, aisle 3.

There is a reason I bring this up besides letting readers know more about how awesome I am. Despite the fact that I don't have a particular type, that does not mean I don't look for certain physical features in a guy. We can base physical beauty empirically using the golden ratio, or have just been conditioned to look for certain features; high cheekbones, strong jaw line, etc. I personally like guys that have darker features (eyes, hair). That being said, I realized something that took me by surprise for someone who loves sex so much.

I have never had sex with a black man.

My first logical thoughts were naturally "Oh shit! I'm racist!" and then quickly dismissed that idea when I thought of all my black friends. And then was brought back to start when I realized I have no black friends. I started thinking; do I treat people of other ethnicities differently? No... I feel strongly against (seriously) stereotyping people. Sure, I make jokes but I do that across all ethnicities including my own. Come on, a Middle Eastern chemist with applications to an arsenal company and a copy of The Anarchist's Cookbook in his car with Weeds and Breaking Bad on his Netflix queue? How have I NOT been arrested and interrogated yet is unfathomable.

You go, Homeland Security.

I bring this up because on all social networking sites, you are bound to come across a profile that says "no blacks, no Asians, no jerseyans" etc. This of course, sounds racist. The way they phrase it IS racist. But is the person really racist? Probably not.

I grew up in a small town in Jersey, primarily Caucasian, and few Asians here and there with a twist of Latino. There was one black kid in my High School. I based physical attraction growing up on what I saw, which happened to be a pot of milk with some little speckles in it.

I developed attraction to what I saw in these mostly white guys; proportions, cheek bones, jaw line, eye placement. Physical features like these are genetic. Your race is part of your genetics. So consequently, there is not a huge difference in the bare bones meaning between saying "I'm not attracted to that guy" and "I am not attracted to black men." It just sounds horribly racist because saying you are not attracted to black men makes it sound like everything is based on skin color. Just like how skin color is passed through genetics, so are the facial features previously mentioned.  If you are not attracted to features shared among a certain community, it does not make you racist. So stop being a fucking dick and calling a person racist if you get turned down. I have had plenty of guys say they're only into Latino/blacks/Asians. You know what I say? "Ok, good luck man."

So why have I never tasted chocolate? Opportunity I guess. There are some black men that I find extremely handsome but have failed getting with them. For the majority of instances I find myself not attracted to most black men unfortunately. Also, don't get all in a tizzy if I used "black" where I should have used "African American" or "colored". You know what I fucking mean; don't force political correctness bullshit on me. I'd rather shit in my hand and clap.

I will never touch a ginger, though. They freak me out too much. I'm sorry Justin Luke/Justin Luke's BF.

Get a tan!!

-Stokes Out

PARTY + PLAY: The 6 FREE Things Justin Luke Can Get You

Wednesdays at Justin + 6 are Party + Play with the co-director of NYC's number one gay nightlife company, BoiParty and published author of the gay novel Gulliver Takes Manhattan, Justin Luke Zirilli. 
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I'm a gay nightlife promoter.

I know, shocker, right?

While a lot of people know what this means, it occurs to me that others have NO idea how good of a thing this is for them. In this post I'm going to break down the many ways that my being a nightlife promoter helps YOU.

1. FREE ENTRY
At my weekly Thursday night event (which is the East Coast's largest Thursday night gay dance party) my name gets you and ALL of your guy friends in for free ALL NIGHT. Seriously. Walk up to that sexy muscle daddy bouncer (his name is Aaron) and just say "Justin Luke" to him. Have your guy friends say the same thing. Each of you will get a little ticket that'll get you in to the club for free.

At my weekly Saturday party at XL, I have a guest list. Is a major DJ you love in town? Drop me a text or give me a call. If we're actually friends, and I like you, I'll be happy to put you on the guest list, and reduce the cost of some of your friends.

2. FREE DRINKS
Promoters get something very magical. They're called drink tickets. At XL I get PREMIUM drink tickets. Which means whatever you order, be it Grey Goose or Ciroc or Cuervo, you hand over that lil ticket and your drink is FREE.

Do you want one? Ask me! I always have a few to share. All I ask is you don't try to take advantage and drink for free all night, and that you tip your bartender.

3. VIP AND CELEBRITY
Can you bring me 15 or more of your sexy gay guy friends to one of my events? You should let me know this. I'll get your name on our party flyer. I'll set you up with a table in the VIP section for you and your friends. Hell, I'll even throw in some free bottle service. Message me if you're interested. I'm always looking to grab up more hosts!

4. HOT FRIENDS AND HOOK-UPS
I am BIG into networking. If you hang with me at my events (or other events on my off nights) I will happily introduce you to anyone and everyone that I know. These people will be potential friends, boyfriends, one-night stands, bosses, whatever. 

5. I CAN GET YOU WORK
I can hire go-go boys. I can recommend DJs. I can bring in performers. Are you good at doing something? I can probably hire you! And, in the event that I CANNOT hire you, if I truly think you're talented, I am more than happy to hook you up with one of my other promoter friends. Nightlife is big and wide, boys. There's work for everyone as long as you're awesome.

6. INTROS TO OTHER PROMOTERS
I spend my off nights at OTHER events. Like Michael Cohen and Matt Gagnon's Summer Camp at Sky Room. Or Musical Mondays at Splash. Or a number of events at Vlada and Industry. If you go out with me, I'll happily introduce you to THAT party's promoters. It's always a good thing to get friendly with promoters. They make the magic happen.


I'm sure there are more benefits to me than this. Want to find them out? Come and introduce (or re-introduce) yourself to me some time soon!

xo JL

GOSSIP + SHADE: Rihanna Talks Diapers, Dates A Potato, And Lindsay's Sticky Fingers

Tuesdays at Justin + 6 are Gossip + Shade with Long Island Mo'lita and Adopted Kennedy, Clay Adam Wade. Blind items, anonymous tips, and additional shade are welcome. 
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Do you hear that whistle? It’s tea time bitches.

I’m spilling the top three hottest gossip pieces for you this week.

3.  Bajan darling Rihanna has recently gotten into it on Twitter with an Allosaurus Joan Rivers after Joan made some not so nice comments towards the S&M Princess.  Joan tweeted “Rihanna confessed to Oprah that she still loves Chris Brown.  Idiot! Now it’s MY turn to slap her.”  Rihanna responded by saying “wow u really do get slow when you’re old huh?” followed by “slap on a diaper.” What Joan said was pretty stupid in my opinion and now all I can think about is how Rihanna should probably use the line “slap on a diaper,” in an upcoming single of hers, it sounds really catchy!

Side note – I’ve heard that Rihanna has been spending a lot of one on one time recently with Mr. Potato Head Rob Kardashian.  That honestly wouldn’t bother me except I find him so fucking dull, beyond uninteresting and I really can’t get over the fact that he looks like a potato.


2.   Lindsay Lohan may have been caught with sticky fingers again, and this time it’s not from fingering Samantha Ronson’s dyke vaj.  The no award-winning actress is now officially a suspect in a Hollywood Hills home burglary case.  It went down like this – Lindsay, her gay husband assistant and her brother went to a friend’s house party in the Hills.  In the morning the owner of the house woke up to find approximately $100,000 worth of jewelry and accessories missing, so like any normal person would do, he called the police.  For a while Lindsay had been labeled as a person of interest but as of yesterday that has been officially upgraded to suspect.  I love the girl to death but at this point like, holy shit?!  You can’t just manage to go to work and go home and sit there for like a year until all of this blows over?


1.   This past Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending HOT MESS at XL (which everyone should see at least once) with gal pal Bobby Jones and eye candy Jose Maserati.  When we sat down to enjoy the soothing screeching sounds of Bianca Del Rio, little did we know who would be joining us at the next table – none other than gossip queen PEREZ HILTON herself!  I had forgotten that she blew someone rightfully obtained a part in the Newsical Musical thing and that she was moving to New York for a bit.  Hilton drank one cocktail, ate none of the Chex Mix that is provided for you and promptly went to the bathroom after said cocktail was finished.  Fingers don’t belong down your throat, Perez, only tragic penises.  OH, and side note, he has a huge head.


Now its time for a little advice video where I talk about why rushing into relationships ain’t a good idear.



Stay shady, ladies
- Clay

FIT + FUN: The Gay Bootcamp Beat-Down

Mondays at Justin + 6 are Fit + Fun with gorgeous gay fitness and Zumba instructor, Andrew Walker. Comments and questions are welcome! 
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This week I am writing from my luxurious penthouse suite… I mean my 9x11 foot dorm room… Yes, sadly it’s finally time for summer to come to an end. 

With school starting in a few days I realized I am not the only one around headed back to their dorm and left wondering how to possibly get any exercise in a space this small. I know those of us stuck into tiny dorms aren’t the only ones with these concerns either. This article is perfect for anyone with limited space, or anyone who wants to get the best workout to take with you anywhere.

When it comes to workouts that can be done anywhere under any conditions, I looked to my friends in the Navy SEALs to get some inspiration. The SEALs are cramped up for days on end in the belly of ships, submarines and forward bases with tight quarters and less than hospitable conditions.  But the SEAL knows at all times that he must remain in peak condition and sharpen his body and mind like a K-bar knife ready for the battle. 

Here is a killer 30-minute workout inspired by the Navy SEALs: 

(Click each one for a descriptive video)

 

Wrist Stretch – 10 each way
 

Wrist Rotations – 10 each way
 

Arm Circles 10 each way
 

Press, Press, Fling – 10
 

Up, Back and Overs – 10
 

Shoulder Pass Throughs – 10
 

Hip Swivel Kicks (forward) – 15 each leg
 

Hip Swivel Kicks (side) – 15 each leg
 

Jumping Jacks 25
 

SGPT hip mobility drill (groiner) – 3 laps
 

Mountain climbers – 25 – two count
 

Pushups – regular 20
 

Swimmers chest stretch – 10
 

alternate hand forward hand back pushups – 15


High Jack High Jill – 10 each arm
 

Cherry Pickers – 10
 

Airborne Heismans – 20
 

Standing Pause Air Squat – 30 seconds
 

Divebomber Pushups – 10
 

Standing Lunge – 20 (10 each leg)
 

Air Squat – 50
 

Pushups with Sideways Walk – 10
 

Frog Jump Lateral Jump (1 ft high minimum) – 10
 

Eight Count Bodybuilders – 10
 

Split Jumps – 15
 

Situps – 50
 

Pushups with Sideways Walk – 20
 

Thai Plank – 10 each side
 

Leg Levers – 25


Reverse Crunches – 20


Sitting Calf Stretch – 10

 

To make it one hour – start at the bottom and go back in reverse.  To make it harder add more reps – or add a weight vest or a backpack or homemade sand bags. 

 

As the Navy SEALs say, the only easy day was yesterday!

 

- Andrew

BITES + BOOZE: Ginger Chicken

Saturdays at Justin + 6 are Bites + Booze with our own answer to Paula Deen (minus the diabetes and obesity): our gorgeous gay southern belle, Jason Elliott. 

Want to share a recipe for him to feature? Feel free to tell him!
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As promised, this week we are going international! Okay, well, we are at least being internationally inspired. Today, we are going to take a simple chicken breast, and create a dish that would make even Mr Miyagi say “Yummmmmm.”

This dish is so simple. Start early though, because it does need to marinate for about five hours. It may seem like a long time, but trust me, it is worth it!


Here’s what you will need:

- 1/3 cup soy sauce

- 1/4 cup canola oil

- 2 green onions, thinly sliced

- 2 tb. honey

- 2 tb. chicken broth

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger root

- 1 tb. Sesame seed

- 3 medium-large boneless chicken breasts


In mixing bowl, combine first seven incredients.

Place chicken and marinade in large Ziploc bag

Seal bag, gently shake to coat and refrigerate for 5 hours


Bake marinated chicken at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through the middle. Serve over steamed rice and vegetables of choice.




Whether you are celebrating Chinese New Year or just trying to impress someone with Chinese take-out from your own kitchen, you are sure to please with this simple, delicious ginger-sesame chicken!

- Top Chef Jason

POLITICS AND PERSONALITY: Really? Royal Red Romps in Rowdy Room Rave -- It’s Just Not Our Business

Fridays at Justin + 6 are Politics and Personality with Washington DC-based gay party guy, and creator and host of Swish Edition, R. Scott Wallis. Expect to be challenged. Expect to be offended. Opinions expressed here are Scott's and Scott's alone.
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Switching gears, finally. Gotta tackle the “Personalities” part this Friday. Politics can wait—despite the despicable comments Rep. Todd Akin made about “legitimate rape” and the rest-stop sexual antics of Minnesota State Rep. Kerry Gauthier, to name just a couple of late—so that I can comment on one of my favorite subjects…

Redheads!

I’ve always loved the ginger boys. My best friend and business partner is one. Our fearless leader, Justin Luke, kinda digs ‘em, too, since he’s shacked up with one. And with the popularity of red meat events happening at our more hip gay bars in cities like West Hollywood, New York City, and Washington, DC, I’m guessing there are lots of us out there.

Red rocks! And apparently, they know how to party.

You’ve all seen the pictures online by now: England’s Prince Harry grooving and hugging and partying hearty in his private hotel room in Las Vegas. In the altogether!

And I say, good for him. And although I looked at the pictures just like you did, I’m feeling bad today that I reposted one of the photos on my talk show’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.

In case you have been living under a rock: Apparently, a (now former, I suspect) friend, who was in said room and a part of the infamous party, leaked or sold the photos. The disreputable TMZ first reported the story. And the U.S. and British media are still having a field day(s) with it days later.

Word out of Buckingham Palace is that Dad and Grandma are less than amused, natch. And there is talk that there may be a scolding from Harry’s official employer, the British Royal Navy. On what grounds, I’m not sure.

What a single, 27 year old guy does in the privacy of his own Encore Las Vegas hotel room is really no one else’s business. I mean, really. What happened to, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” (Can’t we make this a friggin’ law, already?!)

Harry didn’t choose to be a royal. He didn’t pick to be third in line for the crown. Sure, save for abdication (which never goes well), he has a duty to behave himself in public and to represent his family and country at official events (he always does a bang up job and is very popular; did you see him at the Closing Ceremonies of the London Olympics looking all hot and professional?) but when he’s in Sin City, partying with his buddies, I say, lay off! He’s in a foreign country and not on official business, for gosh sake.

And I believe TMZ could be sued and should be ashamed for publishing photos taken within a private hotel room without the knowledge of the subjects in the pictures. Period. It’s not our business.

What’s curious and perhaps should be celebrated, is the fact that most of the usually scandalous British tabloids (save for The Sun, which explained, and I paraphrase, “Why shouldn’t we run them? They are everywhere.”) haven’t run any of the pictures in their reporting of the story, because the Palace asked them not to and, hopefully, believing that they are an invasion of privacy. (But, they ran the story, so they are only half respectable.)

What the hell is my point? I guess that I’m happy that Harry knows how to have fun and that he’s not a stuffy mirror image of his seemingly sad-sack father. If he ever makes it to be King, he’ll be one of the hottest and perhaps funnest monarchs ever. (Yeah, I know funnest isn’t a word, but it should be.)

And because I have always admired the gingers, I’m happy to know that they can look past the fact that they have no souls* and can have a good time.

But the nekkid Harry photos aren’t accompanying this post. Trust me, if you really must see them, a quick Google search will find them in seconds. I can’t chastise the media and then repeat their offenses. (Sigh. What’s wrong with me?)

So, in closing, GO RED! But if you’re at a private party behind closed doors…keep it to yourself and enjoy the ride.

* I kid because I love.

- R. Scott

SEX + SOCIAL: Sex With A Porn Star

Thursdays at Justin + 6 are Sex + Social with hottie with a body AND a heart of gold, the gay dude known as Omar Stokes. Feel free to find him on Grindr, A4A, Mister, DudesNudes, Scruff or any other sex app known to man.
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I like to classify sex into 3 basic rankings: Awesome, Average, and “Get me the FUCK out of here”.  Average and GMTFOOH sex are, for the most part, slotted under the hookups I have had in the past. I cannot deny that I got around in college and am quite fortunate not to have acquired any “parting gifts” from my encounters. I actually made a number of platonic friends this way after the sexual tension had dissipated.

Typically, the awesome sex has fallen under the periods of time that I am dating or in relationship with someone. There is a certain level of trust and passion that can’t be matched with a casual encounter. Tapping into real heartfelt emotions rather than urges changes the playing field and enhances the entire experience.

Sex with a porn star, however, gets a category all to its own.

No doubt these instances double under the “Awesome” category. These guys know how to go at it. I have had three experiences; a TitanMen exclusive, an OnTheHunt guy, and a Randy Blue model.  I would love to dive into why these guys are so much better, but I really am not sure. The possession of sexual energy is a given. Perhaps it is the mental subdividing of sex into pleasure and work. These guys are told what to do during the filming of scenes so much so that I would imagine they may not even enjoy it at times. Between changing camera angles and positions, it’s no wonder a 15 minute scene takes several hours to shoot. Outside of shooting scenes, they have free reign of their sexual lives. No director to tell them to stop. No annoying lights. Like a prisoner being released, they just want to let loose.

So what was different from the average sexual encounter? The energy, physically and mentally. It was rough, it was intense, it was like I was actually experiencing the way porn is viewed. Some actors aren’t attracted to each other or are gay-for-pay, but put on a show anyway for audience enjoyment. As the viewer, we want to believe that the sex is amazing and the actors could not be any more attracted to each other in order to vicariously enjoy the experience.

In addition, do not interpret this as a generalization, from my experiences porn stars usually step outside the realm of typical vanilla. If you ever happen to come across the opportunity to get to know or sleep with a porn star, I highly recommend it. For those that are wary of and judge porn stars for what they do, I suggest you all read Justin Luke’s archived post on the matter.

I found it to be quite accurate and insightful. Some of the most interesting people I have met are in porn, not simply because they are absent of income and make a living off their good looks, but because they simply want to do it. I would have never imagined meeting porn stars with jobs such as a middle school math teacher, a financial professional, and a boot camp trainer with a college degree who just so happens to be an amazing writer. So back the fuck off of porn stars. You have no right to judge them, especially when you don’t even know them.

But seriously, you should really try to sleep with one.

-Stokes Out

PARTY + PLAY: Six Ways to NOT Get Kicked Out of the Gay Club

Wednesdays at Justin + 6 are Party + Play with the co-director of NYC's number one gay nightlife company, BoiParty and published author of the gay novel Gulliver Takes Manhattan, Justin Luke Zirilli. 
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It happens more often than I'd like to admit. I'm in the middle of one of my events, overseeing bottle service or attending to a VIP when my phone begins to explode. Someone is calling me.

First thing: Who the FUCK calls you when they KNOW you're in the middle of a very, very, very loud dance club. Really? How do you think we're going to hear each other?

I digress.

Finally the caller gives up and texts me: "Hey JL! So my friend ran into a bit of trouble and got kicked out of the club. Can you help him/her/it/them get back in?"

Let me save each of you the penny or two per text you're paying: My answer will ALWAYS be no.

If you're kicked out of the club, at best you're done for the night. At worst, you could be banned a lot longer than that. So, now knowing that I can't override security, let's take an opposite path: instead of discussing how I can get you back INTO the club, let's figure out how you can avoid being kicked OUT OF the club...

1. Don't be too drunk.
Yes, we serve booze. Yes, we're adults. But if you approach the club and can't even stand on your own two feet without falling over into the rope... security is going to deny you entry. I canNOT get you in when you're too drunk to stand up. Nor do I want you in there. If you fall over and split open your head... guess who's responsible? ME!

2. Don't GET too drunk.
If you come into the club and THEN drink too much, to the point where you are caught sleeping on the stairs or falling over people on the dance floor, you WILL be escorted out. My suggestion is just to go quietly. Unfortunately, the drunks ejected from parties RARELY go peacefully into the cool, dark night.

3. Don't Fight with Security
Don't give them attitude, either. If you give a bouncer, doorman, cashier, or security a strong enough attitude, should you fight with them or physically accost them, you are GONE. It'll be the most horrifying experience you've ever had as security piles on you like they're the Secret Service and you just swung a fist at the Vice President. These guys are here to keep the peace, making that difficult for them is going to make things very difficult for you.

4. Don't hide something stupid in your bag
Bouncers search bags. Very thoroughly. It would be wise to NOT carry a bottle of Jameson, a pet chihuahua, any sort of drugs, or some sort of concealed weapon in there. For dumb things like booze, it's going in the trash and sayonara. Anything more serious, you're facing a far worse problem.

5. Don't be too loud outdoors
I'm sure everyone is very proud of the yodeling lessons you've been taking three times a week. Really, we are. But don't show it off while waiting outside in line, or chilling in the smoking section. Nightclubs, especially in NYC, are a part of a NEIGHBORHOOD. A place where boring, older people are an earshot away trying to get to sleep for work the next morning. A noise violation is a very serious thing. Security may be nice and ask you to get quiet. Two strikes and there's a very good chance that you're out.

6. Don't fight with other people
Don't throw a cocktail. Don't call out your asshole ex on the dance floor. Don't scream at the DJ. Don't karate kick a stranger just because you felt like it. Any sort of physical altercation puts liability on the venue where you are partying. You will be piled on by security, whether you were the instigator or the instigated. Doesn't matter. Peacefully remove yourself and go elsewhere, or go rat out your potential attacker to security. If you engage, you are GONE. And there's a VERY good chance that you won't ever be allowed back in.

All of this may seem like common sense... you'd be surprised how often this stuff actually happens. Save yourself a ruined night, and follow these simple rules. Trust me, it's worth it.

xo JL

GOSSIP + SHADE: Rosie Almost Dies, Trolls Judge Idol And Miley's A Power Bottom

Tuesdays at Justin + 6 are Gossip + Shade with Long Island Mo'lita and Adopted Kennedy, Clay Adam Wade. Blind items, anonymous tips, and additional shade are welcome. 
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Do you hear that whistle? It’s tea time bitches.

I’m spilling the top three hottest gossip pieces for you this week.

3.  The loudest lesbian ever, former talk-show host and Hostess snack cake enthusiast Rosie O’Donnell reportedly suffered a heart attack this week and proclaimed that she is “lucky to be here,” after her ordeal.  Ms. O’Donnell apparently felt as though she were suffering a heart attack, researched the symptoms, self diagnosed, took an aspirin and then decided to go to the doctor the next day where he told her that she had suffered a mild heart attack.  Are you fucking kidding me?!  If all you had to do to “avoid death” was take an aspirin and sit in your living room with your hand in your pants watching re-runs of Rosanne then your situation clearly wasn’t that dire.  Holy shit man, people will seriously do anything for attention.

2.   Word is that the rapping troll doll Nicki Minaj just be joining Mariah Carey as a new judge for American Idol.  Ugh, I mean, I give the girl some props, she can certainly rap about absolutely nothing for a long time and make it sound good but she can’t even sing a vocal scale without 100% reverb, auto tune and a key bump of coke.  Also being considered to judge is Nick Jonas, who also can’t fucking sing, but hey, at least he looks good.  Nicki needs to keep her weave in check and go back and spend some time on Jamaica Ave so she can start rapping about curried goat and stabbing people like she used to in the good old mixtape days.

1. Miley Cyrus continued to prove to us this week that she is, indeed, a twinky power bottom with a new Twitpic. The photo depicts Miley, who, again I can’t help but think looks like what I imagine Paige Turner would look like out of drag with bleached hair, making out with her furry friend.  And no, I don’t mean BearDaddy887 from Adam4Adam, I mean her dog.  Rumors have been circulating lately that Mr(s). Cyrus has been injecting her lips to which she responded, “I don’t do that shit.”  The better to blow with in the bathroom of Vlada, my dear.

Now its time for my dear friend Aric, the gorgeous Ryan LoRusso and I to talk shit about Gay-bies, or people who are new to the gay scene and decide that its okay to get wasted and make out with everyone they know.



Till next week, stay shady lady!

- Clay

FIT + FUN: Solar-Powered Fitness - Escape the Gym!

Mondays at Justin + 6 are Fit + Fun with gorgeous gay fitness and Zumba instructor, Andrew Walker. Comments and questions are welcome! 
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Week after week in the gym can get dull and monotonous, making your workout increasingly dull and ineffective. My best advice this week is to take your workout outdoors!

Beach
Draw a line in the sand near the water, but not where it will wash away. Draw another one 75 yards down the beach. (One long stride is roughly equal to a yard.) Run from one line o the other 16 times at 70 percent of your maximum effort – in other words, slightly faster than a conversational pace. Each time you reach a line, do one of the following exercises and then rest for 30 seconds: plank (hold for 20 seconds), lunge (10 reps), or pushup (10 reps). Pick a different exercise each time. It will get harder each time so make sure to pace yourself.
           
This simple outdoor beach workout works so well because all of your force dissipates into the sand, making you work harder to cover the same distance. The result for you is a higher calorie burn than from simply running on the pavement.

Backyard
Check out the exercises described below, those two moves are what you will be using for this outdoor workout. Do the exercises shown below as a superset (back-to-back), performing as many reps of each as you can in 30 seconds; rest for 30 seconds between them. Continue alternating between the two exercises until you complete 6 sets of both. Keep in mind you want to move as much as possible during those active 30 seconds, so crank up your intensity level as high as you can, and keep it that way for the whole workout! This outdoor workout is a great option because both exercises here focus on different muscle groups. While one muscle group is active, the other is resting. This allows you to do more work with less fatigue in less time. In this workout, you’ll complete a total-body, metabolism revving workout in just 10 minutes.

DOUBLE BURPEE
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body as deep as you can into a squat. Place your hands on the ground in front of you and kick back into a pushup position. Do two pushups and then quickly bring your legs back into a squat. Now jump up. When you land, go immediately into your next rep.

PRISONER LUNGE
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and put your hands behind your head, elbows back. Keeping your back straight, step forward with your right foot and slowly lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Pause, and then push yourself back up to the starting position as quickly as you can. Repeat the movement, this time stepping forward with your left foot. That's 1 rep. Keep alternating back and forth.

If you have any other outdoor workout ideas, share them in the comments below!

- Andrew

BITES + BOOZE: Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Saturdays at Justin + 6 are Bites + Booze with our own answer to Paula Deen (minus the diabetes and obesity): our gorgeous gay southern belle, Jason Elliott. 

Want to share a recipe for him to feature? Feel free to tell him!
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Hey y’all! I’m coming to you this weekend from the heart of the home I grew up in: Mama’s kitchen! In honor of the kitchen where I learned to cook  as a kid, I wanted to share one of my all-time favorite savory side dishes with you. No matter if it was family dinner on Tuesday or the church potluck on Sunday, jalapeño cheddar cornbread was a must.

So, throw on your country tunes and flannel shirts and get ready for some cornbread with a kick! To make this, you’ll need:

·      2 boxes of cornbread mix

·      1 can of cream corn

·      1 cup cheddar cheese

·      ½ cup milk

·      2 jalapeño peppers, diced

Simply combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until blended together. Place batter in greased muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400°F.




If you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, just leave out the peppers for a basic cornbread. This goes great with chili, roasts, BBQ sandwiches, and  just about anything else you can think of…. or if you’re like me, just eat it when you’re in the mood for a tasty snack

And if you “southern cookin’” was a foreign concept for your menu, just wait until next week when we put our own spin on an international dish!

Lots of Love and Southern Comfort (on the rocks, please),

Jason

POLITICS + PERSONALITY: I’ll Take a Public Sculpture and Elmo Over Another Fighter Jet, Thank You Very Much

Fridays at Justin + 6 are Politics and Personality with Washington DC-based gay party guy, and creator and host of Swish Edition, R. Scott Wallis. Expect to be challenged. Expect to be offended. Opinions expressed here are Scott's and Scott's alone.
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I intended to take a break from the “Politics” part of my column this week to focus on the “Personalities” for a change, but since we’re in the middle of this seemingly never-ending presidential campaign—with all of its ridiculousness, epic fundraising/spending, and misinformation—I just can’t seem to break away.

So, I’ll sideline my feelings on the whole “paparazzi unethically uncovers the private relationships of celebrities phenomenon” (i.e. Kristen Stewart and her director, Anderson Cooper’s ex-boyfriend kissing in the park) for another Friday. (Hint: I think it’s despicable, but we as a nation eat it up, so we only have ourselves to blame.)

I want to talk about Romney because I’m disgusted with his most recent pledges to cut government spending. Not that I’m against cutting spending—we MUST make cuts and reduce our criminally large national deficit and stop borrowing money from foreign countries—but to single out the entities that he is promising to slash, is just ridiculous.

In an interview with Fortune magazine released Wednesday, the presumptive Republican nominee states that he would repeal ObamaCare (no surprise there) as well as cut funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the subsidies to National Public Radio.

(He also wants to cut the subsidies to Amtrak, feeling it should stand on its own. While I agree with that one, they first have to make epic changes to the governance and laws affecting the struggling train system before simply pulling the financial plug. It’s a mess that can’t be turned by simply pulling the money and hoping it survives.)

But this is not about healthcare or trains today. It’s about the arts. And while many might believe that the government has no business funding such non-essential activities, organizations like NPR, NEH and NEA, are providing valuable, life-enriching services and products.

Studies show that music and arts programs in schools greatly affect students’ overall performance academically. And otherwise talented artists from myriad mediums might never be given the chance to create without assistance of some kind. And whether we know it or not, many of our greatest thinkers and artists have come up through these programs.

And with an entity like NPR—which only gets 15% of its dollars from the government, mind you—we are able to enjoy enlightening and educational programming that the typical for-profit studios and networks could and probably never would bring us.

For example, the NEA’s 2011 budget was a measly $155 million to make 88,000 concerts, readings and performances; 4,000 exhibits; and, 9,000 artists residences possible. Life enriching and innovation that reached 107 million Americans.

The Department of Defenses’ 2011 budget?

$708 billion!

Sure, we need a strong national defense in this uneasy world. But do we need to be the police for the planet with 761 military bases around the world? The numbers are staggering. In 2010, we spent a full 19% of the entire U.S. government budget on defense…28% of our tax revenues. We spend more than any other country on earth by far and our spending makes up 40% of the entire world’s spending on the military.

So, I’d say that cuts are in order from that little ol’ line item, Mr. Romeny. And, yes, I’m talking to you, too, President Obama. Let’s concentrate on our crumbling infrastructure here at home—and build a few new public sculptures (not to mention keeping cuddly Elmo on our TVs) while we’re at it instead of buying yet another $102 million fighter jet.

- Scott

FIERCE + FASHION: Fashion’s Redefinition of Sexual Identity

FIERCE + FASHION is a weekly floating PM post penned by sexy Seattle socialite and couture cutie, Andrew Hoge. You'll never know when one of these will pop up on Justin + 6... so be on the lookout.
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Hello everyone – my name is Andrew and I’m excited to be the new style contributor for JUSTIN + 6! As someone who is passionate about style and the fashion industry, I’m looking forward to sharing my inspirations and experiences with you. As a fashion publicist, I get to dip my toes in the best of both worlds: the stylish, creative side that everyone sees and the business savvy role that focuses on how to communicate a designer’s brand with their audience.

My goal is to analyze, dissect, and evolve each topic in order to share my thoughts on its relevance and how it can be applied to our lives.

Let’s have a conversation about SCHIAPARELLI & PRADA.
On my recent trip to New York, I stopped by The Met and gawked over the displays in the Impossible Conversations exhibit, which features the work of Italian fashion designers Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. These women were both pioneers who challenged the status quo and designed clothing that represent the evolution of women in that period of time. Check out the video Waist Up/Waist Down to see what I mean.

This got me thinking about how our own story will be told at the end of the century.

Which designers, socialites, celebrities, and fashionistas will be remembered as defining (and challenging) the role of what a person can and cannot wear?

This is why the recent emergence of androgyny and “gender bending” in fashion parallels the evolution of sexual definition in popular culture. We are starting to express ourselves in different and unique ways and I’m very excited to see how it will impact our society.

ODD Style & Andrej Pejic.
An example of someone who is challenging the ideas around self-expression in fashion is the Judson Harmon at ODD Style. I had the pleasure of stopping by his showroom to investigate ODD’s “gender-less” inventory. Their website reads; “We don’t believe in men. We don’t believe in women. We believe in individuality.”

I have to say that I adored all of Mr. Harmon’s pieces. From a blue silk poncho accented with bronze studs to the selection of Anatomy Tanks that depicted the eerie structure of the human skeleton in a graphically pleasing way. These pieces allow those want to express themselves differently to do so.

ANDREJ PEJIC – if you don’t already, you should read up on Andrej Pejic.  He is expanding the definition of sexuality as a successful model in both men’s and women’s fashion shows. You might remember that he covered the September issue of New York Magazine in 2011.

With that thought, I would encourage you to think about how your own sexual identity is illustrated in your wardrobe. The nuances of one’s appearance can communicate a variety of opinions and beliefs.

Until next week!

xx

- A.

SEX + SOCIAL: Love At First Grind

Thursdays at Justin + 6 are Sex + Social with hottie with a body AND a heart of gold, the gay dude known as Omar Stokes. Feel free to find him on Grindr, A4A, Mister, DudesNudes, Scruff or any other sex app known to man.
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I had another post written about how awesome sex with a porn star is but something has come up that must be addressed immediately. I have several apps on my phone; Grindr, Scruff, Mister, Jack’d, Boyahoy. I spend most of my app usage time on Grindr and Jack’d as I find these have the best user interface. In my profile, I often put that I’m looking for plans for the weekend or legitimate dates. I wouldn’t turn down a one night stand with a gorgeous guy, but I got around quite a bit in college so naturally I’m looking for something a little more substantial at this point.

I will go ape shit if I read one more profile or receive one more message with the context of “Come on guys, this is Grindr” or “Seriously trying to find a BF on Jack’d? Lolz”

I want you to leave this page right now and go to Grindr’s website. Do not come back until you find evidence that the creation of the app was catered toward hooking up.

Go.

Why are you still here? I know you didn’t find anything. The same holds true for Jack’d. When you make a profile on Jack’d, you fill out interests on your profile such as movies, books, interests, etc.  If my main focus is hooking up, I really do not give a shit that you love Coldplay. None of these apps are specifically focused on hooking up with guys. The users make it that way. We ask each other what the other guy is into in the 5th line of conversation and ask ”how big?” by the 16th line. Everything is about sex.

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE sex. That’s why I write about it. And I’m not complaining. These apps are succeeding because sex sells. The apps and websites that restrict or look down upon quick sexual encounters rarely survive. Match.com? Slim pickings. They make most of their revenue on the heterosexual section. Remember DList? I fucking LOVED DList. It was like a gay Myspace. You had a customizable profile page, could IM people, a wall for people to comment on. What happened to it? It died because no one was as interested since it wasn’t sex driven. I feel like even RealJock is only hanging by a thread.

Manhunt and Adam4Adam specifically cater their purpose as a hookup website. Manhunt makes money by giving you a taste of the useful features, but not unlimited unless you pay. While free, Adam makes money through the massive amount of ad space on every page. While the chances of finding a boyfriend are slim, you can’t exactly complain if your coffee date that you met on MH was expecting sex.

If you want to hook up on any of the mobile apps, go ahead. I’m not judging or saying you shouldn’t. What I am saying is that there are no decent sites or apps for the guys that are looking for something a bit more long term. So don’t make fun of us or give the “It’s Grindr, dude” line. All I comprehend when I read that is “Blah blah blah, my name is Slut McPudding Tits and I swallow”.

(If you seriously use ”lolz” when messaging, you need to reevaluate your entire life)

-Stokes out

PARTY + PLAY: No More Freebies for Ryan Republicans

Wednesdays at Justin + 6 are Party + Play with the co-director of NYC's number one gay nightlife company, BoiParty and published author of the gay novel Gulliver Takes Manhattan, Justin Luke Zirilli. 
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That's it. I've had enough of this.

Just this past week, Mitt Romney, one of the blandest and most flip-floppiest of Republican presidential candidates in HISTORY named devil incarnate with icy blue eyes, Paul Ryan as his vice presidential nominee.

And somehow, the world is still rotating. 

Paul Ryan! The man who wants to dismantle medicare. The guy who wants to privatize social security. The guy who wants to cut programs like unemployment, welfare, and everything else. Not to mention his terrible track record on the whole gay thing.

And yet, when I went to Facebook and railed against the pick, and firmly planted my feet on the Obama side of future-history, I still received some of the same push-back.

"Fuck Obama. I would rather have a job than have the right to marry another man. Romney/Ryan FTW!"

"I'm sick of paying my hard-earned money to welfare and unemployed queens who are taking advantage of the system!"

"Why do I have to pay out of my pocket to people without health insurance!?"

Okay. Okay. I dig it. I get it. I'm done with this. What it breaks down to, in my mind, is quite simple:

The Democratic party is made up of people who are willing to give a little to help others who have less. Sure, some of our programs may be a little out of whack, or taken advantage of, but we know that, on the whole, they help people.

The Republican party, conversely, is made up of very, very selfish people. The bootstrap jackasses who think that one can earn success on their own, without the help of others. Their money is THEIRS. And FUCK everyone else.

Really? Are you THAT opposed to helping others? I mean, I pray you never end up in a situation where you have to depend on any of these programs... especially if the politicians you helped to elect to office have dismantled and destroyed them by that point.

So I am issuing the following decree:

If you are a Paul Ryan Republican, the kind that doesn't believe in welfare, or unemployment, or anything like that... 

You can stop bothering me for free entry and free drink tickets at my events. 

Seriously, don't even ask.

Because it is beyond clear to me that you have a problem with handouts and hookups. And I don't want to violate your principles, and make you a hypocrite.

You are free to come out and party, and drink and dance... but you can use your money to do so.  And this is my statement, and mine alone. I am speaking on behalf of NO ONE except myself.

I'm sorry. Your hypocrisy stops here. You can't be against "handouts" while accepting them yourselves.

xo Justin Luke

GOSSIP + SHADE: Jennifer's Engaged, Miley Looks Like A Dyke And Bitches Be Trippin'

Tuesdays at Justin + 6 are Gossip + Shade with Long Island Mo'lita and Adopted Kennedy, Clay Adam Wade. Blind items, anonymous tips, and additional shade are welcome. 
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Do you hear that whistle? It’s tea time bitches.

I’m spilling the top three hottest gossip pieces for you this week.

3.  America’s sweetheart and my personal favorite Friend Jennifer Aniston got engaged this past Friday to her incredibly yummy boyfriend Justin Theroux.  I don’t know about you guys, but I had no idea who he was before she started dating him, and I’m so glad that she did.  Not only am I so happy for her, but he’s fucking hot! I’ll admit to having fantasized about him a few times in the comfort of my own fleshlight.

2.   Chad Ochocinco who I think was on that show called “Dancing With People You’ve Never Heard Of Before But We’re Gonna Pretend That They’re Famous” was arrested this past week after head-butting new wife Evelyn Whatever from Basketball Wives.  I don’t condone violence, or marriage for that matter, but to be completely honest I’d probably head-butt the bitch too.  I mean, have you watched that show?!  She has random tantrums and throws full bottles of very expensive wine at people’s heads.  He probably wasn’t trying to hurt her, he was probably trying to knock some sense in to her stupid big head.  That or she likes it rough and girl I can relate, thanks to my latest Grindr hookup, urpainizmypleasure.

1.    Miley Cyrus got a new haircut and bitches are flipping a shit.  She looks like a cross between Robyn, what Ellen Degeneres wishes she looked like and what happens when you get too close to the head of a human being while mowing your front lawn.  I’m all for experimentation and edge but like, what are you doing?  Do you really think your hunky fiancé wants to come home at night to fuck a Brooklyn theatre twink with boobs?  In that case, watch out gurl, Paige Turner might steal your man.

Side note – Taylor Swift’s new single dropped last night and I’m sure you’re all going crazy over it.  I personally hate it.  I’m sick of hearing her whine, the whole wee-EE-ee part sounds like it was recorded on a rollercoaster that I wish had broken down and the lyrics are annoying as fuck.  Sorry bout it, Taylor.

Now its time for my shade of the week, where my two and a half year old niece and I talk about bitches in da club who think they cool but they ain’t.



- Clay

FIT + FUN: Zumba... Live from FLORIDA!

Mondays at Justin + 6 are Fit + Fun with gorgeous gay fitness and Zumba instructor, Andrew Walker. Comments and questions are welcome! 
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I am writing this week from the Orlando International Airport in Florida, currently in a state of soreness and tiredness that I have never experienced before. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, I actually couldn’t be happier to be this exhausted.

Just to give a little background, as a part of my fitness career I have been a Zumba® Fitness instructor for over a year now, teaching this energy packed Latin and international inspired dance fitness class. If you haven’t heard of Zumba® yet, you should probably get out from whatever rock you live under and get yourself to a Zumba® fitness party.

Anyway, back to my crazy weekend. This weekend was the Zumba fitness instructor convention here in Orlando where Zumba instructors from all around the globe get together to spend 4 days doing nothing but Zumba. Like we all say, you’ve got to see the Zumba family at least once a year.

I spent the last four days here learning all kinds of new dance rhythms and styles, working on my skills as an instructor, meeting many of my favorite Zumba education specialists, and pushing my limits by spending around five hours dancing each day.

This weekend has shown me how much more powerful the Zumba program has become over the years, and renewed my confidence that Zumba is here to stay, and will continue to grow, changing lives all around the world.

My Zumba Convention experience started on Thursday when I arrived in Orlando to meet up with my two roommates for the convention. My first session was an Aqua Zumba class designed to refresh my skills in teaching Aqua Zumba. Thursday night was the Fitness concert event. This event was jam packed with guest artists including Daddy Yankee, Mara, and Soldat. Unlike a regular concert, all 5,000 of us were dancing along to the live music having the time of our life. The rest of my convention included sessions in Hip-hop, Party Rock, Latin Pop, and the newest Zumba fitness specialty class, Zumba Sentao®.

As your fitness expert here at Justin +6, I want to encourage you to get out there and try Zumba®, and if you already have, keep looking for new classes and events because the possibilities are truly endless. Zumba will transform you lifestyle, make you a healthier person, and bring a fresh new energy to your life. All you have to do is dance!

- Andrew

TRAVEL + TUNES: A GAY Too Many

Sundays at Justin + 6 are Travel + Tunes with the jet-setting, dub-stepping Neil Andrew Frias. Get ready to take a trip around the world, and around the international soundscape.
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“Gay” has become a niche, Are we finally a group in which most music aficionados would call a sell out crowd? We’ve seen every diva appeal to us, and we have finally become a world-renowned mass-market audience. Even though the majority of the world’s population isn’t gay, in the eyes of record labels we are known as BIG BUCKS.

These days, if an artist isn’t making it big with the masses, they turn to appeal to our love for catchy hooks, glittery costumes, and “fierceness.” Back in the day, when Madge A.K.A Madonna made pointed statements in support of gay rights and equal love it wasn’t to stir up the press or boost the sales of her latest record, it was because she really meant it. But now in my opinion artists like Gaga, Katy Perry, Britney, and even comedian Kathy Griffin are all in the media speaking out about their love and support for the gays, and it just feels a little disingenuous.

Of course I am extremely thankful and grateful for the support and the focus they have all brought to our fight for equality, but still I feel a bit used.  When I see Gaga live and she makes all the “little monsters” stand up and yell in acceptance for our individuality, it makes me wonder how genuine is she really being. Does she really want to unite us all as one, and accept that we are “beautiful in our way, because God makes no mistakes” or does she want to unite us so that we all go and download her latest track off iTunes and buy a $200 concert ticket?

Kathy Griffin lived her life on the D-list as the “wacky red head” from Chicago with spots here and there on random sitcoms, until she found her niche with the gays. Now she’s the queen of Bravo, headlining Gay Days and Pride events around the world.  Katy Perry never found success in her early days as a Christian rock singer, but once she “Kissed a girl and liked it” she gained worldwide recognition and soared to the top of the billboard charts. I don’t mean to say these people are without merit or talent. 

I’ve spent hundreds of my hard-earned dollars seeing Katy, Kathy, and Gaga in concert, or buying their CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, and posters, but I’m also fully aware that when I spend I those dollars on these artists, I’m doing it not just because I enjoy them, but because some big business executive has figured out how to market to my demographic.  I am a part of the market that has carried these and many more artists from zeros to heroes, all in the name of “Gay.”

- Neil

BITES + BOOZE: Mint Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Vodka Whipped Cream

Saturdays at Justin + 6 are Bites + Booze with our own answer to Paula Deen (minus the diabetes and obesity): our gorgeous gay southern belle, Jason Elliott. 

Want to share a recipe for him to feature? Feel free to tell him!
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Remember that chocolate bowl we made last week?

Well now, it’s time to fill it with something! This week, we are making possibly the most mystically chic dessert ever created: Chocolate mousse.

We’re going to jazz it up a little with some mint and top it with a thick, homemade vanilla vodka whipped cream! All together now…  Yummmmmm.






For the mousse you will need:

·      8 oz. Chocolate

·      6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

·      1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

·      3 Egg Yolk

·      3 Egg White

·      ¼ cup Sugar

·      Peppermint Flavoring



1)  Melt chocolate and butter. Let cool.

2)  Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture

3)  Whip cream to soft peaks

4)  Whip egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks

5)  Combine egg whites and chocolate mixture

6)  Fold in whipped cream to chocolate mixture

7)  Place in refrigerator



For the whipped cream you will need:

·      1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

·      ½ cup Sugar

·      0.5-1.0 oz Vanilla Vodka


1) Combine all ingredients in a cold bowl

2) Whip to stiff peaks


Prepare yourselves. This dessert is a bit tedious and seemingly overwhelming, but it’s guaranteed to get you some plenty of “oooooh’s” and “aaaaaah’s” I am sure. 

Play around with flavoring. If it goes with chocolate it will be great in the mousse. Think about using raspberry or coffee flavoring instead and garnishing with fresh fruit or chocolate-covered espresso beans.  To change up the whipped cream, substitute rum or a coffee liquor for the vodka! As with anything in cooking, a few small changes make this dessert unique to your tastes! Have fun with it and see what you can come up with!

Next week, we are going with something a little more savory and a lot less time-consuming. So if cheap and easy is your style, you won’t want to miss it!

XOXO

Top Chef

Politics + Personality: Wanna Toke Up? It Shouldn't Be Any of Uncle Sam's Concern

Fridays at Justin + 6 are Politics and Personality with Washington DC-based gay party guy, and creator and host of Swish Edition, R. Scott Wallis. Expect to be challenged. Expect to be offended. Opinions expressed here are Scott's and Scott's alone.
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Hey, boys and girls…what’s better than sex, drugs and rock & roll? Well, besides a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, I can’t think of anything better.

Except that I don’t do drugs. Sure, just like President Obama, I’ve tried my share, but nothing heavier than pot and I’m most likely going to pass on it when it’s offered to me these days, mostly because it doesn’t make me mellow and cool like it does for most people I know. For me, it’s more like a billowing mess of laughter and fits. (I stick to my vodka drinks or a nice dry Prosecco, thank you very much.)

But, I wouldn’t ever tell you not to toke up, if that’s what you want to do. And I think you should be able to do it legally, to boot. And not just for “medical” reasons, either.

In the last week or so, I listened to interviews with the likes of presidential candidate (yeah, can you believe it?!) Roseanne Barr, comedian and HBO talk show host Bill Maher, and actor and hemp activist Woody Harrelson, all fessing up to lighting up doobies on a regular basis.

The U.S. government even estimates in a recent report that some 96 million Americans alive today have smoked pot at least once in their lifetime.

So, it got me thinking again about a subject I feel very strongly about: Victimless crimes should be decriminalized in this country once and for all and we should seek out politicians that agree.

Plus, I’m so very against the nanny state. I’ll consume as many calories as I want, thank you very much, Mayor Bloomberg.

What I really want you to know—and I bet you already have a general idea—is that we should all be absolutely disgraced with the colossal failure that is the modern “war on drugs.” The United States spends billions of dollars a year on this war effort with absolutely no real results. You know this…for every pot dealer they lock up, there are 20 more around the corner.

Even if you’ve never touched an illegal substance in your life, I am confident that you know someone who does and you have most likely witnessed people using drugs at some point. It’s everywhere. And you’ve got to know how absurdly easy it is to obtain. High school students know this. Grandmothers know this. Joan Rivers knows this. Michael Phelps knows this. Obama knows this.

And yet, we spend and spend and spend money (that we don’t have) that could be going towards more worthwhile causes. Or better yet, put back into our wallets.

The number of people in state and federal prisons for drug possession is staggering. And the billions of dollars we are paying in taxes to house and feed these people? It’s more criminal than the supposed criminals.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, some 30-40% of currently incarcerated prisoners are behind bars because of so-called victimless crimes. Meaning, there was no one purportedly hurt because of their crime…except maybe themselves, if even. There are over 1.5 million Americans behind bars today, compared to just over 200,000 in the early 1970’s when the war on drugs began. Decriminalizing drugs would reduce this number by half and save the American taxpayers over $20 billion a year on incarceration costs alone.

Will legalizing—then inevitably regulating drugs—save lives? Absolutely. Will people still abuse them? Probably. But likely not at the same rate as today. Researchers believe the number will actually drop.

(For an example, look at the legal drinking age in Europe. Most countries over there don’t have an age limit at all and their rate of teenage and young adult alcohol abuse is vastly lower than in the United States. When the state demonizes and restricts something, we tend to want it more. Let kids have wine with dinner at 16 years old and they won’t be stealing six packs of Milwaukee’s Best from the super market and wrapping cars around trees.)

Study after study finds that recreational marijuana use is no more harmful than drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. Many believe it’s even less risky to the human body than our most widely used legal substances. Hell, seventeen U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow the sale of marijuana for medicinal reasons, even though it’s still against federal laws to process and use the drug.

I’m not advocating drug use; but that doesn’t mean that I think it should be illegal. It’s called personal responsibility and having dominion over your own body. Want to drink like a fish, smoke like a stack, and have sex with everything that moves? Have at it. Marry your sister for all I care. Go ahead and pay a prostitute for sex and buy a mixed drink in a restaurant before noon on a Sunday in New Jersey. It should be YOUR choice. Not the states’.

Let’s also cut off the $30 billion annual lifeline to drug cartels. Let’s not take otherwise productive members of our society out of commission and put them in jail for years because they had an ounce over the legal limit in their car. And let’s stop telling people what to do with their own bodies.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

- R. Scott

SEX + SOCIAL: A Slippery Slope

Thursdays at Justin + 6 are Sex + Social with hottie with a body AND a heart of gold, the gay dude known as Omar Stokes. Feel free to find him on Grindr, A4A, Mister, DudesNudes, Scruff or any other sex app known to man.
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We’ve all been there at one point or another. That awkward, mood-killing pause while getting hot and heavy that straight people (usually) don’t have to deal with and the part in porn that they often cut out.

Where’s the lube?

Picking out the right kind of lube is like deciding whether to do a running play or shotgun pass on 2nd down when you’re...fuck it, I forgot who my audience was.

To save you the trouble of trying to decipher which lube to buy with the fancy names and claims, I’ll break it down for you. (My qualifications? A degree in Chemistry, bitch.) There’s really one main thing you have to decide to cut your choices in half, the rest is a matter of minor preference for fragrance, budget, and fancy bottles.

Silicone-based or water-based?


Water-Based
These lubes are cheaper (because they’re mostly water) and much easier to find. Nowadays you can find them at any local drug or grocery store. The main ingredient is water, usually followed by glycerin and glycols for thickness and slip/feel. They provide a great feel and make sex (even by yourself) a lot more pleasurable with the entire experience being a bit on the cooler side.
For like, 5 minutes.

Problem with water-based lubes is exactly that. It’s water. Water dries quickly and is absorbed by the skin readily. Add some friction and you’ll find yourself re-applying more often than Joan Rivers goes under the knife. A car engine with no oil will eventually create so much friction and heat that the metal pistons will literally begin to melt. Now imagine how the bottom must feel in that sort of situation.


Silicone-Based
For a long-night session followed by a shower and a change of sheets, this is the route you want to take. Silicone-based lubes repel water. And they repel your skin. It’s a long-lasting lubricant capable of withstanding long-night sessions with minimal application. Like skating on ice. Perfect, right?

Good luck cleaning up.

Silicone is incredibly hard to clean up, not to mention a lot more expensive comparatively. If you get it on your sheets, expect a stain to be there for days to come. Not showering afterwards? Expect to feel it still on your skin the next morning. Silicone based lubes are a mess, and should really only be used for long-night sessions worth putting in the clean-up afterwards for (or sensitive bottoms). The only way you will be getting silicone off your skin is with lots of soap and water.

In addition, silicones have a much lower specific heat compared to water. What this means is that while it won’t dry out nearly as fast as water will, the temperature of silicone lube increases three times faster than water.  Friction is lowered by using silicone lubes, but overall the entire experience is much hotter (temperature-wise).

So how do you tell which lube is which? Turn the bottle over. Any clear lube with water as the first ingredient is water based and ingredients that have”-cone” in their name make the lube silicone based.  Some lubes out there are creams, which combine water and silicones with an intermediate component. This is the middle ground between the two types. Stay away from any type of oil-based lubricants as these can erode condoms. (That includes the Vaseline and baby oil, cheapskates).

In short, long sessions followed by a shower, go silicone. Shorter sessions and easier cleanup, best to go water.  Also, be wary of possible allergic reactions. I, for one, get hives from certain types of “Wet” lubricants. You’re introducing the lube to an extremely sensitive area that is similar to the inside of your mouth.  You don’t want to have to call the ambulance because you chose the wrong lube, ignored the signs,  and your hookup went into anaphylaxis while riding you like a cowboy.

Imagine explaining that one to the EMTs. 

-Stokes Out

PARTY + PLAY: This Ain't Old Gay New York

Wednesdays at Justin + 6 are Party + Play with the co-director of NYC's number one gay nightlife company, BoiParty and published author of the gay novel Gulliver Takes Manhattan, Justin Luke Zirilli. 

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A few months ago, I received a painfully abrasive negative one-star review on my novel, Gulliver Takes Manhattan. It became almost immediately obvious that this angry reviewer didn't actually have issues with my novel. In fact, it seemed as if he never bothered to read a page of it.

But what stuck was the personal attack he launched on me in the later part of the review. The conveniently anonymous reviewer raked me across the coals for working in nightlife, and throwing gay dance parties. Among the barbed words he accused me of being a drug addict who fed my go-go boys cocaine and meth (only after taking them for a ride on my private casting couch). He called my parties filthy and unfortunate, filled with copulating crack heads with no jobs and no future. He compared me to promoters from the days of yore and said I would end up just as washed up as them.

My response was a simple one: "It sounds to me like you haven't been to a club since 2000. Perhaps you should come out. This is NOT the New York you knew."

It's funny, friends. People who are out of the scene seem to have a very different view of nightlife than what is actually there. At least in regard to BoiParty and the events we throw. Maybe NYC nightlife used to be a place like this, but allow me to say: it ain't like this any longer.

For one, I am drug free. Always have been, always will be. I'm not saying that I judge people who DO use drugs, but don't string me up by a faulty stereotype.

For two, I have not, nor will I ever, sleep with one of my dancers, DJs, bartenders, hosts, etc.. In fact, at BoiParty we have a very strict rule about fucking the talent: you don't do it. It makes things messy. It allows people to climb the ladder of success with their cock instead of their experience, intelligence, creativity, and loyalty.

For three, our crowd does NOT seem to be a very heavy drug-based one. From what I've seen, the younger 20something crowd is much more interested in smoking weed and getting drunk. No meth for these boys. A lot of them aren't even interested in cocaine.

And as for sex at our events? Come on. If security (of which we have a lot) even catches you with your dick out, your next stop will be the sidewalk outside of the club.

And as far as our dancers and DJs go, a significant number of them DON'T EVEN DRINK... BY CHOICE. And the day of the go-go boy rent boy are long gone. Our dancers have day jobs. Others are graduating college this year. A number of our former dancers now have professional day jobs ranging from chefs and photographers to public relations specialists and event planners

It's really this simple: BoiParty events are about having FUN. This fun often consists of getting drunk, dancing yourself into a puddle of sweat, meeting all the other guys who come out to our parties. We'll bring in the internationally renown electric violinists and pop acts, you come out and have a good time. That's the BoiParty guarantee.

Now, is it possible that this drug and sex culture exists elsewhere in New York City nightlife? Maybe. But I'm not at those places. If I'm not at my events, I'm at bars in Hell's Kitchen doing the same drinking, dancing, chatting, and networking that I do at my own parties. If this scene is still somehow alive and relevant, it's slinking beneath my radar.

And allow me to repeat one last time: I am not judging people for seeking out this type of event. I am no saint. I'm not here to dictate the way you let go and have fun. But don't just make bold assumptions about me, my colleagues, or my parties. You're dead, dead wrong. Save your gavel for Judge Judy (or whoever is on daytime TV these days). Don't point it in this direction.

We're just here to have some fun. Come out and see how things have changed. You might be surprised. Hell, you might even have some fun.

xo
JL